🌹Mother's Day Recipe Videos - 91 Years Old 💖

I owe it all to Mom, at least where I get my cooking chops (and any good sense I have). Just check out our cooking videos below to see what I mean. She grew up in Texas on the Gulf Coast, in a small shrimping and fishing town called Port O'Connor. There, I learned to love seafood.

Her father was a shrimp boat captain, so 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. 

                                                    Port O'Connor Slideshow

Shrimp season was short, but crab and oyster season soon followed. And you could always cast a line into the warm Gulf waters and marshes for bountiful fishing.

Big Daddy & Big Mama

Mom stopped cooking a few years ago, so all the following recipes are what she used to cook for us back in the day. 

The following recipe comes from her parents' kitchen: Shrimp and Rice. It uses locally caught shrimp, cheap canned tomato paste, and rice. We always had creamy pinto beans and flour tortillas to scoop up all the deliciousness. Our family seldom had steak as it was too expensive, but we had all the Gulf seafood we could eat. Looking back, I didn't realize how good we had it !

Mom's Shrimp & Rice - VIDEO

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

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 us 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.

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

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 was 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 my late wife, Amy, even 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.

Jambalaya - Recipe Video

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

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

During a recent Louisiana visit, I had him over when I filmed Mom making Tex-Mex Enchiladas. Marvin liked the Enchiladas so much, 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 smoking (wink, nudge).

Mom's Chili Cheese Enchiladas - Recipe Video

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.

Gumbo - Recipe Video

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 about 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!

Mom's Cajun Potato Salad - Recipe Video

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 shoe-box-sized package with a dozen of these tasty pies.

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.

Mini-Pecan Pie - Recipe Video

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

Mom has lived half her life in Gonzales, Louisiana. She is a big local sports fan, and you can always find her following her teams, the New Orleans Saints football, and recently the Pelicans basketball. I've learned not to touch the third rail sports rivalry, L.A. Lakers and Rams, West Coast vs the South...well, sometimes we have a good-natured spat!

One of my visits there fell on Christmas, and she pulled out all the stops with a huge holiday spread that included Pumpkin Pie. I got her on video making it, and it turned out perfect, as you will see below.

The recipe is a traditional one made with simple ingredients. The pumpkin came from a can, but the crust was handmade with wheat flour, based on her beloved, late sister-in-law, Cindy's recipe.

Pumpkin Pie - Recipe Video 

All the easy-to-follow steps are written out here, and with delish photos, too.

Now, Mom is no angel -- hey, who is? Recently, my brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef, showed up with his Spanish moss beard.

Me, Mom, & the Swamp Chef

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

Happy Mother's Day to all of you lovely ladies, and especially to my Mom - I love you!

Easy Duck Gumbo - Video Recipe

For my Easy Duck Gumbo, the two main ingredients are ready to use. During the Christmas holidays, if I have leftover Roast Duck, then it goes right into a Gumbo that's made with a store-bought Roux.

A Cajun Gumbo is a dark and muddy swamp of a soup made with almost any kind of meat or seafood, a Roux, and a Cajun Holy Trinity of veggies. When I visit Louisiana, Gumbo will be on the menu, whether I  order it from a local Cajun fast food joint or make it at home.

Even Louisiana's Meals on Wheels government safety net program offers homebound seniors (60 years or older) a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo meal. How does it fare? Hmmm, check back for a Cheap$kate Dining Review by the Swamp Chef.

The first main ingredient for a Gumbo is a Roux. Grocers are starting to carry Roux that is pre-cooked and brown, so you can go right to sauting veggies, then add the pre-cooked Roux. I've made Gumbo using the shortcut grocery method and the long, homemade version of Roux (Mom's Homemade Roux with yummy photo illustrations is here). For this recipe, I use store-bought, browned Roux for a Gumbo that's easy and quick to make. 

  Click on any photo to see larger.

Pre-made Roux can be dry or wet with oil added. There are also Gumbo Mixes, including Roux and Cajun spices.

Usually, a Homemade Roux has plain raw flour cooked and stirred until a medium to dark brown, which gives Gumbo its unique nutty flavor and color. Back in the day, an equal amount of oil was used to brown the flour. These days, I leave the oil out.

Homemade Roux without oil.

I also use leftover Roast Duck pieces. I cook my Duck like I would Roast Chicken. The main difference is that you should slice or pierce the Duck skin so the fatty layer under the skin will drain and allow the skin to crisp.

A couple of hard-to-find ingredients in my Duck Gumbo can be left out. Filé Powder is dried sassafras leaves. Creole Seasoning is mainly salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, onion, and garlic powders. 

