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The Roast a.k.a. Mississippi Pot Roast a.k.a. The Roast That Owns the Internet Ingredients: 3–4 lb chuck roast 12 oz jar pepperoncini (with juice) ½ stick butter 1 brown gravy mix packet 1 ranch dressing mix packet 2 tsp Cast Iron & Cocktails Seasoning Blend 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional) Build: 1a. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high and add a light coating of oil. Sear the chuck roast on both sides until browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a crockpot. 1b. No time to sear? Skip the skillet and add the roast straight to the crockpot. 2. (Optional) If using mushrooms: melt the butter in the same skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté over medium heat until golden and most of their liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add to the crockpot. 3. Add all remaining ingredients — gravy mix, ranch mix, seasoning blend, pepperoncini (with juice). If you skipped the mushroom step, add the butter directly to the crockpot now. 4. Cover and cook: 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low, until fork-tender. 5. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or pile high on sandwich rolls (like we did). History: From Humble Beginnings to "The Roast That Owns the Internet" Mississippi Pot Roast, or simply The Roast, as its creator still calls it, got its start back in the 1990s in Ripley, Mississippi. Home cook Robin Chapman was just trying to make a milder, more kid-friendly version of her aunt’s pot roast. The secret tweak? She swapped out the Italian dressing mix her aunt used for a packet of ranch. The result was an instant hit at her family table. She later passed the recipe to her friend Karen Farese, who included it in her church’s cookbook under the modest title “Roast Beef.” From there, it quietly made its way across kitchens, potlucks, and Sunday dinners until it became known nationwide as Mississippi Pot Roast. What started as a small-town slow cooker meal eventually took the internet by storm, earning the nickname “The Roast that Owns the Internet” from The New York Times. Proof that sometimes, the simplest recipes are the ones that stick with us the longest.

Recipe: King Cake Beignets Ingredients: For the Beignets 1 (8ct)can refrigerated large/jumbo biscuits(Pillsbury Grands or similar) 1 (8-oz) block cream cheese, room temperature ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Ingredients: For the Icing 1 cup powdered sugar ~ 4 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon butter extract Build: In a large pot or Dutch oven, add about 4 inches of oil and place over medium heat. Bring the oil to 325–350°F. Tip: Make sure the pot has at least 4 inches of space above the oil to allow for expansion while frying. While the oil heats, prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until smooth. A fork and rubber spatula work well here. Set aside. Roll or flatten the biscuits to a thickness between ⅛ and ¼ inch. (This is a great step to get the kids involved.) Add 1½–2 tablespoons of filling to the center of each biscuit and spread gently, leaving about a ¼-inch border around the edges. Fold the biscuit in half and pinch the edges firmly to seal. Fry the beignets at 325–350°F for 4–5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked evenly. Transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate to drain. While the beignets cook, prepare the icing. In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter extract, vanilla extract, and half of the heavy cream. Stir until smooth, then gradually add the remaining cream until the icing is silky and just slightly runny. Note: You may not need all 4 tablespoons of heavy cream. Powdered sugar dissolves easily, and factors like temperature and humidity can affect the final consistency. Adjust as needed. Serve the beignets warm. Spread icing generously over the top and, if you’re feeling festive, finish with green, purple, and gold sprinkles for effect.

