Jerk seasoned grilled red snapper is a bold Caribbean inspired seafood dish where smoky char, fiery spices, and fresh citrus come together in perfect balance. The whole snapper grills up with crisp blistered skin and tender flaky meat while the jerk seasoning layers in heat, allspice, thyme, garlic, and deep savory flavor. Snapper is my …
Kwanzaa Recipes
Black folks peach cobbler is a soulful Southern dessert made with tender canned peaches baked beneath a buttery, golden crust that turns crisp around the edges while soaking up all that rich cinnamon-spiced syrup underneath. Using canned peaches gives the cobbler consistent sweetness, soft texture, and year-round comfort food energy without sacrificing that homemade flavor …
Southern fried cabbage is humble comfort food done right with tender ribbons of cabbage cooked low and slow until silky, lightly caramelized, and soaked with smoky flavor from thick-cut bacon. This skillet fried cabbage recipe leans into classic soul food traditions where simple ingredients become deeply satisfying through technique, using rendered bacon fat to build …
These aren’t your grandmother’s pickled beets. These are roasted and then quickly pickled in a green onion and ginger vinaigrette. The beets are sliced thinly like beef carpaccio which speeds up the “pickling” process. MOOD MUSIC There was a time when I'd try and impress my grandmother by signing up for pickled beets as part …
Golden, crispy fried catfish is one of those soul food staples that hits every note -crunchy cornmeal coating on the outside, tender flaky fish on the inside, and enough seasoned crust to keep you reaching for one more piece. This version leans into deep Southern fish fry traditions but gets a flavor-forward upgrade from a …
Rustic salad made with grilled butternut squash, fresh black kale, and nectarines topped with a garam masala and maple vinaigrette. The dressing is as good as the grilled butternut squash. It's got both heat and sweetness which pairs well with the smoky butternut squash slices. The nectarines add both texture and tartness. MOOD MUSIC …
This blackeyed peas and collard green recipe is vegan soul food at it’s finest plus a little Afro-Caribbean to match. Both the greens and blackeyed peas are cooked in a tasty curry sauce and then paired with fonio grain. This dish will smell up the kitchen with an unbelievable aroma and it delivers on taste. …
Grilled prawns plus spiced lemon butter sauce equals winning in a major way. Make this dish as a great appetizer or main dish weeknight option. The prawns require no preparation and are easily cooked then topped with a kicked up lemon butter sauce seasoned with a dried Piri Piri seasoning mix which you can buy …
Grilled okra, a delightful side dish, offers a perfect blend of smoky char and crisp texture. With minimal effort, this simple recipe transforms okra into a flavorful, delight that adds a tasty and unique element to any meal. Related Okra posts: Fried okra might be the most popular way to enjoy okra in my house, …
These quick pickled red onions bring sharp tang, subtle sweetness, and vibrant crunch to everything from tacos and to bowls. Made with a fast vinegar brine, they soften just enough while still keeping their snap, creating that perfect balance of bright acidity and texture that shows up across Caribbean, Mexican, Southern, and global home cooking …
Enjoy this delicious grilled romaine salad topped with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. It's the perfect side dish for your next barbecue or quick Summer weeknight dinner dish. This salad is a simple no-fuss go to on grill days. For my house it's usually a tide me over until the main dish items are ready whether …
Smoked dry rubbed ribs are the kind of backyard barbecue that turns patience into payoff - meaty pork ribs coated in a bold spice blend, then slow-smoked until the bark turns dark, smoky, and packed with deep flavor. The dry rub creates layers of sweet heat, savory spice, and caramelized crust while the low-and-slow smoking …
This collard greens salad flips a soul food staple into something fresh, crisp, and deeply flavor-forward, pairing tender ribbons of collards with a warm homemade bacon vinaigrette that hits smoky, tangy, and savory notes all at once. The technique of massaging the greens softens their bite while keeping that signature hearty texture intact, creating a …
Nigerian suya skewers are street food with swagger - smoky, spicy grilled beef threaded onto skewers and coated in a deeply savory peanut-based suya spice blend. These beef skewers hit with layers of heat, smoke, nuttiness, and charred crust, while staying juicy inside thanks to a quick marinade and hot-fire grilling technique. It’s the kind …
This tomato and basil salad is the perfect summer salad. It's just a few ingredients, but packed with a clean and fresh taste thanks to the ripe cherry tomatoes and just picked basil. It's simple enough to pack up for a nice picnic, but versatile enough to be a side at the family barbecue. This …
This grilled cedar plank salmon will wow with its color, fragrance, and flavor. The cedar smoke combined with the hibiscus based rub makes this easy grilled dish everything that is everything. For other smoked seafood dishes try these smoked mussels or smoked fish dip. The fish has got it all. The flavor of the hibiscus …