Along with a packaged Roux and leftover Duck, I add a Cajun Holy Trinity comprised of bell pepper, celery, and onion, which is used in many Cajun recipes. 

I still get these veggies frequently on sale for less than a dollar each or a dollar per pound.

Okra might not be to everyone's taste as it becomes slimy after cooking for a while, but I like it fine. 

Cajuns serve their Gumbo over white steamed rice. I've had it over brown rice and even quinoa.

Duck is way more expensive than chicken, so this is a recipe for special occasions if you are a cheap$kate like me. 

Hey, you can always substitute budget chicken dark meat for pungent Duck in my Easy Duck Gumbo recipe.

Easy Duck Gumbo Recipe - Video            Play it here, video runs 4 minutes, 33 seconds.

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

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

• Water - 8 cups.  Okay to use less water to reach your favorite thick or thin Gumbo. At the end of cooking, you can decide if you want more water. For a thicker Gumbo, uncover and cook 15 minutes at the end.
• 3/4 Cup Roux - I used a store-bought Roux for this recipe. For a homemade Roux, use 3/4 cup flour and oil. Over medium heat, stir flour and oil until it reaches a brown-to-dark brown color, about 20 minutes.
• Leftover Duck - about 2 pounds. Cooked Duck is a mix of dark and white meat. For raw Duck pieces, boil with the ingredients for about 2 hours to cook through and tenderize. 
• Oil - 1 tablespoon, any favorite.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon.
• 1 Bell Pepper - chopped.
• Celery - about 2 chopped ribs.
• Okra - about 8 to 12 whole okra spears. I slice okra depending on how large they are. Okay to leave a few whole. Some do not like okra (and it can be hard to find), so it's okay to leave it out.
• Creole Seasoning - 1 teaspoon. Creole seasoning is usually a combination of salt, paprika or chile powder, dried garlic, and onion. 
• Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon.
• Filé Powder - 1 teaspoon, optional. Filé is dried sassafras leaves. 
• Steamed Rice - Rice - serve Gumbo over cooked white or brown rice. I usually boil a cup or two of rice.
• *Homemade Gumbo with Chicken and Sausage, and  Roast Duck recipe links are at the end of this recipe text.

Directions

In a medium hot pot, add oil and chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

Add a tablespoon of chopped garlic and saute for one minute.

Sprinkle on a teaspoon of Creole Seasoning and Gumbo Filé Powder. If you do not have these, then leave them out. Add some salt and pepper instead of Creole Seasoning.

Mix well and saute the Roux Mix for a minute. Add chopped and whole okra. 

Pour on some of the Duck drippings from a roasting pan, if you have any left over. Okay to leave some out, as duck renders a lot of fat.

Fill the pot with 8 cups of water. Mix well to dissolve the Roux.

Add duck pieces and bring broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.

Simmer Gumbo for an hour. If you are using raw duck pieces, then simmer for 2 hours or until the raw duck is cooked through. For raw duck, you want to remove most of the skin as it is very fatty. I would leave some on, as it is extra flavor.

After one hour (for cooked duck) or two (if the duck is raw), remove the large Duck pieces. I like to shred the Duck and return it to the Gumbo. Reheat shredded Duck for a few minutes. 

Serve Duck Gumbo over cooked rice or a favorite grain like quinoa.

My Mom's Homemade Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: 

https://the99centchef.blogspot.com/2011/07/moms-gumbo-recipe-and-flea-market-food.html

Roast Duck Recipe: https://the99centchef.blogspot.com/2024/02/roast-duck-video-recipe.html

2026 Oscar Party - Recipes

And the Best Oscar Entree goes to...YOU! Come and accept your award-winning chow and pass it around to your party guests so everyone has a taste of Oscar. Sit back and watch the Best Picture Oscar-nominated movie trailers below, paired with my Best Oscar Entrees, which are a feast for your eyes.

Click on any Best Oscar Entree nominee names to be directed to the original blog post for all the award-winning recipe prose and cinematic culinary imagery.

Do try any of my Oscar Party Entrees - you're sure to get a Standing O. So have your acceptance speech ready because the golden statuette for Best Entree at an Oscar Party belongs to you, the host with the most.

*****

For the First Best Entrée Oscar nominee, one must ask the question: "Do we need another Frankenstein movie?" If it's done by visionary Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, it's worth a look-see. Check out the trailer below to see if it's worth resurrecting this horror classic.

1. Turkey "Frankenstein" Carnitas - Use any turkey body parts for this spin on typical fatty pork Carnitas. My succulent recipe is lighter with lean turkey and sweeter with the addition of Mexican Coca-Cola. Any dormant taste buds will rise again after the first bite!

