Praisesong for the Kitchen Table: Recipes from the Congo Staff
Like shown in Crystal Wilkinson’s Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghost, food and cooking are a good way to connect with family and other people you care about in the past and the present. Taste and smell are the two senses that can most easily trigger people’s memories, so with Wilkinson on our minds, the Congo staff were asked to share recipes that hold special meaning to them: the dishes that remind them of home, loved ones, and moments worth keeping close. These recipes each have their own story and connection, and they are meant to be passed from one kitchen to another. Enjoy!
Artworks by Edith Fernanda Baquedano Zavala
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This was the first baked good I've ever made, and I've made it so many times and no matter what, it turns out good. My childhood recipe when I need a lot of cookies for friends or family.
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 sticks of butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (large eggs specifically)
2 tsp Vanilla extract
4 cups flour (all-purpose)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
Chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C. Mix shortening, butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer until fluffy. Mix together in a separate bowl flour, salt, and baking soda. Then add to the mixer and combine. Add chocolate chips, as much as you like! I recommend semi-sweet or mixing different types!
Bake for 8-12 minutes or until they look good You can eat straight out of the oven; just be safe and enjoy!
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This recipe means a lot to me because it reminds me of the comfort of home and the excitement of trying something new. The mac and cheese feels nostalgic and cozy, while the hot honey chicken adds a bold twist that makes it feel like mine. It’s a mix of my love for comfort food and my personality—warm, a little spicy, and full of flavor.
Creamy mac and cheese topped with crispy hot honey chicken—a perfect mix of cheesy comfort and sweet, spicy crunch.
Ingredients for Chicken:
2 lbs chicken thighs, cut bite-size
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup hot sauce
2 tsp each garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper
1 tsp cayenne
2 cups flour
1 cup cornstarch
Ingredients for Mac & Cheese:
4 tbsp butter
Same spice mix as above
16 oz heavy cream
1½ cups each cheddar & Colby Jack cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni
Ingredients for Hot Honey:
3 tbsp butter
¼ cup honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cayenne
Instructions:
Marinate Chicken: Mix buttermilk, hot sauce, and spices. Add chicken, cover, and chill a few hours.
Make Mac & Cheese: Melt butter with spices, stir in cream, then cheese until smooth. Mix with cooked pasta and bake at 375°F for 15 mins.
Fry Chicken: Coat marinated chicken in flour, cornstarch, and spices. Fry at 350°F for 5–7 mins until golden.
Make Hot Honey: Melt butter, and stir in honey, lemon juice, and cayenne.5. Assemble: Toss chicken in hot honey and pile over the cheesy pasta. Serve warm.
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This recipe is meaningful to me, as it was one of the first family dishes my mom taught me upon moving to Louisiana from California! It's super simple and every year she makes two batches because she knows her daughters will eat it! A mac and cheese for the perfect day indoors!
Ingredients:
Elbow noodles
Evaporated milk
1 egg
Velveeta cheese block, sliced Mozzarella cheese, shredded Colby Jack cheese, shredded sharp cheese (cheddar or your choice)
Lemon pepper seasoning Onion powder Salt & pepper A little Tony’s seasoning
Butter
Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the elbow noodles and cook until al dente. Drain the noodles. Prepare the Noodles: Return the drained noodles to the pot. Add two scoops of butter and stir until melted and coated evenly. Sprinkle lemon pepper, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Tony’s seasoning over the noodles. Mix well. Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a bowl, beat the egg and then mix in the evaporated milk until well combined. Assemble the Casserole: Spread a layer of noodles in a baking dish. Place slices of Velveeta cheese over the noodles. Sprinkle a generous layer of the three shredded cheeses (Mozzarella, Colby Jack, and sharp). Repeat with another layer of noodles, Velveeta slices, and cheeses. Add the Egg and Milk Mix: Pour the egg and evaporated milk mixture evenly over the assembled layers. Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. Serve: Remove from oven, let it sit for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!
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This recipe is meaningful to me because it’s something my grandmother has made for as long as I can remember. Her spaghetti has always been my favorite dish, and it reminds me of family dinners and feeling cared for. Every time I eat it, it brings back the warmth and comfort of being home with her. “Louise’s Famous Spaghetti” from Cajun Country Cookin’ is a cozy, homemade pasta dish with juicy meatballs and a rich, flavorful sauce. It’s classic comfort food that’s hearty, a little spicy, and perfect for any night.
MEAT BALLS:
1. Have your butcher grind two pounds of meat from the better cuts, including just enough fat for flavor. It should be run through the grinder twice.
2. Place the meat in a large bowl and work in the following seasonings:
1 T Worcestershire
1 t salt
1 t seasoned salt
1 t seasoned pepper
1 t red pepper
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t salad herbs
1 t Accent
1 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c finely chopped shallots
2 T finely chopped bell pepper
2 beaten eggs 1 c bread crumbs
3. Heat, in an iron skillet, just enough oil to cover the bottom. Brown the meatballs, which should be about the size of pigeon eggs.
