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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Z is for Zest


One of the most potent flavors a cook can employ comes in the form of citrus fruit. The flavor of citrus can brighten up bland savory dishes, tone down sweet desserts and cut through oily dressings and marinades. But it isn't just citrus juice that works this magic.  Powerful flavor is in the skin of the citrus fruit. When that skin is finely grated and added to a recipe, the whole dish POPS! It is where the word ZESTY comes from. If a recipe calls for citrus juice, consider adding a little zest, too. It just punches up the flavor. I always add lime zest to my key lime pie and I love pairing orange zest with chocolate desserts. Lemon zest works wonders with broccoli or asparagus. The possibilities are endless. The zest of other citrus fruits, like grapefruit, blood orange, and tangerine can also be great flavor boosters.  

Generally, citrus zest is very finely grated and the reason is simple. The flavor in the zest is so potent, it must be used judiciously. Larger slices of zest can be added to soups for a more flavorful stock. You would just need to remove them before serving. Lemon zest is a perfect partner for chicken soup and for a Mexican flavored chicken tortilla soup, lime zest would be a great addition. I have a recipe for orange scented tomato soup that is unusual and delicious. The flavor of the orange, juice and zest, just adds a depth of flavor to the tomato and makes the whole dish more interesting and complex. It adds umami to the soup. You can't tell what it is, but you notice the deeper flavor. 

When you are zesting your fruit, be sure to get only the colorful outer layer of the skin. Avoid the white pith. It is bitter and will not enhance your dishes. 

So, the next time you are preparing a dish that calls for citrus juice, think about using some of the zest. Every time you juice a lemon or lime and throw the peeling in the garbage, you are throwing out flavor. Don't waste flavor! Get ZESTY!

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Y is for Yood



There's a new food app in town...in your town and my town...everybody's town! It is Nick Jonas' new free app called Yood. The purpose of the app is to help you find the single best place to eat where ever you may be. That's right, single. There are no decisions to be made with Yood. The decision is already made for you. Well, there is one decision you need to make. You decide what KIND of food you want to eat. Yood breaks it down into food categories, so if you have a hankering for pizza, you can click on the pizza bar and, Bingo! You have one pizza restaurant suggestion. Yood starts out with eight categories: Pizza, Chinese, Sushi, Thai, Indian, Mexican, American and Coffee Shop But you can also add categories. For instance, there was no barbecue bar, so I added that. I also added Greek, Breakfast, Bakery and Italian. If you want Moroccan or French or Vegan, you could add those. It is up to you and then it isn't. Yood takes over from there and gives you driving directions.

I clicked on each of the categories to see what came up in my small town. Here is what I got.

Pizza...Papa John's
Chinese...New China Buffet
Sushi...Rice Box (in Huntsville)
Thai...Cashew (in Chattanooga)
Indian...The Camp House (in Chattanooga)
Mexican...Tenda Mexicana Vallarta
American...Huddle House
Coffee Shop...Northtown Shoppe Coffee Bar (Guntersville)
Barbecue...Holy Smokes
Greek...Mykonos Greek Grill (Chattanooga)
Italian...Steverino's
Bakery...Cashew (Chattanooga)
Breakfast...Y'all Come Back (Rainsville)

But then I noticed, if you click on a category again, you get a different suggestion. So, if you get a suggestion you know you aren't interested in, you can get a different choice. Let's say, you really want Mexican, but you want a nice, sit down restaurant, not fast food, but Yood gives you Taco Bell or Chipotle. You can click again until you get a suggestion that fulfills your criteria. I tried all the categories again and this is what I came up with.

Pizza...Steverino's
Chinese...Chow King (Fort Payne)
Sushi...Sakura Sushi Steakhouse & Bar (in Guntersville)
Thai...Kati Thai Cuisine (in Gadsden)
Indian...Sluggo's Vegetarian Cafe (in Chattanooga)
Mexican...Margarita Mexican Restaurant
American...McCutchen's Magnolia House
Coffee Shop...Jamoka's Coffee Company (Guntersville)
Barbecue...Big Marv's BBQ
Greek...What's For Supper (Huntsville)
Italian...Buenavista Mexican Cantina
Bakery...Dutch Maid Bakery & Cafe (Tracy City, TN)
Breakfast...Gorham's Bluff(Pisgah)

This time a couple of the app's weaknesses came to light. First, it pulled up Big Marv's BBQ in Scottsboro. Big Marv is no longer in Scottsboro. The business has changed locations and is now in Tennessee. Second. Buenavista is a wonderful place for Mexican, but I have never gotten nor seen any Italian food there. I am not familiar with Cashew, but unless it is both a Thai restaurant and a bakery, Yood may have made another mistake. Also, when I first installed the app and clicked on the bakery category, I did get our local bakery, The Variety Bake Shop, so don't think the app did not pull it up first. I am not sure how often it takes for a restaurant to come around again, but the Variety did not pop up when I was getting these two lists, so apparently the app is thinking, "I already suggested that and she is still asking, so she must want something else".

