Experience The Excitement Of The Kitchen In Your Home

Cooking can be quite the tragedy if you don't have much knowledge or know any tricks of the trade. This article will give you the information you need to get on your way to making delicious meals without any complications. Of course practice will be necessary, cooking is not a skill that can be 100 percent right in the beginning.

To keep salt in shakers fresh and dry, add uncooked white rice to the shaker. The rice will absorb any moisture from the environment instead of the salt, and stops the salt from dissolving or caking. Rice is not noticeable in a glass shaker and is too large to be shaken out with normal use.

If you are cooking a soup or stew and you add too much salt to the pot you can add a peeled white potato to the pot and continue boiling it. The starch in the potato will help to absorb a lot of the extra salt. You can repeat with an additional potato if it is still too salty.

When cooking, many people forget about proper care for the spices that they use to season their food. All spices should be stored in a cool dark place and never above a stove. The reason for this is because storing spices in areas where there is a lot of heat, light, or humidity will cause them to lose their flavor.

If you are cooking pastries or foods that can get very messy, make sure that you wear an apron at all times. The last thing that you will want to do is to get food on your clothes and have to change before you eat your meal with friends or family.

Beans stored for a longer period of time need to be checked for insect damage or mold. Instead of visually looking at each bean put them in a bowl of cold water. Use only the ones sinking to the bottom as those floating are either suffer from insect damage or mold.

Fresh herbs can add a great deal to most recipes. Herbs can be tricky to handle, though, because they need to be chopped so finely. Sprinkling salt over the cutting board before chopping herbs can cut down on mess. The salt encourages herbs to stick to the board instead of flying off.

Now that you have read about the many basic skills of cooking, it is time for you to head to the kitchen and prepare some great food! Remember, as said before, cooking is not a skill that can be 100 percent right in the beginning. Practice is required for you to master the art of cooking.

Desire To Improve Your Cooking Skills? Use These Cooking Tips

Cooking does not have to be a scary thought! Understandably, cooking is easier for some than others. It takes know how, practice, and patience, but you can do it! Below are some helpful tips to make your cooking a pleasure:

To save time on busy weeknights, cook ahead on the weekends and stock your freezer with meals that are ready to heat through. Lasagnas, enchiladas, and other casseroles are great for freezing, as are many soups. Alternately, you can cook an extra batch of dinner any day of the week to freeze for a day when you don't have the time.

You can prepare minced garlic ahead of time to be ready to use. Simply mince the garlic as normal and spread in a small pan. Freeze this pan until the garlic begins to become solid, at which point you take it out, and slice it into cubes. Place these cubes in a plastic bag and store in the freezer. When you are sautéing vegetables or preparing food later, you can use a cube or two of this prepared minced garlic. The heat from the frying pan will melt the garlic, and the result is quick and easy garlic with a fresh flavor.

When you are cooking a roast, go large. Buying a bigger cut of meat, when you buy a roast for a meal, has a couple of benefits. One is that you will have more leftovers from the meal. Another is that the larger the meat, the better the overall finished flavor will be.

For an effective way to cool down hot, freshly made stock during the winter, set the covered pot outside for a little while. You should not put such a large quantity of hot liquid in your refrigerator. Setting the pot outside is a great way to cool the stock enough for refrigerating or freezing, and it may be easier to skim off the fat layer on the top.

To keep your breading from peeling away from the breaded food, dip the food first into flour, then the egg wash, and then the breading. The flour gives the egg wash something to which it can stick, and results in breading that stays intact rather than sliding off of slick meats or veggies.

Are you ready to get started? The helpful tips above, no doubt, will contribute to you making a delicious meal! This is just a few suggestions to inspire you to give cooking a try or perhaps a second chance! Enjoy!

Cooking Tips To Use For Great Meals At Home

Cooking can seem like something that only professionals can do. But if you have some good information and tips of the trade, then even those who burn toast can make a delicious meal. All it takes is the right techniques and a little bit of knowledge to turn you into a chef.

When roasting a whole chicken, remember to season well and separate the breasts from the legs. The legs need a longer cooking time than the breasts, if you don't take out the breasts they will overcook.

When you are cooking pasta, follow this useful tip. Instead of strictly following the instructions given on the pasta box or package, try cooking the pasta one minute less than the time indicated. Then finish off the pasta by cooking it in a pan with sauce for the final minute. Doing so will give the pasta more flavor.

Make sure you season your meat and fish evenly. Sprinkle your salt and pepper over the food as though it is snowing. This will make it so you avoid clumping and avoid having parts of the meat without any seasoning. This will make for a tastier meal.

Try to store spices in dark, cool places and do not store them above your stove. Places that are bright, humid and hot, can cause your spices and herbs to lose their flavor. A good place to put them would be inside of a pantry or in your kitchen cabinets.

Use leftover meats for sandwiches. Turkey, slow-roasted beef, braised pork shoulder roast and even chicken make great sandwich meat that can be used for meals throughout the week. You may even want to cook just for having lunch-meat that is far tastier than the kind you buy in the stores on hand.

When cooking with herbs and spices, add them sparingly to your foods. The goal is to compliment the dish you are making, not to overpower its natural flavor. It is impossible to remove spices once you have added them, so start off with a small amount and then add more to taste.

If you are making a sandwich and adding mayonnaise, make sure that you spread the mayo from corner to corner to give you the ultimate coverage and a delicious taste in every bite. Each and every bite that you take should be outstanding, as spreading mayo will achieve this goal when you eat sandwiches.

Now that you have read some of these great tips, you should be ready to tackle making something delicious. Practice will make perfect though, so don't be discouraged if you don't get it right the first time around. Just like in anything else, let failure be your teacher.

Cooking Tips To Snack On

Becoming a better cook can be accomplished with a little time, patience and following a few simple steps. The basics of cooking are easy to master and accomplish. In order to cook meals and dishes that will make your friends and family say "Wow!" you need to try these simple steps and you can be on your way to being the best cook you can possibly be.

Marinate all of your meat. One of the most overlooked ways to improve your cooking is to let your meat rest in marinade before you cook. This will help meat retain moisture, and will impart it with richer flavors. You can also marinate your veggies with the meat to create even deeper flavors.

Buy tough cuts of pork or beef instead of steak. Steak is expensive. While it might be one of your favorite foods, you probably are not willing to pay for it as often as you would like. Consider buying a tough cut of pork or beef instead. Cook it low and slow to get it tender.

Cooking with spices can be fun and exciting. There are many different spices to choose from knowing the spice better will help you to select the correct spice for the dish. Allspice has a pleasant blend of clove and cinnamon. Allspice is described as possessing a cinnamon-like, woody flavor.

Ensure that your baked fish is moist and tender by cooking "en papillote". This is a French technique that refers to fish baked in a parchment-paper packet. Place the fish and vegetables of your choice in the center of a large piece of parchment-paper. Bring the edges of the paper together, crease them tightly to form a seal, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees. The fish and vegetables steam in the packet, keeping them moist and tender, and creating a tasty, healthy dish. (Clean-up is just as easy - simply throw away the paper after eating!)

Read the recipe fully before you begin any cooking endeavor! Just reading the list of ingredients does not ensure that you are fully prepared to complete the meal. There are many different techniques and tools that may be required so do not be too ambitious when tackling a new recipe.

After trying these steps, you should be well on your way to being a much better cook. The great thing about these tips is that if they don't work the first time keep trying and you are sure to get better. You should notice the difference right away and your friends and family will thank you.

Are You All Out Of Cooking Ideas? Check Out These Tips!

Food is such an essential part of our lives. Cooking is a survival skill, but it can also be a passion. The love and effort that can go into cooking even the simplest dish can shine through to the recipients of this food. By showing respect for your ingredients and paying attention to some small details, you can make the very most of your food no matter what ingredients to which you have access.

You should always use a sharp knife. Contrary to popular belief, using sharp knives is far safer than using dull ones. Because more force is needed to cut with a dull knife, users are much more likely to lose control of it, and that can cause accidental cuts. Sharp knives are also more efficient and faster to work with.

Make perfect meat and fish by applying seasoning, evenly. Especially with salt and pepper, think of the seasonings as snow that is falling delicately onto the meat and fish. As a result, you won't have too much seasoning on one section and not enough or none on other sections. It also prevents the seasonings from clumping.

When roasting any type of meat, ensure that when you remove it from the oven you give it time to "rest" before you carve it up and deliver to the table. Allowing the meat to sit in its own juices for ten minutes or so will make sure that the meat is not dry or overly chewy.

Leftover vegetable pieces shouldn't go to waste. Broccoli tops, carrot pieces and onion peelings can be added to your vegetable, beef or chicken stock, to fill it with extra flavor. Don't forget to add the stock to your favorite meals to enhance their flavor and appear as a great cook in front of your friends and family.

You can save a lot of money by buying potatoes for your favorite dishes in larger quantities. Make sure you store them in a cool dark place (preferably in a root cellar). Place them in a crate loosely and keep the storage temperature between 45 and 50 degrees F. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator as they become sweet.

