Mardi Gras

Cookie dough that can be made in advance and then sliced and baked whenever you want? And they taste like Key lime pie? Yes, please!

Here's a sweet little recipe for Pibil-style ribs--less work than a traditional full pig but with all of the taste. Roll up your sleeves and pass the napkins!

Juicy pork chops are a perennial favorite around here. Smother 'em in a creamy, Creole, caramelized onion gravy... oh my lord.

A richly warming, comforting combination of earthy spices and smoky chicken. Comes together easily and brings everyone to the table.

A pretty quick simmer turns field peas and snap beans into a pot full of Southern perfection. The pot liquor that you end up with is tasty as heck, too.

Creole seasoning, hot sauce, beer and a squeeze of lemon makes a skillet full of shrimp sing. Scooped up with garlic toast, it doesn't get any better.

A sweet umami upgrade to game day wings. Sweet and spicy, crispy and juicy, these little beauties have it all.

A terrific snack, appie, or side dish, that nearly everyone will devour. Crispy fried vegetables dipped in your choice of sauce? Yes, please!

We bet you've always wanted to try your hand at this lush dessert, if you haven't already. It might even be easier to pull off than you think.

Piles of tender shrimp, smothered in a lush, buttery, spiced sauce that's perfect for sopping up with bread. Pass the napkins!

An honest-to-goodness hot weather refresher. A riff on frozen yogurt that combines the tang of lime with an unexpected burst of flavor from crushed black peppercorns. Inspired.

For those in the know, Rodney Scott is a barbecue sensation. For those of you who don't know, allow us to introduce you to his sublime smoked chicken—and tell you how to make it at home.

An Indian-inspired tandoori masala crawfish (or shrimp) that's still the butter-drenched feast you expect but with a warming spice blend. Napkins, please!

Bathed in buttermilk and spiced ever so slightly, this Cajun fried hen is memorably moist, superlatively crisp, and gosh darn perfect through and through.

You can practice proper Southern gentility, no matter where you're from, simply by whipping up a batch of this classic crowd-pleasing party must, pimento cheese. Then prepare to be your most gracious self as you kindly accept accolades.

When you've got leftover bread, sure, you could make bread crumbs. Or you could make this Southern melding of pie and pudding that's obscenely indulgent. Tough decision, eh?

Tanya Holland gives us Southern comfort food with Big Easy flair. That’s what we think of these perfectly spiced shrimp swimming in a slightly spicy sauce with ample cheesy grits to soak it all up.

Nothing slakes thirst, quells worries, and comes together with such ease quite like Southern sweet tea.

Say the word "bayou," and we conjure romantic notions of swampy marshlands and, natch, Cajun fried shrimp.

Classic shrimp and grits gets a Tennessee facelift with the addition of tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and a splash of Worcestershire.