Archive for » December, 2010 «
25
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
Look what Santa left us! A “real” dog–something my oldest daughter Chandler has been asking for forever! She is the cutest little Cavachon (half Bichon Frise and half Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). The kids have named her “Beignet.” Can’t argue with that!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Genêt
Category: Christmas
2 Comments
24
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
Until recently, we celebrated Christmas back home in New Orleans. The upside: being with family and enjoying all the wonderful holiday traditions we grew up with. The downside: orchestrating Santa’s arrival in another city! Now, for obvious reasons, we have Christmas in Georgia. It’s bittersweet. While we love waking up in our own home on Christmas morning, we all miss sharing this special day with the rest of our family. So I’ve begun a few new holiday rituals to keep homesickness at bay. For one, we party on Christmas Eve just [ ... ]
Category: Christmas, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables
Tags: mirliton, Shrimp Recipes, tasso 3 Comments
21
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
During the holidays, I love giving my friends and neighbors gifts from my kitchen. But baking and decorating loads of cookies is not my style. I prefer to spread Christmas cheer with savory items like dips, spreads, make-ahead breakfast casseroles (perfect for Christmas morning) and my very own “Cajun Mary” Mix. These types of food gifts are perfect for everyone on my list, from my shop-till-you-drop friends who hardly have time for a meal to my house-hotel neighbors hosting shifts of family throughout the holidays.
This year I’m gifting my Sun Dried Tomato and Chickpea Spread. I’ve been making it for [ ... ]
15
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
Today, as promised, I’m sharing a fast and flavorful recipe for Sunday’s leftovers. Remember the Apple and Bacon Grilled Pork Loin with Bourbon Brown Sugar Glaze? Well, pull that dish out of the fridge and warm it up. Because in less than 15 minutes, that pork loin and yummy glaze are going to be transformed into a festive platter of Pork Tacos with Chimichurri. The only thing you’ll need to do for tonight’s meal, in addition to pushing a few buttons on the microwave, is prepare the chimichurri sauce. That prep time, by the way, is included in the 15 [ ... ]
14
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
The first time I made chimichurri was sometime back in 2006. I cannot recall specifically where and when I stumbled upon it and I’ve scoured all of my recipe journals in an attempt to retrace my steps. But nothing. What I do recall is that the first time I made this sauce is was to accompany a juicy London Broil. I’ve been hooked ever since. The fresh herbs, pungent garlic, fruity olive oil, spicy jalapeños and acidic vinegar worked magic on that otherwise mediocre meal.
For the uninitiated, chimichurri is an Argentinean condiment. Down in South America, they serve it [ ... ]
12
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
The title of this recipe is a mouthful, I know, but with good reason. This dish delivers BIG flavors. And I’m happy to say that all the ingredients have come together nicely despite the fact that my thoughts and my spices were all over the place when I created it. If you’re in the mood for a smoky-sweet and succulent pork loin, this post is for you. And today is the perfect day for grilling something low and slow, even if it is a bit chilly outside.
This recipe is my best attempt at marrying two of my favorite pig combos: [ ... ]
06
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
I’ve never liked Shrimp Creole. Maybe it’s because my mom never cooked it or because the few restaurant versions that I’ve tried were disappointing. But oddly enough, it has always been a dish that I wanted to like.
I hadn’t thought much about my dysfunctional relationship with Shrimp Creole until recently while reading through a bunch of recipes and stories on roux-based dishes. Every time a Shrimp Creole reference crossed my desk, my mouth watered. They all sounded so rich, comforting and tasty, but my food memories recalled otherwise. I had never eaten a bowl of Shrimp Creole that was rich, [ ... ]
Category: Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Roux, Seafood, Shrimp, Stock
Tags: Creole Cooking, French Bread, New Orleans Recipes, Rice, Roux, Seafood, Shrimp Creole, Shrimp Recipes 8 Comments
03
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
This is a short and sweet post to accompany a short and sweet recipe (or two). Last year, my wonderful neighbor and baker extraordinaire, Lisa, turned me on to these great chocolaty muffins that she makes with nothing more than a can of pumpkin, a box of chocolate cake mix and chocolate chips. Count them: 1-pumpkin; 2-chocolate cake mix; and, 3-chocolate chips. That’s it. They’re scrumptious and super moist thanks to the pumpkin, yet they don’t taste like pumpkin. Since my daughters and I are vanilla girls deep down inside, I decided to try a similar recipe using yellow cake [ ... ]
01
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
It’s unseasonably and unwelcomely cold outside today, but that suits my mood just fine because I have no intentions of leaving the house. All I want to do today is cook, in my own kitchen, all by myself. I tend to get cranky like this when I’ve been away from home for too long. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays and I’m very grateful that we were able to spend Thanksgiving week in New Orleans with our family. But after eight days on the road and three days of laundry and other wifely chores, I simply need [ ... ]
Category: Beef, Main Dishes, Pasta
Tags: New Orleans Cooking, New Orleans Recipes, Recipe, Red Gravy 7 Comments