4. Add the meatballs to the spaghetti sauce and cook at a very gentle simmer for three hours, or longer. JOHN'S BASIC SPAGHETTI SAUCE: In a large iron pot, make a dark brown roux by heating the pot, then adding 6 T olive oil. When oil is hot, slowly add 6 T flour, stirring constantly with a spatula. Keep stirring, cooking over a very low fire, until the roux is the color of milk chocolate.
2. In another iron pot, make a dark brown tomato roux by heating the pot and adding just enough oil to dampen the bottom. Then add 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce and 1 6-oz. can tomato paste, stirring constantly with a spatula. This takes a lot of time, but eventually the tomato will turn a dark reddish-brown. Just before it is done, add 11/2 t sugar.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop and mix:
1 c shallot tops
2 c celery
4 c white onions
3 minced cloves garlic
Sauté these vegetables in the flour roux until tender.
Combine the above mixtures, then add:
2 medium cans tomatoes
4 8-oz. cans Boy-At-Dee Spaghetti Sauce
~2 8 oz. cans mushroom stems and pieces 2 t salt
1 t black pepper
11/2 t Accent
2 t dried parsley flakes
12 t House of Herbs meat herb blend
1/4 t red pepper
4 large bay leaves
1 bottle Heinz chili sauce
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t McCormick Italian seasoning
1/2 t Tabasco
1/2 t oregano
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 bottle ketsup
1 t garlic salt
1 c any sweet red wine enough water to keep mixture from burning Simmer for two hours, stirring frequently to prevent burning. If meats have been added, simmering time will vary according to the type of meat used. Add more water if necessary.
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Chocolate chip cookies have never let me down. They're my go-to when I feel down.
The best recipe a college student needs.
Ingredients
● 1 cup salted butter softened
● 1 cup granulated sugar
● 1 cup light brown sugar packed
● 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs
● 3 cups all-purpose flour
● 1 teaspoon baking soda
● ½ teaspoon baking powder
● 1 teaspoon sea salt
● 2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz)
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Line three
baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking
soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugars until
combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until light (about 1 minute). Mix in the dry ingredients
until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Roll 2-3 tablespoons (depending on
how large you like your cookies) of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly
spaced on your prepared cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately
8-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown. Let them
sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing them to the cooling rack.
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I grew up eating my mom’s sugar spaghetti throughout my childhood. Now when I cook it myself, it reminds me of her and my childhood. Your everyday spaghetti recipe with a sweet twist!
● 2 lbs of ground beef
● 2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
● 32oz jar of Rao's roasted garlic spaghetti sauce
● 24 oz jar of Rao's marinara spaghetti sauce (or your favorite spaghetti sauce)
● 1 onion
● 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
● 2 teaspoons of salt
● 1 teaspoon of black pepper
● 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder
● 1 teaspoon of dried basil
● 1/4 cup of sugar
Brown meat and drain if necessary. Add onions to ground meat and let them cook down a few minutes. Stir in minced garlic. Add 2 cans of tomato sauce. Add jars of spaghetti sauce and stir. Add all ingredients and stir. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring often. Cook a 16 oz pack of spaghetti noodles.
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My family isn’t native to Louisiana, but this is the first recipe my dad wrote down after watching some close friends make theirs. I’m still skeptical about the Rotel, but he swears it’s a must! This is a traditional Acadiana-style Gumbo. It’s typically served over rice or potato salad.
Ingredients
● 15 chicken thighs
● 3 packs of andouille sausage
● 2 jars of dark savoie’s roux
● 64 oz of holy trinity
● 2 large boxes of chicken broth
● 1 jar of chicken base
● Thyme
● Gumbo filé
● Worcestershire sauce
● Bay leaves
● 2 cans of Rotel
Instructions: In the pot, add 2 boxes of chicken broth. Fill with water till 2/3 full. Add two cans of Rotel. Add 64 oz of holy trinity. Add 6-10 bay leaves. Add four dashes of thyme.
Add several dashes of gumbo filé. Add a few tbs of Worcestershire sauce. Bring that to a boil. Bring off boil, add sausage. Bring back to a boil. Boil for 20-30 minutes. Heat roux for 3 minutes. Add roux to pot 4 spoons at a time. Reduce to medium, simmer for 2 hours. Add chicken and half a jar of chicken base; cook for another hour.
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Banana pudding is something my Memaw made for ages and then she gave the recipe to my Mom (don’t tell Memaw, but my Mom’s version is better). At any family gathering or special event or just when she felt like it, a banana pudding would be sitting on the counter ready to be scooped into bowls. I don’t know the exact intricacies of either of their recipes, so this is a basic recipe that anyone could put their own spin on. It’s better that way, I think. It’s a pretty straightforward mixture of bananas, pudding, whipped cream, and vanilla wafers. Real soft and real tasty and kinda burns your throat a little.