I did hear Nick Jonas say the app uses Yelp and other sources to determine which restaurants to suggest. That means if a lot of people in your town go to Yelp and Urban Spoon and rate your restaurants, you can help determine the choices. It also means higher end restaurants might not get suggested over more economical ones because people tend to rate a little harsher when they are spending more money. Expectations rise with the price. The app throws all the restaurants into the same pot, so you may have the best seafood restaurant ever, but it is a little on the high end side. That restaurant is thrown into the same category as Captain D's, which may be rated higher because the prices and expectations are not the same as they are for the higher end restaurant.  Even though they are both seafood restaurants, Yood is not really comparing apples to apples. On the upside, you may learn about some restaurants you have never heard of before. In the two lists above, there are 13 restaurants of which I have never heard. That means I will be asking around, getting more information and perhaps checking a few out for myself. 

So, the bottom line for Yood? If you are in a strange town, it can help you make a choice about where to eat, but it may pull up a fast food establishment when what you are searching for is a little more upscale or vice versa. It is possible it may give you a suggestion farther away when there is a really good choice that is closer. You can offset that by customizing Yood to find suggestions based on location rather than rating. If you don't want to have to think, Yood may be the perfect app for you. And you can always click again for another suggestion, if you want a little more control over the situation. Finally, because Yood is free, you do get to watch a riveting advertisement every now and then. It is not perfect, but definitely worth checking out and adding to your other restaurant apps.  

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

X is for Dos Equis XX Bread and Onion Rings



I'm not going to lie. X was a challenge. Seriously, unless you speak Chinese, there are just not many foods that begin with X. I was strolling through the grocery store, looking for anything that would fill the bill, when I happened to walk near the beer coolers. And what did I see? Not one X, but two! Dos Equis XX. I felt like a chef on Chopped! How can I use this ingredient? Then I remembered beer makes a great batter, so I decided to offer you two recipes for the two X's, first a beer bread and then some crunchy beer battered onion rings. Try one or both!

  XX Beer Bread


3 cups self rising flour (sifted)
1/2 cup sugar
12 oz. beer (XX or beer of your choice)
1/4 cup butter (melted)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a loaf pan. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and beer. Pour into loaf pan.



Pour melted butter over batter and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.  



Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. 


XX Battered Onion Rings


2 large onions, sliced into rings
1 cup all purpose flour + a little extra
1 cup beer 

Toss sliced onions in a small amount of flour and set aside.
Combine 1 cup beer and 1 cup flour in a separate bowl, cover and let rest for 1 hour.
Dip onion rings in batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.


So, there you have it...two X-tra easy recipes! Enjoy!

Monday, April 27, 2015

W is for Watermelon Mango Salsa


No fruit is more associated with summer fun than watermelon. Show up with an ice cold watermelon and just watch people gather round. The cheery red fruit makes people happy. We haven't even made it to the first day of summer and I am already working on my second watermelon.  Our brand new farmer's market has had some sweet little sugar babies. These small watermelons are round and seedless and mighty sweet. I have sliced and eaten the watermelon by itself, but I've also been making a delicious watermelon and mango salsa. This salsa is super easy. It has only 4 ingredients, so the quality of the ingredients is really important. In other words, your fruits need to be ripe and sweet. And Watermelon Mango Salsa pairs wonderfully with grilled fish.

If you would like to make your own Watermelon Mango Salsa, gather these ingredients:

watermelon
 mango (I found champagne mangos at Costco. They are so good!)
1 jalapēno 
1 lime

 Dice 1 cup of mango and 1 cup of watermelon and place in a bowl. Finely dice the jalapēno and add to the fruit. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the fruit and stir to distribute throughout the fruit.  


Give this bright salsa a try and get a jump start on summer!