Cooking is an activity that is what you make of it. You can either let it be a chore or enjoy it as the creative process it is. Cooking can be very satisfying. The creation of an edible piece of artwork that started as such a different ingredient can be an almost miraculous event and is as rewarding for the cook as it is for the person who eats the final product.

Southern Sweet Potato Smash With Whole Roasted Garlic Cloves

2 lbs sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 small to medium size whole garlic bulb
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, juiced
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub the sweet potatoes, cut a slit through the skin on top, set on a baking sheet covered with tin foil.
Bake in preheated oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how big the sweet potatoes are.  They are done when you can squeeze them and they give way easily. (You'll be baking the garlic at the same time as the sweet potatoes, instructions follow.)

Meanwhile, cut the top off the garlic bulb just enough to expose the garlic cloves inside.  Set the bulb on a sheet of heavy duty tin foil and form a packet. Drizzle the olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves, seal up tin foil packet.  Put in with sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes; remove and set aside.

When sweet potatoes are done baking, remove and cool just enough to handle.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half and take a spoon to scoop out the insides into a serving bowl, add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, and smash with potato masher.
Take the garlic bulb and squeeze it upside-down over the sweet potatoes, scattering the cloves over the sweet potatoes as they pop out, along with the olive oil the garlic cooked in.
Serve warm.
Serves 4 to 6.

Cajun Sweet Potato Pecan Crusted Beignets

2 medium sweet potatoes, baked
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed tight
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 egg whites
Oil for frying
1 cup finely ground pecans, put in shallow bowl
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Bake the sweet potatoes in a hot oven for about 1 hour, or until soft. Cool, then cut in half and scoop insides out into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until well blended and as smooth as you can get them.
Add the egg yolk, brown Sugar, flour, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; use a hand beater or masher and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold the egg whites into the sweet potato mixture in bowl. Be gentle when you fold in the egg whites so you don't deflate them.
In a large deep heavy skillet or saucepan, heat about 2 inches of frying oil until hot, but don't allow to get hot enough to smoke. Use a high heat oil, such as peanut oil.
Form the beignets by dropping a spoonful of sweet potato batter into the pecans in the shallow bowl, rolling it around until it's coated with the pecans.
Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning once; about 4 to 5 minutes total time.
Be sure not to overcrowd the saucepan or the oil will cool and the beignets will get soggy.
Remove each beignet as it browns and put it on a paper towel covered cooling rack; sprinkle with sugar.
Keep warm if you wish on a baking sheet in an oven set on low.

Spicy Cajun Spinach Shrimp Orecchiette

2 cups uncooked orecchiette pasta
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned
1 cup chopped fresh spinach

Cook orecchiette pasta according to package directions; drain, set aside.
Put butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, and when the butter is melted, add the shallots, garlic, green onion, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper, stir and cook about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the the skillet the wine, tomatoes, and shrimp.
Stir and cook until the shrimp are pink.
Add the cooked pasta, stir, cover skillet, turn heat to low, and simmer about 2 minutes or until heated through.
Stir in the spinach and heat mixture until spinach just wilts.
Serve hot.

Southern Sweet Potato Salad

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced small
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1-1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/3 cup finely diced celery

Start by cooking the sweet potatoes.  Put in a large pot, cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil; turn down to a gentle rolling boil and cook until knife tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and put in serving bowl and set aside, keeping warm.
Make dressing by whisking together the vinegar, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and crushed pepper; keep whisking and drizzle in the oil until dressing thickens.  Pour over the sweet potatoes and toss gently to coat well. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
When room temperature, add the remaining salt, the onion, and the celery and toss to combine.  Serve immediately. 
This may be refrigerated, but if you do, return the salad to room temperature before serving.
Will serve 4 to 6.

Cajun Pride Dirty Rice

2 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp flour
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 cup diced yellow onions
1/2 cup diced green bell peppers
1/2 cup diced celery
1 lb chicken livers, trimmed clean
1 can (14.5 size) chicken stock or broth (about 1 3/4 cup)
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
5 cups cooked long-grain rice
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)

In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom soup pot, whisk together the peanut oil and flour. Put over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until you get a 'milk chocolate' color roux.  Be sure you whisk constantly.
Remove from heat immediately when the roux reaches the desired color, and keep whisking for a couple minutes to bring the temperature down a bit; set aside.
In a heavy skillet, put the pork sausage, onions, green bell peppers, and celery over medium heat and cook until pork is no longer pink and the vegetables soften. Then scrape out into the Dutch oven with the roux.
In the same heavy skillet over medium heat, add the chicken livers (add a little oil if needed) and saute until the chicken livers are tender and cooked through.  They should be slightly browned (crispy) around the edges but don't over cook.  Just cut one open to check. 
When liver is cooked, spoon out onto a work surface, allow to cool, then chop up very fine. You can put it in the food processor and pulse several times if this is easier.
Add the liver to the Dutch oven with roux/sausage/veggie mixture.
Pour the chicken stock into the skillet you cooked the liver in, put over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil, stirring up the browned bits, for about 2 minutes; then pour this into the Dutch oven.
Add the salt and cayenne pepper to taste to the Dutch oven, stir, cover, and put Dutch oven over very low heat.  Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes, stirring several times.
Add the cooked rice, parsley, and green onions to the Dutch oven, stir well, then simmer together over low heat just until rice is hot.
Stir before serving.
Serve hot.

Famous Southern Chow-Chow Pepper Relish

2 sweet onions, diced fine
1 celery stalk, diced fine
4 or 5 hot chile peppers (cayenne peppers), diced fine
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar

Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat, bring just to a boil, immediately turn heat to very low and simmer, stirring often, for about 1 to 2 hours. The vinegar should have been reduced quite a bit to form a thick relish.
Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature. 
Store in tightly sealed glass jars or plastic storage containers in the refrigerator.

Down South Mississippi Mudslides

2 pints (about 4 cups) chocolate ice cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup bourbon, or Kahlua, or Bailey’s Irish Cream
optional garnishes: whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chopped toasted pecans, chocolate shavings, sprinkles, little marshmallows

Put the chocolate ice cream, milk, and alcohol in a blender; pulse a few times until blended and smooth.
Pour into milkshake style glasses.
Garnish as desired.
Serve cold with straws and long spoons.
Will make 4 drinks.

Southern Style Simmered Collard Greens

12 cups cleaned chopped collards
6 slices of salt pork or thick bacon
1 yellow onion, diced
1 ham hock or meaty ham bone
salt and black pepper to taste

Be sure the collard greens have been well washed and rinsed.  Then pull the leaves from the stems (discard the stems) and lay the leaves in a pile.  Roll them up and chop them with a sharp knife; set aside.
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, cook salt pork or bacon until crispy, remove to a paper towel covered rack and set aside.
Add to the Dutch oven the collard greens, cooked salt pork or bacon, onion, ham hock or ham bone, salt, and pepper.
Add enough water to cover the collards and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Immediately reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer very gently until collards are tender, about 2 to 3 hours.
Serve hot with sprinkles of pepper vinegar if desired.

Cajun Seafood And Cheese Stuffed Fried Pistolettes

1/2 lb butter
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions, including the tops
3 cups evaporated milk
1 lb smooth melty cheese, cubed (mild Cheddar, American, or Velveeta works)
1 cup water
3 lbs cooked shrimp
1 lb cooked crabmeat
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
12 pistolettes

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, add the onions, bell pepper, and celery; stir and cook until veggies soften.
Add the green onions, stir and cook 30 seconds longer.
Turn heat to low and slowly pour in the evaporated milk, whisking as you pour until the milk is incorporated fully.
Add the cubed cheese and stir until cheese melts.
Stir in the water, shrimp, crabmeat, and seasonings.
Simmer slowly until heated through; remove and set aside, keep warm.
Prepare fried pistolettes:  Fill a deep heavy skillet with enough oil so it comes up halfway on the pistolettes.  Heat oil to 350 to 360 degrees or until drop of water sizzles.  Lower the pistolettes in the hot oil, fry for 1 minute or until golden brown, flip, and brown the other side. Remove to cooling rack covered with paper towels.
To fill, make a cut in the end and open the pistolette up.  Carefully spoon the cheesy seafood mixture into the opened pistolette until full.
Serve warm.
Feeds 10 to 12 people a nice lunch.

Southern Pecan Praline Macaroons

3 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a cold mixing bowl, put the egg whites and beat with a mixer until they form peaks. Then, with mixer running, slowly add in the brown sugar, beating until you get stiff peaks.
Carefully fold in the pecans using a rubber spatula.
On a cookie sheet, drop heaping teaspoons of mixture allowing for room to spread.
Bake in preheated over for 30.  Keep your eye on them.  You want the macaroons to be hard and still shiny.
Remove and allow to cool at room temperature on a cooling rack.
You should end up with about 24 macaroons.

