Easy, creamy Southern mashed potatoes with heavy cream - Soft, tangy, and butter-smooth* this is an all-family pleasing winner.* The best southern mashed potatoes are one of those dishes that everyone seems to have their own way of making them. Some like them creamy, some like them lumpy, and some like them with lots of …
Recipes from the African Diaspora
New Orleans is my favorite city in the U.S. and I love cooking and eating its foods. I'm a sucker for red beans and rice with sausage made in that creamy New Orleans style. Enjoy this recipe and a little history that traces its history back to Haiti in another post that combines delicious food and history as we continue to celebrate Black History Month.
Related Chicken Wing Recipes: Comfort food at its finest in the form of chicken wings marinated in chipotle infused buttermilk and deep-fried to crispy perfection. Get ready to indulge in a symphony of flavors with these tantalizing Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings. Picture succulent, tender chicken wings, bathed in a tangy and creamy buttermilk marinade that …
This black rice recipe makes for a colorful side dish that is as delicious as it looks! The sweetness of the potatoes is balanced with the savory nutty flavor of the rice and the tartness from the pomegranate seeds and all work together for an incredible mouth experience. Often when I cook I take on …
This Southern Fried Jerk Chicken is the type of dish I make during days of gluttony, such as the Super Bowl or in this case March Madness. But this post also has big application for Sunday Dinners. In addition to this delicious, dope recipe I include and critical list of tips for making extra crispy fried chicken. Enjoy
Indulge in the easy yet deeply flavorful Cuban picadillo, combining ground meat, spices, tomato paste, and a touch of sweetness. Pair this comforting dish with Tiana Major9's soulful "Collide" for a symphony of flavors and emotions that create a perfect harmony on the palate and in the heart. Related Cuban Inspired Recipes: Classic Cuban one-pan …
With Black History Month getting a lot of attention here in the States, I continue to explore the African Diaspora and the culinary traditions of black people worldwide. This recipe for Haitian Soup Joumou took me a while to develop as far as getting it to the standards that truly honor the heritage, tradition, and spirit of the people of Haiti. I don't know that I nailed it, but I definitely appreciate the history lesson and connection it fostered. I love the flavor and the focus on local ingredients in bringing this dish to life. Don't be intimidated by the ingredient list, execution is simple and easy as long as you have time and patience, taking things step by step. Enjoy!
Tender vegan braised collard greens cooked with aromatic spices, offering a flavorful twist on a classic Southern dish. Related Collard Greens Posts: Braised vegan collard greens recipe, a quick and tasty way to get a soul food staple on the weeknight menu! It's only 5 ingredients and made with ingredients you're likely to have on …
Collard greens are a weekly staple in our home. We have our traditional Sunday Dinner recipe that ain't changing. However, I do keep quite a few of what I call weeknight greens recipes. These are meant for us to explore the greatness of the humble but nutritious collard greens but within the context of our busy lives. So these are actually quick hitters. This curried collard greens recipe falls into this category. As its the norm, we explore cultures through food in an effort to become culturally aware as well deepen our empathy for others. Collard greens more than any other vegetable/food is most often the vessel for these explorations. Enjoy
A Southern Chicken and dumplings recipe that is as comforting as it is flavorful. It’s perfect for a hearty make-ahead weeknight dinner or just enjoy it on a Sunday dinner get together. In the heart of the South, where culinary traditions run deep and the kitchen is the soul of the home, there exists a …
Hearty and creamy Colombian chicken potato soup (ajiaco) that’s perfect for a cold night or comforting Sunday dinner. Colombian Soup Inspirations My wife and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Colombia and created a food and culture itinerary that was Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" meets The Amazing Race. We hit Bogota, Medellin, and …
Brazilian style fried chicken wings are a thing and they are damn good. Munch on these crispy, juicy wings and vibe on the sounds of Banda Black Rio for some out of site Brazilian Fusion Funk.
Lately I've been revisiting old recipes and converting them for Instant Pot use. This version of Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken came out really well. It's a quick and easy recipe but does require as meal prep you make an even more simple doctored up BBQ Sauce which I featured in my last post.