Your Grandmother May Fight Me, but This Green Bean Casserole is Worth Fighting Over. Recipe: Green Bean Casserole Ingredients: 2 (12 oz) packages frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained(or use fresh if you want to) 1 lb mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp Goya Adobo 2 tsp C&C seasoning 2 tsp Badia Sazón Completa 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp butter 1/4 cup flour 2 cups milk 6 oz shredded Parmesan cheese, divided 1 cup French fried onions Build: Preheat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat and set the oven to 425°F. Add 1 Tbsp butter to the skillet and melt. Add mushrooms, then sauté 5–10 minutes until browned and most of the moisture has cooked off. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Make the roux: Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the flour until fully incorporated. Turn the burner back to medium and cook 2–3 minutes, just long enough to cook the flour without browning it. Make the béchamel: Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking over medium heat until thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Turn it into a mornay: Once the béchamel has thickened, turn off the heat and add 3 oz of the Parmesan, stirring until smooth and fully combined. Add the green beans, seasonings, and mushroom mixture to the large mixing bowl. Pour the mornay sauce over top and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Return the mixture to the skillet and bake on the middle rack at 425°F for 10–15 minutes, until it begins to bubble. While it bakes, combine the remaining 3 oz Parmesan with the French fried onions and set aside. Remove the skillet from the oven, stir the casserole, and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the cheese-and-onion mixture, then return to the oven for about 5 more minutes, or until the onions are toasted and the cheese is melted. Enjoy! History: From Test Kitchen to Turkey Day Legend From humble beginnings to viral recipe status, green bean casserole has been a staple of American kitchens for nearly 70 years. Originally coined “The Green Bean Bake,” this quintessential Thanksgiving dish was the brainchild of Dorcas Reilly at the Campbell’s Soup Company in 1955. She was tasked with creating a simple, convenient, budget-friendly recipe for an Associated Press feature, something built entirely from ingredients most folks already had in their pantry. Believe it or not, the initial reception at Campbell’s wasn’t exactly the fanfare we know today, and it’s Dorcas’s persistence that’s credited with turning this humble little bake into the iconic side so many of us love. While it started as an everyday quick side dish(and arguably should still be), the Green Bean Bake got a makeover in the 1960s. It was rebranded as Green Bean Casserole (GBC) and began appearing on the back of the cream of mushroom soup can, kicking off its journey from weeknight helper to full-fledged Thanksgiving co-star. Today it’s so synonymous with the holiday that Campbell’s estimates nearly half of all annual mushroom soup sales happen during Thanksgiving season. There’s no denying that GBC has earned its praise, so much so that Dorcas Reilly and her original recipe card were honored by the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002, where she personally presented the card. Not bad for a dish that started as a simple test-kitchen experiment. So whether you enjoy the classic version or our kicked-up “Not Your Grandma’s” Green Bean Casserole this Thanksgiving, we hope you take a moment to appreciate Dorcas’s creativity and persistence that brought this quintessential holiday side to life.

The Only Flan... Recipe You'll Ever Need Recipe: Flan Ingredients: ¾ cup sugar ¼ cup water 5 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk Build: Prep the oven and water bath: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a roasting pan in the oven and fill with enough hot water to come just below the top of a 9-inch cake pan. (Careful — it’ll be hot.) Make the caramel: Add sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, swirling occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. Cook 10–15 minutes, until the sugar turns a deep amber color. Carefully pour the caramel into a 9-inch cake pan and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside and let cool 10–15 minutes. Make the custard: While the caramel is cooking, add the eggs and yolks to a large bowl and whisk vigorously until fully combined and uniform. Add vanilla and whisk gently to incorporate. Add condensed milk and evaporated milk; whisk until smooth. Let the mixture rest while the caramel cools so air bubbles can rise to the surface. Pour the rested custard mixture over the cooled caramel. Place the cake pan into the prepared water bath. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes. The flan should jiggle slightly in the center but not slosh when gently shaken. Remove from oven and let cool on the counter 30–60 minutes. Serve once cooled, or refrigerate for a few hours if you prefer it chilled. Note: The texture will continue to firm up as it cools. To serve: Run a rubber spatula or thin plastic knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the flan. Place a baking sheet or platter over the pan and carefully invert. Slice and enjoy! History As they say, all roads lead to Rome, and flan is no different. While the original custards served there were likely a far cry from the sweet, creamy treat we know today, they laid some very important groundwork. Originally called tyropatina, these custard precursors (or “pre-custards,” if you will) were sometimes sweet, often savory, but always thickened with eggs. Thankfully, as time marched on, the sweet versions began to grow in popularity and eventually became the standard. Fast forward a bit, and these egg custards began branching out across Europe, eventually landing in France, where crème caramel, an early relative of flan, took hold. During the Middle Ages, the dish made its way to Spain, where the recipe was further refined into something much closer to the flan we know today. It never fully lost its French roots, though, as even the word flan comes from the Old French flaon, meaning “flat cake.” As time continued to march on, so did flan, traveling the globe and weaving itself into countless cultures, adapting to local tastes and ingredients along the way. In the process, it became one of the most recognizable desserts in the world: simple, customizable, endlessly adaptable, and equally at home in fine-dining restaurants and humble home kitchens. Flan has stood the test of time, and shows no signs of stopping.

