• 5 cups water
• 1⅓ cups whole milk
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup coarse-ground polenta
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1½ pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes 8 ounces baby spinach

TO FINISH AND SERVE

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Rustic Polenta Sausage Casserole

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• 4 pounds fresh Gulf shrimp, head-on
• 2 pounds (6 fillets) fresh speckled trout, cut into chunks
• 1 gallon water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced mild smoked pork sausage
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1½ cups diced green onions tops, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups cooked red potatoes
• 1 cup yellow corn
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Louisiana hot sauce

Shrimp & Speckled Trout Chowder

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Image courtesy of George Graham

• 3 pounds cubed chicken
• 2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced
• 1/4 cup shortening or bacon drippings
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1/2 cup minced garlic
• 8 cups beef or chicken stock
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• salt and cayenne pepper to taste
• Louisiana style hot sauce, to taste
• 5 cups uncooked long grain rice

John Folse's Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

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• 2 small eggplant, each about 3/4 pound, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian pork sausages
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup hearty red wine
• 1 can (28 oz.) whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more, to taste
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• kosher salt
• 1 pound ziti or other tubular pasta
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta

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• 1 (4-pound) pork loin
• Creole seasoning
• Sausage Jambalaya
• Butcher twine

For Jambalaya

• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, finely chopped
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 green onions, chopped

Jambalaya-Stuffed Pork Loin

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• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
• 1½ lbs sage sausage, removed from casing
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
• 4 large stalks celery, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, minced (or 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves)
• 32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, preferably homemade
• 3 whole eggs
• 2½ lbs (about 2 loaves) high quality sandwich bread or soft Italian or French bread, stale or dried in 250˚ oven for 1 hour.
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (about 4 to 5 pounds), rinsed and patted dry

Note: Read more about best bread for stuffing here. 

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast And Stuffing

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Potatoes

• 48 golf ball sized or smaller potatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Toppings

• butter, melted
• Creole seasoning
• shredded cheddar cheese
• crumbled blue cheese
• crumbled feta cheese
• sour cream
• minced green onions or chives
• crumbled bacon
• minced, rendered andouille or other sausage
• chili
• steamed broccoli
• hot sauce
• minced hot peppers

Baked Potato Bites

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• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teasoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
• Cheddar cheese sliced
• 6 hamburger rolls, onion or sesame rolls
• 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 tomato, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 leaves lettuce
• salt and black pepper to taste
• mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles etc.

Spicy Grilled Cheddar Burgers

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• 2 packages dry cornbread mix
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 quart oysters, chopped
• 1 lb sausage, hot or mild, crumbled
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Oyster Cornbread and Sweet Potato Dressing

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• 1 bunch mustard greens
• 1 bunch collard greens
• 1 bunch turnip greens
• 1 bunch watercress
• 1 bunch beet tops
• 1 bunch carrot tops
• 1 bunch spinach
• 1 bunch lettuce
• 1 head cabbage
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• water, as needed
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1 pound smoked ham
• 1 pound brisket stew meat
• 1 pound boneless brisket
• 1 pound hot chaurice sausage
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon filé powder

Queen of Creole Cooking Leah Chase