A collection of my Southern inspired food and garden adventures
I recently had a run in with a mean little case of the winter crud. It kicked me out of commission for a bit, but I let my body fight the bug battle while I drifted in and out of snoozeland. During this wild rollercoaster ride between feverish sleep and reality, I dreamed of eating wonderful soup made with rich shiitake mushrooms in a velvety bisque of caramelized onions. So naturally, when I regained enough strength to get back into my kitchen, I made a big batch of bisque!
January 10th is a day that will make me smile for years to come! Last year on this day, my now fiancé and I were gallivanting around New Orleans. He had never visited this favorite city of mine, so I had a grand time showing him the sites and visiting with dear friends. On the last day of the trip, before heading to the airport, we took one last stroll around the French Quarter. As we passed through Jackson Square, where street musicians filled our ears with jazz and the sweet smell of beignets lingered in the air, my darlin’ popped the question! It was the perfect day and we celebrated the memory this past weekend with a big ol’ pot of etouffée! Cajun etouffée is usually made with just crawfish, but you will find the dish with shrimp being the star of the show as well. Since we were celebrating, I decided to make it with both!
Pork chops are one of those things that can be really hit or miss. I am usually leery of ordering them when I am dining out because I don’t want to chance it and end up with a dry piece of something that makes me feel like I am chomping on an old sneaker! That being said, I have had some delicious ones at restaurants as well. One scrumptious one that comes to mind was served at Emeril’s Delmonico in my beloved city of New Orleans. My dad makes a mean chop too and he is the one who set the bar high on pork chops for me.
Continue reading “Quick Brined Garlic, Lemon, & Caraway Bone In Chops”
Filets are one of my go to items to prepare for friends and family on special occasions, or even when we aren’t celebrating anything other than good company! A few years ago, I lived in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to moving into my loft, my aunt took me around the city on an apartment hunt. After a long day of debating my future dwellings, she surprised me with a visit to this magical place I immediately fell in love with… the Westside Market.
Continue reading “Rosemary Brown Butter Skillet Filet Mignon”
My mom has been a vegetarian since before I was born. My father isn’t a vegetarian, but he loves to grow and cook vegetables. I had a good mix of both worlds in my diet growing up and I am very thankful for this because I enjoy cooking vegetarian and meat meals.
I became very intrigued with the process of brining meats after watching a demonstration video from Alton Brown’s show, Good Eats. Alton is one of my all time favorite chefs because he is so straight forward. He always gives the 411 on food science and busts a lot of cooking myths along the way. My fiancé took me to see one of Alton’s live shows a few years ago, and it was great… if you are a foodie, I recommend going to a show if he comes your way! He is quite the comedian too.
There are two variations of jambalaya, Cajun and Creole. They are both insanely delicious, but the difference between the two comes down to tomatoes. Creole versions incorporate them while Cajun ones do not. The term Creole originally referred to people who were born to the settlers in French colonial Louisiana. French Creole refers to people with European ancestry who were born in the colony, while Louisiana Creole refers to mixed ancestry. Creole food has a mix of cultural influences of New Orleans. Cajun cuisine got its roots from the French Acadian settlers in the swamps and prairies of southwest Louisiana, and their cuisine was more rustic.
Recently, my dad has been experimenting with tamales and this caught my interest as well. These cute little fellas are so delicious, but I have been scared away from making them before because they all call for a substantial amount of lard. My dad didn’t think this was necessary and he was right! We both worked on our versions and found that they can be just as tasty with some alterations. Keep the flavor, cut the fat!
Continue reading “Chicken Tamales with Fresh (or Dry!) Corn Husks”
This has really been the summer of all things basil! Luckily, my fiancé LOVES it and just cannot get enough. Basil gin cocktails with mint and cucumbers, pesto, caprese creations, basil scrambled eggs… and of course, quinoa concoctions! There are so many tasty varieties of quinoa salads out there, but I threw this one together with what I had on hand and wasn’t disappointed.
Peachy Keen Summer Quinoa
My blueberry and sun gold heirloom cherry tomatoes have been showing out this summer so I have been throwing them in everything, but this salad could hold it’s own without them as well. Peach season is almost over, but they are still all over the farmers’ markets of Ohio and they added a heavenly sweetness while the feta gave a nice contrast to the mix.
Use your own judgment on ingredient portions depending on your preference for each flavor. I used about 1 1/2 cups of red quinoa, 1 1/2 cups white quinoa, 1 1/2 cups sliced peaches, 1 cup sliced tomatoes, 3/4 cup basil, juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 cup feta crumbles, 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, and a couple dashes of cayenne and black pepper.
This salad is great for anything… snacking, side item, or topped with a protein such as grilled chicken or salmon. We enjoyed it with salmon and a glass of white wine. Perfect summer combination! (Shout out to my sister Liv for naming this dish!)
Around this time of year, my basil plants start trying to flower and go to seed. When basil starts to flower, the plant will focus its energy on the blooms, leaving the leaves looking puny and lacking essential oils. Pinching off the flowers and pruning will help generate foliage growth. Pruning basil means that it is time for pesto!
Audra Rice 