The second Best Oscar Entrée is a sweet stir-fried recipe that pairs with the movie plot involving kidnapping,  bees, and an alien! This dark comedy called "Bugonia" is directed by the always unpredictable Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. Watch the trailer below.

2. "Bugonia" Sauteed Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry - has a dollop of honey to make the Tofu go down easy.

The next Best Oscar Entrée nominee flick is about a flamboyant, sharp-dressed, Ping Pong hustler/champion known as "Marty Supreme" from New York City, and is based on a real person. I loved playing Ping Pong in my high school days and could slam that ball past my opponents. Trailer is below.

3. Cream Cheese "Marty Supreme"  Spread with Chopped Boiled Egg -  When I visit NYC, the first thing I get is a Bagel, and the big decision is what Spread to get....Hmmm, I think a chopped Hard-Boiled Egg with Cream Cheese would pair with this fast-paced picture.

The fourth Best Entrée Oscar nominee is a visual feast called "Train Dreams", which takes place in eary 20th Century, and is about the life of a Great Northwest logger.

 

4. Lox "Train Dreams" - Salmon is king in Washington state, and I like my Salmon raw in Sushi, or Cold-Cured like my version of Lox, below.

The fifth Best Entrée Oscar nominee is a Falafel Pita Sandwich. "F1" means Formula 1 auto racing. It looks like a typical hot rod flick, and a bit formulaic. The exciting finale takes place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in the Middle East. The high-speed trailer is below.

5. "F1" Falafel -  My crunchy Falafel with a Cucumber Yogurt Sauce will bring down the red checkered flag. 

The next Best Entrée Oscar nominee is a  Sausage Po' Boy for the movie "Sinners".  A mindbending mélange combining blues musicians, Jim Crow South racism, and vampires...whew.

 

6. "Sinners" Sausage Po' Boy - My spicy Southern sandwich is made by the Swamp Chef, and you can't get more low down than his recipe. 

The seventh Best Oscar Entrée nominee takes place during Carnival in tumultious 1970's Brazil. Check out the trailer for "The Secret Agent" below.

7. "The Secret Agent" Moqueca  - is a Brazilian fish stew, made with coconut milk, lime juice, and a medley of veggies.

Get out the hankerchiefs for my next Best Entrée Oscar nominee. The movie "Hamnet" follows the family of Shakespeare in turmoil, creating art from tragedy. Trailer is below.

8. Hamnet "Beanie Weenies" - To eat, or not to eat whistle-berries, that is the question.  Not sure if Shakespeare had  Baked Beans in his day, but they are now served on your typical British breakfast plate.  

Revolution is on the big screen with my next Best Entrée Oscar nominee. The lauded director, Paul Thomas Anderson, or PTA, to us cinema insiders, lobs all manner of visual ordinance at the screen with this pitch-black dramedy. Check out the unhinged trailer for "One Battle After Another" below.

9. "One Battle After Another" Pineapple Salsa" - Hand grenades were called "Pineapples" in WWII. And revolutionaries on the Mexican border would take a battle break to try my cool Pineapple Salsa...get out the tortilla chips and hot sauce!

This combustible family drama of father vs daughter gets high marks from the critics, just like my Mom's Best Entrée  Oscar nominee recipe. Check out the trailer below for "Sentimental Value" to see the fireworks.

10. "Sentimental Value" Gumbo - Every family has its drama, and my Mom's Gumbo heats the pot to a boil when her daughter starts telling her how to cook!

I'll leave you with a video I made a while ago when the Academy of Motion Pictures had an exhibit with a podium on which a real Oscar stood. All you had to do was stand in line and take a picture with it -- well, you can be sure I showed up for that! Just check out the video below:

May the Best Entree win!!

Mardi Gras Cuisine with the 99 Cent Chef

You are in for a movable feast during this Cajun holiday called Mardi Gras. The real partying is underway and continues through Fat Tuesday, February 17. Usually, everyone lines the streets for the parades and floats with masked bead throwers. This is the time of year when New Orleans lets its freak flag fly -- almost all month long! 

Hang out and I'll show you how locals have a tasty time, even in these plague years.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Mardi Gras is more than plastic beads and King's Cake. So read on and watch my videos to see some delish Cajun recipes, plus I'll even give you a personal Po'Boy Sandwich Tour of New Orleans. So scroll on down.

King Cake is similar to a Cinnamon Roll with pecans.

Alright, let's get this party started! Walking the French Quarter in New Orleans, revelers carry drinks spiked with knee-buckling Everclear spirits. I always make a stop at the local drive-thru New Orleans Original Daiquiris for a boozy slushy beverage. 