Ingredients
● 2 cups cold milk
● 1 (5-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
● 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
● 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
● 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
● 1 (16-ounce) package vanilla wafers
● 12 small bananas, sliced or more as needed
Place milk and pudding mix in a large bowl; beat with a whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in condensed milk until smooth. Stir in vanilla, then fold in whipped topping. Arrange a layer of wafers in the bottom of a glass serving bowl. Top with a layer of banana slices, then a layer of pudding mixture; repeat layers until all ingredients are used. For best results, chill pudding in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Top with extra crushed wafers just before serving.
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This recipe is meaningful to me because me and my mother always make it together!
This recipe is also pretty easy to bake and they taste super delicious and sweet! And because they’re so sweet and easy to make, the both of us will add in pecans for her and sprinkles for me into a certain amount of them to give them that little added fun and special something, and it makes them look more personal and unique to us too!
Tea cakes are soft, old-fashioned cookies that have a texture between a cake and a cookie and are often served with tea. Depending on the regional variety, they can also refer to yeasted buns, chocolate-covered marshmallows, or buttery snowball cookies.
Prep: 10 min. Bake: 10 min.
Batch yield: 5 dozen.
Ingredients
● 1 cup butter, softened
● 1-1/2 cups sugar
● 3 large eggs, room temperature
● 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
● 3 cups all-purpose flour
● 2 teaspoons baking powder
● 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture (the dough will be soft). 2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 7-8 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
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Puffed oven pancakes aren't necessarily my favorite way to eat pancakes; I'm partial towards a banana/chocolate chip mix, but it's still a meaningful recipe to me because I heavily associate it with time spent with family. At my Mom's house everyone is very busy, bustling in and out of the house to school, work, activities, and so on. There are six of us all told and it was usually difficult to make our schedules align for family meals but whenever we could, we would sit at the dining table all together and often we had puffed oven pancakes. It's also one of the first recipes we were all taught how to make:
I've had the chance to eat this dish at least once prepared by each person in my house.
These are essentially pancakes that puff up while baking in the oven, the name is very straightforward in this way!
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse strawberries. Center 4 Tbsp butter on a 9x13 pan (put in around 348F). Mix: 6 eggs, 1 cup sifted flour, ¼ tsp salt, and 1 cup milk. Bake for 25 min. Cut strawberries and top also with powdered sugar.
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When it gets cooler outside, I know at some point my Dad will make his signature chili recipe. Whether it’s for a get-together or just a normal family dinner, it never fails to be warm, comforting, and nostalgic. My dad always brags about how his recipe won a church chili cooking competition and waves off any reference that it was his friend who cooked the recipe and entered it, not him, but I do think that he created something pretty prize-worthy.
Ingredients
● 1.5 - 2 lbs beef stew meat
● 1 medium-large sweet yellow onion (diced)
● 2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
● 1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
● 32 oz crushed tomatoes
● 10 oz Fire Roasted Ro-Tel (or 10 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes plus 4 oz diced green chiles)
● 10 oz pinto beans
● 10 oz black beans
● 10 oz sweet corn
● 12 oz of a milder lager, cerveza, or pilsner (non-alcoholic is fine). Oktoberfests work as well.
● Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, or pepper jack cheese, whichever you prefer. Smoked cheese is excellent here.
● Sour Cream
● Fritos corn chips
● Green onions
● Salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder to taste
Preparation: Season the meat with salt and pepper at least an hour beforehand but overnight is best. Preheat a large pot, or preferably a cast iron Dutch oven, with roughly a tablespoon of cooking oil. Brown the stew meat over medium-high heat. Avoid overcrowding the pot; cook in batches if necessary. We’re only looking for color on the beef; it will finish cooking fully in the chili. After the meat is browned, remove it from the pot and place it in a bowl or sheet pan. DO NOT DRAIN. Add another tablespoon or so of cooking oil to the pot. Add your diced onion and cook until just softened. Sire frequently. When the onions are cooked, add the minced garlic. Cook just until fragrant; be careful not to burn it. Add the worcestershire sauce and beer to the pot. Scrape up the fond off the bottom of the pot, and stir it into the liquid. This step adds flavor. Add the browned beef AND the juices from the container you kept it in while cooking the vegetables. Add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Drain each and then add both beans and the corn. Stir everything to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Lower heat to low-medium, loosely cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Stirring often. If chili starts to get too thick, a little water can be added. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, Fritos, and diced green onions.
Tips: If the stew meat at your local grocery store doesn’t look very good, you can also cut up a steak or chuck roast. I made this chili with smoked chuck roast and it was fantastic!