Appetizers, Soups & Salads

Food saver bags allow you to store your food, whether fresh or leftover. Food is placed in the bags, and then the bags are placed in the machine, which extracts all of the air from the bag. The...

When folks think New Orleans cuisine, seafood gumbo is usually one of the first dishes that comes to mind. Part soup and part stew, this hearty, rich-flavored dish is served over a bed of warm...

Soup that tastes like saltwater cannot be eaten unless you do something to correct the flavor. One popular folk remedy, that cooking slices of potato in the soup will soak up the salt, was found...

This fruit & spinach salad is full of many essential vitamins and minerals including: B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E,and vitamin K. It also contains healthy sources of fiber and of all three...

The most basic part of growing vegetables during the winter is capturing and holding what heat is available. Greenhouses are built on the principle and do it well. Better greenhouse designs...

The basis of crawfish etouffee, like many Louisiana soups and dishes, is a roux. A roux is essentially a mixture of flour and oil (or sometimes butter) that is used to make a gravy or sauce. While...

The people of southern Louisiana do enjoy their seafood gumbo. However, the difference between a run-of-the-mill seafood gumbo and a fabulous one often lies in the stock. Just as beef or chicken...

Aussie rice salad, a simple yet flavorful side dish served with many different types of main dishes, flatters the eye and tempts the taste buds. Vegetables such as peas and corn add color, while...

Serve vibrant fruit trays by caring for each individual fruit from the market to the table. Assembling a fruit tray can be an artistic expression that showcases the best fruits of the season....

Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are nutritious because they are high in protein. Many people enjoy the seeds as snacks because they help curb your appetite without adding too many calories. While you...

Keep your cool when trying to chill your food. Cooling soup improperly at best produces uneven results, but the worst-case scenario results in soup that could harbor food poisoning pathogens....

Instead of serving simple fruit salad, wow your guests by bringing out an eye-catching watermelon centerpiece filled with melon balls. One of the simplest designs for a centerpiece adapts to any...

As any native of New Orleans will tell you, the idea of purchasing pre-made cocktail sauce is akin to blasphemy. In less then five minutes, you can make your own cocktail sauce, and it'll be the...

Spinach raita, a creamy, flavorful spinach dip of India complements many Indian and U.S. meals. You can serve this dish year-round and pair it with soups, salads, sandwiches and stews. Some choose...

Black walnuts must be cured properly to keep them from spoiling and then soaked for hours before they can be shelled for their nutmeat. Preparing walnuts for drying requires a fair amount of...

Microwave popcorn may be fast and easy, but popcorn made on a stovetop is likely to have a richer flavor. Popcorn cooked in a heavy bottom pan will also lack the preservatives that packaged...

Carving a watermelon is similar to carving a pumpkin, and many of us are familiar with cartoons and fairy tales where pumpkins are transformed into princess carriages. You can replicate these...

Fresh and spicy mango salsa can be made at home and goes perfectly well with salmon, halibut or as salsa for fish tacos. Also enjoy it as a dip for roasted bread or even plain chips.