The hubby and I have been together almost 20 years (I was really, really young when we starting dating. Wink! Wink!). And while we’re not the perfect couple, we do pride ourselves on working hard at keeping our relationship strong. A big part of that is carving out time for each other. We frequently schedule lunch dates and sneak in the occasional night out. But all those outings combined don’t come close to measuring up to the kidless weekends we share each year at the New Orleans Jazz Fest! We’ve been enjoying these date [ ... ]
Archive for the Category » Seafood «
03
May 2013
May 2013
The hubby and I have been together almost 20 years (I was really, really young when we starting dating. Wink! Wink!). And while we’re not the perfect couple, we do pride ourselves on working hard at keeping our relationship strong. A big part of that is carving out time for each other. We frequently schedule lunch dates and sneak in the occasional night out. But all those outings combined don’t come close to measuring up to the kidless weekends we share each year at the New Orleans Jazz Fest! We’ve been enjoying these date [ ... ]
Category: Crab, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, Po-Boys, Poor Boys, Seafood
Tags: crab, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood 2 Comments
15
Mar 2013
Mar 2013
In New Orleans, dining out on Friday nights during Lent at any restaurant that serves seafood is, for lack of a better term, a sport. That’s because the crowds are large, the waits are long and the weather is oftentimes questionable (a big issue when you’re forced to wait out in a shell parking lot). A finely tuned playbook, complete with the abilities, expectations and limitations of each person in your party, is a must. So are sandwich bags full of Cheerios (if you have little ones), cell phones with fun games (if you have middle ones) and a padded [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Oysters, Poor Boys, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Oysters, Seafood Leave a Comment
01
Mar 2013
Mar 2013
Although the name of this recipe sounds redundant. It’s not. This finger food is one part “mixed grill” and one part “grilled provolone.” Put the two together and you’ve got an outrageously rocking herbaceously spicy, cheesy, Cajun meets Italian meets Argentinian masterpiece, if I must say so myself. Now I’m not one to toot my own horn. Really, I’m not! But if you love the fab trio of andouille, shrimp and chicken (think jambalaya and gumbo), the smoky goodness of roasted poblano peppers and grilled onions, the tang and bite of an almost-chimichurri sauce and the pronounced flavor of a [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Beef, Chicken, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Seafood, Shrimp
Tags: andouille sausage, Appetizers, Chicken, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Seafood Stock, Shrimp Creole, Super Bowl Leave a Comment
21
Feb 2013
Feb 2013
For those of you who have bid “farewell to the flesh” for the next 40 days (or at least for the remaining Fridays between now and Easter Sunday), this dish is for you. It is my annual creation added to an ever-growing list of meatless meals I prepare during the Season of Lent. Abstaining from meat has never been a huge lesson in self-denial for me or my family. In New Orleans, where fresh seafood is abundant, it would be a stretch to consider codfish balls, fried shrimp poor boys, all-you-can-eat fried catfish, seafood gumbo, crawfish etouffee, boiled crawfish and, [ ... ]
Category: Crab, Crawfish, Main Dishes, Oysters, Pasta, Roux, Sauces, Seafood, Shrimp
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15
Feb 2013
Feb 2013
Frogs, those hopping, croaking creatures, creep me out. I avoid their exhibits at zoos and aquariums and can’t bear to look at them on TV or in print. When we first moved to Georgia, I was haunted by them. Literally. You see, we have this pond behind our house where, at the time, many, many, many frogs lived. I suppose several of those momma and daddy frogs were feeling a little overcrowded so they started venturing away from the busy pond with their “army” in search of more comfortable living conditions. Those improved conditions [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood Leave a Comment
22
Jan 2013
Jan 2013
It’s been said by the master of charbroiled oysters himself, Mr. Tommy Cvitanovich of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant in Metairie, that this is the simplest dish to cook at home but the most difficult to duplicate. Well, from an ingredient standpoint I get that since Drago’s has never published its exact recipe (although there are apparently some very close versions floating around). And that’s understood. But I have to say, once you nail down the cooking method I think it’s pretty darn easy to recreate those sizzling-hot, sexy restaurant oysters at home. Here’s how I make them.
I start [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, New Orleans Classics, Oysters, Sauces, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, New Orleans Classics, Sauces, Seafood 2 Comments
16
Jan 2013
Jan 2013
We spent the week after Christmas with family back home in New Orleans. Whenever we’re there, we always get some sort of boiled seafood. Sometimes we buy it already cooked. Other times, usually when the seafood that’s in season is running good, we purchase it live and boil it ourselves at my in-laws’ house. During this most recent visit, lovely Louisiana blue crabs were in season. But supplies were limited due to cold temps and rain. So we ordered several dozen boiled from my father-in-law’s buddy Captain Sid. As we pulled into the parking lot to pick them up, my [ ... ]
Category: Crawfish, Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces, Seafood
3 Comments
11
Jan 2013
Jan 2013
One of the best ways for me to brighten up a dreary winter’s day is to grab hold of a juicy Louisiana satsuma, push my thumb through its forgiving skin, separate the skin from the flesh and plop the seedless segments into my mouth one by one. As I bite down on each section, my mouth swells with tangy sweetness and all is right with the world! At least for a little while! Citrus has that weird mood-enhancing effect on me. Even my kids recognize it! Whenever I’m grumpy, they tell me to go “cut a lime.” While that sounds [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Fish, Salad, Seafood, Shrimp
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood Leave a Comment
07
Dec 2012
Dec 2012
In New Orleans, we love our hot sauce. The trinity of top local brands includes Tabasco, Crystal and Louisiana Hot Sauce. Each has a loyal following. My dad’s dad Beau, for instance, carried Tabasco everywhere he went and always had an emergency bottle stashed in his glove box. I think he put it on everything but dessert. The hubby is also a huge Tabasco man. Me? My favorites are Tabasco and Louisiana Hot Sauce with very specific uses for each. Tabasco has more heat than Louisiana Hot Sauce and because of that it’s a must in my cocktail sauce and [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Beverages, Finger Food Fridays, Poor Boys, Seafood, Shrimp
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Shrimp Recipes Leave a Comment
05
Oct 2012
Oct 2012
I’m having a hard time transitioning with the seasons. Not summer to fall. Crab to oyster! Just when I thought I had had my fill of those luscious Louisiana blue crabs in all their glorious incarnations, bam! I remembered this gem of a finger food that I’ve never shared with you all. Years back, this bread was the first appetizer I made for any get-together. Then, somehow, it got overshadowed by the likes of Cajun Egg Rolls, Andouille Baked Brie and Corn Dip. Today, I’m putting it back in the limelight for reasons you’ll soon understand!
This recipe deserves to be [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Crab, Finger Food Fridays, Po-Boys, Seafood
2 Comments