Sometimes when things feel like they're spinning outta control or you're just off your game, it's best to jump off the treadmill and just get re-centered or grounded. That's what this comforting bowl of black eyed pea soup represents for me. It's slow cooking and sustained eating for a few days. Just what I needed.
Simple and delicious roasted eggplant recipe that is bursting with bold flavors. This dish features a crispy brown outside with a creamy sweet inside then is topped with a garlicky Cuban mojo sauce. Note this post was updated September 20, 2019. Roasted Eggplant Ingredients Eggplant ingredients Mojo Sauce Ingredients Roasted Eggplant Recipe Inspiration …
An easy doctored up bbq sauce you can use to make many a Caribbean dishes quick and easy. Store-bought jerk marinade + pineapple juice + basic store-bought bbq sauce for the win! This jerk bbq sauce can be used on anything from brown stew chicken to braised oxtails.
Summertime is fun time. Grilling all things including watermelon is a favorite past time of mine. It's hard to describe grilled watermelon, but trust me it's simple and delicious. Give this one and try and impress family and friends
Fried chickpeas are fairly comomn these days. But fried black-eyed peas are much better. The recipe is simple and takes less than 20 minutes to make. Try these out.
As you know I've designated July okra month. This is my favorite way to enjoy okra outside of a good pot of gumbo. It's quick, flavorful, and only requires a few ingredients. You'll want to keep the harissa sauce on hand and use it for other dishes as well.
Cazuela de moriscos is a Colombian Seafood Stew common in the city of Cartagena which has a strong Caribbean vibe to it. My wife and I visited multiple cities (Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena) in Colombia earlier this year. I was impressed by the appreciation for culture andh heritage as evidenced by its visual and performing street artists. Food-wise we had so many great experiences from street food to restaurants. This seafood stew recipe was inspired by a dish at had there and I plan to make others that I experienced during my visit. Stay tuned! This one tastes like I spent all day cooking it, but in reality, it was just 30 minutes.
Fun vibes with this Okra Fried Rice. It's a fusion of cultures that results in high flavor. The best part is it comes together easily for a quick weeknight dish. But it's also fancy enough to serve to guests at a weekend celebration.
I made this smoked oxtail recipe and it was so good! If you're looking for a flavorful and hearty dish, then definitely give this one a try. The smokey flavor of the oxtail goes perfectly with the Jamaican jerk marinade and BBQ sauce. Smoked oxtail - Bone nibbling comfort food you won't want to use …
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas with pancetta and cacio e pepe a merging of two classics for a Southern dish with Italian flavors. These black eyed peas are the ultimate side dish for Sunday dinner or quick weeknight offering. MOOD MUSIC The inspiration behind this dish is just me pairing a few different things I …
It's almost okra season, but I couldn't wait. This is my version of "fried okra aka "Southern Popcorn." I switch it up to longer okra halves so they're more like fries. And for a super crispy texture, I subbed rice flour for wheat flour. It's not only crunchier but has a light, clean finish about it. Don't worry there is absolutely no slime!
The last of the recipes featuring harissa sauce, I think. I'm tempted to make another batch and create more recipes to pair it with. Keeping the simple + elegant vibe these glazed harissa carrots will put a smile on your face. No fuss, but high flavor.
Charred Asparagus may just be the perfect side. Less than 5 ingredients, Less than 10 minutes total cook time including prep, and backed by an ever so versatile and killer harissa sauce. Don't worry the sauce is not too spicy, as the honey and lemon juice tames the heat from the chili paste.
Kicking off what is essentially "Harissa Month" with these game day worthy spicy chicken wings. These are fiery and hella tasty.
These grilled prawns are as quick and gourmet you can get in about 5 minutes. We serve them as weeknight appetizers, but they're snazzy and unique enough to pull-off at a fancy party. Make the sauce ahead of time and be sure to make enough to use for a few other recipes.
Try this West African inspired peanut sauce. It's simple, versatile, and delicious. You'd be surprised at all the different foods you can pair it with; from shrimp and chicken to vegetables like cauliflower, mushrooms, and cabbage.
Nothing like a quick and easy side dish with incredible complex flavor. This blanched spinach salad is simple, unique, and everyday! Put it on your weeknight menu in less than 10 minutes.
