🌹 Happy Birthday Mom! - Mom's Favorite Family Recipes 💖

Mom turns 92 years young on November 11.

And I owe it all to her, at least where I get my cooking chops (and any good sense I have). Just check out our cooking videos to see what I mean.

My Mom liked my annual cute animal birthday card for her 91st.

She grew up in Texas on the Gulf Coast in a small shrimping town called Port O'Connor. There, I learned to love seafood.

Port O'Connor Slideshow

Her father was a shrimp boat captain. So, while we couldn't afford steak, we had all the fresh-caught seafood Big Daddy would bring home, including shrimp that fell off the big boat's conveyor belt while unloading his catch. 

Big Daddy & Big Mama

Mom had movie-star looks (like a young Elizabeth Taylor), smarts, and a scholarship to college if she wanted it, but had no extra help from her parents.

Mom's 90th Birthday Video 

So after high school graduation, she was soon married, and I arrived on the scene, followed by my brother and sister.

Billy, Berry, and Brenda

My Dad was in the military, so we moved around. Mom and we kids eventually settled back in Port O'Connor after a divorce. 

Dad was quite a character and the life of the party, but he was also a little too profligate in the alcohol consumption department.

Billy Doyle Robinson

Mom went back to work as a waitress, so I learned how to literally pinch pennies when she poured handfuls of customer tips on the kitchen table for us kids to separate and count.

Mom got back on her feet and found love again with this shuffleboard-playing fellow below, Ken.

Click on any photo to see larger.

After a couple of years, Mom remarried, and a final sister, Denise, was born (catch up with my youngest sister Denise's Eggplant Recipe, video here).

Denise & Radish

We moved to neighboring Louisiana the year I enrolled in Junior High School. There, she picked up a whole other way of cooking, Cajun-style.

My high school daze were spent in Gonzales, Louisiana, the self-professed Jambalaya Capital of the World. So you know this town is serious about chow. Click here to see a culinary video tour of some local Cajun cuisine at the weekend Flea Market, including Crawfish Pie, Boudin Balls, and, of course, Jambalaya.

And, here's our first video we made together in my Los Angeles kitchen - and even my dear late wife Amy makes an appearance at the very end of the video. You'll get a kick out of Mom rockin' the cast-iron kettle. I make her Cajun  Jambalaya more than any other recipe - it's simply delicious!

Here is a link to her Jambalaya recipe with text and yummy photos.

And our latest video together is a gut-bomb Breakfast Taco with Curly Fries! Her cooking always incorporates ingredients suggested by the family, this time from her grandkids Zak & Matt (I first had frozen fries, but not Curly Fries, in an egg taco cooked by Zak). 

Mom was always popular with my high school buddies...especially during lunch or dinner time. She brought her Tex-Mex Enchiladas to Cajun Country, and my Louisiana friend Marvin ate them up!

Me, Marvin & Dennis

On a recent visit to Louisiana, I had him over when I filmed Mom making Tex-Mex Enchiladas. Marvin liked the Enchiladas so much that he had a flashback to our high school daze.

Make sure to watch my wacky recipe video to the end, that's when our flashback hijinx really gets to smoking (wink, nudge.)



Mom takes a star turn with her next video recipe, her popular Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.

It's a traditional Southern dish, and it's cheap, too. Just chicken, sausage, and the Cajun veggie trinity of bell pepper, celery, and onion. What gives Gumbo its unique taste is a dark brown roux, which is flour cooked in oil until chocolate brown.

Just check out the video below - Mom will take you through the steps. And, as an added bonus, my oldest sister Brenda makes a nagging appearance a few minutes in.



Click here to read all about making Mom's homemade Gumbo, from roux to rice!

My Mom's Cajun Potato Salad is the perfect side to her Gumbo and Jambalaya. When she visited me in Los Angeles, I got her to do it on camera. I couldn't help but give her a hard time with the recipe. I called it Cajun Mashed Potatoes, and she called it Cajun Potato Salad - well, I guess you'll have to watch the video below to see who wins that argument!

I satiate my sweet tooth during visits with Mom. And the best of her pastry delights are Mini-Pecan Pies. If I couldn't make it for the Christmas holiday, then she would send a shoebox-sized package with a dozen of these tasty pies.

