Blog Archives
17
Mar 2014
Mar 2014
Have we ever had the coffee talk? You and me? No? I didn’t think so. Well, there’s no better time than the present. So, please, indulge me. I promise to make it brief.
Don’t hate me for saying this, but I’m not a fan of the whole Starbucks phenomenon. I just don’t get it. The uber-sweet, syrupy concoctions make me bloated and remorseful. The macchiato-this and frappuccino-that overwhelm me. And that size thing–grande, venti, whatever-de … really? I apologize to anyone who has ever been behind me in [ ... ]
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
03
Mar 2014
Mar 2014
As you may have noticed, I’m changing things up here at Raised on a Roux all in an effort to share more New Orleans family food and culture and helpful info. For starters, I’ve added a Resources tab. I should have done this a long time ago, I know. But finally, it’s here. The Resources tab is your one stop click-to-shop for ingredients and cooking tools you may be hard-pressed to find if you live outside New Orleans or South Louisiana. All my go-to markets and online sources are listed there.
Next is the addition of the Social tab. Okay, this [ ... ]
27
Feb 2014
Feb 2014
Whenever I mention Creole Onion Soup in circles outside of New Orleans, I’m often asked how it differs from French Onion Soup. Well, like many New Orleans recipes, that depends on whose Creole Onion Soup you’re eating. If you’re savoring a bowl prepared by an old-school Creole or anyone carrying those traditions forward, the soup will likely contain some form of dairy and may even be puréed to a thick, velvety consistency. Several references to this style of onion soup can be found in various New Orleans cookbooks. The earliest references I discovered were in my mother-in-law’s 1901 edition of [ ... ]
Category: Beef, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Roux, Side Dishes, Soups, Stock, Vegetables
Tags: Beef Stock, Roux, Soup 4 Comments
12
Feb 2014
Feb 2014
Louisiana is known as Sportsman’s Paradise because of its many fertile waterways and dense woodlands. In this part of the country, hunting and fishing is a way of life for many and the number one extracurricular activity for the majority of those who don’t make a living off the land. If you grew up around these parts, chances are you were introduced to a wide array of fresh seafood and wild game at a young age. Both are regional staples on family dinner tables and restaurant menus. If you grew up elsewhere and did not have similar experiences, let me [ ... ]
Category: Main Dishes, Wild Game
2 Comments
16
Jan 2014
Jan 2014
For Christmas, the hubby surprised me with a special gift–a Besh Box. I was reading up on this latest endeavor by Chef John Besh in the weeks preceding Christmas and was contemplating buying one myself. But I don’t recall ever mentioning that to Larry. I shouldn’t be surprised, though, by his perfect gift-giving abilities. After 20 years together, the man can pretty much read my mind. He also follows the New Orleans food scene almost as closely as I do and knows that any food-related or New Orleans-inspired gift rocks my world.
So this Besh Box is really cool. It’s basically [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Chicken, Christmas, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, Pasta, Seafood, Shrimp
Tags: Appetizers, Chicken, pasta, Seafood, Shrimp Creole 2 Comments
31
Dec 2013
Dec 2013
Do you have your New Year’s Day menu worked out? I’m preparing my Black-Eyed Peas with Jalapeño Oil along with cabbage and pork. I just haven’t decided on what cabbage and pork dishes to make. On the cabbage front, I’m debating between Smothered Cabbage and Cabbage Casserole. Both call for sausage and cheese, but the Cabbage Casserole also includes rice and boat loads of cheese–it’s a meal in itself. The Smothered Cabbage is on the lighter side with its turkey sausage and tangy kick of feta cheese. As for the pork, I’m craving my [ ... ]
27
Dec 2013
Dec 2013
Every year I approach the holidays with what I believe to be a good balance of excitement and caution. Excitement over the magic of the season and making the most of all the food, fun, family and friends that come with it. Caution not to overdo it. This year, let’s just say I got overly excited and threw caution to the wind. Put another way, I ate and drank too much and stayed up past my bedtime more often than not. It’s left me tired, bloated and a tad cranky. And with New Year’s [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Fish, Seafood, Snacks
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Seafood 4 Comments
13
Dec 2013
Dec 2013
Jarred roasted red peppers, cream cheese, shredded mozzarella and chips (oh, and craft beer :-)) are refrigerator and pantry staples in my house. There’s a lot I can do with those ingredients. Plus, they all have a healthy shelf life. This time year, I find it especially important to have several flavorful and flexible items like those on hand. Alone or combined, they can spruce up chicken breasts, dress up pasta, flavor French bread (think French bread pizza), spiffy up salad greens or seafood and create inviting and impromptu appetizers. That’s basically how this finger food came to be. Last [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Snacks
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Snacks Comments off
05
Dec 2013
Dec 2013
I make Vegetable Soup three to four times a year on average. When I cook it, the soup fills my home with fond memories and the comforting aromas of my grandparents’ Franklin Avenue kitchen, which was around the corner from my childhood home. My grandfather, Papa, was the family vegetable soup steward. He’d make a huge pot to share with those of us who lived close by. After a half-day of slicing, dicing and simmering, Papa would ladle loving portions into a handful of the empty, glass Sanka Instant Coffee jars that lined their kitchen counters and deliver a couple [ ... ]
