I don't consider myself a gourmet cook, but I have been known to enjoy cooking for my friends and parties. (They call me the "Queen of Deviled Eggs" in most parts of the world!) A number of friends who I have cooked for have asked for the recipe of whatever they were graced with! The problem is that I really can't tell you. Not that it's some big secret I'm guarding, I really have no idea how much of anything I put in something I make. My friend Rob really enjoyed a home-made dressing I concocted while he was here and asked for the recipe. I gave him the best explanation I could, and then got: "You really need to write this stuff down Laury!" I resist. Maybe there's
a book of "un-recipes" in my future!
Shortly after my return from the states, Jean invited me and our friends Bob and Greg up to her house for dinner. I brought two "starters": An artichoke dip, and boiled shrimp with my own cocktail sauce. Bob and Greg have asked for the recipes for both-so I'm going to provide the scoop to them here and share with you as well!
Kelly's Artichoke Dip-I can't take the credit for the Artichoke Dip. You'll also notice that it is as close to a recipe as you will ever get from me because it belongs to Kelly. It's been the hit of every St. Patrick's Day Parade Party that Kelly hosts every year since I can remember. So, here goes:
One Can of Artichoke Hearts; One Cup of Mayonnaise; One Cup of Parmesan Cheese; and the secret ingredient that makes this recipe Kelly's...a package of dry Good Seasons Salad Dressing Mix! Mix it all together and voila...you can serve it hot, you can serve it cold, you can double, triple or even quadruple that recipe, you can serve it with crackers, you can serve it with French bread...and then there are those who I have actually seen use their fingers and even lick the bowl!
Laury's Cocktail Sauce "To Taste"-Falling in love with Thanksgiving only shrimp cocktails at Nannie's as a child, I of course had to add a little New Orleans flavor to what I remembered being mostly catsup in St. Louis. So here goes:
Catsup, Lemon Juice, Tabasco Sauce, Horseradish and Tony Chacheres Original Creole Seasoning. Find a container that is about the size of the amount of cocktail sauce you want; fill it about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way with catsup (Only Heinz will do!) and then just add the rest TO TASTE! Although this cocktail sauce was served at the dinner with boiled shrimp, it is just as tasty with hot boiled crawfish spread all over the newspaper on your table in the backyard!
Happy un-cooking! Throw caution to the wind-be creative and live dangerously! Jean's coming down tonight for supper! I'm not sure what just yet, but I can promise you that there will not be a recipe in site! I really do like the idea of "To Taste"! So, here's a toast of Cahors red "To Taste"!
Sounds like a party! That would be great Evelyn! I'm sure I'll have exhausted my one packet of Good Seasons Italian by then! And, they won't weigh your suitcase down too much!
Posted by: Laury Bourgeois | June 19, 2009 at 05:25 AM
Can I bring you more dry Good Season Salad Dressing mix in September? This is a hint that we should make this dip!! It'll go great with a glass of Cahors,some crackers,and all the stories we've promised to share!
Posted by: Evelyn Jackson | June 19, 2009 at 01:47 AM
You will love it Chris! I actually brought 2 packets of dry Good Seasonings home from the states with me this trip...I was limping along with local spices that were just not the right combination...now we're dangerous!
Posted by: Laury Bourgeois | June 18, 2009 at 08:03 PM
Looking forward to trying the artichoke dip. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Christopher Laney | June 18, 2009 at 03:25 PM