In the video below, Mom attracts a kitchen full of hungry relatives when these pies come hot out of the oven. And it's a miracle they were done right because this Chef de Shutterbug was shoving a camera in her face (and a hot oven) during the whole procedure. We butted heads a few times, but fortunately, it all turned out fine.

I even came up with a way to dodge the high prices for pecans - so check out the video below to learn my budget secrets.

And click here to see Mom's Mini-Pecan Pies recipe with text and tasty photos.

Now, Mom is no angel -- hey, who is? Recently, my brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef, made an appearance with his Spanish moss and all.

When I asked Mom, "Who's the Swamp Chef's daddy?" Her reply was: "That's a very good question!" I guess Mom will spill the beans one day, until then, check out the video below for a dessert good enough to cajole the Swamp Chef out of the bayou!

Cherry Pie - Recipe Video

In Louisiana, there are fast-food drive-thrus serving slushy Daiquiris. I don't know how the heck they get away with it. Every time I go back to visit my Mom and Sis, I am reminded about this quirky Cajun roadside icy, thirst-quenching to-go cup.

Now, there are rules to this. Louisiana has an open container liquor law. So, when you get your Daiquiri, as both Mom and Sis reminded me several times, "Do not put the straw in!" That is a DUI violation if you are stopped. However parched you are, resist plunging the straw through the drink top -- until you get home. Fortunately, Mom's house was less than 5 minutes away.

Check out my last video below, and ride along with my sister Brenda and Mom for a cool beverage on a hot Louisiana summer day.

Happy Birthday, Mom -- I love you!

Turkey Stuffing with Crawfish - Recipe Video

Hang out with the Swamp Chef for a new holiday classic, Crawfish Stuffing! When I served it to my Cajun family, they gave it a big thumbs up.

If you haven't met the Swamp Chef, he's my brother from another daddy. I once asked my Mom who the daddy was, and she said, "That's a good question". 

The Swamp Chef came in from the bayou over a decade ago, and we haven't been able to get rid of him since.

What makes this stuffing recipe unique is the combination of the veggie Cajun Trinity and Louisiana Crawfish. 

The Cajun Trinity is comprised of chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion. Sauté the veggies until soft and add them to your favorite stuffing recipe. I like a cornbread stuffing from the box.

Adding cooked and peeled crawfish to the stuffing mix is the cherry on top. Crawfish are milder in taste than shrimp, and small like bay shrimp, so they do not overwhelm a typical turkey stuffing. I like crumbled pork sausage in my stuffing or sautéed mushrooms for a veggie version, but substituting crawfish is a tasty change-up.

Crawfish are easy to come by in Louisiana. They're sold in 12-ounce to one-pound frozen packages. I buy them when they are on sale and put them in the freezer until ready to use. 

Click on any photo to see larger.

You can buy locally sourced packaged crawfish or the cheaper crawfish from China. Guess which one real Cajuns buy?

They are cooked and peeled and ready to heat up and eat when defrosted. Add a whole package to the stuffing mix before shoving it into the big bird before roasting. 

I use 2 boxes of stuffing from the Dollar Tree, but most grocers sell it pretty cheap. I prefer cornbread stuffing mixes. There are easy-to-make cornbread mixes that are even cheaper than boxed cornbread stuffing.

You can cook the Crawfish Stuffing in the turkey or separately in a pan. I cook my stuffing in the turkey. After the turkey is done, I remove the stuffing and place it into a pan to bake an extra 15-20 minutes in the hot oven to make sure the turkey juices are cooked through.

A roasted turkey straight from the oven needs to rest about 10 minutes anyway so the juices redistribute. And while that is going on, the Crawfish Stuffing can finish cooking in the oven.

You can use any favorite Stuffing Recipe you like, but adding the sautéed Trinity of veggies and cooked crawfish makes the most unusually tasty Swamp Chef Turkey Stuffing. If you don't trust the Swamp Chef, then trust me, it's darn delicious.

Turkey Stuffing with Crawfish  - VIDEO
Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 18 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding: just click here.