Sunday, April 26, 2015

V is for Vanilla


Vanilla has to rank right up there with chocolate as one of the all time best flavors in the world. It also ranks as one of the most expensive. It comes from a particular orchid plant that originated in Mexico. Today, the three most popular types of vanilla are Madagascar, Mexican and Tahitian. The Madagascar, or bourbon, vanilla is the most widely used and is most often the kind in vanilla extract. It is full bodied and robust. Mexican vanilla is more fruity, but is not as widely distributed. Tahitian vanilla is more delicate and works better in cold recipes like ice creams, smoothies and frozen desserts. I generally keep all three kinds of vanilla, but the one I find myself using more than any other is this Mexican vanilla from the Blue Cattle Truck Trading Company. It is expensive, but since vanilla is usually used by the teaspoon, a large bottle lasts a long time. I can find this vanilla at The Lodge Outlet in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. 


Even more expensive than the extract, are the vanilla beans themselves. I buy my vanilla beans at Costco, where I can get more than three beans in a tube. I love to scrape the inside of the beans and add the vanilla caviar to home made ice cream, cream brulée and even to my sweet potato casserole. In addition to the intense flavor, I love the little flecks of vanilla.

Do not be tempted to substitute imitation vanilla flavoring. Real vanilla is a cooking investment, but well worth the cost in terms of flavor. 

Friday, April 24, 2015

U is for Uglesich




Way back in 2004, before Hurricane Katrina and before I was photographing every morsel I put in my mouth, our family took a trip to New Orleans. While we were there, we visited one of the most original and beloved restaurants in the Crescent City, Uglesich's. Started in 1927 by Sam Uglesich, a Croatian immigrant, and later run by Sam's son, Anthony, and his wife, Gail, the Uglesiches were able to gain a cult following without advertising. How? By serving some of the freshest seafood, prepared with care. With fans like Emeril Lagasse, Martha Stewart and Mario Batali, the Uglesiches are New Orleans royalty. As Anthony and Gail always said, "Good food makes good friends." It sure worked for them!

On the day we visited, after finding a parking place in the Central City neighborhood, we found ourselves in a line that started at the door of Uglesich's and wrapped around the block. Wondering out loud if we had lost our minds for standing in such a  long line, we were assured by the man waiting in front of us that we were making a smart move. I remember him telling me that he was living in New York, but when he traveled to New Orleans, the first thing he did after stepping off the plane was to catch a ride to Uglesich's. 

As we got closer to the door, restaurant staff came out to take orders for Gail Uglesich's famous Bloody Marys. People stood in line sipping the bright red drinks and crunching on celery sticks. Nice way to pacify the crowd! 

When we finally broke through the door of the sunny yellow establishment, we were met by the booming voice of Anthony Uglesich, welcoming us to Ugelsich's. Working right next to him, churning out Bloody Marys, was Anthony's wife Gail. Anthony helped us make our selections at the cash register, and then assigned us to one of the ten tables in the room. 

It has been way too long for me to remember what each of us ordered, except to say that I think Scott had a shrimp poboy and I had oysters. I cannot remember what our boys, who would have been seven and eight at the time, chose to eat. What I do remember is that we all enjoyed our meals. The seafood was ridiculously fresh and expertly prepared. Our friend from New York was correct...it was worth the wait. 

As we were paying the bill and leaving, Mr. Uglesich talked to the boys, telling them to come back to see him. I purchased a cookbook and we waved good-bye, promising to visit again the next time we were in town. Little did we know, Hurricane Katrina would hit the very next year, leaving much of New Orleans devastated. Anthony and Gail Uglesich served their last customers in 2005 as well, much to the dismay of their devoted followers. 

The old yellow building in Central City survived Katrina and has actually been renovated. The front  door still bears the Uglesich name and is still owned by the family. As of February 2014, John Uglesich, the son of Anthony and Gail, reportedly told local news the family didn't have anything planned, but they could open again in the future and they just wanted to keep the old place in good shape should something come up. As of now, that hasn't happened, but we can always hope. 



Thursday, April 23, 2015

T is for Tarragon




Tarragon is one of my most favorite herbs. I simply love the delicate, subtle anise flavor of this popular herb. I much prefer French tarragon to Mexican tarragon, which I grew one year when I could not find the French variety. This year, we had a bitter winter, for Alabama, but my tarragon managed to stay green all year. Even though it looks delicate, it really is pretty hardy.

