Archive for » 2012 «
28
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Have I ever introduced you to Child No. 3? Oh, I’m sure I have if only briefly. Blair. My beautiful, bright-eyed third of three. Still considered my baby, even as she approaches double digits. Highly inquisitive. Funny. Mother hen. Accomplished grazer. Nicknamed “junior” by the hubby because she’s so much like her momma–especially when it comes to sleeping (gets a solid 10 each night) and eating (lover of mass quantities of all things edible).
On the eating front, her habits are so closely aligned with mine they’re downright frightening! Take this tuna salad for instance. She eats it one of three [ ... ]
22
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Marinating crabs is a time-honored way to breathe new life into and extend the enjoyment of leftover boiled crabs. My grandmother’s dear friend Josie, who was like an aunt to us, began making this glorious finger food for my family decades ago. It’s a happy mess of highly seasoned boiled crabs drenched in what is best described as a chunky olive oil-based vinaigrette and eaten in the same manner as boiled crabs–with your hands. Most of us will jump at the chance to host a backyard crab boil just so we can set aside a dozen or so crabs for [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Crab, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, crab, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood Comments off
15
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Years ago, when I first started working, I used to make batches of sweet and savory nuts for my co-workers for Christmas. I’d gift them in decorative glass jars adorned with fancy holiday ribbons. It was an easy and economical way for me to give a little something to a lot people. For the life of me, I can’t find that recipe. Maybe it’s all for the better. Because, as I recall, it was edgy. The initial bite was a super-sweet sugary, cinnamon rush followed by a brief pause of plain toasted nuts and then an onslaught of extreme heat–from [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Snacks
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14
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Our family has a longstanding tradition of special birthday meals. On that one special day each year, we get to choose our favorite home-cooked dish for dinner. My longstanding choice for that special meal has always been my mom’s pinto beans. They are the bomb for two very good reasons. One, she cooks them down with copious amounts of roasted pork–the homey/economical cuts like a shoulder or those large, boneless country-style ribs. And two, she serves them nachos-style. She covers a dinner plate with Doritos and layers the beans and garnishes on top. We eat them with our fingers grabbing [ ... ]
08
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Fest fever continues this weekend in New Orleans with the Creole Tomato Festival. This one’s held at the French Market and celebrates one of our favorite local crops, the Creole Tomato. Creole Tomatoes are juicy, meaty and firm thanks to South Louisiana’s rich soil and subtropical (hot and humid) climate. Unfortunately, the season for these bright red beauties is short and local consumption is high. So you have to travel to the Greater New Orleans area or neighboring river parishes to get them. To fully appreciate all that a Creole Tomato is, it’s best to eat them like a local. [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Vegetables
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06
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Are you all in the mood for something sweet? Good. Me too. I haven’t made any sugary treats in a while. But now that the kids are out of school, I find myself planning one dessert after another. I don’t let my kids eat sweets all the time, but when I do I prefer they have the good, homemade stuff. Besides, baking anything is a surefire way to get them cooking.
As I mentioned many times before, making pastry dough from scratch is not my thing. However, back when I was a teenager I [ ... ]
Category: Desserts
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01
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
In Louisiana, we define the four seasons by Crawfish, Shrimp, Crab and Oyster. It’s a unique and appetizing way to get through the year. As one delicious season ends, another much-anticipated one begins. Currently, crawfish season is winding down and shrimp season is gearing up. Plump, juicy, sweet Louisiana shrimp. There’s nothing like them! And this season, however young, is already proving to be grand. I know because I had the good fortune of receiving a pound of wild jumbo Louisiana shrimp straight from the deck of the Anna Marie (a South Louisiana fishing vessel) through the efforts of the [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood, Shrimp
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood, Shrimp Recipes 2 Comments
30
May 2012
May 2012
As I’ve mentioned before, I have a large cookbook collection. My current index (yes, I alphabetize my addiction) stands at around 240, with 18 more waiting to be added. The majority of those are regional recipe collections from New Orleans and South Louisiana that I frequently turn to for inspiration and research. Coincidentally, I rarely cook straight from those books. I have more fun when I borrow an idea from one recipe and pair it with another. I also like using traditional ingredients in unconventional and fun ways. Recently, though, I made a commitment to myself to make at least [ ... ]
24
May 2012
May 2012
Are you looking for a new crawfish recipe to add to your repetoire? If so, this Savory Cajun Crawfish Cheesecake with Roasted Red Pepper Hollandaise is sure to please. It’s a recipe I recently developed for my friends over at Cajun Crawfish–head on over to their blog and check it out. You’re gonna love it! You’re also gonna love the fact that you can order the crawfish tails you need for this recipe while you’re there! You see, Cajun Crawfish is one of the largest crawfish farmers and shippers in Louisiana. They’re also a [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Crawfish, Main Dishes, Seafood, Side Dishes
Tags: Appetizers, crawfish, Seafood 2 Comments
18
May 2012
May 2012
When I’m waiting ever so impatiently for my order at the deli counter at Kroger, I tend to rummage through the prepared food and cheese counters for free samples and interesting food finds. That’s a dangerous thing when I’m hungry, because it’s during those weak “I’ve gotta have it now” moments that I tend to buy items that disappoint (more so with the prepared foods than the cheeses). But recently, I snagged a container of this Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip that turned out to be delicious. In fact, it was so good my girls begged me to learn how to [ ... ]
