Dennys Food and Recipes

Denny Lyon Gifts: New Design: Too Happy Octopus

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 13:32:00 +0000

Too Happy Octopus Shower Curtain

Check out this happy octopus, a sci-fy thinker!

Denny Lyon Gifts: New Design: Too Happy Octopus: From Denny: It's summer and time to hit the beach! Maybe if you are lucky enough to live in a place like Florida where the beach is year round, maybe not. You can always bring the beach and the denizens of the ocean indoors with this fun design.

This octopus is a real scify thinker and a happy guy sure to make you smile. The design is on all manner of products at Cafe Press/DennyLyonGifts, from handbags and totes to t-shirts and bedding, posters too. Take a look and enjoy browsing my Denny Lyon Gifts site. All my profits go to two charities I really love: St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank here in Louisiana (where they feed almost half of the state!)

Thanks for stopping by for a look and please be sure to pass the word on to your friends and relatives to help fund these charities! Thank you!

Denny Lyon Gifts: New Design: Too Happy Octopus: for more fun posts giving a shout out to newest designs!

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* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other many blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. *

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The Social Poets: Freaky Friday: Comic Jimmy Fallon Mocks Donald Trump GOP Convention Entrance

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Jul 2016 17:36:00 +0000

The Social Poets: Freaky Friday: Comic Jimmy Fallon Mocks Donald Trump GOP Convention Entrance: From Denny: Donald Trump should have figured it out by now that the only guys who can out showbiz him are the comedians. Jimmy Fallon never disappoints, irreverent as always and spot on accurate.

Just in case any of our fellow Americans living overseas missed this funny because you are living in a country of heavy censorship, I'm putting this one up for you. (So far, none of my blogs have landed on a censorship list in some foreign country because I'm too small to notice. ) For all the rest of us, it's good to laugh yet again even if you have seen this clip a hundred times. It just possesses that lasting quality.

Donald Trump really is just too full of himself. It's like he has appointed himself dictator, but more on that later about what has been popping up in the news that could be prove quite chilling if he were actually elected and propelled into the White House.

Meanwhile, let's just get a well deserved laugh on Freaky Friday here because Donald Trump really does fly his Freak Flag a little too often. But the Comedy Gods are keeping him somewhat humble. Check out Jimmy Fallon's rendition...

Read on to view the hilarious video clip at my other blog for political humor: The Social Poets: Freaky Friday: Comic Jimmy Fallon Mocks Donald Trump GOP Convention Entrance

Midnight Busy Ocean Earring

So much goes on beneath the ocean waves, another universe of interesting Life

Midnight Busy Ocean Iphone 6/6s Tough Case

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A Truth Journal: Our Freedom: Living Courage, Dying For Honor: Celebrating Vietnam War USMC GSGT Charles "Chuck" Perkins

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 00:45:00 +0000

A Truth Journal: Our Freedom: Living Courage, Dying For Honor: Celebrating Vietnam War USMC GSGT Charles "Chuck" Perkins: From Denny: Today is more than just that long needed holiday vacation with the family, fun backyard barbecues and country music festivals. It's one of those few days of the year that Americans come together to remember the fallen in our too many wars over the past few centuries of our young country.

Some of those wars were justified for the greater good to bring back world peace. Other wars spilled precious blood for nothing more than the Pentagon leaders' selfish need for personal glory and the just plain money-grubbing greed of business people: otherwise known as war profiteers.

Profiteers and War and Bad Politics

FYI, for those who don't remember or don't know: The Vietnam War was a proxy war between the U. S. and Russia. Russia backed North Vietnam and the U. S. backed South Vietnam.

"Feeding the Beast" of Russia with American Money

Profiteers are still with us today, not just the Vietnam War era. Take a look at how our current day Pentagon is busy "feeding the military beast" of Russia. The latest nonsense is giving away half a billion dollars to the Russians in exchange for Russian rocket engines that you know Putin will sabotage. Come on, really? Putin is supposed to be under sanctions, and, yet, our Pentagon and Congress find a way to feed his ailing economy another $500 million??? The sanctions won't work as long as the Pentagon, Congress and Wall Street cockroach around them...