Tarragon is an essential flavor in béarnaise sauce, which I love to serve with beef tenderloin. I also like to make a tarragon flavored potato salad and the herb is delicious in potato soup. When I roast chicken, tarragon is one of the herbs I use to flavor my bird. It is wonderful when added to the filling for chicken pot pie. Tarragon flavored vinegar is another great way to add tarragon to your cooking.

While tarragon might not be as familiar as some other herbs, like parsley and basil, it is definitely one that should be included in any herb garden. Make room for tarragon. You will be glad you did!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

S is for Grilled Shrimp and Palm Beach Salad


Shrimp are one of my favorite foods in the world, if you haven't noticed from my restaurant orders. I love shrimp any way you can cook them. Recently, I paired grilled shrimp with one of my favorite salads. I call it Palm Beach Salad for a couple of reasons. First it has hearts of palm as one of the ingredients. Second, the salad has a beautiful, citrusy dressing that reminds me of the beach. When I put shrimp on the salad, the beachy theme is complete. 

The salad starts with crunchy romaine. Then I throw in some sliced carrots, sliced hearts of palm, sunflower seeds, toasted pine nuts, and a sprinkle of Salad Pizzazz Orange Cranberry Almondine. 


Mix together the following ingredients, shake well and drizzle over salad. 

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon  Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Enjoy!

You can get a printable copy of the recipe HERE.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

R is for Rosemary


"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, remember." Even before Shakespeare penned those words, rosemary was the herb attached to friendship and remembrance. Perhaps it was the beautiful, piney scent of rosemary that led to this belief. It is a smell that lingers and can drown out other, less appealing odors. I love the rosemary trees that are sold at Christmas time, not only for the Christmas tree look they have, but for the Christmas tree smell. But it's not just for Christmas. I love the scent of rosemary year round. Rosemary sprigs in a vase not only smell good, they look pretty, too. 

Rosemary is a hardy herb. Here in Alabama, it can withstand our winters and grow year round. That makes me really happy, because rosemary is one of my most used and most favorite herbs. I love to use it in my spaghetti sauce and to flavor olive oil and butter. I use it when I roast chickens or when I am making chicken stock and when I roast potatoes. The strong woody stems make great skewers for grilling vegetables, serving double duty as the skewer and the flavoring. 

Rosemary does not have to be relegated to savory recipes. One of my favorite cookies is made with rosemary. It is a rosemary thumbprint cookie filled with pear preserves and it is delicious. You can see them here and you can get a printable recipe here.

Whatever you do, don't forget the rosemary!

Q is for Quinoa


Everything old is new again! Quinoa certainly falls into this category. Quinoa is an ancient grain that most of us in the United States had never heard of until a few years ago. Cultivated in the Andes between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago, quinoa has experienced a recent surge of popularity in America. The gluten free grain is rich in vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, essential amino acids and is easy to digest. It has a nutty flavor and cooks quickly. 

The good thing about cooking with quinoa is that it is pretty much a blank slate. It takes on the flavors of what ever ingredients you add to it, similar to couscous or rice. I decided to try my hand at quinoa with a Mediterranean flair, so I gathered a few ingredients and went to town. 

Quinoa needs to be rinsed before cooking, so I did that first. I put 1 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinsed it thoroughly with water. While the quinoa drained, I added a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet and begin warming it over medium heat. I finely chopped two cloves of garlic and threw them in the olive oil. Stirring constantly, I cooked the garlic until it started giving off its fragrance, but had not begun to turn brown. Then I added the quinoa and cooked about five minutes more. 


Next I poured in 1 3/4 cups chicken stock and brought it to a boil. When the stock began to boil, I turned the heat down, covered the skillet with a lid and simmered the quinoa until the liquid was absorbed,  about fifteen minutes. 

Now for the fun part! As soon as the quinoa was done and all the liquid was absorbed, I removed the quinoa from the heat and started adding my flavors. I began with one cup of fresh parmesan cheese, finely grated. Then I tossed in 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons rinsed capers, 2 tablespoons chopped pimento, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 3 chopped pepperoncini peppers, 1 tablespoon of the pepperoncini liquid from the peppers, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Honestly, I used the pimento because I wanted a little red in my quinoa. I could just have easily used chopped tomato or red bell pepper. 


I love the nutty flavor of quinoa and in this dish I love the briny blend of flavors from the parmesan and capers to the pepperoncini. I also think this dish would have been delicious with a sprinkle of feta cheese. Give quinoa a try. It is good and good for you!