Fried bologna sandwiches were a staple of my childhood, and I'm sure for many it still is. I refer to it as a "hood classic" as every kid from the hood has a story and a recipe version for bologna sandwiches. Though a humble sandwich made with basic ingredients, it along with other humble dishes have played a significant role in Black History as a means of survival, show of resourcefulness, and example of innovation. My grandparents told me stories of The Negro Motorist Green Book which was essentially a guide for black road trippers to find safe havens in the form of restaurants, gas stations, and hotels given the hatred and related dangers they faced in Jim Crow South. Shoebox lunches were also the norm, and bologna sandwiches were prominent in these pack lunches which were brought along for those stretches on the road where you were not likely to find a restaurant that served "coloreds." Enjoy the sandwich and learn a lil black history in this post.
One of the things that impressed me most about the Civil Rights Movement and continues to be a source of inspiration for me is the fact that there were so many every day people who contributed. It wasn't just about Dr. King, Julian Bond, and John Lewis, but also the unsung like Georgia Gilmore who went from cafeteria cook to unemployed as the result of the bus boycott to home-cook and entrepreneur who fed and financed the movement. I'm happy to tell her story in this month's post as well as offer up in the immortal words of Outkast's Big Boi - "some fish and grits and all that pimp shit!" Enjoy
February kicks off Black History Month, and I'm excited to be participating in a Virtual Potlock with 27 other food bloggers. My contribution is this Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich which is a mashup of Japanese and Southern cultures. Look closely and you'll notice an actual plump shrimp cutlet instead of fried chicken thigh. The fried shrimp is then dipped in a spicy chili oil for additional flavor. And oh yeah, there is a history lesson in this post. Did you know as early as the 1500s Japanese had an African Samurai?
Sundays mean meal prep for me, which pretty much always means making 2-3 sauces for the week. As I tend to keep things on the simple end during my always busy week, having reliable, delicious and versatile sauce on hand allow me to elevate any basic dish whether its pasta, grilled chicken, or roasted potatoes. This collard green salsa verde qualifies as one of those do it all type sauces. It definitely skews on the healthier side, but in no way skimps on flavor. Besides the taste and versatility I find it's an easy way to get the nutritional benefits provided by collard greens on a daily basis without the labor of cooking up a big ole pot of collards. JUST keep things simple with the recipe and you'll love it as a condiment/meal enhancer.
A big green salad just in time for Thanksgiving side dish plans. It's a unique salad featuring an unlikely mix of ingredients that work magic together. Collard greens, baby lima beans, smashed cucumbers, and lemongrass-coconut pickled celery make for soul food meets Asian cuisine mash-up. Requires little cooking to free you up to focus on other things. The recipe is powered by a soulful hip hop track "Greeny Green" from Atlanta's finest Goodie Mob featuring Ceelo Green.
Baked Whole Black Sea Bass Recipe with Beet Greens Salsa - an easy and delicious baked fish recipe with step by step instructions for choosing and cooking whole fish. I eat a lot of beets including smoked beets, roasted beets, and even lightly pickled beets. Because of this and the fact that I hate wasting …
Vegan pozole - Mexican meets soul food in this fusion soup recipe featuring cabbage poblano, and collard greens. It's a delicious and warming soup that comes together fast and can be included as part of your 30-minute meals repertoire. I've heard all the chatter about a cabbage soup diet being this miracle weight loss regimen. …
A vibrant, and refreshing main dish option that can be added to your 30 minute meals arsenal. Quinoa is easy to cook and requires little effort to impart flavor. Given this, it's a staple in our house as a busy weeknight go-to. Plus it offers so many other beneficial qualities that I recommend you get …
This comforting skillet cabbage recipe is a great weeknight meal. It's delicious and perfect for all types of customization. I know how much you guys love quick and easy meals, so today I am sharing my grandma's quick and easy beef cabbage stir. Add this to your collection of 30-minute meals. There are only a …
Super tender, flavor that's fire, and visually stunning this whole roasted cauliflower is perfect as a rut breaking main dish or a show-stopping appetizer at a dinner party. Cauliflower recipes don't have to be boring and basic. I like a nice mashed cauliflower, but cauliflower is destined for so much more. Roast it and enjoy …