GO HERE to read full post. It's a real eye-opener: A Truth Journal: Our Freedom: Living Courage, Dying For Honor: Celebrating Vietnam War USMC GSGT Charles "Chuck" Perkins

Military Sacrifice Shower Curtain

"No sacrifice is ever left behind or forgotten - thank you." - denny lyon

A Truth Journal: LSU: Should A College Athletic Director Be Allowed to Leverage A Sports Commentator To Run a Power Play to Get Rid of a Coach?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 18:29:00 +0000

Coach Miles carried off the LSU field after victory over Texas A & M. Source: Crystal LoGiudice/USA TODAY Sports

A Truth Journal: LSU: Should A College Athletic Director Be Allowed to Leverage A Sports Commentator To Run a Power Play to Get Rid of a Coach?: From Denny: "Hey, I've got an idea; let's leverage this guy Booger McFarland, sports commentator from ESPN and SEC Nation, to be our mouthpiece. He's already made it clear he is willing to do anything and say anything as mean as possible. You know he doesn't have any integrity. He's one of us, he he. He can slander Coach Les Miles and call for his firing, promoting our weak reasons for why he has to go," says Athletic Director Joe Alleva to a few disgruntled members on the LSU Board of Supervisors and a few wealthy boosters.

Alleva turned Booger loose to grind on the LSU Tigers and run down the brand of both the college and the coach, believing that was a great strategy to get rid of Coach Miles. After all, Booger bragged he "is great friends with Athletic Director Joe Alleva and LSU President King Alexander."

"Yeah, and let's hide our nasty strategy from the majority of the LSU Board of Supervisors. Let's keep them in the dark until we have to tell them. They don't need to know until we have whipped up public sentiment so negative we can easily get rid of Coach Miles. They never need to find out our game plan until after the coach is gone. We can brag about what we did and celebrate then. Agreed?" promises the few conniving members on the LSU Board of Supervisors to Alleva, Alexander and each other, hoping to contain the truth from seeing daylight.

Of course, their nasty plan backfired because of both LSU fan push back and political pressure demanding they quit being Stuck on Stupid immediately.

Hats Off Noel Snow Burlap Throw Pillow

These were the idiots that decided it would be good business to run down the LSU brand - to which in the public's mind Coach Les Miles is so strongly attached - and run down the very successful football program. Weren't any of these clueless guys aware that LSU's football program is one of the very few profitable college programs in the entire nation? Why would any person with a brain and an ounce of emotional maturity be Stuck on Stupid and blow up the profits to the state?

And who installed these fools on the LSU Board of Supervisors? It's past due time that these pot stirrers - with no business sense - get kicked off the LSU Board. Gov. elect John Bel Edwards will be in office in early January. He needs to seriously find some better candidates to replace those diva pot stirrers and fast.

"Well, guys, if this blows up in our faces my fingerprints were never on it," declares scared stick LSU President F. King Alexander, "It's on you, Joe."

Yeah, Alexander was in on the plot as well because he never came out and spoke to the public or the press in support of Coach Miles for well over a week while Miles roasted over the open pit of public and media speculation. Clearly, Alexander and those few LSU Board members hoped Coach Miles would despair at getting savaged that he would feel compelled to resign. Coach Miles handled the heat and stayed in that hot kitchen to the bitter end, winning public support, forcing the LSU Board, Alexander and Alleva to relent...

A Truth Journal: LSU: Should A College Athletic Director Be Allowed to Leverage A Sports Commentator To Run a Power Play to Get Rid of a Coach?

Related Articles on how this mess all started:

LSU Saw The Light To Keep Coach Les Miles. Political Pressure and Fan Pushback Brought It About

Idiot Gridiron Club Boosters Fire Winning LSU Coach Les Miles

Hats Off Noel Snow Woven Blanket

You are the greatest gift of all: Merry Christmas!

