This week we’ve got some recipes from both of my cookbooks coming your way! With the weather finally getting chilly, that can only mean one thing—it’s time for gumbo and soups, my two favorite food groups (besides pasta, of course!).

As many of y’all know, there are a lot of families in our community who are struggling right now. The Mississippi Kweendom has always shown up in big ways when it comes to giving back, so I’m excited to announce our Hancock County Food Bank Drive happening November 12th–16th.

This one is special to me—it kicks off on my 40th birthday, and my greatest wish is to help bridge the food gap for families in need. I stopped by the Hancock County Food Bank and spoke with Miss Samantha and Miss Ann about their biggest needs—and let me tell you, there are many. I asked them to create Amazon and Walmart wish lists filled with not only food items, but also essentials that are often requested. My hope is that together we can clear those lists and meet every need.

There was a time when I walked into that same food bank for help, and the kindness I was shown—no questions, no judgment—has never left me. Now I want to pay that forward.

And because the giving doesn’t stop there… we’re also kicking off our 4th Annual Christmas Toy Drive right after! 🎁 This will run November 18th–December 6th (and longer if needed), in partnership with the Hancock County Resource Center. I spoke with Ms. Linda Davis, and she shared that there’s a big need this year—especially for teen gifts. Many of the Angel Tree kids haven’t been picked, and several organizations that usually help aren’t able to this year.

I’ll be sharing more details soon, but I have no doubt that the Kweendom will rise up once again and show what community really looks like. 💛

Recipes and Schedule

Tuesday 11/11 Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 pounds smoked sausage

2 green bell pepper

2 yellow onions

5 ribs of celery

4 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

3 tbs minced garlic

2 tbsp browning sauce (optional)

2 bay leaves

24 ounces okra

1–16-ounce jar dark roux or you can make your own with 1 cup flour and 1 cup vegetable oil

Season to taste with onion powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, ground thyme, salt, and pepper

Wednesday 11/12 Corn Mach Choux

8 ears fresh corn cut from cob

1 pound hickory smoked bacon

1 yellow onion

1 green bell pepper

3 ribs of celery

1-10-ounce can Rotel

3 cups heavy whipping cream

Season to taste with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper

Thursday 11/13 Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 yellow cake mix plus the ingredients to make it

1 cup crushed pineapple

1 can pineapple slices

1 jar maraschino cherries

1/2 stick butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

Friday 11/14 Vegetable Beef Soup

2 pounds ground beef

1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes

3 carrots

3 ribs of celery

1 yellow onion

4 cups beef broth

2 cups water

1-15-ounce can fire roasted corn or regular frozen corn

1-15-ounce can tomato sauce

1-15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (if you can only find the 29 ounce can, that will work also)

1 sprig fresh Rosemary or 1 tbsp dried Rosemary leaves

Season to taste with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

In case you didn’t know, these are the ONLY two books I have on the market! Any other books with the “Mississippi Kween” name on the front are not my books! If you accidently got one of the fake books, you could request a refund from Amazon and also leave a review for the fake book to warn others it isn’t mine!