Yep, you heard right, that's the way we roll in Cajun country. Watch the video below to see how we get away without getting a ticket for an open container violation!

                                         Daiquiri Drive-Thru - Video

Here's another of my patented GIF stories about a Cajun Happy Hour that has a chilling finale featuring my girlfriend (now, wife) Linda.

A Cajun Happy Hour

If buzzy spirits are too much for you, then settle down within view of the Mississippi River in New Orleans for a chickory-flavored cup of Joe and sugar-powdered beignets at the world-famous Cafe du Monde. After the caffeine and sugar rush, you will be ready to take in New Orleans and the outrageous French Quarter, just a few steps away.

                                                Cafe du Monde - Video

I lived in Gonzales, Louisiana, during my high school daze. I didn't know what to expect when our family moved there from Texas. I did some wild stuff over the next four years and ate a lot of down-home Cajun cooking. The video below takes place in a local flea market, so check it out to get the flavor of the place.

                                         Cajun Flea Market Eats - Video

I hitchhiked with my high school buddy Marvin (featured in the Po'boy Sandwich Tour below) to New Orleans for Mardi Gras during the school break. Back then, it was all about grabbing a Muffaletta, listening to street Brass Bands and Rock and Roll, catching some beads thrown down by inebriated revelers perched behind French Quarter iron-wrought balconies and Mardi Gras parade floats, and getting a good buzz (we were underage, so no booze, but we found other natural ways).

Chef, Marvin & Dennis - high school buddies

We knew no fear, and locals were friendly enough - even picking up a couple of hitchhiking long-haired teenagers like us. One memorable ride was in a hand-painted hippie Volkswagen van where the college-aged, tie-dye-wearing driver, and cool chicks in tight bell-bottom jeans, on the backbench seat, passed around a doobie, before dropping us off in the city.

Looks like Red State Louisiana has agreed with Blue State California in legalizing marijuana for medical use. I guess we can all get along if there's a peace pipe to share.

I've kept in touch with my high school buddy Marvin and like to look him up when I land in New Orleans. Check out the video below to see how I (dinner) roll these days, when I tour the Crescent City in search of a delicious Po'Boy Sandwich with my high school bud - all the tasty details are in my original blog post here.

You will get a street-level experience of the Big Easy and the eccentric locals from my documentary short below.

New Orleans Po'Boy Tour - Video

Recently I met up with my long-lost brother from another.....daddy, aka the Swamp Chef! He showed up on Mom's doorstep one day, and she welcomed him back into the family. I must say he's a chip off the cypress tree block. He'd fit into a rockin' Cajun ZZ Top lineup, slinging a wooden stirring spoon instead of a guitar.

99 Cent Chef, Mom, and Swamp Chef

When the Swamp Chef shows up, there is always a delicious celebration -- and this time it's a BBQ Sausage Po-Boy Party!! Here in Gonzales, Louisiana, it's all about the bread when making a Po-Boy, or as it's also known, a Poor Boy (I can't figure out how to spell Po' boy as I've seen it all kinda ways!) Just watch the video below to see how the Swamp Chef grills locally made sausages by Ivderstine Farms Butchers and stuffs them into a loaf of Reisling's French bread.

Sausage Po-Boy Recipe - Video

The Swamp Chef & Zak get gooey and spicy with Cajun Nachos.

To quote Zak: "Uncle Swamp Chef for the win, these Cajun Nachos are lit."

Swamp Chef Cajun Nachos - Video

The Swamp Chef knows the lay of the land around here, and he recommends all you Mardi Gras tourists who need a pitstop, to park here in Gonzales, Lousiana for a big lunch plate of Jambalaya. Just check out the Swamp Chef giving you the lowdown in the video below. And it's dirt(y rice) cheap of course!

Jambalaya Plate Lunch Review - Video

I know you are here for the recipes, too, and boy, do I have a pirogue boat full. Between Mom and my Cajun line-cooking nephews, Matt and Zak, I got that covered.

If you hang out in Louisiana for any amount of time, you will inevitably eat spicy steamed mudbugs, crayfish, or as the locals call them, Crawfish. 

They are milder in seafood flavor than shrimp and are about the size of a small bay shrimp. If you've never had one, then watch my video below to learn how to eat one.

How to eat a Crawfish - Video

It quickly becomes a party when I visit Gonzales, Louisiana, to see my Cajun family with nieces, nephews, and their kids galore

And this first recipe is made with a beer-flavored sauce. Warning, in the video, we had to go through a Party Pack of Abita Beer to find just the right flavor!

