Archive for the Category » Main Dishes «
04
Sep 2014
Sep 2014
A seafood boil is a culinary tradition we carry out every chance we get. It’s a casual outdoor cooking event where we boil mass quantities of fresh seafood, sausage and vegetables in huge pots of highly seasoned water. When the cooking’s done, we usually spread everything out on a large table lined with newspaper and invite everyone to roll up their sleeves, grab a cold beer and dig in. We plan seafood boils for everything from christenings and birthdays to graduations and wedding rehearsal dinners. We also have boils to celebrate holidays and cheer on our [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Seafood, Shrimp
Tags: andouille sausage, Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, New Orleans Classics, Seafood, Seafood Stock Comments off
30
Jul 2014
Jul 2014
When I’m in the mood for pork, I usually run to the grocery store, buy whatever’s on sale and build a recipe and a meal around that particular cut. The best buys are most often extra large pork loins and broad shoulders. Two cuts I can do plenty with. Occasionally, the plain, petite tenderloins hit the sale rack and when they do I grab a few of those. Until about three years ago, though, I never bothered with the tenderloins. I found them a challenge to cook to the recommended internal temperature without having them [ ... ]
17
Jul 2014
Jul 2014
This summer, I’m grilling out more than ever. Aside from being a lover of all things hot and humid, I’m still trying to shake the chill from Snowmageddon 2014. Was that not the worst? Okay, maybe not a big deal for some of you. But for this Deep South girl, it was catastrophic. For the life of me, I cannot understand how people endure that type of weather year after year. I’ll take the sweltering heat, runny makeup and sweat-stained clothes over that any day! Which brings me back to the grill, on [ ... ]
15
May 2014
May 2014
I wake most mornings before dawn. Four-thirty to be exact. That’s when my internal clock starts ticking. Has been that way for as long as I can remember. On those occasions when I’ve stayed up way past my eighty-thirty bedtime or have had one too many craft beers, I may force myself back to sleep for an additional hour or so. But for the most part you can bank on the fact that I’ve downed my second cup of Dark Roast Community Coffee before even the most ambitious of roosters has crowed, “Cock-a-doodle-doo.”
I love the dark stillness of those wee [ ... ]
Category: Chicken, Main Dishes, Sauces
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05
May 2014
May 2014
Have I told you how much I love Mexican food? In my world, it comes in a strong second behind my hometown favorites. I love margaritas. “Big Texas Rocks Salt” is how I order mine at our favorite neighborhood Mexican joint which I affectionately call “The Ranch” (El Ranchero). I love chips and salsa. Thin chips. Smooth and spicy salsa. The Ranch does that right too. I also adore everything on their menu. And if you ask me for recommendations, I’ll usually suggest The Ranch’s Chicken Soup if you’re looking for [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Fruit, Main Dishes, Sauces, Seafood, Shrimp, Side Dishes
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30
Apr 2014
Apr 2014
The hubby and I just returned from our annual New Orleans Jazz Fest date weekend. We had an awesome time and the weather was absolutely amazing–a far cry from last year’s cold, rainy and muddy event. We spent two glorious days frolicking around the Fair Grounds eating, drinking, craft shopping, soaking up some rays, taking in a couple of cool cooking demonstrations and–of course–enjoying some of the finest music on earth. Anyone who loves listening to live music and eating the finest fest food around in an environment enhanced by local culture and interesting people watching needs [ ... ]
22
Apr 2014
Apr 2014
While most of the country is welcoming the arrival of spring, New Orleanians are welcoming the arrival of crawfish. In my hometown, the two are a package deal. And when Mother Nature messes with the calendar and cool temps linger, both spring and crawfish season get delayed. That was the case this year (and last, if I recall correctly). Although there were a few sightings of crawfish before Mardi Gras (which was also late), the temperamental crustaceans didn’t start running consistently until a couple of weeks ago. Now everyone’s going crazy. Finally, seafood markets [ ... ]
Category: Crawfish, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Seafood, Side Dishes, Soups
Tags: crawfish, Seafood, Soup 2 Comments
14
Apr 2014
Apr 2014
This is my mom’s holiday ham recipe. This amazing ham has been an important part of every Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner I’ve been fortunate enough to share with my family. So you can imagine my surprise last week when I called my mom with a recipe instruction question only to find out that she no longer prepares her ham this way (unfortunately, I haven’t had a holiday meal at mom’s house in a couple of years so I wasn’t aware of this little fact). She said more recently, she’s been buying the spiral cut hams [ ... ]
03
Apr 2014
Apr 2014
Pork chops seasoned with the perfect mix of earthy herbs and spices, browned in hot oil then slowly cooked in a roux-based sauce blessed with the Holy Trinity (and fresh mushrooms) to fork-tender perfection. Always served over white rice–my Baked Rice. Those are my Smothered Pork Chops. Smothering the pork in a rich gravy guarantees tender chops every time and cooking the meat on the bone makes them extra tasty and moist. Smothered Pork Chops make frequent appearances at the Hogan dinner table. They’re also popular among many other New Orleans families and are a highly sought-after daily lunch special [ ... ]
13
Mar 2014
Mar 2014
Hello Shrimp and Okra Gumbo! What do you think of the new photo size? Too big maybe? I can’t decide. I told the hubby I wanted bigger photos on the site, but I just don’t know if they should be this large. Please, tell me what you think! The gumbo, on the other hand, it’s a keeper. No indecisiveness there. This recipe is awesome through and through–oh how I wish I could hand you a spoon and invite you to dig it. It’s earthy and aromatic and an essential part of [ ... ]
Category: Gumbo, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Roux, Seafood, Shrimp, Vegetables
Tags: Gumbo, Roux, Seafood, Shrimp Recipes, Vegetables 2 Comments