Sunday, April 19, 2015

KC's Bar-B-Q: There's a New Kid in Town!



Last October, I told you about the great barbecue in Alabama and in particular in Scottsboro. At the time, Scottsboro was home to six great barbecue restaurants. Carlile's Restaurant, Triple R Barbecue, Mud Creek Fishing Camp, 50 Taters, Tate's Barbecue, and Holy Smokes Barbecue all bring their own particular brand of tasty smoked meats to the good folks of Jackson County. But now? Well, there's a new kid in town! KC's Bar-B-Q just opened up out on Highway 79 before you get to Goosepond Colony as you head south from Scottsboro toward Guntersville.

KC's may be the new kid on the block, but the tiny barbecue joint is starting out strong. People are already singing the praises of the goodies coming from KC's kitchen. You know I had to check it out for myself, so Scott and I stopped by for lunch a few days ago.

As you enter the restaurant, the counter for placing orders is at the rear of the room, so we made our way through the maze of tables and waited our turn to place our order. There were lots of choices from breakfast items and stuffed baked potatoes to pulled pork and smoked chicken. The special for the day we were there was a smoked chicken salad, which I almost ordered, but then I decided to get just the smoked chicken plate with baked beans and slaw. Scott chose the pulled pork with baked beans and French fries. We placed our orders, filled our drinks and found a table. Our food came out pretty quickly even though the lady working the front seemed to be the one taking the orders and waiting the tables.

Here's what our plates looked like... first, Scott's pulled pork,


and then my smoked chicken. 


The rumors about KC's were exactly right. The food was wonderful. I especially liked my tender, smoky chicken with KC's delicious white sauce. I also liked KC's hot sauce. I ended dipping a few of Scott's French fries into the hot sauce because it was so good. The sides were delicious, too. Scott was equally impressed with his pulled pork. Friends have told me to check out the homemade onion rings the next time I go and I plan to do just that. After all, my friends haven't steered me wrong yet. 

If you get a chance, give KC's a visit. I think you will be very happy with this new barbecue kid in town.  It's just one more jewel in Scottsboro's barbecue crown and is helping to reinforce Alabama's reputation as the best barbecue state in the country. 

KC's Bar-B-Q on Urbanspoon

P is for Peanut Butter Pie


My youngest son, Rob,  loves peanut butter pie. I made one the other day and got the highest compliment from him. He said,"This might be better than Gibson's!" Gibson's is an old barbecue restaurant in Huntsville that was started by a different branch of the famous Big Bob Gibson family from Decatur. Rob loves their peanut butter pie.

Many years ago, we used to enjoy going to The Spot in Gulf Shores. One of the highlights of dinner at The Spot was the peanut butter pie. On one of our many visits to the beach, I found a cookbook with recipes from the local restaurants in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Lo and behold, The Spot's pie was in the book and of course, I had to have that book. I always thought The Spot's pie was better than Gibson's pie, because the filling was lighter and fluffier. There was, however, one thing the Gibson's pie had that The Spot's pie did not...a layer of intense peanut butter cushioning between the crust and the filling. I had an idea if I could marry the two recipes I might have a keeper, so I experimented and came up with my own version of peanut butter pie incorporating the best of both recipes. Rob's reaction confirmed I had hit a home run. I did not add any nuts or chocolate chips because Rob is a peanut butter pie purist, but the pie is good with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips. So, here's to peanut butter pie and here's the recipe. Tell me what you think. Cheers!

Better Than Gibson's Peanut Butter Pie

1 Pre-baked Pie Crust. 

You can use a homemade crust or one of those you roll out and bake, but don't use one of the preformed ones. Bake according to package or recipe directions and allow to cool while you work on the filling.

Creamy Peanut Butter Filling

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar

Combine and press into bottom of cooled, baked crust

Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1  1/2 c. well chilled heavy cream
1/4 c. milk
2 t. vanilla

Beat cream cheese with confectioners' sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in milk, peanut butter and vanilla. In a chilled bowl, beat cream until it holds stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of cream into peanut butter mixture and then fold in the remaining cream gently, but thoroughly.  Pour filling into pie crust. Sprinkle with 3 T. chopped unsalted nuts and 3 T. mini chocolate chips (optional). Chill covered for 4 hours or overnight. Serve with chocolate sauce, if you like.





