Blog Archives
20
Nov 2013
Nov 2013
Even during a food-centric holiday like Thanksgiving where huge platters of food are squeezed onto an already crowded table and everyone eats family-style, I think it’s nice to create one savory dish that’s individually portioned. Gratins are the perfect candidates. Baking them in single-serve ramekins or mini-pie pans ensures that each recipient gets a balance of that velvety smooth interior and cheesy, crusty exterior that defines any good gratin. If you’re stressed over washing extra dishes, you can always opt for those disposable aluminum foil cups or pans. Gratins can also be assembled a day or [ ... ]
Category: Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables
2 Comments
11
Nov 2013
Nov 2013
I know most of you have your own go-to green bean casserole and I wouldn’t be surprised if each one centered on canned cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions. I love that version too. But if you’re looking to change things up a bit this Thanksgiving or if you’re simply searching for a new vegetable side dish to work into your weekly dinner rotation, try my family recipe. Our green bean casserole also includes artichokes and the flavors are reminiscent of Stuffed Artichokes thanks to the generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, Italian [ ... ]
15
Oct 2013
Oct 2013
Looking to break out of your weeknight dinner rut? Then check this out. I’ve come up with a great little pork dish for the crock pot. Now I’m not much of a crock pot user. I bought mine solely to keep my gumbo warm during parties. But I have, on occasion, treated this apparatus like the efficient small cooking appliance it was intended to be. I just never felt like the sum of the parts I put in it were worth writing about. Until now. This slow cooked pork? It’s worth [ ... ]
Category: Main Dishes, Pasta, Pork
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04
Oct 2013
Oct 2013
Hello Finger Food Friday fans! My apologies to all for my lack of end-of-the-week, happy hour yummies. It’s just that lately there’s been no fun in our Fridays. The hubby and I have been working overtime and chauffeuring the kids here and there in between. Today, however, our plan is to chill. Hoping to hangout on the patio for a few hours and take in our beautiful weather (which is about to turn ugly thanks to that mean girl in the Gulf) and enjoy some much-needed downtime. I haven’t nailed down our menu as [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Snacks
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Snacks 2 Comments
24
Sep 2013
Sep 2013
Growing up, chili was never important to me and I don’t recall it ever being the center of attention with any of my family members or friends. I guess that’s because in New Orleans we’d all rather fill a pot with the likes of gumbo, beans or smothered something or other. Over the past few years, however, I’ve had this weird fixation with chili. My preoccupation stems from this fun-filled chili cook-off my girlfriend used to hold at her annual Super Bowl party. All her guests knew I loved to cook and they constantly bugged me [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Beef, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Side Dishes, Snacks, Vegetables
2 Comments
07
Sep 2013
Sep 2013
A couple of weeks back, I pulled out of the freezer what will probably be my last soft-shells of the season. Knowing full well I may not get anymore of these warm weather treasures until next spring, I debated how to prepare them. Should I go for broke and introduce them to some bright new flavors and a bold cooking method? Or, should I play it safe with a tried and true recipe that would not disappoint? Because this batch was frozen, I knew I could approach them a tad more aggressively than I could fresh [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Crab, Main Dishes, Seafood
One Comment
31
Aug 2013
Aug 2013
I finally made mayonnaise from scratch. And let me tell you, it was an Aha! moment. If I had the time and didn’t mind uneven biceps (or could learn to master a whisk with my left hand), I’d chunk the store-bought versions for good. Until that day, I’ll reserve this delightful little condiment for special occasions (like this weekend) and humble ingredients (like potatoes) that don’t mind working in the shadows. If you’re firing up the grill to celebrate Labor Day with family and friends or tailgating in support of your favorite college football team, include this potato salad in [ ... ]
Category: Sauces, Side Dishes, Vegetables
One Comment
13
Aug 2013
Aug 2013
Back in 1991, three New Orleans chefs got together and created a unique, local restaurant chain called Semolina. Their concept paired classic New Orleans and international dishes with pasta. The original menu enticed diners with options ranging from Muffuletta Pasta and Jambalaya Pasta to Chicken Enchilada Pasta and Pad Thai Pasta. Curiosity may have lured many diners in. But it was Semolina’s delicious execution of these one-of-a-kind offerings, friendly service and pre-dinner Peach Bellinis (among other weekly drink specials) that kept them–and me–coming back. When I moved to Atlanta in ’95, there was a Semolina restaurant in every Greater New [ ... ]
Category: Chicken, Crawfish, Main Dishes, Pasta, Sauces, Seafood, Shrimp
6 Comments
05
Aug 2013
Aug 2013
Oysters Rockefeller is one of those legendary New Orleans French-Creole dishes that has wowed locals and visitors alike since 1899. The dish was created back then by chef and restaurateur Jules Alciatore of Antoine’s Restaurant to replace and somewhat mimic the restaurant’s popular Escargots a la Bourguignonne due to a shortage of French snails. The dish was named after the affluent John D. Rockefeller because of its profoundly rich sauce.
Although Antoine’s has never divulged its secret recipe, fifth-generation proprietor Roy Guste, Jr. devised a variation of the same to include in his cookbook, The 100 [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Christmas, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Oysters, Seafood, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving
Tags: Appetizers, New Orleans Classics, Oysters, Seafood 3 Comments
26
Jul 2013
Jul 2013
When we were young, my mom introduced me, my sister and my brother to a couple of quick and fun ways to make pizza at home. One method involved flattening canned biscuits and topping them with leftover red gravy and whatever else we could find in the fridge. Ham, bacon, black olives, onions and cheese made frequent appearances. We loved the novelty of those pizzas and made them frequently, especially for afterschool snacks. The other style was French bread pizza. As the name suggests, the base of those pizzas was French bread. And again, the toppings [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Pork, Snacks
Tags: andouille sausage, Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Po-Boy One Comment
