Blog Archives
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
19
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
Have you ever seen that Food Network show “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”? Each episode focuses on a different category of lusty foods that network stars and chefs eat on their days off. Anyone who obsesses over food like I do will appreciate the passion that oozes from their mouths with every tasty word. Well, Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Cake is the best pumpkin dessert I ever ate. If you’re not familiar with this yummy recipe, you really should be. And you know, while I’m all about preserving family food traditions, be forewarned. This dessert could very well replace [ ... ]
15
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
Gumbo is one of the many New Orleans dishes steeped in tradition. Just about every family has their own unique style, cooked a certain way with specific ingredients. Each pot tells a story or reveals a bit of family history.
Our family gumbo was my great-grandmother’s Creole Seafood Gumbo. She graciously passed that recipe on to my mom who continued the tradition of preparing the dish for specials occasions. The pot was always teeming with fresh shrimp, previously boiled crabs (for extra flavor) and briny oysters. The gumbo was thickened with a light roux and canned okra and finished with tomato [ ... ]
Category: Chicken, Gumbo, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Pork, Roux, Stock
Tags: andouille sausage, cajun, creole, Gumbo, Roux 6 Comments
11
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
I’d like to give a shout out to the New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival which is this Sunday in Uptown New Orleans. New Orleans has a ton of festivals throughout the year, but I think this one is really cool because in addition to celebrating one of our most beloved culinary traditions, the poor boy (accurate spelling) sandwich, it also sets out to promote and preserve a way of life.
You see, the Carrollton area that plays host to this event represents a big part of New Orleans culture. In this Uptown New Orleans neighborhood, residents harmoniously co-exist with restaurants, businesses [ ... ]
10
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
In my kitchen, broccoli is the chicken of the vegetable world. It’s available year-round, relatively inexpensive, versatile and easy to prepare. So we eat a lot of it around here. Okay, that’s not a honest statement. I eat a lot of it. My husband and kids, well, they favor the simple preparation of steamed or gently boiled broccoli drizzled with olive oil and dusted with kosher salt. That’s all good, but it gets boring after a while. So I occasionally push them beyond their broccoli comfort zones with preparations like this one.
Broccoli au Gratin is about as fancy as a [ ... ]
Category: Christmas, Roux, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables
Tags: Bechamel Sauce, Broccoli, Home Cooking, White Roux 2 Comments
