My Rants & Raves
Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce
Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce
Check out this recipe

Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce

Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Chopped Jalapeños
- 2 bunch fresh Cilantro 2oz
- 6 Garlic Cloves 1.5 tbsp
- 1 cup Helmanns Mayonnaise
- 1 Whole fresh squeezedLime
- 3 tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black Tellicherry Pepper
Instructions
- Rough chop two cups of Jalapenos (Seeds and all). Rough chop the Garlic and Cilantro as well.
- Place all of the chopped ingredients into a blender along with all of the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth! Taste and adjust flavor if needed. Refrigerate.
Just The Cook
Houston’s Honey Mustard (Really)
Check out this recipe

Just The Cook

Houston’s Honey Mustard (Really)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 6 Ounces Dijon Mustard
- 1 Pinch Garlic Salt
- 3/4 Cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise
- 1 1/8 Cup Blue Agave
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Resist the temptation.
Easier Pancakes

Easier Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Self Rising Flour
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1 lg Egg
- 1 Cup Milk
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter Warmed
Instructions
- Dry Ingredients First
- In a large glass bowl, combine the Flour, Sugar and Salt. Whisk to combine.
- Wet Ingredients
- Whisk the Egg in a ramekin.
- Add the whisked Egg into the Milk and blend well.
- Slowly pour two Tbsp of the warmed Butter into the Milk mixture, stir.
- Blending
- Slowly pour the Milk mixture into the bowl with the Flour mixture, whisk to combine.
- Cooking
- Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of Butter into a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of the Pancake mixture into the skillet. The heat of the skillet will begin to "set" the pancake batter. Using a spatula, you can check under the edge of the Pancake to look for browning, however, I find that when the small bubbles that are on top of the Pancake begin popping, the Pancake is ready to flip. The second side will not need to cook as long as the first side did. Check it for color.
- Plate the Pancake, by this time any of the remaining butter will have a nice brown color and will taste a little nutty! Pour this over your Pancake and enjoy!
- Manjia!
Just The Enchilada Sauce

Just The Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 Cup Chili powder Your fav
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 2 Cups Chicken stock
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- The Roux, Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly.
- Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to combine until no lumps remain. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer (the sauce should continue lightly bubbling) for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Salt as needed.
- It is very easy to spank up this recipe! Have fun with it!!
Catfish Ravioli with Black Eyed Pea Puree And an Andouille-Red Pepper Sauce
Just The Cook

Catfish Ravioli with Black Eyed Pea Puree And an Andouille-Red Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
Catfish
- Paul Prudhomme Seafood Seasoning As Needed
- Grapeseed Oil As Needed
Spinach Mixture
- 1 Tbls Vegetable or Grapeseed Oil
- 69 grams Onions small diced
- 8 grams Garlic small diced
- 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper
- 453 grams Spinach
- 1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
- 120 grams Ricotta
- 1 Lg Egg Whisked
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese Grated
- Salt / Pepper
Black Eyed Pea Puree
- 35 grams Onions small diced
- 5 grams Garlic small diced
- 8 slices Bacon Cut into 2 inch segments
- 283 grams Black Eyed Peas
- 1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
- Grapeseed Oil As Needed
- 2.5 grams salt
- Tellicherry Pepper It's that good
Pasta Making
- 340 grams All Purpose Flour
- 2.5 grams Salt
- 4 Lg Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Andouille Sauce
- 45 grams Garlic Butter
- 23 grams Onions small diced
- 5 Grams Garlic Minced
- Andouille Small diced
- 1/4 Red Bell Pepper Small Dice
- HC As needed
Instructions
Catfish
- Season both side of the Catfish.
- Using a medium skillet over medium heat, add the Oil. Carefully add the Catfish in a manner that allows the fish to land away from you. (so you don't get burned)
- Cook the Catfish for about 3 minutes on both side. Feel free to check the thickest portion of the fish for done-ness as we will be chopping the Catfish up! Reserve when done.
Spinach Mixture
- Add the oil to a large skillet on medium heat. Then add the Onions, saute for two minutes. Add the Garlic and the Red Pepper Flakes, stir to combine.
- Add the Spinach and stir to combine VERY well. Turn off the heat. Add the Nutmeg, stir to combine. Add the Ricotta Stir well, the Ricotta will help to cool the mixture.
- Once the Spinach mixture is cool, add the 1 whisked Egg.
- Add the Parmesan and stir well. Reserve mixture.
Black Eyed Pea Puree
- Pour the Black Eyed Peas into a bowl and cover well with water. Agitate the Peas with your hands. As the skins separate, skim the skins from the water and discard. Repeat this process, drain the Peas and reserve in a bowl.
- Saute the Onions, Garlic and Bacon. Looking for a par-cook. Don’t fully cook the bacon, fat is where it’s at!
- Add the Black Eyed Peas simmer for ONE Hour. The Peas need to be super soft.
- Once the Peas are soft, stir in 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar, transfer to a blender. While blending CAREFULLY and Tsps of water as needed. Keep in mind that this goes INSIDE of the Ravioli. You do not want it too wet.
Andouille Sauce
- In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the Garlic Butter and allow to melt. Once melted add the Onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the Garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the Andouille Sausage and toss to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and allow the Andouille to release it oils for about 3 minutes. Do not "fry" the Andouille.
- Turn the heat back to medium. Add the diced Red Pepper and the Heavy Cream, stir well. Once the Heavy Cream begins to thicken, turn the heat off.
Egg wash
Building the Ravioli
- Whisk one Egg with a teaspoon of water, reserve in a Ramekin.
- Keep the Ravioli sheets that you are not working on covered with Cling wrap or a kitchen towel.
- Using a ring mold, cut out as many Raviolis/circles as you can get from one sheet, don't worry if this is an odd number! Using the Egg wash paint each Ravioli only as you go.
- Once the Ravioli is painted use a Tsp to add the Black Eyed Pea Puree to the center of the Ravioli. Using a Tbsp and the Catfish mixture on top of the Black Eyed Pea Puree.
- Carefully place the top half of the Ravioli on top of the built bottom half. Pick up the Ravioli and work the Ravioli in a circle using your first finger and thumb. Make sure NOT to capture any air in the Ravioli as this will cause it to bust when cooking.
- Rest the Ravioli on wax paper dusted with Semolina flour. "The other, Good Flour"
- Repeat this process until all of the Raviolis have been made!
- The Raviolis can NOT be BOILED, The water must be at a light simmer, just rolling. This is fresh pasta! When you Drop the Ravioli into the water, begin to warm the sauce on low heat!
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the Ravioli from the water and set directly on a plate. Do not worry if some of the Pasta water follows, this is goodness! Top the Ravioli with 2 – 3 Tbsps of the Andouille Sauce and top with the Micro Greens.
- Manjia!
Benihana Mustard Sauce
Just The Cook
Benihana Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Dry Mustard
- 1 Tbsp Hot water
- 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce I modified to Low Sodium
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds Toasted
- 1 Garlic clove Minced
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
Mustard Paste
- In a small Ramekin, mix together the Hot water and the Dry Mustard until you have a paste.
Mustard Sauce
- In a container that can be use for blending, Mustard Paste, Soy Sauce, Sesame Seeds and minced Garlic.
- Using an emersion blender, blend the ingredients together.
- Add the heavy Cream to the mix. IF you use the immersion blender to combine, be very careful. Only blend for two to three seconds at a time. If you over do it you will have Mustard Butter!
- Rest in fridge until needed!
- Manjia