Deviled Eggs topped with Candied Bacon and Fresh Jalapenos A Timeless Favorite: Simple, Creamy, and Always Quick to Disappear. Deviled eggs: Whether you keep them classic with a touch of paprika or add a little flair with bacon and jalapeños, they’re a go-to for any gathering. Recipe: Deviled Eggs Yields: 12 deviled eggs Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs 2 tbsp mayonnaise (we use Kraft) 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp C&C seasoning blend (check the other recipes posted for the recipe) Optional Garnishes: Candied bacon Sliced jalapeños Paprika Green onions Slivered bell peppers Build: Slice the eggs in half and separate yolks from whites. In a bowl, combine yolks with mayonnaise, mustard, and seasoning blend. Mash with a fork until smooth and well mixed. Spoon or pipe the filling into the egg whites. (If you don’t have a piping bag, use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.) Plate and garnish. We like a dusting of paprika, candied bacon, and jalapeños—but use whatever you have on hand and make them your own. (Optional) Try not to eat them all in one sitting. History: Deviled Eggs: The snack that stood the test of time. Deviled eggs, potluck staple and crowd favorite, come with a surprisingly long history. With origins dating back more than 2,000 years, these seemingly simple snacks continue to wow to this day. Sometimes referred to as stuffed eggs, curried eggs, dressed eggs, or even angel eggs, whatever you want to call them, I’ll just call them delicious. It all started in Ancient Rome. These bite-sized snacks, much like they are today, were often served as the first course of a meal. Back then, they were simply boiled eggs served in a spicy sauce to whet the appetite. As time marched on, the idea of stuffed eggs began to take hold. Recipes appeared in cookbooks as early as 13th-century Spain, where yolks might be mixed with herbs, oil, cheese, or (somewhat surprisingly) raisins. It wasn’t until the 1700s that the term “deviled” began to appear, used to describe food that was heavily seasoned with mustard, pepper, or other zesty ingredients. That bold flavor profile stuck, and it’s what gives deviled eggs their name to this day. Interestingly, despite all that history, the deviled eggs we know and love didn’t really take shape until the mid to late 1900s. That’s when mayonnaise became a household staple, bringing creaminess and tang to the filling and cementing the modern version in home kitchens across the country. So next time you’re chowing down on a half dozen at the potluck, take a moment to appreciate the millennia of history that led to this bite-sized icon: the deviled egg.

Crunchy, Sweet, Salty, and Dangerously Delicious This candied bacon checks all the boxes, and it couldn’t be easier to make. To Make the Candy Coating: Makes enough for about 24 pieces of bacon (more if you’re judicious with the application) ½ cup light brown sugar ½ cup maple syrup 2 tsp black pepper Build: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, and black pepper. Mix until smooth. To Make the Candied Bacon Note: we are using store bought, pre-cooked bacon. Coat each strip of bacon by dipping it into the candy coating. Alternatively a basting brush works well here and helps stretch the mixture further, it will just take a little longer. Place the coated bacon strips on a wire rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the top rack at 450°F for 5–10 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the sugars have caramelized. Keep a close eye on it, things can go sideways fast. Once caramelized and crispy, remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bacon to a fresh sheet of parchment paper to cool. (Letting it cool on the rack will result in serious sticking issues.) Enjoy! Perfect for sandwiches, Bloody Maries, or, especially, our deviled eggs.