Southern Pecan Plantation Pie

3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/4 cup pecans
1 Unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt together.
Add the butter and corn syrup, stir until combined.
Add the pecans and stir.
Pour mixture into the unbaked pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling has set and starting to get browned a bit around the edges.
Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Pecan Crunch Red Velvet Cake

cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 oz red food coloring (more or less as desired)
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

frosting:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese , softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 lb box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease-flour two (9 inch) cake pans.
Cake: In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and frothy. Add one egg, beat, add second egg, and beat until blended well.
With beaters running slow, start alternating adding the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then more flour, then more buttermilk, until all is blended.
Add the food coloring and vinegar, beat.
Add vanilla, beat.
Turn the batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes (in center rack of oven) until middle of cake springs back when touched.
Remove and let sit at room temperature for 3 minutes, then tip out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:  In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy, then add the vanilla and beat until blended.
With rubber spatula, stir in pecans.
Set one layer of cake on serving plate.  Frost top of first layer with frosting, set second layer of cake on top, and continue frosting the cake.

Louisiana Style Chili

1 lb andouille sausage, diced
1 lb ground pork
2 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp flour
2 big onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz size) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz size) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz size) can kidney beans, drained
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
dash or two hot pepper sauce
pinch instant chicory or coffee (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, cook the andouille sausage and ground pork until pork is lightly browned; break it up as you cook it.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, pour the peanut oil and whisk in the flour; keep whisking until you have a copper color roux.
Keeping the Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, both bell peppers, and celery, and stir, cooking until veggies all start to soften.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Add the cooked meat back into the Dutch oven, add the remaining ingredients, stir well, taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to very low, and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 45 minutes. Don't let it boil during this time. You can add a bit of water if you want your chili to be thinner.
Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.
Will serve 8.

Hearty Cajun Shrimp Stew

1/2 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup flour
2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green onions
1/3 c chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 to 3 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
3 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
2 lb vine riped tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 cups water (or shrimp stock if you have it)
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 lbs boiling potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), scrubbed or peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 lbs fresh shrimp, cleaned

In a large heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Whisk in the flour and continue cooking and whisking until the oil/flour turns a golden color; remove pot from heat immediately.
Add the onion, green onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, stirring to combine.
Set the pot over low heat and continue cooking and stirring frequently for about 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne, bay leaves, thyme, tomatoes, and water (or stock), and mix well. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. 
Add the diced potatoes and simmer 15 minutes longer.
Add the shrimp, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes longer or until shrimp is pink and potatoes are tender.
Remove bay leaves and serve immediately.

Crops From Louisiana And Mississippi

Agriculture formed the foundation for civilization.  When people began cultivating the land and growing their own food, cities and towns started to grow and the local cuisine evolved and changed. We may not realize how important a region's agriculture still is in creating and sustaining a way of life.  

Farmers in Louisiana and Mississippi know they need to remain focused on improving their local crops to sustain life for their region.  Although there may be some similarities, the true cash crops will vary from region to region.  What crops are most important in Louisiana and Mississippi?   Let's take a look.

The Climate Makes the Crop   

Farmers need to study climate to ensure they can harvest crops during the best time of year for that specific region.  There are many factors that go into whether a crop succeeds or fails from year to year.  Of course,  it's not all about number of sunny days versus number of rainy days.  The possibility of hurricanes is always in the back of the farmer's mind.  The farmer really plans for five planting seasons; spring, summer, fall, winter, and hurricane.

Louisiana receives quite a bit of rainfall along with hot, humid temperatures that vary from the northern to the southern regions.   You might not think so, but the temperatures vary enough that the growing season in the northern part of the state is considerably shorter than in the southern part.  Planting seasons vary widely in this big state.  Irrigation doesn't seem to be such a big concern simply because the rivers and waterways that span the state provide plenty of water to maintain crops. 

Mississippi has hot, humid summers and short winters creating the perfect scenario for certain crops to flourish, providing there is enough rainfall during the year.  However, Mississippi is a big state, so the crops in one region may not flourish in another region.  With a lot of rainfall, the land in the Northeast has fertile, rich soil containing silt from the Mississippi River floodwaters.  The Delta region will have a different soil than in areas further away from the waterways, requiring different crops and care.

The Cash Crops

Louisiana produces a large amount of grain, rice, soybeans, cotton, greens, okra, and corn with sugar cane being one of the top crops within the region.   Since the Gulf of Mexico runs along the Louisiana coast, their production of seafood such as crawfish, oysters, and shrimp put them in the number one ranked spot in the nation.  Since many fish and seafoods are now farm-raised, we now consider these 'crops.'  All of these crops have greatly helped the economy in Louisiana. 

Mississippi acreage use to grow mostly soybeans until the production of cotton took over.  Mississippi is ranked second in the nation for their cotton production, after Texas.  Other crops of importance are corn, sugar cane, rice, pecans, greens, and sweet potatoes.  Mississippi also produces the most farm-raised catfish in the world.  About half of the state is still occupied with farms that preserve this way of life, and will for years to come.

Agriculture has an important role in the success of the economy.  It not only ensures that we will have enough food to live on, but provides jobs and creates ongoing revenue for the state. Technological advances will continue to have a positive impact on the production and harvesting of these crops for many years to come.

Louisiana Fried Okra Seafood Gumbo

1 cup + 1 Tbsp peanut oil
5 cups fresh okra, sliced
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery
3 cups finely diced white onions
1 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions, including green tops
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 quarts homemade shrimp stock (or stock you have on hand)
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
3 lbs medium size shrimp, cleaned
8 oz crab meat
cooked white rice for serving

In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, heat 1 cup peanut oil until hot.
Add the okra and fry hot until they start to crisp and the stringy texture disappears; remove to a bowl, salt well, and set aside.
In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, make the roux - melt the butter, stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp peanut oil, sprinkle in the flour and whisk to blend. Stir constantly over medium heat and when the color turns to the shade of a nut (medium brown) remove pot, but continue stirring until the roux has cooled slightly.
Put the pot with the roux back on a burner, turn the burner on medium-high, and add the celery, onions, and green pepper, stirring constantly to cook until veggies soften slightly.
Add 1 tsp salt; stir.
Add in the green onions and garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook about 3 to 5 more minutes or until the veggies are soft; stir well with a wooden spoon while it cooks so you scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
Add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle in about 1 teaspoon of salt, stir, and continue cooking over medium heat until sauce thickens, stirring frequently; about 5 minutes.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, stock, water, bay leaf, and cumin; stir, taste, and add more salt as needed.
Bring mixture to a simmer, turn heat down to low, cover and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Uncover pot and add fried okra, shrimp, and crab meat, stir to combine. 
Set cover back on pot and let gumbo simmer over very low heat for about 7 to 10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked completely.
Stir, taste, and add more salt if needed.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of rice on top.

Cajun Mixed Jambalaya

1 large onion, diced small
1 large green bell pepper, diced small
2 celery stalks, diced small
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 lb chicken meat, diced
1 lb pork sausage
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 reg can tomato paste
1 reg can stewed whole tomatoes
1 reg can tomato sauce
1-1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 lb small to medium shrimp
1 box (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter

Put onions, bell pepper, and celery in a large Dutch oven, add oil, and put over medium-low heat; cook until vegetables are starting to get soft. Remove veggies to a bowl; set aside.
Add chicken and sausage to Dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked and sausage is no longer pink.
Add back in the vegetables, add the garlic and cook, stirring until garlic is just fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, and uncooked rice.  Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot, stir thoroughly.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
Add in the shrimp, corn, brown sugar, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and the butter, stir to combine and simmer over low heat until shrimp is pink and cooked thoroughly; about 5 minutes.
Serve hot in bowls with crusty bread.

Southern Cuisine Explained

Traditional Cuisine From Louisiana And Mississippi

When you take a trip down South you will find not only a different way of life, but a unique way of cooking as well.  Southern states such as Louisiana and Mississippi are so passionate about their food that they consider it part of their identity.   What would be considered traditional cuisine? 

Both States love their Cajun cooking.  A unique blend of spices and seasoning add a burst of flavor to each meal.  Seafood is used generously in Cajun dishes because of the location and closeness to the Gulf and other waterways.  Catfish, Crawfish, Oysters, and Crab are popular among the locals.

There are many cultural influences on the cuisine in both of these states.  Cooking techniques have been derived from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Africa, and Native American.  When you add all of this knowledge together, plus the use of the natural resources of each state, you have culinary excellence that is deeply held in these cooking traditions.

It’s hard to distinguish between certain Creole recipes from the two states since each has followed a similar culinary path over the years. 

Southerners love to deep fry anything they can get their hands on.  Fried Chicken is one of their favorites across the states.  Locals from Mississippi love their catfish and hushpuppies.   Barbequing is also an important part of the cooking experience in the South.

Both of these states are blessed with crops that are relied on to enhance the culinary experience of the South.  A few crops that Louisiana depends on are sugar cane, rice, okra, greens, and sweet potatoes whereas Mississippi's most valuable resources are soybeans, corn for grain, cotton, and  sweet potatoes.

Food festivals are an important tradition in each state.  Crawfish, crab, catfish, and shrimp often have a festival all their own.  It’s an easy way to become familiar with the local cuisine.  Mississippi also has culinary trails which range over five different regions of the state.

Traditional Dishes from Louisiana

Gumbo – This dish can contain seafood, sausage, chicken, or a number of other ideas, and is much like a thick stew or soup, but often served with a dollop of rice. You'll also start this dish by making a roux, which is a thickening gravy of fat and flour.

