In our experience, few foods instill more fear in the home cook than light and airy soufflés; we'd like to change that. While they'll never be a dump-and-stir operation, with a few — OK, 10 — tips you'll be on your way to adding this impressive dish to your repertoire.

1. Do read the recipe not once, but twice. It's important to understand the order of operations, as some steps require precise timing in order to garner the desired results.
2. Do make certain to have your mise en place, meaning make certain to have all of your ingredients prepped according to the ingredients list and set out in front of you, rather than winging it and getting ingredients ready during the cookery process, as timing is crucial particularly when preparing the custard base.
3. Do separate the eggs when they're still chilled from the fridge; cold eggs separate easier and have less chance of the yolk breaking and therefore introducing fat to the white (a big no-no). Once the eggs are separated make sure to allow them to come to room temperature before proceeding, as room-temperature egg whites whip up better.
4. Don't forget to brush the ramekin(s) with melted butter and then coat them with granulated sugar (for sweet soufflés) or finely grated parmesan cheese (for savory) as the gritty texture will help the soufflé climb up the sides of the ramekin, and encourage proper puffing.
5. Do ensure that no residual grease remains on the mixing bowl or whisk, as the egg whites will not whip up properly if they mingle with fat. To do this, lightly dampen a paper towel with vinegar and wipe the paper towel over the surface of the whisk and bowl.

Keep reading for five more indispensable tips for successful soufflé cookery.

If you're hosting a Mardi Gras brunch, there's only one drink to serve, and no, it's not a bloody Mary, it's a Ramos gin fizz. However, if your soirée is after dark, you've got to make a huge round of hurricanes! This classic recipe comes from Dale DeGroff and features two kinds of rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, and passion fruit nectar. To batch it, multiply the ingredient amounts by the number of people who will attend your party. For those who don't have time to make a libation from scratch, I recommend ordering hurricane mixer from Pat O'Brien's; it's the bar in New Orleans that made the hurricane famous.

To see my favorite recipe, keep reading.

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New Orleans cuisine: boy, it may have a richly-colored heritage, but unless you're from around there, it sure can be confusing. Not only is it hard to keep track of which dishes are Cajun and which ones are Creole, but those rice dishes can be pretty tough to keep straight! So gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée: what's the difference, anyway?

Think of jambalaya as a distant relative of paella. It's got protein and vegetables (sometimes tomatoes, sometimes not), with rice and stock later simmered together or combined before serving. In contrast, gumbo — a mix of vegetables and meat or shellfish with thickened stock — is thinner and served as a soup alongside rice that's cooked separately.

Different from gumbo (which is considered a soup), étouffée's a main course, made of one type of shellfish (crawfish or shrimp, for instance) that's been smothered in a thick sauce and sometimes served ladled over rice. Don't confuse any of these, of course, with the city's historic Monday favorite: red beans and rice. Got all that?

Using three Cs — cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and carrots — Running to the Kitchen shows how to make two kinds of savory chips.

One batch sweet, one spicy!

For more — and the recipe — check out her blog and then be sure to share your food photos in our community or by starting your own blog. If you're on Instagram, then chime in on the conversation with the hashtag #savorysight.