Ingredients

• 2 Boxes of Cornbread Mix - each box is 6 ounces. Okay to use any packaged stuffing mix you like.
• 1 Cup Water - for 2 boxes of cornbread mix, according to the directions.
• Cooked Crawfish - I used a 1-pound package of cleaned, cooked, and peeled crawfish. 
• Cajun Trinity Veggies - 1 chopped onion, 2 ribs of celery, and 1 bell pepper.  
• Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon, optional.
• 2 Slices of Toast - optional.
• 1 Tablespoon Oil - to sauté veggies.
• 2 Tablespoons Butter - or a butter substitute.

Directions

Over medium heat, sauté the Cajun Trinity of chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 boxes of Cornbread Stuffing Mix. Okay to add any favorite Stuffing Mix. Follow box directions.

Tear apart 2 slices of toast into bite-sized pieces. I like a little bread to soften the Stuffing - this is optional.

Sprinkle in a teaspoon of Garlic Powder, optional. Add 2 tablespoons of butter or a butter substitute.

Pour in 1 cup of hot water (for 2 boxes), according to box directions. Mix the stuffing ingredients until the Cornbread chunks soften. With the sautéed veggies and crawfish, that's extra moisture right there. 

Finally, pour in a 1-pound package of Crawfish Tails. In Louisiana, you can find Crawfish Tails in the frozen seafood case. They are cleaned, cooked, and peeled - ready to eat.

Mix the Crawfish Tails and Cornbread Stuffing. Now it is ready to stuff the Turkey.

You can cook the Crawfish Stuffing separately in a baking dish or piled on a pan. Cook the stuffing for about an hour (when the turkey is an hour away from being done), if you have room in the oven. For extra flavor, add some pan drippings to the stuffing when you first start baking it.

Bake the Stuffed Turkey according to the package directions. Typically, 3 hours at 325 degrees for a 10- to 12-pound turkey. Click here for an easy-to-follow turkey baking chart.

You want the dark meat internal temperature to be about 165 degrees. I usually cover the turkey breast (not the stuffing) with aluminum foil for the first 2 hours, then remove it so the skin browns during the last hour or two. 

Keep an eye on the stuffing after a couple of hours. If it gets close to browning too much, then cover it with aluminum foil.

When the Turkey is done and resting on the kitchen counter, I will remove the Crawfish Stuffing. I like to see if it is too mushy. Also, the Turkey may need a bit more cooking if the cleaned turkey interior is a little pink. 

Once the Crawfish Stuffing is removed to a baking dish, I cook it another 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees in the oven to firm it up, or to make sure it is cooked all the way through, just to be safe.

Serve slices of turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, and scoop on plenty of my Cajun Crawfish Stuffing.

National Candy Day - From Amsterdam Licorice to Poisonous Scorpion Lollipops.

 Halloween was only 4 days ago, and I can't eat any more candy...NOT! I have a sweet tooth that will not be satisfied; I'll admit it. So join me in celebrating National Candy Day.

As kids, we did not have the selection of chocolate bars they do now. There used to be a Hershey Bar, and foil-wrapped Kisses were favorites. Chocolate with peanuts is always a welcome crunchy bite.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Bit-O-Honey often landed in our Halloween bags. The dizzying flavors are caramel, peanut butter, peanut pieces, and a taste of honey.

I learned to blow gum bubbles with Bazooka.

Don't know if Lemon Ginger Chews are candy? They have a spicy kick like Hot Tamales - It's good car cruising candy to jolt you awake.

Sugar-free candy is everywhere, and I can't taste the difference from old-school sugar candy.

A sweet-on-sweet I do like is old-school Milk Chocolate Cordial Cherries, that is, Chocolate Covered Cherries. I get mine from the Dollar Tree now that the 99c only Stores chain is no more. Click on the video below to see my yummy review.

You can always find holiday-themed Chocolates, thank god, and amen. 

They are often praying hands, a religious symbol, or a jolly Santa Claus for Christmas, and a cute bunny for Easter.

In my Hollywood days, I lived a few blocks from The Monastery of the Angels. It is home to a cloistered community of Dominican nuns. They have an online Gift Shop selling Candies and Pumpkin Bread. I get the box of Rocca Sicca Caramel Almonds. They are heavenly.