Muffulettas – Cheese, ham, salami, on a loaf of Italian bread.

Jambalaya – The ingredients in this recipe are determined by what's on hand, much like gumbo.   You can add chicken, sausage, onions, tomatoes, a mixture of spices, and whatever else comes to mind. Unlike gumbo, jambalaya is a rice-based dish.

Red Beans and Rice – This meal can be as simple as the name, or can include sausage, pork, or seafood.  Typically, however, it is served very simply; just red beans and rice with spices.

Traditional Dishes from Mississippi

Mississippi Mud Pie – For the chocolate lover, this is a deliciously rich and popular dessert, very popular with the locals.

Catfish  – Simple fare that can be pan fried or deep fried to a crispy golden color.

Sweet Potato Pie – Not a surprising dish in the 'Sweet Potato Capital of the World.' 

Hushpuppies – Cornmeal mixed with a variety of ingredients and deep fried to perfection.  A versatile snack, to be sure.

There are certainly differences between the two states when it comes to recipes and cooking techniques.   However, the history and heritage of each state can be seen through the unique cuisine brought about in each tasty dish.

Deep South Chess Pie

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp plain white cornmeal
1 unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set unbaked pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and crimp edges.
In a bowl, mix together butter, both sugars, salt, and vanilla.  In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, then to the eggs add in the sugar mixture; stir to combine.
Add milk and cornmeal to the bowl; stir to combine.
Pour this mixture into unbaked pie crust in pie pan.
Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 300 degrees and continue to bake pie for 40 to 45 more minutes or until pie is golden brown.
Remove and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Tomato Salad

2 lemons, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes

whisk together in a bowl the lemon juice, garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cumin.  Add in the yogurt and whisk until combined.
Add the diced chicken, green onion, bell pepper, and celery, stirring to coat well.
Add the tomatoes and gently stir to combine.
Chill at least 1 hour in refrigerator before serving.
May serve this over a bed of large leaf lettuce.
Will serve 4 to 6.

A Brief History Of Louisiana Cuisine

The Evolution Of Cajun And Creole Cuisine

When you hear the words Cajun or Creole it immediately transports our thoughts to southern cooking.  Both forms of cooking have French roots and are found in regions of Louisiana and Mississippi.  However, there are specific differences that separate the two.  Where did this type of cooking originate and what are the differences between them?  Let's take a look.

Cajun Cuisine

When people known as the Cajuns, or Acadians, originally from Nova Scotia, were forced to settle in the swamps and bayous of the South, they had to adapt quickly to a different way of life.  This included getting used to eating exotic foods and finding a unique way to cook using what they had to feed their large families. 

Due to their location and closeness to the Gulf of Mexico and the waterways of the Mississippi River, a variety of fish and seafood became an important part of their cuisine.   This is a prime example of the Cajun people having to live off the land and make due with what they had.   You'll find many 'smaller water' fishes and seafood, like mullet, crawfish, crab, catfish, and oysters on a Cajun menu, along with wild meat.

Cajun cuisine relies on seafood, meat, poultry, rice, okra, corn, and a variety of seasonings and spices including cayenne pepper.   For this reason the Cajun flavor is best described as spicy and rich.   The 'Holy Trinity' - onions, celery, and bell peppers - makes up the basis for many dishes.  Typical Cajun dishes would include gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, blackened catfish, and crawfish etoufee, to name a few.

Creole Cuisine

This type of cuisine originated when English settlers arrived in the region.  Unlike the Cajuns, these new arrivals were mostly from wealthy families and had the luxury of personal chefs.   These chefs learned the local way of cooking while adding their own touch to each dish.  

A mix of many cultural differences including African, Native American, Caribbean, and French influence this cuisine.  It is thought to be a more refined, aristocratic type of cuisine when compared to its Cajun counterpart.  Where the Cajuns use cayenne pepper and other powders and spices as essential ingredients, the Creoles use butter, cream, garlic and more herbs.   Creoles use a variety of seafood including 'big water' fish like snapper, red fish, grouper, and shrimp, along with farmed meats.  They usually had access to the local markets and were not forced to live off the land like the Cajuns.  Typical Creole dishes would include more creamy sauces with lots of herbs.

Although you may notice some similar names when looking for Creole and Cajun recipes,  it’s important to recognize the different ingredients and spices that make up the meal.  These small changes to each dish make it seem like a completely different meal when you are finished.   Although confused by many as one in the same, Cajun and Creole cuisines are unique in a variety of ways that set them far apart from any other way of cooking.

Crazy Cajun Layered Catfish Etouffee

5 lbs catfish, cut in large chunks
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp cooking oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup parsley, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp flour, divided
1 1/2 cans tomato sauce, divided
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup water
rice for serving

Put the cut-up catfish in a plastic bag, add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and shake well until fish is well coated with seasoning.
In a heavy Dutch oven or soup pot, put oil in, then layer half the catfish pieces on top of the oil.
In a bowl, toss together the garlic, parsley, celery, onion, and bell pepper, then spread half this mixture over the fish in the pot.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the flour over the vegetables.
Spread half of the tomato sauce over next.
Repeat the layers.
Sprinkle the thyme evenly over the top, add the bay leaf, then cover with the lemon juice and finally pour the water in around the edges.
Put pot on a burner set on very low, cover pot, and simmer slowly for 1 hour or until the catfish flakes easily.
You'll want to carefully shake the pot several times during the cooking time.  Don't stir the pot or the catfish will break up too much and disappear into the mix.
Taste and add more salt and other seasonings as desired, then spoon over a scoop of cooked rice in large bowls and serve hot.
Will serve 8.

Louisiana Crawfish Gumbo Omelet

2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp flour
1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes   
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
3/4 to 1 lb. cleaned crawfish meat
5 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp heavy cream
pinch cayenne
salt and black pepper to taste
oil or butter to cook omelet

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts, then add the green bell pepper, celery, and onion, stirring and cooking until vegetables just start to soften.
Sprinkle the flour over and stir constantly until sauce forms and thickens and flour cooks and turns golden yellow.
Add the stewed tomatoes and tomato paste in saucepan, stir and cook until tomatoes are heated through.
Reduce heat to low, add the crawfish and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often; keep warm.
In separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Put a skillet over medium-low heat, add enough oil or butter to cook the omelet (about 2 Tbsp) and heat the oil until just hot.
Gently pour the egg mixture into the skillet; shift the pan around and lift the edges to allow for the wet egg mixture to seep under and set up.
When eggs in skillet are just set, spoon the crawfish filling into the center, fold omelet over, remove from heat, cover skillet and let sit for 1 minute.
Serve hot.
Will serve 2 to 3 people.

Mississippi Festivals

Mississippi Celebrates - Festivals Around The State

To immerse yourself in a culture, you only need to visit the festivals.  In ancient times, people got together to eat, sing, and dance to celebrate their culture and tell their stories.  So, it makes sense that we can learn about a culture, a region, if we eat their food, listen to their music, and spend time with their people.

Mississippi culture is rich.  You can see this best in her food and music.  When people started to settle in this wilderness, they had to rely on what they could find, hunt, and gather to eat.  Soon, they were developing the land to grow more of what they needed.  But, the natural resources of the land were never abandoned or taken for granted.  Let's take a look at some of the celebrations the people of Mississippi still enjoy today.

Festivals You Might Expect

When you think if Mississippi, you might immediately think of catfish.  That would actually be quite accurate.  The city of Belzoni, The Heart of the Delta, is considered the 'Catfish Capital of the World' because of the very large industry of farm-raised catfish.  Of course, you'll find several huge catfish festivals as well as what is known as the 'world's largest fish fry.'

Combine crawfish and music and you'll find an incredible festival.  The Mississippi Coast Coliseum Crawfish Music Festival has it all, as does the Country Cajun Crawfish Festival in Biloxi.  Of course, just about every bar and restaurant in the area will host a crawfish boil during the spring sometime.  At the Seafood Festival in Pass Christian, you can eat your way through from one end to the other and never have the same meal twice.

Music festivals are easy to find, too.  Check out 'Vicksburg's Got the Blues' to indulge in some soothing sounds.  There will always be good food involved.  You can hardly go wrong with the combination of blues and food.  You'll find a variety of music, crafts, and food at the Delta Jubilee in Clarksdale and at the Crossroads Blues and Heritage Festival in Rosedale.

Festivals That May Surprise You

You may expect to get good seafood in Mississippi, but chocolate?  Yes.  At the 'Chocolate Affair' you'll enjoy a special event including wonderful chocolate food and even drinks while enjoy lively music and other entertainment.

If you think the blues is the only music you'll hear, take a second listen.  Enjoy the Spring Hootenanny Hoedown in Olive Branch, and Bluegrass on the Creek in Tylertown.  If you want to dive head first into the culture of the Cotton District in Mississippi, join in the festival in Starkville, which includes music, food, juried art competition, literature, and more.

In Mississippi, you want to start with the catfish festivals, but don't end there.  Follow the back roads and find all the nuances and flavors that this richly diverse state has to offer.

