Archive for the Category » Main Dishes «
30
Jun 2016
Jun 2016
Earlier today, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed when I came across a funny comment that my dear friend, Cindy, had posted. It read, “Here ye Here ye Casa Sanders is no longer taking reservations until September 2016!!!! Peace Out!” I laugh every time I read it because I know all too well where she’s coming from. You see, last year, Cindy and her family moved from the piney woods of Mandeville (a New Orleans suburb) to the Windy City. Since this is their first full summer in Chicago, their home has been nothing short [ ... ]
Category: Chicken, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Sauces, Snacks
Tags: blackened, Chicken, Finger Food Fridays, New Orleans Classics, Sauces One Comment
29
May 2016
May 2016
Grilling season is officially upon us and I could not be more excited. I am a warm weather girl through and through, and I just love being outdoors messing around with my little Weber. My latest grilling obsession? Ribs. Specifically, baby back ribs. Over the past year, I think I’ve prepared well over 15 racks—all in an effort to bring you a full-flavored, fail-proof recipe. So, without further ado, here it is. Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Chipotle-Cherry Barbecue Sauce.
Before I share my cooking tips with you, let me first say [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, Pork
Tags: Finger Food Fridays, Grilled, Pork, Sauces, Smoked Comments off
29
Feb 2016
Feb 2016
People always joke that when you visit New Orleans your vegetable intake will be limited to the curly parsley decorating your plate or the pickled okra bobbing about in your Bloody Mary. Depending on how you choose to spend your time here, that could very well be true. But as the locals can tell you, there are plenty of beautiful, fresh vegetables to be had in these parts all year long. That’s one of the many fringe benefits of living in a subtropical environment. And because we have a great variety of veggies with extended growing seasons, [ ... ]
Category: Beef, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Pork, Side Dishes, Vegetables
Tags: Beef, New Orleans Classics, Pork, Vegetables 6 Comments
02
Dec 2015
Dec 2015
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Ours was exceptional. This year we celebrated the holiday at my sister-in-law’s house with 34 of the hubby’s closest relatives—his parents, siblings, their families and his double first cousins and their families. I think I’ve mentioned Larry’s double first cousins before. Remember? One of his dad’s brothers married one of his mom’s sisters. They had four kids who are now all grown up with kids of their own. Cool, huh? I think so. Anyway, as you might expect, this group—which currently spans three [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Crab, Main Dishes, Salad, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, Crabmeat, salad, Seafood 2 Comments
16
Sep 2015
Sep 2015
“Hey googootz!”
If you grew up in New Orleans, chances are you’ve heard that phrase or have been the recipient of that term of endearment. I’m not sure how much it’s used these days, but when I was little it was expressed often and usually by older women addressing relatives or close friends. Oh, and you may also recognize the word if you were a Sopranos fan. I never watched the show, but have learned that Tony occasionally called his son A.J. “Googootz.” The word stems from cucuzza (pronounced “ku koo za”), an edible Italian [ ... ]
Category: Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Side Dishes, Vegetables
Tags: creole, New Orleans Classics, Vegetables 8 Comments
31
Jul 2015
Jul 2015
While I’ve never ordered the classic soul food combo chicken and waffles while dining out or jumped on the “midnight train” to the world-famous Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles Restaurant right here in Greater Atlanta to seek out what is said to be the best representation of its kind (south of the Mason-Dixon line, that is), I’ve always loved the idea behind this dynamic duo. And whenever I look at the dish, I always step back and think about how I could put a New Orleans spin on it (or, in the words of Ella Brennan, “Creolize” it). [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Craft Beer, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, Sauces, Shrimp, Side Dishes, Snacks
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Sauces, Shrimp Recipes 3 Comments
15
Jul 2015
Jul 2015
The inspiration behind this unlikely duo hails from North Alabama of all places. Are you familiar with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce? I wasn’t until a couple of months ago when my social media feeds starting buzzing about it. Because I’m a sauce girl, my curiosity was piqued. So I did a little digging and learned that this unique sauce was created back in 1925 by Big Bob Gibson of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. He used it primarily to “baptize” smoked chickens. Since then, Big Bob’s signature white barbecue sauce, along with [ ... ]
Category: Chicken, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Sauces
Tags: Chicken, New Orleans Classics, Sauces 2 Comments
04
Jul 2015
Jul 2015
Sorry for being so last minute with my Fourth of July potluck contribution, but the hubby and I took the kids down to Destin for a spur-of-the-moment beach trip and we returned home with only enough time to ready the house for my in-laws who are spending the weekend with us. So while I assume most of you have already planned out and prepared your Independence Day menu, I’m sharing this recipe with you anyway. If it doesn’t make today’s buffet table, then by all means keep this recipe in mind for your next party or grill [ ... ]
Category: Beans, Beef, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetables
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04
Jun 2015
Jun 2015
My secret to simple, summertime meals (and sensational cocktails) is an herb garden. I plant one every year with vibrant flavors I love and use often—basil (Genovese), rosemary, lemon-thyme, parsley and cilantro. I also throw in one or two herbs I’m not that familiar with. Last year, it was lemon balm. This year it’s dark opal basil. Almost everyday during the summer months, I turn to my little garden for inspiration. I use the majority of my fresh herbs to make punchy salsas, pestos and sauces. These are great on grilled meats and [ ... ]
21
May 2015
May 2015
Our gas grill recently died and, after much deliberation, the hubby and I decided to replace it with a charcoal grill. This was a big step for us because although we’ve always preferred the flavor of charcoal grilled foods (absent “lighter fluid essence”), we had come to highly depend on the convenience of our gas grill. That was especially true for me when it came to developing new recipes. With the gas grill, I wouldn’t hesitate to test a small batch of something on the fly. Charcoal, on the other hand, required more forethought, time, attention and skill. I wasn’t [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Sauces
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