Our History-
• We come from a long line of cooks.
• Recipes have been passed down for generations, I have the pleasure of extending our traditions to my daughter.
• My mother and I are the “COOKS of the cooks!” The golden question during the holidays is “Who made it??” If my mother or I made it, the pan is guaranteed to be scraped clean before the night’s end.
• We seldom eat other family member’s food. Even on holidays.
• My mother’s family is from Louisiana, and her elders have taught her how to make various cultural dishes from scratch (i.e. authentic Creole, Chinese, Mexican/Latin, Soul food- you name it).
• Heiress is also gaining popularity with her desserts.

Why THREE dishes?
Cooking is a bonding experience for my family and we have such a great time conversing with each other over preparation; there is a certain closeness we share in the kitchen. It was very hard for me to choose one dish to share with the class and nearly impossible thinking cooking as a singular action and not as the collective family experience it has come to be. Therefore, I have decided to present three very different dishes prepared separately from the three of us and explain the different styles and perspectives in the meals we prepare.

I. Gourmet Gigi!
My mother, “Gigi” (as the kids call her) cooks from her soul. As she gets older her meals are becoming more and more celebratory- family members will drive to her house on a random Wednesday evening to “get a plate” of whatever she is cooking. She is very much an old school cook- no cutting corners or calories. She does not cook with ground turkey or any of the modern-day healthy alternatives. Her food is flavorful, filling, comforting and made with love. Today she has prepared for you her “Beloved Chicken Lasagna”- which includes chicken, Alfredo sauce, spinach, ricotta, sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
(The only shortcut in this recipe is the purchase of a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store instead of cooking herself. All ingredients carefully layered and cooked at 375◦ for 30-40 minutes)

II. 20-minute Mama
While I have certainly inherited many recipes and cooking techniques from my mother and her mother- I am the QUEEN of 20 minute meals! In between working full-time, caring for Heiress and studying, I have minimal time to prepare a good meal for Heiress before bedtime. I try to narrow my meals down to meet three simple criteria- FRESH, FAST & FLAVORFUL. While carbs ae not totally excluded, I do not cook them frequently, protein and vegetables are typically the reoccurring menu items. My cooking varies from my mother’s as I am very particular about the little things- I only eat Chicken breast, I limit my carb/starch intake, I am more conscious of eating healthier and substituting ingredients. . I often fool my mother with dishes like spaghetti or chili beans that I cook with ground turkey because otherwise she does not eat it. Today I have prepared my “Shrimp Fried Caulirice”- made exactly as shrimp fried rice is prepared with cauliflower substituting the rice, including egg, peas, carrots, onion, green onion, sesame oil and soy sauce.

III. Happy Heiress
Aspiring to be a great baker of her own Bake Shop, Heiress created this recipe by accident when we purchased the wrong ingredients for another recipe she wanted to try. With a little improvising her “Cinnamon Rolled Dunkers” became a big hit amongst her faculty and friends at school. Naturally Heiress’ cooking style more so resembles “GiGi’s” style of cooking- as long as it is SWEET and DELICIOUS it is done! Heiress will now give a brief presentation on her cinnamon rolled dunkers.

In conclusion, we hope you have enjoyed our offerings and if nothing more we hope you can taste our pride & passion in our food and understand the pleasure it brings us to be able to make others happy.