Cajun Crawfish And Cheese Filled Potato Boats

8 baking potatoes
olive oil to coat potatoes
salt and pepper
all scooped out potato insides
1 lb crawfish meat
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
16 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
4 oz shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tsp Louisiana hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
4 green onions, chopped, including green tops
8 slices Provolone cheese
garnish: paprika and chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Scrub the potatoes very well, then cut a slice lengthwise in the top of each one, just breaking the skin.
Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until potatoes are soft when you press them with your fingers.
Turn oven off. Remove potatoes and let cool until you can handle them.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.
Carefully scoop out the cooked potato 'meat' from the insides into a large bowl. Leave a little of the potato 'meat' attached to the skin, about 1/8 inch or so.  You don't want to cut through the skin or weaken it.  The skin forms the 'boat' that you will be filling. Set the skins aside in a large shallow baking pan.
In the bowl with the potato 'meat' add the crawfish, butter, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, hot sauce, garlic, and onion, stirring until well mixed.
Spoon this mixture evenly into the potato boats (skins.) The boats should be heaping full.
Lay a piece of the Provolone cheese on top of each potato boat, folding it to fit if necessary, then sprinkle lightly with paprika and chopped parsley.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake the stuffed potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through and provolone cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Makes 16 potato boats.  You can use smaller potatoes or larger potatoes, which ever suits your purpose.

Southern Corn Zucchini Fritters Kissed With Basil

1 medium sized zucchini, coarsely grated
2 yellow squash, coarsely grated
2 cups corn kernels
2 large eggs
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
salt and black pepper to taste

Drain the moisture out of the grated zucchini and grated yellow squash by putting it in a large mesh colander and letting it sit over a bowl.  Take a big spoon and press down from time to time to help squeeze out the liquid.  Let the squash drain for at least 15 minutes before starting to make the fritters.
When ready to prepare, put the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until frothy.
Add the drained zucchini and yellow squash, and the remaining ingredients; mix together with a big spoon or spatula until combined.
In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, pour about 3 inches of high-heat oil.  Bring temperature up to about 350 degrees, or until it sizzles with a drop of water.
Form the fritters with about 2 tablespoons each of the mixture, rolling around gently to compress.  Drop fritters in the hot oil (don't overcrowd), and fry about 5 minutes or until golden brown, then turn and fry the other side until golden brown.
Remove as they brown to a paper towel covered cooling rack, salt generously.
Continue dropping in fritters and frying until they are all fried.
The basil adds a lot of flavor and goes well with any tomato-based dipping sauce.

Tips For Planning A Mardi Gras Party

Nothing says Down South like a great Mardi Gras party.  This is a massive celebration held every year as a last hurray before Lent begins.  People from all over the world travel to experience these festivities in big and small towns all over the South.  If you don’t have a chance to be part of one of these events firsthand, you can bring Mardi Gras to life in your own home by hosting a gathering with a few traditional focuses.  Here are some important factors that go into creating a Mardi Gras party at home.

Decorations

Turn your home into a vibrant wonderland of purple, green, and gold.  These are the colors that represent the royalty that surrounds the Mardi Gras festivities.  You can be as excessive as you want when it comes to decorating.  Masks, confetti, balloons, and beads, beads, and more beads will help create a party centered around true Mardi Gras style.

Place colorful streamers throughout the room, make some brilliant tablescapes, and create banners to hang on the wall for a very festive atmosphere.  Visit a local party shop or search the web for decorations and ideas that will have your guests thinking they are traveling right down Bourbon Street.

Preparing the Food

No Mardi Gras party would be complete without the wonderfully unique food selection.  Wow your guests with a menu that consists of creamy shrimp dip, crawfish spread, or mini crab cakes as appetizers.  Serve main dishes such as Shrimp Gumbo, Crawfish Etoufee, Jambalaya, or just a big pot of steamed shrimp or boiled crawfish.  Keep the foods centered on spicy Southern classics in the Cajun and Creole style and you can't go wrong.  If weather permits, don't forget to set up tables outside.  A Mardi Gras party is nothing if not casual.  Be sure to have plenty of cold drinks on hand to chase down the spicy food.

The desserts at Mardi Gras are not to be outdone.  Serve Bourbon laced bread pudding, hot beignets with powdered sugar, pecan pralines, and of course, the King cake.  To stay with tradition, a small baby doll trinket is hidden within or placed on top of the King Cake.  The lucky party-goer who is served this piece will receive blessings throughout the coming year.

Music and Activities

Mardi Gras is also best celebrated against a background of good jazz and zydeco music.  Make sure to be playing music throughout the event to set the mood for all the party-goers.  Choose a variety of music and let it play both inside the house and outside.  You might want to clear a spot on the deck for dancing, too.  It's hard to stop your guests from dancing with this kind of music in the air.

If you feel like being crafty, you can provide the materials for the Mardi Gras masks and have your guests make their own creations while visiting over cocktails and appetizers.  You could suggest guests come dressed in costume and have a contest or even a little parade around your neighborhood.  Get out the wagons and the crepe paper and see what happens.

Your Mardi Gras party can be as excessive as you want it to be.  Or, you can do something more simply.  Either way, you want to have fun and not get stressed about the details.  Follow a few of these tips and you will be sure to bring Mardi Gras home!

Southern Classy Catfish With Crab Sauce

1 1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
2 tsp oregano, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
4 catfish filets
2 Tbsp butter
6 oz to 8 oz crabmeat
1/4 cup shredded carrot
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup milk 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In saucepan over medium heat, stir together the wine, 1/4 cup
green onions, 1 teaspoon oregano, garlic, bay leaf and salt
and pepper to taste; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
Set the catfish into a glass baking dish and pour the wine mixture over the fish.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the remaining green onions, remaining oregano, the crabmeat, carrots, and lemon juice; stir and heat over low until onions soften.
In a separate little bowl, mix together the cornstarch and milk until cornstarch dissolves completely.
Stir the cornstarch/milk mixture into the crabmeat mixture, stirring and cooking over low just until this crab sauce thickens; remove from heat and keep warm.
When fish is ready, serve on plates and spoon the crab sauce over each serving.

Cajun Cilantro Sauced Crab Cakes

crab cakes:
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 red bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 green bell pepper, diced fine
2 green onions, chopped fine
1 lb lump crab meat
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, divided
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper to taste

cilantro sauce:
1 cup dry white wine
1 shallot, minced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut up
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large skillet over medium heat, pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil, add the red and green peppers and cook until almost soft, then add the green onion and cook until all vegetables are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove vegetables from the skillet and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, put the lump crab meat, the cooked peppers, the beaten eggs, and 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.
Form crab cake patties - divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Dampen your hands and pat each portion into a patty and set on a plate.  Cover with parchment paper and set in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

To prepare the crab cakes:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove crab cakes from refrigerator.
Put remaining bread crumbs into a shallow bowl, add salt and pepper to taste and mix together.
Press each crab cake into the bread crumbs, covering both sides well.
Put the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large oven-proof skillet and put over medium-high heat.
Place crab cakes in skillet and fry on first side until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then carefully turn the crab cakes over and place the skillet in oven.
Bake about 10 to 12 minutes or until the top is golden brown just like the bottom. Remove and keep warm.

To prepare the sauce:
Put wine and shallot in a medium stainless steel saucepan over low heat and simmer until the wine is reduced to about 1/3 cup.
Remove saucepan from heat and slowly drizzle in the heavy whipping cream, whisking constantly.
Put saucepan back on very low heat and simmer slowly, whisking frequently, until cream is reduced by half.
While whisking the thickened cream, start adding in the pieces of butter, and continue whisking while adding the remaining butter.  The sauce will be light in color and thick.
Pour sauce through fine mesh strainer into a bowl, then stir the cilantro into the sauce in the bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set bowl over pot filled with warm water to keep the sauce warm.

Serve warm crab cakes over a few large leaves of romaine lettuce and drizzle the sauce over the top.  Or, you may wish to pour the sauce into little serving cups and set them along side on each plate.
Makes 8 crab cakes or about 4 serving sizes.

Fat Tuesday Foods

Mardi Gras Party Food Fit For A King

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Mardi Gras?  Is it the costumes?  Perhaps it's the masks or the beads.  Or, it could be the parade with all the crazy floats.  Of course, all those things are important, but there is another part to this event that is just as important... the FOOD!  

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) has been celebrated for centuries in some form or other.  This last day before Lent begins is a time to pull out all the stops.  With deep roots in the Creole and Cajun regions of the South, it's no wonder that Mardi Gras cooking reflects these flavors and styles.  Let's take a look at what might be on the menu at a Mardi Gras party.

King Cakes - These simple cakes similar to a cinnamon roll are often made in a circular form, twisted or braided like a brioche, but you can actually find them in a variety of shapes and sizes.  The icing is traditionally a mixture of purple, yellow, and green to go along with the Mardi Gras colors.  They can be served plain or filled with cream cheese, praline, or fruit filling.  You will usually find the cakes are embellished with trinkets, especially a little baby doll symbolizing the baby Jesus and blessings for the future.

Seafood - You will often see a variety of fresh seafood at Mardi Gras celebrations given the location of this yearly event.  Because seafood is plentiful along the Gulf Coast, you'll find an abundance of dishes featuring crab, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish.  Many restaurants feature crawfish boils this time of year.  You may even want to give one a try in your own backyard.