O is for Oysters


Lu and I made the trek to Chattanooga once again, this time to visit our friend Dawn in the hospital and take her something to good to eat since she has been eating hospital fare for a while. Another friend had mentioned the Cajun/Creole food at a place called Blue Orleans, which sounded pretty good to us. We looked up the address and set the GPS. Turns out, Blue Orleans is right across the street from the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Of course, this was Lu and me, you just know things were not as simple as they should have been. Oh, we found the restaurant easily enough. What we could not find was a place to park. I thought we were going to be churned into butter we circled the block so many times. I, helpfully, pointed out a parking lot to Lu, but she was pretty certain she could find a (free) parking place on the street. Finally, my frugal friend gave up and pulled into the parking lot I had, helpfully, pointed out about about 45 minutes earlier. We are not city girls, however, and those automated parking attendant boxes always throw us for a loop. We stood in a giant puddle of water (it was raining), searching our purses for money and trying to figure out how to put the money in the box. The written instructions weren't helpful at all and then we noticed something about it being a restricted lot between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm. We checked the time. It was 5 pm. Oh, great! Then we spotted a girl walking nearby. She looked local, so we asked her for suggestions on where we could park. She pointed to a nearby street and we took her advice. Finally, we made our way in the drizzly rain to Blue Orleans. 

                            
Blue Orleans is a small restaurant with lots of dark wood, brick and high ceilings. The bar is at the front of the restaurant and the tables are in the back. We were greeted as soon as we entered and waited for only a few minutes to be seated. We ordered a couple of interesting sounding drinks and an appetizer while we decided on our entrees. Lu got a drink called King Cake Martini, which I passed on because our server, the chef's wife, told us it was very sweet. Instead, I went with a Blue Orleans Margarita. Interestingly enough, the martini came in a margarita glass. We both enjoyed our pretty drinks. 


For our appetizer, we decided to split an order of oyster and bacon pops. Luanne and I love oysters. We like them any way you can cook them...fried, broiled, smoked, baked, grilled and sautéed. We are the Bubba Gumps for oysters. Our only difference of opinion concerns raw oysters. Lu loves them, I hate them. But these Blue Orleans oysters? We couldn't agree more. They were amazing. They were wrapped in bacon, battered and fried and served with a blue cheese dip topped off with hot sauce. The batter was just right, not too much. They were fried to perfection and the bacon was fully cooked, too. The blue cheese/hot sauce dip was delicious. We raved about the oysters. The nicest thing? The menu said five oyster pops, but our server brought us six, so we each got three. We were off to a great start. 

As far as entrees were concerned, we were pretty predictable. Lu loves gumbo, so she chose a seafood gumbo. There were crawfish tacos on the menu. You KNOW I could not resist. 

Luanne's gumbo was a light golden color. She knew right away it might not be her favorite, because she prefers a dark, rich, spicy gumbo. She was correct. Blue Orleans gumbo might be perfect for those who like a mild gumbo, but Luanne was disappointed. She likes big, boldly flavored gumbo. 


                           

My tacos were equally disappointing. They looked like no taco I have ever had before. Tightly wrapped, almost like an egg roll, they were then grilled and served with a strange mustardy sauce. They came with a side of slaw that I found peculiar and I think some of the same slaw might have been inside the taco. The grilled flour tortilla was dry and tasteless. Luckily I had saved some of the blue cheese sauce from our oysters and salvaged the tacos by dipping them in the yummy sauce. Since I had three tacos, I shared one of them with Lu and she agreed. The tacos were not very good and not at all what either of us was expecting. 


We weren't giving up, though. We decided to give Blue Orleans chocolate chip bread pudding a whirl. We chose to share one order of bread pudding and we were happy we did. It was a very generous order of the rich dessert. This time we were not disappointed. The warm bread pudding was not like any bread pudding we had ever had, but it was delicious. 

We took pictures of the menu and sent them to Dawn so she could decide what she wanted to order. She chose crawfish fritters and a slice of cheesecake. She enjoyed the fritters even though they had to be stone cold by the time we got them to her. Why? Because just as we got to Erlanger Medical Center, parked and started heading up to her room, I remembered she had been moved to Siskin Rehabilitation. With Luanne scowling at me the whole time, we asked for directions to Siskin, got back in the car, parked in what we thought was the parking deck for Siskin (even though it clearly said St. Barnabas), marched up to the front desk, asked for Dawn's room, were told by the elderly gentleman at the desk that there were no Don's there, we repeated "Dawn", were told there were no Dawn's there, asked if this was Siskin, were told no, it was a nursing home, got directions to Siskin again, left St. Barnabas, got back in the car, finally found Siskin, spent about fifteen minutes trying to park the car straight before giving up and parking crooked, asked for Dawn at the front desk, got her room number, almost got off on the wrong floor and finally trooped into Dawn's room. Those fritters had long since lost their sizzle. I am exhausted just telling the story!


