Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches

Well, I bought my first e-book yesterday.  You are probably wondering why I am talking about it here.  Well this is what I bought.

I am always borrowing Miss V's iPad to look up recipes in the kitchen instead of dragging out my laptop.  I quickly peeked through the book before church and found a few that I can't wait to try.

Do you have any cookbooks on your e-reader/iPad?  If so what books do you have and how do you like looking at those instead of an actual book??

Fettuccine Alfredo My Way

Miss V picked this out of her Emeril's There's a chef in my family cookbook.

Oh it came out so rich and creamy.  It is a good thing that we don't eat like this all the time.

1 pound fettuccine
1 tbs plus 1 tsp salt
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup diced ham
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 tbs minced garlic
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup green peas defrosted
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add the pasta and tbs of the salt.  Return to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the ham and cooking stirring for 1 minute.

Add the onion and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic, and cook stirring for 30 seconds.

Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.  Cook until the volume is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.  Add the peas 1 tsp salt and the pepper.  Stir well.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink and place the pasta in a large bowl.

Pour the sauce over the pasta,  Add the cheese and toss to coat.

Serve immediately.

Creole Croutons

This is my go to recipe for croutons, it is from Emeril's 20-40-60 cook book.

1 French baguette (about 12 ounces), preferably day-old, cut into 1/2-inch dice (down here it is easier to find Cuban bread and that is what I used for our Taste of Mardi Gras party)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and toss quickly to coat the croutons well.

Transfer the croutons to a baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Bake, rotating the baking sheet front to back midway through, until crisp all the way through and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield: About 6 cups

Emeril's Talk About A Taco Salad

I turned dinner over to Miss V and she chose this from Emeril's There is a chef in my kitchen cookbook.

4 large burrito-size flour tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Baby Bam
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chicken stock or canned low sodium broth
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 1/3 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack
1/4 cup sour cream
Salsa, optional
Guacamole, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the tortilla bowls, cut a 3-inch wedge from each tortilla and discard. Take a baking sheet and place a stainless steel mixing bowl upside down on the baking sheet. Brush 1 tortilla with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Drape tortilla over the bowl, pressing to form into a bowl shape. Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Strain the beef in a colander set over a bowl and discard the drained fat. Return the beef to the pan and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chili powder, Baby Bam, and salt, stir, and add the chicken stock. When the broth is reduced by half, remove from the heat, about 1 minute. Let cool.

To assemble the salads, place 1 bowl, cup side up, on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture into the center of each bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of the shredded lettuce, 1/3 cup of the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the cheese, and the sour cream. Add salsa and guacamole, if desired, and serve.

Baby Bam

This comes from Emeril's cookbook, There is a Chef in my Family. Miss V needs to make this to go into dinner tonight.

3 tbs paprika
2 tbs salt
2 tbs dried parsley
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 celery salt

Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Simple Croutons

I have been wanting to try and make croutons this spring because the kids, ok mainly Jimmy inhales croutons with his salad at night. It seems like I am always running out of them. I found this recipe in Emeril's 20-40-60 cookbook. I cannot believe how easy they were.

1 French baguette (about 12 ounces), preferably day-old, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and toss quickly to coat the croutons well.

Transfer the croutons to a baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Bake, rotating the baking sheet front to back midway through, until crisp all the way through and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield: About 6 cups

Emeril Costume

Just in case you thought I was joking when I said I even dressed up as Emeril. Here is a little proof. This was my cousin's annual Halloween Party in 2003.


Close up, I sprayed my hair black and slicked it back. Used some black eyeliner to make black eyebrows and Emeril's mole.


Full outfit; black leather loafers, white socks, black dockers rolled up a bit to show off the socks, white apron, white chef coat that I put his "E" on with green fabric paint and my t-shirt was from Emeril Live and on the back it said "Pork Fat Rules".

How's that for a costume???

Emerils Pasta Primavera

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Emeril! It was a huge honor to meet him and have him sign one of my cookbooks. (I even dressed up as him for Halloween years ago and had Victoria in a pig costume so she could be Pork Fat) Anyway I am going to make his Pasta Primavera from his new cookbook 20-40-60.



1 pound rotini or penne pasta
5 tbs butter
2 cups chopped red onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbs minced garlic
1 pound zucchini or yellow squash halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch moon pieces (about 4 cups)
2 cups frozen mixed peas and carrots
1 cup diced canned tomatoes with juices
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
1/2 cup thinly sliced basil (optional)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil


Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add he rotini and cook until just tender, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water and set aside.


While the pasta is cooking, met the butter in a 14 inch saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the 2 tsp salt, black pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the squash and continue to cook stirring as needed, for 2 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring for 2 minutes.


Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the sauce and cook until the pasta is heated through and the ingredients are well combined,1 to 2 minutes.


Remove from the heat and fold in the the cheese and basil if desired. Then drizzle with the olive oil. Garnish with more cheese, if desired. Serve hot.

Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayo

Dinner tonight will be from my new Emeril's 20-40-60 cook book that I got for Christmas.

16 slices of thick cut bacon
8 slices ( about 1/2 inch thick) brioche, challah, or other soft white bread. (I picked up some potato bread)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I love Duke's)
2 packed tbs finely chopped fresh basil
8 to 12 thin slices of ripe tomato
8 red leaf lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry (Sweetbay didn't have any so I picked up Romaine)
1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded and sliced

Place the bacon in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat, cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Toast the bread slices in a toaster to the desired color.

Combine the mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl, and stir well.

Spread the mayo evenly over one side of each bread slice. Cut or break the bacon slices in half and arrange o one half of each sandwich. Place 2 or 3 slices of tomato, 2 lettuce leaves and about 1/4 of the avocado slices on top of the bacon on each sandwich. Top with the other half of the bread, cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

Sausage and Pepper Po'Boy

Dinner tonight will be Sausage and Pepper Po'Boy sandwiches from Emeril's new cookbook 20-40-60.

2 tbs olive oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced yellow onions
2 tsp Emeril's Original Essence
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 pound mild Italian sausages, removed from casings and crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbs Louisiana hot sauce or other red hot sauce
1 loaf soft French bread, cut into four 6 inch sections, each section sliced in half horizontally
4 oz sliced provolone cheese

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the bell peppers, onions, Essence and Italian herbs. Cook until the vegetables have softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers and onions to a paper towel lined plate.

Add the crumbled sausage to the hot pan and cook until the meat is cooked through and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat broiler.

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and the hot sauce.

To assemble the po-boys, spread the cut sides of each piece of bread with spicy mayonnaise. Divide the sausage evenly among the 4 bottom pieces of bread, then top evenly with the peppers and onions. Arrange cheese slices over the filled bottom halves and over the cut side of each top portion.

Place the sandwich halves on a baking sheet, cheese sides up, and heat under the broiler just until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Press halves together and serve immediately.

New Cookbooks!

Marcel and Victoria bought me new cookbooks for Christmas. The first one I opened was Sandra Lee's Cocktail Time, oh boy does it have some great recipes and I can't wait to try some out.

The second one is Back to Basics by Ina Garten and I have been wanting this one since it came out.

The last one, Victoria picked out all by herself. It is Emeril's 20-40-60. I looked through it and it also has some great recipes.