Gumbo - This dish is a traditional Southern creation that can be made in a variety of ways.  You can add shrimp, fish, chicken, sausage, ham, pork, crab, or oysters.  Or, you can add it all!  Gumbo is traditionally a thick soup made of anything and everything you can get your hands on.  And, because people in this region had access to seafood, this dish often contained a variety of seafood.  Also, okra was found growing everywhere, so it, too, became a standard ingredient.  Okra thickens the gumbo, but you can use a File powder instead if you wish.

Jambalaya - Like gumbo, there are many variations on how this dish can be made.  A classic recipe includes smoked sausage, green peppers and ham, however you can make whatever combination you choose.  This is a rice dish, unlike gumbo which is mainly a thick soup served with just a dollop of rice if desired.

Pancakes - Party-goers enjoy indulging in a hearty plate filled with pancakes or crepes heaped or rolled up with a variety of ingredients.  Pancakes are perfectly acceptable, but crepes can be a lot of fun.  They aren't hard to make, but either will do.  Be sure to have a big tray of pancakes or crepes out about an hour or two before your party breaks up, and have steaming hot cups of dark chicory coffee ready with heavy cream and cinnamon.  This is the perfect closing to a Mardi Gras party.

Mardi Gras is a great time to explore a wide variety of appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks.  The foods listed above capture a small part of what this celebration is all about.  Gather your recipes and start planning!

Shrimp Italiano Cajun Style

1 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed or chopped
1 tsp Cajun seasoning blend
3 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 lbs large size fresh Louisiana shrimp, cleaned and butterflied
1 cup dry white wine
crusty bread for dipping

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and all the seasonings and cook for just 30 seconds, stirring, until garlic gets fragrant, then immediately add shrimp and fry fast until shrimp is just nice and pink; this will take about 6 or 7 minutes tops.
Turn heat down to medium-low and slowly stir in the wine.
Simmer gently (turn heat down more if you need to) until the liquid is reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2.
Dump the shrimp and all the juice into a large bowl, and serve down-home style with a pile of crusty bread for sopping up the juice.
Makes an appetizer that will serve 4 people easily.

Catfish Parmesan Cajun Style

8 catfish filets
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco hot sauce

Put rack in oven on second from the top position. Turn broiler on and preheat.
Arrange catfish in a broiler safe baking pan and brush with the 1 Tbsp melted butter.
When broiler is ready, put the catfish under and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until fish browns slightly (it doesn't have to be cooked through); remove from broiler and set aside.
Turn broiler off and turn oven on to 375 degrees.
Put the remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
Brush the Parmesan cheese mixture on top of the broiled catfish in the baking pan.
Put catfish in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese melts and fish flakes easily with a fork.
Remove and let stand 3 minutes before serving.

Louisiana Festivals You Should Check Out

Louisiana Celebrates - Festivals Around The State

If you want to learn about a region's culture, eat their food and join in their festivals.  When a state celebrates, you get a serious taste of what the local history is all about.  When you dive into the cuisine of a local festival, listen to their music, and listen to the people, you can't help but hear the heartbeat of a region.

The state of Louisiana has more than her fair share of festivals.  Louisiana has been referred to as the 'Festival Capital of the World' due to the sheer number of festivals found throughout the state.  At one count we found over 400 festivals throughout the year, some big, some small.  No matter what the focus – music, food, heritage, arts, crafts, dance, holidays – a Louisiana festival is bound to please every participant.  Let's take a look.

Festivals You Might Expect

We can't talk about festivals in Louisiana without talking about Mardi Gras.  But, do you know what Mardi Gras is all about?  This is a huge celebration in early Spring, culminating with Fat Tuesday, the  day before Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent on the church calendar.  This festival is all about having a last big party before the sacrifices of Lent begin.  Fat Tuesday is meant to be a 'devil may care' day of decadence; eat, drink, and be merry.  Even though New Orleans has become famous for merry-making during Mardi Gras, other cities, like Mobile and Baton Rouge have huge celebrations, many dating back to before New Orleans even considered having a Mardi Gras parade.

Along with Mardi Gras, seafood festivals abound!   Location demands this abundant resource be celebrated, cooked, and eaten in large quantities.  You certainly expect to find festivals like the Louisiana Seafood Festival or the Bridge City Gumbo Festival.  And, you know there's got to be some good catfish at the Franklin Parish Catfish Festival in Winnsboro.

When crawfish are in season, you can hardly turn a corner without finding a festival featuring these tasty crustaceans.  At the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in May, you'll be able to sample huge flats of boiled crawfish, along with crawfish baked in pies, cooked up in gumbo, or featured in all sorts of ways you simply can't resist.  Remember, when you search for crawfish festivals, include the word 'mudbugs.'  Otherwise, you might miss out on a few, such as the Mudbug Madness Festival in Shreveport.  Truth be known, you could eat nothing but crawfish, or 'mudbugs,' for months at Louisiana festivals.

Music festivals are also abundant, which shouldn't surprise you in this land of American music.  You'll find the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival, and the Creole Zydeco Festival, just to name a few.

Festivals That May Surprise You

Once we wander beyond the well known Louisiana favorites, there are some celebrations that may surprise you.  Louisiana is nothing if it is not diverse.  Beyond seafood and jazz, what does Louisiana have to offer?  A lot!

Enjoy a sweet treat at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.  Find new and wonderful ways to enjoy tomatoes at the Creole Tomato Festival in New Orleans,.  If you're in the vicinity of  Farmerville, sink your teeth in some sweet goodness at the Watermelon Festival.  If you think yams and sweet potatoes need celebrating, dig in at the Yambilee Festival in Opelousas.  There's even a Rice Festival.  Trust Louisiana to make rice exciting and delicious!

Want more food?  Join in the fun at the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival in September.  Craving sweets?    Take a trip to enjoy a few slices of  pie at the Lecompte Pie Festival in October.  If you haven't had your fill of music yet, but want to experience something surprising, check out the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans or the Zydeco Festival in LaBeau.

Scroll through any Louisiana festival website and you'll find pages and pages of festivals, big and small, literally every day of the year.  You can hardly throw a stone in the state without hitting a festival tent!  Fill up your car and hit the road.  You will never regret exploring the Louisiana festival scene.

Zesty Cajun Alligator Meat Sauce

3 lbs alligator meat, cubed
1 envelope French salad dressing mix
1 large onion
1 medium green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced 
1/2 tsp Cajun mixed spices
2 (8 oz size) cans tomato sauce
1 large (2 lb+ size) jar spaghetti sauce
2 Tbsp hot sauce 
cooking oil
hot cooked rice or pasta for serving

Put alligator meat in a plastic food bag, add the envelope  of  French
dressing mix, shake and refrigerate  overnight.
The next day when ready to cook, in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons cooking oil, add the marinaded alligator and lightly  brown; remove and set aside.
In Dutch oven, add the onions and bell pepper, cooking until they start to soften, then add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, add the Cajun spices, and heat, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
Add both cans of tomato sauce, turn heat down to very low, cover the pot, and simmer, stirring often, for 30  minutes.
Add jar of spaghetti sauce and hot sauce, taste and adjust seasoning, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Add the alligator meat, stir, cover pot, and continue to simmer over very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over hot cooked rice or pasta.
Will serve 8 to 10.

Southern Bourbon Black Strap Pecan Pie

3/4 cup black strap molasses
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Place oven rack in the middle position of oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Flour a work surface, lay pie crust out, and roll until smoothed out, then gently place in 9 inch pie pan, crimp edges and set aside.
In a saucepan, put the molasses, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt. Set on stove burner on medium heat. Stir mixture until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
Turn heat up to high and bring mixture to a gentle boil; let boil undisturbed for 1 minute.
Remove immediately from heat and pour into a bowl; set aside to cool to room temperature.
When the molasses/sugar mixture is cooled, add the beaten eggs, vanilla, and bourbon, whisking to combine.
Add the pecans and fold in with a spatula or large spoon.
Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven until the filling is set, about 55 to 60 minutes.
The pie is done when the crust is golden brown, the filling is dark in color, the edges are solid, and the center doesn't jiggle a lot when you give the pie pan a wiggle.
Remove and cool completely at room temperature before serving.

Have Fun Exploring Culinary The Back Roads Of Louisiana And Mississippi

If you want to embark on a culinary adventure, consider traveling the back roads of Louisiana and Mississippi.  What better way to immerse yourself into a different culture then to dig into the cuisine of the local eateries.

This is a fun way to experience new and enticing flavors to delight your taste buds.  Some of the best places to find that distinctive down home taste of the South is off the beaten path.  So, fill up the gas tank and make sure you’re good and hungry, then see where the back roads take you. 

Local Food Festivals

No matter where you are in the South, you can tell food is a huge part of the culture.  People celebrate their love of food by holding festivals throughout the year.  Locals and tourists alike can experience everything there is to offer in southern cuisine by just taking off down the road.  If you smell food in the air, there's probably a festival going on somewhere.  Just follow your nose! 