We did enjoy our visit with Dawn, who happily got to go home the very next day. Lu and I reminisced about those delicious oyster and bacon pops on the way home and decided that we would definitely go back to Blue Orleans just for those, if for no other reason. But we also agreed that we would try some other entrees the next time. If the chef can work that kind of magic with oysters, we are pretty confident that there are other choices on the menu that we would enjoy. We did see some good looking poboys coming out of the kitchen. We might try one of those on our next visit. We were also pleased with the reasonable price of our meal. Our entire meal, including the food we took to Dawn, was only $80. Not too bad for a meal for three that included drinks, an appetizer and a dessert.


Three Friends and a Fork gives Blue Orleans 2 Yums UP. We give Blue Orleans oyster bacon pops a standing ovation! Check it out and tell us what you think.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

N is for Nutmeg






Wow! The things you learn when you undertake an A-Z Blogging Adventure. When I decided to highlight nutmeg for N, I had no idea there was so much to know. First of all, nutmeg comes from an evergreen tree native to the Spice Islands of Indonesia called a Nutmeg tree or Myristica fragrans. When I first read evergreen tree, I was picturing a tree with needles, but that is not the case here. It is a large tropical tree with broad, leathery leaves. Nutmeg is actually not a nut at all, but the pit of a fruit about the size of a peach. When the fruit splits open, the nutmeg pit is covered in a hard, bright red webbing. This webbing is removed and dried and becomes the spice, mace. I had no idea that mace and nutmeg came from the same tree!

Nutmeg is has a warm, piney scent and flavor and can be used in both savory or sweet foods. It is an important component of drinks like eggnog and Brandy Alexander, classic Bechamel sauce and creamed spinach, not to mention all the sweet baking applications in which we typically use nutmeg.

Nutmeg is best purchased whole and grated with a fine grater when it is needed. Ground nutmeg uses its flavor quickly, so avoid buying large amounts of ground nutmeg to store. Nutmeg is potent and a little goes a long way. Along with cinnamon and cloves, nutmeg is one of those spices that remind us of autumn and that we often use in our fall baking.

While I don't use nutmeg nearly as much as I use cinnamon, there are some dishes that need just a pinch of nutmeg. When I make meatloaf, I put a small amount of nutmeg in the sweet ketchupy sauce that goes with my meatloaf.



Have you used nutmeg lately? If not, give it a try. It is sure to warm up and sweeten any dish. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

M is for Muffin

M is for Muffin


We are always on the lookout for great muffin recipes. These Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins are hard to beat. The recipe is from Southern Living and as I was reading the mixed reviews online, I noticed that many people were complaining about two things. First, many people said the muffins caved in in the center. Secondly, there were people who complained that the topping fell off. One person suggested that the people whose muffins fell in the middle might be guilty of over mixing and that if they mixed the dry ingredients in by hand rather than with a mixer, the problem might be resolved. Okey dokey! I took the advice and did just that. What were the results? 

As you can tell from the photo, my muffin does not have a muffin dome. They fell slightly in the center. As far as the topping was concerned, it does have a tendency to fall off as you eat it.  The original recipe called for pecans in the topping, which I left off because my family doesn't want nuts to crop up in their muffins for some reason. Without the pecans, the muffins were probably a little less messy than they would have been. 

Other than those two things, these muffins are pretty much perfect. They are light, tender and delicious. I don't know what you can do to help them rise in the center, but trust me, you really won't mind that they can't win a muffin beauty contest. This recipe is a keeper. If you have any suggestions for how to get these muffins to rise more in the center, please let me know. 



Tuesday, April 14, 2015

L is for Lemony Chicken Piccata

L is for Lemony Chicken Piccata




Lemon is one of my favorite flavors. It is one of those versatile flavors that pairs as well with savory foods as it does with sweet ones. From lemonade and lemon tarts to lemon marinades and lemon butter sauce, lemon brings a splash of sunshine to any dish. It can dial down a dish that is too sweet and dial up a dish that is too bland.