My nephew, Chef Matt, has been cooking for years now and has some major culinary skillz. I'll let him give you the lowdown on a Southern classic, Shrimp and Grits video recipe (click here for recipe photos and text).

Chef Matt's Shrimp & Grits - Video

The cheapest Cajun entree is Red Beans and Rice -- made by my Southern friend Miss Patti. She is a vegetarian with a menagerie of critters she keeps on her property just outside the city of New Orleans.

For real New Orleans-style Red Beans, you should use the brand of beans called Camellia. But if you can't find them, it's okay to use any cheap red kidney beans.

We always have a good time together, and you will too, watching us cook together. Recipe details are a click away, here.

Ms. Patti's Vegan Red Beans and Rice - Video

 Mom knows Cajun cuisine best. And she is here to share a few with you right now.

It's best to start at the beginning and here's the first recipe we did, Mom's Jambalaya.

I make this recipe the most. Nothing to it: just brown chicken pieces and sausage with a whole chopped onion. Finally, add rice and water to make the best comfort food ever. This is my Mom's version of Jambalaya (click here to read all about it).

                                                 Mom's Jambalaya - Video

Mom also makes a killer Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. The trick is all in the deep chocolate-colored roux - actually just flour that's slowly browned in oil.

I'll let Mom explain in the video below (the recipe text is here).

                                      Chicken and Sausage Gumbo - Video

Lately, when Mom makes hot and spicy Gumbo, she adds a scoop of cool Cajun Potato Salad. The last time she was here in Los Angeles, I got her to make some, and my cute niece Maranda dropped by to help. This recipe is a family affair, you can check out below.

                                          Mom's Cajun Potato Salad - Video

Next to Gumbo, a rich and creamy Étouffée made with local crawfish is another decadent stew. Check out local Chef Tony's take on Crawfish Étouffée.

                                    Chef Tony's Crawfish Etouffee - Video

My other line-cooking nephew, Zak, knows how to blacken fish the Cajun way. And boy does he do a skillful job at it, as my video below will attest. He also throws in a mind-blowing side of Sweet Potato Hash, and yes, it's loaded with bacon.

 Zak's recipe gets everyone in on the action, including his Mom and my sister, Brenda, who make noshing appearances. So do check out his delicious Cajun recipes below and click here for all the written details.

                           Zakk's Blackened Fish with Sweet Potato Hash - Video

The South's favorite nut, next to boiled peanuts, is the pecan. And my nephew Chef Matt has the best Pecan Crusted Fish recipe this side of the Mississippi River. And he throws in a vegan Spinach Salad with a creamy Strawberry Vinaigrette. Now that's a mouthful.

    Pecan Crusted Fish and Spinach Salad with a Strawberry Vinaigrette - Video

My most outrageous Cajun recipe is an Alligator Po'Boy sandwich made by my nephew Chef Matt. They say alligator tastes like chicken -- to me, it is close to the texture of a pork chop and tastes somewhere between chicken and shrimp. Just check out the recipe video and make sure to watch all the way to the end, where the relatives go hog wild over the Alligator Po'Boy.

                                                 Alligator Po'Boy - Video

How low can one recipe go? Well, check out the Swamp Chef and nephew Chef Matt's Deep-Fried Frog Legs...not for the faint of palate! This recipe goes from a swamp frog hunt to the deep fryer.

                                              Frog Legs Recipe - Video

If you are not in New Orleans attending the glittery and debauched Mardi Gras festivities, you can still have a tasty good time - if you remember to bookmark this page and come back to make any of my Cajun Mardi Gras meals. So laissez les bons temps rouler!

New Orleans Po'Boy Dining:
Short Stop Po-Boys - 119 Transcontinental Drive (near New Orleans Airport)
Metairie, Louisiana 70001
Phone: (504) 885-4572
Website: http://www.shortstoppoboys.com

Mother's Restaurant - 401 Poydras
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130

Phone: (504) 523-9656

Website: http://www.mothersrestaurant.net

Parasol's Bar and Restaurant - 2533 Constance Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Phone:(504) 302-1543
Website: http://www.parasolsbarandrestaurant.com

For a tasty local Los Angeles Po' Boy, try The Gumbo Pot in the Mid-City Farmer's Market. I ordered the Shrimp or Oyster Po' Boys for $16.50. For the menu, click here. Warning, the seafood Po' Boys have a sour bite because of the inserted sliced lemon -- I usually take the slices out.

Another local food find for Cajun Cuisine is a restaurant and deli store called Little Jewel, in downtown LA's Chinatown. It's the real deal, too. Listen in as you get all the tasty details in my special Restaurant Nocturne arty video below. (BTW, the chef/owner drops an F-bomb at 1:53 minutes.)