A C&C Original with a Hint of Superstition Its herbaceous, bold, and incredibly refreshing Recipe: The Fools & Sages Ingredients: 3 large sage leaves 5 cucumber slices 0.25 oz simple syrup 0.5 oz lime juice 0.5 oz Pimm’s No. 1 1.5 oz gin (Bombay Sapphire or similar) Dash of cucumber bitters Dash of Peychaud’s bitters Build: In a shaker tin, muddle sage with simple syrup and lime juice. Add cucumber slices and muddle again. Add Pimm’s, gin, and bitters, then shake with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cucumber slice and a sage leaf. Our fools & sages This drink came to me after a series of unfortunate events had struck our household, and a friend jokingly mentioned we should sage the house to get rid of whatever bad juju was hanging around. While the sage used to cleanse a home and the sage used in cooking aren’t quite the same, I couldn’t shake the idea of a saged drink. After a little trial, error, and maybe a touch of superstition, the Fools and Sages was born. Here’s hoping it clears the air, or at least your mood. Cheers!

This Shrimp and grits has been a household favorite for years! A warm bowl of our homemade Shrimp and Grits This Shrimp and grits has been a household favorite for years! Recipe: Shrimp and Grits Ingredients: For the Shrimp & Sauce: 2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 medium lemons ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp salt 14 oz andouille sausage, sliced 8 slices pre-cooked bacon, finely chopped* 1 medium yellow onion, rough chopped/large dice 4 bell peppers (green, red, yellow, and orange), rough chopped/large dice 5–6 cloves garlic, minced (~2 Tbsp) ⅓ cup butter ⅓ cup flour 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 cup chicken stock or broth(white wine also works great if you happen to have some open) For the Cheese Grits: 3 cups water 1 cup old-fashioned grits 1 tsp salt 2 cups half and half 2 cups shredded triple cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese Build: Marinate the shrimp: In a large bowl combine the shrimp, juice of one lemon, cayenne, black pepper, and 1 tsp salt. Toss to coat and set aside. Start the grits: Add the water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Brown the sausage: While the water heats, preheat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes, or until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Cook the grits: Once the water reaches a boil, add the remaining 1 tsp salt, half and half, and the grits. Reduce heat to low and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Cook the bacon: In the same Dutch oven used for the sausage, add the chopped bacon and cook about 3 minutes until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl with the sausage. Cook the vegetables: Add the onion and bell peppers to the Dutch oven and cook for 5–10 minutes, until softened and the onions are translucent. Make the roux: While the vegetables cook, melt the butter in a small pan or skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, just long enough to remove the raw flour taste. Set aside. Build the sauce: Add the minced garlic to the vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes. Finish the shrimp mixture: Add the marinated shrimp (and marinade), sausage, bacon, roux, chicken stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce is thickened. Finish the grits: Once the grits are tender, stir in both cheeses until melted and well combined. Finishing touches: Before serving, add juice of the remaining lemon into the shrimp mixture. Serve: Spoon a generous portion of cheesy grits into a bowl and top with the shrimp, sausage, and pepper mixture. Enjoy! Note: *We recommend using pre-cooked bacon, or cooking bacon separately from the sausage. We find that the extra bacon fat tends to over power everything else if left in the dish. Also using the pre-cooked bacon greatly expedites the cooking process. History: The short story: While shrimp and grits can trace its origins back to as early as the 1700s, when fishermen would whip up a quick breakfast of shrimp in a simple gravy served over grits, the version most people know and love didn’t appear until the 1980s. That’s when Bill Neal, at Crook's Corner Restaurant in Chapel Hill, decided to take this humble dish and revamp it into the iconic staple it is today. From there it spread like wildfire, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Simple, Versatile, and Full of Flavor The Cast Iron and Cocktails seasoning blend, also known as C&Csoning (you see what I did there?), is a house staple Note: To make a bigger batch, replace the tsp for parts. 1Tbsp = 3 tsp Recipe: Cast Iron and Cocktails Seasoning Blend (C&Csoning) Ingredients: 1 tsp chili powder 1 Tbsp paprika 1 tsp cayenne 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp onion powder ½ tsp MSG 2 tsp salt 2 tsp pepper ​ Process: Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Shake well to mix thoroughly. Store in the cabinet and use as needed. This blend works on just about everything from meats and veggies to eggs and Bloody Maries.