As soon as Halloween is over, in come Candy Canes and Chocolate Reindeer.

On Valentine's Day, you will see Chocolate Roses with plastic leaves and stems in a long, thin box, sappy but kinda fun. My funnily romantic Valentine's Day slide show below includes a Chocolate Rose; check out "The 99 Cent Lover."

I am lucky to live right down the street from a See's Candies Factory on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. 

A famous "I Love Lucy" scene was shot there. In a hilarious segment on her 1960s TV show, she and her best friend, Ethel, work the assembly line wrapping Chocolates until it all goes haywire. Check it out.

It can drive you crazy if you are stopped in traffic in front of the See's Candies building. The thick, sweet smell of Chocolate is in the air. Sometimes, I have to leave the windows rolled up when I drive by; it's too much! There's always a long line snaking out the door during Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. 

When L.A. opened the Expo Line metro train stop, half a block from See's Candies, I made a video about all the good eats along the train route and had to include getting free samples from See's. Do check out the fun video.

The most outrageous candy I've ever licked is a Scorpion Lollipop. Yeah, that's right, a real scorpion encased in hard candy..Whoa! 

It was during a trip with my now-wife, Linda, from Colorado back to Los Angeles. We had a bathroom break at Papa Joe's Stop & Go in Crescent City, Utah. At the cash register, they had a row of Insect Lollipops, and I picked the Scorpion, of course.

Check out my slideshow below for our strange trip after taking a few licks. 

When California became the first state to legalize marijuana use, it was only a matter of time before Cannabis Candy Edibles were introduced. You can call this Candy for Adults, or in my case, Candy for Seniors.

The manufacturers definitely have a sense of humor; just look at the classic candy names they goof on, like Starburst Candy. I'm sure this type of Candy is not what National Candy Day has in mind.

I feel conflicted about having Candy Marijuana Edibles on the market, similar to Nicotine Vape Pen Cartridges that are fruit-flavored. It may be confusing to teens and young adults as to the potency and ease of abuse.  

But I do like my Cannabis Edibles from time to time, as I came of age in the late 1960s and have done my share of mind-expanding. I am glad they are legal, though. I think being jailed for the personal use of drugs is the real crime.

I grew up with Candy Cigarettes, so lighten up! I'm surprised they are still legal. These Candy Cigarettes below were in Gonzales, Louisiana, on a gas station checkout counter right by the Lotto tickets. I went there this year, and they no longer carry them - canceled, I guess.

I seem to remember they had red tips like they were burning. We would puff on the sugar sticks like our parents smoking cigarettes. I should have asked the cashier if you have to be 18 or 21 years old to buy these?

Some of the above candy imagery can be controversial, especially the ones that touch on religion, cigarettes, and drugs. I don't often get political, but I can't help it, as ICE and immigration are making headlines every day. Immigrants seeking refuge and freedom have made our economy and society the envy of the world. I have a photo series called Un-American, which includes all types of food from foreign countries sold on our shores. Here is one sample below featuring a deliciously sweet coconut confection with the colors and shape of a Mexican Flag.

The cheapest Licorice is from my local Dollar Tree. They have some sweet flavors that I can handle, like  Green Apple and Blueberry/Pomegranate.

While Chocolate is my favorite type of Candy, I explored European confectionery in Amsterdam, Netherlands, while on my sweet Honeymoon. 

I indulged in some unusual types of Candy from Kruidvat, a retail, pharmacy, and drugstore chain.

I became addicted to Licorice (or Liquorice), especially when intertwined with molasses and having a cream center. This Licorice is called Trollendrop.

I was never a Licorice fan as a kid, but now I like the addictive savory taste, which reminds me of anise or fennel, with added sweetness. And Amsterdam locals are definitely hooked. Just go to the candy aisle of any grocery store and you will see a dozen brands and flavors. 

There are typical fruit-flavor candies like Banana. I liked Cola flavored, It's The Real Thing.

On National Candy Day, if you can handle it, revisit your childhood and grab a bar of Chocolate, some Candy Corn, or just lookie-loo at my sweet imagery, that way you stay tooth cavity-free!