Visitors can participate as 'taste testers' in gumbo, jambalaya, sausage, sweet potato pie, or barbeque cook-offs just about anytime of year.  Crawfish boils are going on in just about every roadside joint in the region.  And, we can’t forget about Mardi Gras.  Even though the big celebration you may hear about takes place in New Orleans, almost every little town in the region has some sort of celebration during the week before Lent.

Culinary Trails

Over the years there have been a number of culinary trails created to showcase the local food and heritage.  These trails span across the states and give visitors the chance to experience the cuisine of that specific area.  Cooks in the region come together and promote their culture, bringing stories of past history to life with their food.  You not only get to experience the cuisine in a different light, but meet the people behind these amazing dishes. 

In Mississippi check out 'The Delta' trail, which contains such a mixture of many different people and their cultures that each dish shows off the diverse history and culinary abilities.  In Louisiana you will find yourself immersed in the heritage along trails like the 'Bayou Bounty.'  Both of these destinations will give your tastes buds their own little holiday.

Ask the Locals

The locals love to express and share their passion for food and will have no problem giving you suggestions on what to eat and where to find it.  Be prepared to take the side roads if you are serious about immersing yourself in Southern cuisine.  It’s not uncommon to find some of the best dishes you'll ever enjoy this way.

Get out your maps and plug in your GPS.  Be spontaneous, prepare yourself for the back roads, and experience all the tasty cuisine and intriguing culture these southern states have to offer.

Classic Bayou Country Chicken Pot Pie

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz chicken thigh meat, chopped
1 (14 oz size) can stewed tomatoes
8 oz cooked smoked sausage, diced
dash or two of hot pepper sauce
2 1/4 cups buttermilk baking mix
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Heat oil in 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
When hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until veggies soften.
Add the garlic, stir, then add chicken meat and cook, stirring until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 or 2 minutes.
Pour in the tomatoes, add the sausage and hot pepper sauce, stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
While that cooks, get out a bowl and mix together the buttermilk baking mix, the dried thyme, black pepper, and the milk, stirring until just combined - don't over mix.
Drop this buttermilk batter by big tablespoons in piles over the chicken mixture in the skillet.
Bake in preheated oven (in the skillet) until biscuit top is golden brown and the chicken mixture is bubbling hot, about 15 to 18 minutes.
Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

Southern Barbecued Chicken And Andouille Potato Hash

2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 cups cooked potatoes, diced small
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 lb andouille sausage, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb cooked chicken, diced small
1/4 cup favorite bottled/prepared barbecue sauce
(optional: serve a fried or poached egg on top)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil, and when hot add the potatoes.  Cook, undisturbed, until potatoes get golden brown and crispy on the bottom, then flip and cook until potatoes golden brown and crispy on the other side.
Add the onions and andouille sausage and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring until onions soften.
Add the garlic and the chicken, stir and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir in the barbecue sauce, turn the heat down to low, and let cook together for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Serve on a plate and cover each serving with a fried egg if desired.
Makes 4 servings.

Cooking Tips From The South

Cooking Mississippi Style

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Southern cuisine?   A few words come to mind such as fried, spicy, diverse, unique, and the comfort food of all comfort foods.  The state of Mississippi is the summation of all of these.   Locals from Mississippi embrace their love of food and showcase it through a unique down-home flair in each culinary masterpiece.   Let's take a look at how you can embrace this culinary style.

Find Your Flair

If you’ve never been to Mississippi before it’s important to point out that they think of food as an event rather than just a meal.  They show off their style by hosting festivals and fairs all over the state which keep visitors coming back for more.  Visitors tend to like eating their way across the state on some of the culinary trails, and hitting the festivals along the way.  These events offer a way for locals and tourists alike to immerse themselves in the deep Southern culture and experience the variety of food available.  Finding your favorites as you travel through these events is a great way to discover your favorite Mississippi foods.

Fried is a Way of Life

Would a Southern meal really be complete if something wasn’t fried?   Think of Southern fried chicken and you will imagine one of the best mouth-watering meals you can get.  Of course, you'll discover quickly that frying doesn't stop with chicken.  Look for everything from fried okra to fried green tomatoes to fried squash flowers and more.  The use of a homemade batter, or bread crumbs, flour or cornmeal is used by the most talented Southern cooks.  There are hundreds of variations to these fried recipes but everyone has the idea that their way is the best.   Any way you choose to make it or eat it will surely leave your taste buds longing for more.

Seafood is Royalty

Due to their closeness to the Gulf of Mexico, seafood plays a big role in Mississippi cuisine.  The availability of shrimp, fish, and other seafood makes it easy to see why so many Southern dishes include some, if not all, of these.  Not only will you find shrimp, crab, and fish from the Gulf, but with all the waterways and the bayous in the state, you'll find lots and lots of crawfish, oysters, mullet, and other shallow water goodies. If you have a boat, a net, a pole, or know someone who does, you can eat like royalty.

Do the Delta

When traveling around Mississippi, you must take time to enjoy the intriguing history and culture of  the Mississippi Delta.  The Delta is well known for catfish and blues music, but you will also be able to  find a wide variety of influences in this region of the deep south.  Corn husk wrapped hot tamales are  standard fare around the Delta region.  This is a fertile valley full of wild game along with the aquatic resources.  Because of the diversity, you can easily find local cooks who specialize in everything from grilled oysters to pig roasts.

There is not one typical style of cooking in the South, making the exploration even more fun.    Mississippi locals are known for their passion for food, making this state one of the best places in the world to immerse yourself in the heritage just by eating a meal.

Louisiana Style Andouille Red Beans And Rice Skillet

1 cup rice
6 oz andouille sausage, diced   
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 to 1 tsp Cajun seasoning   
1 tsp dried thyme
1 can (15 oz size) kidney beans or pinto beans, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside.
Put a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely browned; remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
Add the red bell pepper, onion, Cajun seasoning, and thyme to the skillet and cook, stirring often, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until onions soften.
Add to the skillet the cooked rice, sausage, kidney beans, and the parsley, stir and cook until heated through.
Serve hot right from the skillet.

Egg and Andouille Scramble

1 tsp cooking oil
1/2 lb andouille sausage, chopped small
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup diced fresh tomato
4 large eggs
salt and black pepper to taste

In large heavy skillet over medium heat, add the oil, sausage, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion, and green pepper and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables soften and sausage browns slightly.
Add the tomato and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Turn heat to low.
Whisk together the egg, salt, and pepper until just blended.
Pour the eggs slowly over the sausage mixture in skillet.
Lift and shift the mixture around until all the eggs have a chance to set up.
Serve immediately.
Will serve 2 but is easily doubled or tripled.

Cooking Tips From Louisiana

Cooking Louisiana Style

Louisiana is synonymous with Creole and Cajun cuisine.  When these terms come to mind, many think of hot and spicy food that will make you break out in a sweat if you attempt to eat them.  The flavor, however, is what really sets this type of cuisine apart from the rest.  If you’re going to cook a meal Louisiana style, you have to know what ingredients and techniques go into it.  What makes this style of cooking so different from everything else?  Let's take a look.

Spices and Seasonings

Locals use a unique blend of spices and seasonings to give their food a specific bite and flavor exclusive to the region.  A mixture of spices is often used in order to make sure the flavor of one spice does not dominate the other.   A few spices and seasonings you may recognize are cayenne pepper, file powder, cumin, thyme, and parsley.   Each one adds a special touch all its own, but when combined creates a meal bursting with warm, rich flavor.

Location

Due to the closeness to the Gulf of Mexico and other waterways, Louisiana cooks use a variety of seafood in their cuisine.  With easy access to shrimp, crab, oysters, and a variety of fish, it only makes sense that many specialties include seafood.   Louisiana cooks also rely heavily on the abundance of crops such as okra, assorted greens, and sweet potatoes.   When combining all these resources together, you have a distinct cuisine that cannot be found anywhere else.

Influences

There are a multitude of cultural influences that have contributed to the distinct taste of Louisiana cuisine.  These unique dishes have a touch of French, Spanish,  African, Native American, and Italian influence, just to name a few.  The cooking expertise from these different cultures, combined with the local Southern influences, bring about the evolution of this distinct cooking style.

Cooking Techniques

When you visit the South, you will notice a good deal of deep fried food.  Just think about fried chicken and you can't help but picture a Southern kitchen.  The term 'barbeque' can mean smoked and slow-cooked just as it could mean cooked with dry rubbed seasonings or sauces.  It's all about the method.  A good Southern cook will have a container for saving bacon grease nearby the stove.  You'll find pastries and pie crusts baked with lard.  Many dishes begin with a dark roux and the Holy Trinity of onion, celery, and green pepper.  These methods are tried-and-true and most Louisiana cooks are wary of straying too far from the basics they learned from their ancestors.

When learning to cook like a Louisiana native, it’s important to immerse yourself in the culture and the techniques.  There are tons of resources including recipes books, the internet, and cooking classes that will help you learn what you need to know.  Everyone has their own cooking style, so there may be a few things you do differently.  But, keep the basics and you'll be able to create a variety of Louisiana cuisine to impress your family and friends... and even a few locals!

