Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced andouille sausage and sauté until browned. Remove sausage and set aside.

Add 1 cup oil to the Dutch oven and whisk in 1 cup flour. Cook, stirring constantly, to make a dark roux—the color of chocolate—about up to 1 hour. Do not rush; reduce heat as needed to prevent burning.

Add diced onions, bell pepper and celery to the roux and season lightly with salt. Cook over medium-high, stirring and scraping, until softened, about 10 minutes. Lower heat if ingredients threaten to scorch.

Stir in minced garlic, cayenne and a generous grind of black pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes.

Slowly stir in chicken stock, then add bay leaves and thyme. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add okra (if using), browned sausage, shrimp and shredded chicken. Gently simmer uncovered for another hour, skimming fat from the surface as it accumulates.

Remove from heat. Stir in filé powder if using to thicken (use sparingly), season to taste with salt, and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

Serve hot over warm rice and sprinkle sliced green onions on each bowl. Pass hot sauce and extra filé powder at the table for guests to add as desired.

Measure all spices into a mixing bowl or jar.

Whisk or shake thoroughly until evenly combined.

Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

Use as needed to season gumbo, meats, vegetables, soups and stews. Start with 1–2 teaspoons per serving and adjust to taste.

Heat shredded chicken and sriracha in a medium pan until heated, about 3–5 minutes.

Stir in cream cheese and ranch (or blue cheese) dressing and stir until blended and smooth, about 3–5 minutes.

Mix in half of the shredded cheddar cheese, then transfer the mixture to a slow cooker or a baking dish.

Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Cook in a slow cooker on low for about 35 minutes until bubbly, or bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10–15 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with crackers, celery, or thick tortillas.

Combine ground coriander, Aleppo chili flakes, cayenne and ground cinnamon to make the spice blend. Set aside one-third of the mix and combine that reserved portion with the sumac.

In a bowl, mix the remaining spice blend, cold water and the ground meat until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the meat from the fridge and divide into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a long, slightly flattened log and press firmly onto skewers so the meat adheres.

Return the skewered kofta to the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

Sprinkle the kofta with the reserved sumac spice blend.

Grill the kofta over medium direct heat until cooked through, turning as needed.

Serve hot with rice, pita, hummus, Lebanese garlic sauce, tzatziki, or other accompaniments.

Mix all the steak ingredients (ground beef, 1/3 can onion soup, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire) until combined and set aside.

In a hot pan, sauté the sliced onion and mushrooms in 2 TBSP butter until translucent (lightly browned is fine). Reserve the cooking juices and transfer the onions and mushrooms to a bowl; set aside.

Form the meat mixture into patties and sear them in the hot pan on both sides until browned but not fully cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Add 2 TBSP butter to the pan, melt and brown slightly, then stir in the flour to create a roux. Cook briefly until the raw flour taste cooks off.

Return the seared steaks and any accumulated juices to the pan, then slowly add the beef broth while stirring to form a smooth gravy.

Stir in the remaining onion soup into the gravy and mix to combine.

Return the reserved onions and mushrooms and their juices to the pan. Cover and cook on low-medium for about 20 minutes, or until the steaks are cooked through.

Serve the Salisbury steaks over mashed potatoes and garnish with chopped chives.

Rinse and dry the cucumbers. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long, then cut those lengthwise into halves or quarters as preferred.

Lay cucumber pieces cut-side down on a flat surface. Press down on the flat of your knife with your hand to break and smash the pieces into bite-sized pieces.

Place the smashed cucumbers in a strainer, sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a weight (ice or a small plate) on top to help drain. Let drain 15–30 minutes (up to 4 hours if desired) and discard excess liquid.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl stir together the kosher salt, granulated sugar and rice vinegar until dissolved. Stir in sesame oil, soy sauce and extra virgin olive oil. Add minced garlic and mix.

Transfer drained cucumbers to a large bowl. Add dressing gradually to taste, tossing gently but thoroughly to coat.

Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds over the salad and garnish with red chili flakes and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately or chill briefly before serving.

Add garlic, cilantro and lime juice to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Add the avocados and pulse again, scraping the sides as necessary until smooth.

Add the crema (or sour cream) and spices, then mix until well combined and smooth.

Cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using.

Reserve 1/4 cup rice flour for dredging and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the remaining rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour in the cold beer and mix gently until combined; do not overmix — a few lumps are fine.

Heat oil in a fryer or deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Pat fish fillets dry, dredge in the reserved rice flour, then dip into the batter to coat.

Fry the battered fillets at 350°F until golden brown and floating, about 3–5 minutes depending on thickness. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

Serve immediately with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and crunchy peanut butter together until smooth and creamy.

Beat in the eggs until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until the dough is just combined.

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.

Dip a fork lightly in flour and press a cross-hatch pattern into each cookie to flatten slightly.

Bake the cookies for 7–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy.

Add all your ingredients to a blender.

Mix/blend until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Strain through a fine wire mesh to remove pulp and solids.

Serve over ice and garnish with lime slices and/or lime zest.

Add sugar and yeast to warm water; set aside until the yeast dissolves and becomes foamy.

In a bowl, mix flour (amount not specified in original recipe) and salt.

Add the foamy yeast water to the flour mixture and stir until a smooth dough forms.

Set the dough aside to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate overnight.

Skewer each wiener on a popsicle stick or chopstick; halving the wieners can make skewering and coating easier.

If using cheese, wrap a slice of cheese around the wiener (optional) and chill briefly so the cheese firms up.

Using a chopstick or your hands, wrap a portion of the sticky dough evenly around each skewered wiener; use scissors to trim excess dough if needed.

For an extra-crunchy coating, roll the dough-wrapped wiener in crushed ramen noodles or crushed frozen fries.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to about 300°F (approximate) and deep-fry the corn dogs in batches until golden brown and heated through.

Remove from oil, drain briefly on paper towels, and serve immediately with ketchup, mustard, or your favorite sauce.

Combine honey, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.

Taste and adjust seasoning if desired (add a little more honey for sweetness or more mustard for tang).

Transfer the sauce to an airtight jar or container and refrigerate.

Consume within 3 months for best quality.