Fiery and Fabulous Shrimp Wontons

Some Like It Hot (1959)

“Some Like It Hot” was innovative and ahead of its time when it was released in 1959. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in drag, and Marilyn Monroe, the sex queen of her time and beyond are just as much fun to watch today. In the last scene a rich bachelor is pursuing Jack Lemon’s female persona (Josephine) and they are in a speed boat and Josephine turns to Mr. Rich and pulls the wig off and says “I’m a man,” Mr. Rich looks at him and says “Well nobody’s perfect.”

My recipe for Fiery and Fabulous Wontons brings the heat and spice just like the movie that inspired it “Some Like It Hot.” For people who aren’t afraid to feel the fire, this one’s for you. Make a batch for holidays or just because it’s Tuesday.

12 large raw shrimp

dashes of hot crushed red peppers

dashes of lemon pepper

dashes of season salt

1/3 cup Feta cheese, break pieces up
2 serrano or jalapeño hot peppers, chopped finely
¼ cup celery with leaves, chopped finely
¼ cup tomatoes, chopped finely
Dash of salt and pepper
30 wonton wrappers
1 egg slightly beaten
Pure vegetable oil for frying

Dip (optional):

3 tsp sour cream

3 tsp caesar salad dressing

1 Tbl lime juice

dash paparika

Mix dip ingredients, store in refrigerator.

Mash shrimp, add dashes of hot crushed red peppers, lemon pepper and season salt. Set aside.

Add cheese, hot peppers, celery, tomatoes, and dash of salt and pepper to a bowl and mix.
Place 2 wonton wrappers (on top of each other) in front of you in a triangle or diamond shape. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of cheese mixture and 1 heaping teaspoon of shrimp. Spread out evenly, but keep the ends free. Brush all sides with the egg. Start folding at the bottom first (like an envelope), then left and right sides, finally fold down top. Make sure wonton is secure. Repeat until you have 15 won tons.

Heat 3/4 cup oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Cook no more than 3 at a time, about1-2 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Drain on paper towels.

Slice each one at an angle, yielding 30 pieces. Serve with dip, if desired. Serves 10.

Bangin' Bayou Crawfish

Eve's Bayou (1997)

Eve’s Bayou is a magical film. Its' look and feel of the Bayou is far from ordinary. If you have not seen this film, I strongly recommend you do so. If you have seen it, revisit this movie as soon as you can. There is a scene where Eve’s aunt Mozelle (Debbie Morgan) tells her the story about her past three lovers, and the story is told through a mirror. This was so innovative and I applaud Director Kasi Lemmons, a black female Director who rocked this film. Enjoy the video trailer below.

My recipe for Bangin' Crawfish Bayou is inspired by the movie Eve’s Bayou. This movie tells the story of people rich in the Cajun culture, and Crawfish and Cajun spices are a part of that history. Lagniappe (lahn-yop) is a Cajun French word meaning "a little something extra" and our dish is just that!


2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup each of chopped red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers (if all colors are in season)
¼ cup chopped red or yellow onion
¼ chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups of water with 2 teaspoons of Better than Bouillon Chicken Base)

½ cups uncooked rice

1 ½ lb packaged crawfish (or 4 lbs of fresh crawfish-using only tail end meat and rinse clean)
2 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
1 Tbl flour
Optional: Sprig of fresh Dill for garnish and dash of salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes, add chicken broth and rice. Cover, cook for 10 minutes, and then add crawfish, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, cover and cook 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix well, flour and water, turn heat up to high, add flour and water and cook an additional 3 minutes.

Serve on a large platter (Optional- garnish with a fresh sprig of dill). Serves 6.

Bloody Mary Smoothie

Inspired by the movie, "Twilight" (2008)

Our recipe for Bloody Mary Smoothie is the perfect drink to enjoy while you watch the movie Twilight. It is a modern love story with a twist. Spoiler Alert! The twist? The guy is a vampire! How deliciously chilling, so is our Bloody Mary Smoothie. Our recipe serves 4, so be sure to share with your family and friends, or make an extra batch for watching this hugely popular movie.

Fill 2 ice trays (about 32 cubes) with tomato juice; you will need about 30 oz (I like Red Gold fresh squeezed) freeze ice trays

Juice of ½ lemon
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6 drops of Tabasco sauce
1 cup of Vodka (more or less, according to taste)
Dash of salt and pepper
6 fresh chopped basil leaves

Add all of the ingredients above in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in tumbler or cocktail glasses with a small stalk of celery or slice of lime.

Serves 4.

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