Healthy Snacking Zucchini Italian Fries

2 medium size zucchini
1 egg white
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
*optional - if you don't have seasoned breadcrumbs, use plain and add dried oregano or other Italian seasonings to the breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet or cookie sheet.
Wash and dry the zucchini, then cut into thin French-fry size and shape  sticks.
Put egg white in a bowl, whisk until frothy, then add milk and whisk together until combined.
In a separate shallow bowl, put the Parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs and mix together.
Put a few zucchini 'French fries' into the egg/milk mixture to coat, then remove and put in breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture, coating well.
Place on prepared baking sheet, and continue until all zucchini fries are prepared.
Bake in preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until nicely browned; turn once during the cooking time.
Remove to a cooling rack and enjoy with any dip you like.
Will make 2 light snacks.

Healthy Yogurt Carrot Dip

6 regular carrots (not baby)
1 garlic clove, grated
1 Tbsp good olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt (to taste)

Peel and trim the carrots, then grate (fine) into a bowl.
To the bowl, add garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and yogurt; stir well.
Add salt to taste, stirring well after each addition.
Refrigerate (covered) for 30 minutes.
Stir again before serving.
May be enjoyed as a dip with crackers or fresh raw vegetables.
For a thicker dip, drain the yogurt overnight through a cheesecloth lined strainer in the refrigerator.  The next day you will have a yogurt that is thick and slightly more tart in flavor.

Old World Baba Ghanoush

1 whole garlic bulb (roasted)
drizzle olive oil
2 eggplants, washed, ends trimmed, cut lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, cleaned and cut into thick strips
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp black pepper

To roast garlic: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice top off a whole garlic bulb, exposing the cloves, place on a piece of foil (cut side up), drizzle exposed cloves with olive oil, wrap foil up around the garlic bulb, and put in oven. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until garlic cloves are soft.
Meanwhile, heat grill, brush prepared eggplant and red bell pepper with olive oil, then grill until golden brown, flipping over, and continue grilling until golden brown and soft. Remove and set aside to cool.
Remove roasted garlic from oven and let cool enough to handle.
Unwrap and give the bulb a squeeze over a bowl, pushing garlic cloves out.
Put garlic cloves into your food processor.
Put the grilled eggplant and red bell pepper in food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor.
Pulse until all ingredients blend well and you get a smooth texture.
Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Spoon mixture into a bowl and serve with bread, crackers, or strips of fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and cauliflower.

Sweet Sensation Fruit Yogurt Smoothie

1 cup plain yogurt
5 or 6 fresh or frozen whole strawberries, hulled
1 cup canned crushed pineapple, with juice
1 medium ripe banana, peeled and coarse cut
1 tsp vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients in your blender; turn motor on and blend until smooth.  You can add ice cubes to make the smoothie frothier.
Will serve 2 people.

Healthy Snacking Sweet Potato Bean Burritos

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced very small
2 Tbsp water
salt and pepper to taste
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
8 small or medium whole-wheat tortillas, wrapped in foil and kept warm in low heat oven
sour cream, salsa, avocado, lettuce, or whatever you like

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion, cooking until onion is softened.
Add the garlic, curry, and cumin, stir and cook for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.
Add the chili powder and the sweet potatoes, mix well, then cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to combine the flavors.
Add water, cover, turn heat down to low, and cook until sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 5 minutes.
Uncover the skillet, slide the sweet potato mixture to one side, and add the black beans to the other side of the skillet.  Cover again and cook just until the beans are hot.
Assemble burritos:  lay out the warmed tortillas on a work surface.  Spoon sweet potato mixture into the center of each tortilla, then evenly distribute the hot black beans on top, then distribute the cheese on top of each.  Add any other toppings you like, then roll up and serve immediately.

Sweet And Spicy Garbanzo Crunch

2 cans (15 oz size) garbanzos, rinsed, drained, and dried well
2 cups small cereal squares (your choice0
1 cup dried pineapple chunks
1 cup raisins
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put dried garbanzos on a large baking sheet and drizzle lightly with cooking oil (olive oil is fine.)
Bake in preheated oven, stirring around often, until the garbanzos are browned and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes total time.
Into a large, shallow roasting pan, put the cereal, pineapple, raisins, and roasted garbanzo beans; stir to combine.
In a separate small bowl, put the honey, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, and chili powder; whisk well.
Evenly drizzle this mixture over the snack mix and toss to coat everything well.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often.
Remove and dump out onto a paper towel covered cooling rack.
Enjoy immediately or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Easy Salsa Deviled Egg

1 hard-boiled egg
1 Tbsp salsa
1 tsp chopped parsley

Cut the hard-boiled egg in half and remove the yolk to a small bowl (set whites on a small plate.)
To the yolk, add the salsa and smash until smooth with a fork.
Spoon the mixture into the empty egg whites.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Double, triple, or quadruple this to enjoy more than one snack.
Use homemade salsa or salsa made with all natural ingredients to enjoy a very healthy snack.

Late Night Sage White Bean Dip

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained well
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put rinsed/dried cannellini beans in bowl and mash with a fork; set aside.
Put a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Add garlic and chopped fresh sage leaves and stir for 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant and sage is slightly crispy.
Pour this oil/garlic mixture over the smashed beans in the bowl and stir.
Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste; toss gently.
Serve immediately with veggies, breadsticks, or crackers for dipping.

Late Night Quick Black Bean Burgers

1 can (15 oz size) black beans, drained1 egg, whisked well
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
dash black pepper

Put the black beans in a large bowl and mash with a fork or a pastry cutter until mostly smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well blended.
Form the mixture into patties.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
When hot, carefully add the bean burgers to the skillet; let cook until well browned, then flip and cook other side until well browned.  Get a good crispy finish.
Serve as you would any burger, with all the condiments you like.

Late Night Snacking Tips For Diet Success

What Not To Eat Late At Night, And Why

Let's admit it.  There will always be times when we crave a snack before bed.  Something sweet, something salty, something fried, something filling, something spicy; we know when it's bedtime we'll hear our name being called from somewhere in the kitchen. We also know we want to get a good night's sleep.  When it comes time to reach for a snack, there are reasons why we should bypass some foods.  Let's take a look at the foods to avoid before bed, and why. 

Fatty Foods

Even good fats, like nuts, put your stomach into high gear.  Digesting fats is not an easy task.  Your tummy will switch to high gear, and all this activity requires energy.  So there you are, climbing into bed after a snack of nuts or French fries or ice cream or other fatty food, and your stomach is giving your brain the signal to rev up.  You may be telling yourself to go to sleep, but your brain is taking commands from your stomach first.  It's going to be a long, restless night.

Simple Carbs

Although a plate of pasta or a piece of bread may not taste sweet, when you ingest these 'simple carbs' your body is getting sugar.  Yes, those fast-burning carbs are going to be delivered to your bloodstream as plain old sugar, causing the same spikes in blood sugar as if you ate a piece of candy. This instant energy will cause your brain to spin and your heart to pound.  These two events are never conducive to a restful state of mind or body. 

Sweets

Real or fake, sugar is sugar.  When you eat a sweet snack before bed, you get a rush of energy.  Your body is going to try to burn the stuff off.  Just like with simple carbs, your brain and body will get busy just when you're trying to shut down for the night.  And remember, it doesn't matter what kind of sugar you ingest.  Refined, raw, artificial, or even the newer 'close to nature' sugars, your body gets the same signal to burn it off as quickly as possible, causing wakefulness to set in, again.

Meats

We may crave meat or poultry when it's bedtime because we've been dieting on celery sticks all day.  Now we want that full feeling we can only get from fat.  But meats, especially red or fatty meats, take quite a bit of work to digest.  If you lay down with a tummy nice and full from a slab of steak or a chunk of chicken, your stomach has to start churning away, with lots of blood pumping and signals being delivered to the brain to keep working, keep working, keep working.  If your brain can't shut down for the night, you won't sleep.

Spices

There are many spices that are eaten specifically to give us energy and speed up our metabolism.  It makes sense to avoid those spices when it comes to snacking before bedtime.  The trick is to be aware of the ingredients in those snacks you crave before digging in.  And it's not just the hot and peppery spices.  That nice warm smell and taste of cinnamon is wonderful and seems soothing, but in reality cinnamon is a stimulant that gets the blood pumping.  Once again, you don't want your brain to be sending signals to your blood to get moving when you're trying to slow down.

Midnight Meal

When you're hungry before bedtime, it may be tempting to pull out all the stops and fill a plate with all your favorite dishes.  If you find yourself buried shoulder deep in the refrigerator, stop and back away.  A full stomach at bedtime, even a stomach filled with foods that are healthier, will send the signal to the brain that it needs to get the blood pumping faster into the stomach to digest that meal.  Once again, your brain is staying busy talking to your stomach, and ignoring your request to go to sleep.

Cravings for that late night snack sometimes just can't be ignored.  Whether we've been dieting and missing out of some of our favorite foods, or we're stressed and need a little comfort food, a snack before bedtime may be inevitable.  When the snack attack hits, think about the foods to avoid first, then reach for a lighter, healthier snack.  You can have your snack, and eat it, too... just as long as it's not cake!