Juicy and tender scallops, brined to perfection and delicately smoked, provide some serious flavor in each bite. This dish elevates seafood with just a touch of smokiness love, making it some serious grub. Related Scallops Posts: Extraordinary smoked scallops recipe that’s perfect as a starter or main dish. Scallops are slow-smoked but still tender and …
These Instant Pot beef short ribs are fall apart tender ribs braised in a rich West African inspired maafe sauce made with peanut butter, tomatoes, and beef stock. The pressure cooker transforms a traditionally long simmered dish into a deeply flavorful meal in about 90 minutes, delivering silky sauce, succulent beef, and the soulful comfort …
This air fryer corn on the cob recipe delivers sweet juicy kernels with lightly blistered edges and deep buttery flavor in less time than firing up the grill. I coat the hot corn in jerk seasoning compound butter so every bite lands smoky, spicy, savory, and just a little sweet like summer cookout corn with …
Instant Pot New Orleans red beans and rice delivers all the smoky, creamy comfort of the classic Louisiana dish in a fraction of the time. Tender red beans, savory sausage, and the holy trinity pressure cook into a rich, velvety pot full of deep Cajun flavor while still keeping that slow-simmered soul food feel. Using …
Quick and easy sauteed green beans cooked in under 20 minutes. Green beans are sautéed in a delicious creole based sauce for tender and flavorful side dish. Instant Pot Sauteed Green Beans Ingredients This may look like a lot of ingredients, but it's really not. Most of the ingredients are for the spice mix. Green …
Ensalada de Aguacate - an avocado salad that is the ultimate triple threat - flavor, easy, and fun. Just slice, mix, and serve this vegetable side dish. Cool, creamy, and citrus-bright—this Cuban salad slides onto the plate like a summer groove. This Cuban avocado salad, known simply as Ensalada de Aguacate, is proof that restraint …
A Bold, Herb-Heavy Flavor Bomb That Is A Great Seasoning Base For Many Types of Dishes. Well now, cool cats and flavor peeps—lean in close, ‘cause I’m about to put you on to the heartbeat of Haitian kitchens: epis. This ain’t just no blend—it’s a mood, a movement, a Miles Davis “So What” kind of …
Tender, smoky, and perfectly seasoned—your new favorite Southern soul food side This Instant Pot Cajun cabbage is what happens when Southern comfort meets Louisiana swagger. Green cabbage gets pressure-cooked low and slow (fast) with smoky bacon, spicy andouille, and Cajun seasoning until it’s silky, savory, and soaking up every drop of that seasoned pot liquor. …
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.
Comfort food at its finest in the form of chicken wings marinated in chipotle infused buttermilk and deep-fried to crispy perfection. These crispy buttermilk fried chicken wings soak low and slow in a seasoned brine, then fry up loud with a shatter you can hear across the room. Rooted in Southern fry-house tradition and built …
Classic Cuban one-pan dish that’s perfect for a quick, 30-minute weeknight no fuss dish. Full of savory and aromatic ingredients this dish also makes for great, easy leftover ideas. This Cuban picadillo is comfort food that knows how to tell a story. Built on aromatic Cuban sofrito, ground beef, olives, and capers, this dish balances …
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 …
Southern chicken and dumplings is pure comfort in a bowl; tender shredded chicken simmered in rich savory broth with soft, homemade herb-infused fluffy dumplings that soak up every bit of flavor. This soul food classic leans on slow-building technique, from making a deeply seasoned stock to rolling and cooking dumplings until they’re pillowy, silky, and …
Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey Ancho Chile Glaze are outstanding in both their taste and simplicity! Make this sweet and savory squash for your Thanksgiving meal, Sunday family gathering or even a weeknight dinner. They are naturally sweet but the glaze amplifies the flavor. Surprisingly I don't cook a lot most Thanksgivings. Between volunteering as …
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.
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.
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 …
Smoky, soulful, and straight from the bayou - this smoked duck gumbo with oven baked roux turns any weekend meal into a Louisiana feast, loaded with deep Cajun flavor and silky, stew-like comfort. My flavor peeps, grab a spoon and tune your taste buds to the duck alert frequency — this smoked duck gumbo is …
Golden-Crisped Puerto Rican Mofongo with Juicy Shrimp & Smoky Pepper Sauce: Bold, Garlicky, and Comfortably Crunchy Now we cookin' with baby! This mofongo relleno is a Puerto Rican flavor bomb that starts with green plantains, fried golden in olive oil then smashed in a mortar and pestle (or with potato masher) with fresh garlic cloves …
Tailgate with this grilled Corn on the Cob recipe, featuring simply seasoned fresh corn topped with a vegan crema. MOOD MUSIC One of my favorite tailgating songs is "Eye of the Tiger" from the Rocky IV soundtrack, partly because my fondest college football memories are from my days as a player were our intense workout …
Slow and soulful—this smothered okra turns humble ingredients into comfort food magic, perfect for Sunday suppers, weeknight soul food dinners, or family gatherings. You flavor DJ here, bringing a little low-and-slow love from the stovetop to your soul. This smothered okra ain’t just a side dish—it’s a full-on groove of flavor, where tender okra meets …