I love to pair lemon with chicken. Chicken is such a blank slate, with a tendency to be dull and flavorless without the right seasonings and preparation.  The bright flavor of lemon is ideal for chicken. Lemony chicken piccata is a classic lemon chicken dish that is a favorite of my family. Lightly breaded and pan fried chicken in a lemony caper butter sauce, chicken piccata is flavorful and quick.

I like to use an iron skillet when I cook piccata. Start by butterflying 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and then cutting them in half so you have 8 pieces of thinly cut chicken. Salt and pepper each. Season a cup of flour in a ziploc bag with 1 t. salt and 1 t. pepper. Shake the chicken pieces in the bag to lightly coat with flour.

Put 2 T. butter and 3 T. olive oil into your skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and the oil is beginning to sizzle, add the chicken pieces. Brown chicken on both sides and remove to a wire rack to drain. If all of your chicken does not fit in your skillet, you will need to add more butter and olive oil before adding more chicken. After the chicken is all cooked, add 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice, 1/2 c. chicken broth and 1/4 c. capers to the skillet and stir to blend, scraping up any bits in the bottom of the skillet. Put the chicken back in the skillet and cook another 5 minutes. Remove ot a serving platter and pour the sauce in the skillet over the chicken. Top with a sprinkling of fresh chopped flat leaf parsley. Serve with orzo, angel hair pasta or mashed potatoes.

Get Printable Recipe HERE.

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Monday, April 13, 2015

K is for Key Lime Cake

 K is for Key Lime Cake 








One of the flavors that I associate most with warm days and tropical destinations is key lime. I love key lime pie, key lime dressings and key lime marinades. For Easter this year, I decided to bring out the flavor of key lime a bit early and make a key lime cake for our Easter dinner.  Actually, the only key lime in this cake is in the icing. The cake gets its lime flavor from lime jello combined with additional citrus flavor from lemon cake mix and orange juice. It all comes together to produce a delicious and easy to make cake. The bright green color was perfect for Easter. 

Those of you who have ever tried to get the juice out of a key lime know that it is almost impossible. To begin with key limes are tiny. Even if they were easy to juice, you still wouldn't get much out of them because of their size.  But, to make juicing a key lime even more difficult, the tiny fruits are not soft and squishy. The darn things are hard! Juicing a key lime is not for the faint of heart or weak of muscle. Luckily, Nellie and Joe have taken care of that for us. Seriously, skip the key lime squeezing and pick up a bottle of Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice. You will be so glad you did and you will be enjoying this yummy key lime cake a whole lot sooner. You could also use fresh lime juice from regular limes and it would still be delicious, but it wouldn't be key lime. You can also decorate the frosted cake with some regular slice limes, if desired. 



Sunday, April 12, 2015

J is for Jambalaya

J is for Jambalaya






Hank Williams said it best:

Good-bye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh, my oh
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou
My Yvonne sweetest one me, oh, my oh
Son of a gun we're gonna have big fun on the bayou
Jambalaya, crawfish pie, filet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my chère amie o
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay o
Son of a gun we're gonna have big fun on the bayou

Every now and then you just get a little hankering for some good Cajun soul food and that is just where I was last week. I needed come jambalaya. So, I made some jambalaya! And it was goooood!

Jambalaya is really easy, y'all. Jus' git yer Holy Trinity a-sweatin' away in yer pan, add the proteins of yer choosin', toss in sum to-mah-toes, chicken broth, hot sauce and rice and let it simmer away! Really, that is about all there is to it! 

Here's mah recipe! Bon appetit'!

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 lb. andouille or smoked sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces

Toss chicken and shrimp in separate bowls each with 1 T. Creole or Cajun seasoning 

Chop:
1 medium onion
1 bell pepper
2 stalks celery
4 cloves garlic

Sauté onion, pepper and celery in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent. 

Add garlic, chicken and sausage and 1 T. Worcestershire sauce and sauté for about 15 minutes until chicken is mostly done.

Add:
 3 c. chicken broth
1 48 oz. can pureed tomatoes
1 24 oz. can diced tomatoes
Busha Browne's Pukka Pepper Sauce to taste (or hot sauce of your choosing)
1 c. rice

Stir, cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turns pink and becomes opaque. 

Serve hot with crusty French bread. Mai Oui!