A Truth Journal: Russia: What Is Putin REALLY Doing in Syria?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 16:02:00 +0000

Shaking hands reluctantly: Putin, left and Obama, right/AP photo

A Truth Journal: Russia: What Is Putin REALLY Doing in Syria?: From Denny: You know when Putin is desperate for money - and for international cover - when he comes to the U. S. acting like he is bosom pals with President Obama. Of course, the real reason he was meeting with Obama - after two years of absence because he was pouting - was to see if Obama was clueless as to what Putin was about to do in Syria. Putin was satisfied that Obama was indeed unaware and easily fooled.

Putin took that as a sign he could pee on Obama and so he did. Well, that was stupid because Obama does not forget or forgive easily. It might take Obama some time for retaliation but he will do something Putin will really fear.

As to Syria you really have to wonder where the hell is the Arab League in this terrorism-civil war drama? Why is it the Middle East expects and blames the U. S. and the EU for not doing enough to stop Russia? Seriously? Why are the Middle Eastern countries not doing enough to stop Russia and IS? It's their back yard. Why don't the Middle East countries devise their own no-fly zone? Why should it be the U. S. and the EU to do their job? "Da ya think?" it has something to do with Middle East wars are money pits with no good outcome seen for decades?

Just because Putin has recently met with the EU countries about Ukraine doesn't mean a thing. France and Germany and others seem to be convinced of a deadly strategy: Let's cater to a psychopathic dictator and not complain about what Putin is doing in Syria at this conference. We will complain outside of this Ukraine conference as France did. Seriously? Putin sees the EU as weak and easy to manipulate, a psychopath's dream... A Truth Journal: Russia: What Is Putin REALLY Doing in Syria?

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Recent Articles:

Brian Williams Returns to the MSNBC Newsroom: Welcome Back!

Why is Trump Catching on Fire? What Would His Cabinet Look Like? The Hilarious Lowdown

GOP and Rubio 2016: Women Should Suck It Up And Enjoy Results of Rape And Incest?

Hey, DNI Clapper: Demand Agency Heads Change Profile of IC Hiring To Get Real Productivity

Funny Late Nite Jokes: About Putin and Russia Attacking Ukraine

2016: Funny Jokes About Hypocrite Ted Cruz Running for President

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Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 16:17:00 +0000

Photo: Cynthia Campbell

Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links: From Denny: Louisiana is fond of food competitions and New Orleans attracts the top chefs who are willing to compete for charity events and industry competition too. This tasty recipe competed in a New Orleans Wine and Food Experience competition, developed by Pastry Chef Erin Swanson, Restaurant R’evolution, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the 2014 desserts category silver medal winner. All those lucky tasters were found returning for seconds of this delicious simple cake!...

... To satisfy your foodie curiosity here's what the other medal winners were cooking and the New Orleans restaurants from which they hail are linked so you can go visit and check out their stellar menus: ...

Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links

Sleep Majesty King Duvet

Sleep Majesty: Restful, blissful, restorative sleep reigns supreme to pump up our attitude to take on a new day! Easy to coordinate with other patterns!

Check out what other products besides bedding are available in this design.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new! Also note that I leave up all my designs from year to year so you have the security knowing that you can purchase as your budget permits to coordinate a room.

Labor Day, Football Tailgating: Check Out Some New Drinks, Appetizer Cheesy Zucchini No-Fry Fries with Smoked Paprika Dip Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Photo: Matthew Mead/AP

From Denny: Ready to try something new for the Labor Day weekend and tailgating season? Audition it on Labor Day and check out your reviews, and, if all goes well, you have some winners for the tailgating season. I know. I know. The conventional wisdom is that you are not supposed to audition something new on your guests but my crowd likes to review. Come on; put a little risk into your life!

I usually cook up standards I know most people enjoy and then introduce a couple of new things for review and comment. It's a conversation starter and since my friends tend to be as opinionated as myself, well, they enjoy weighing in. They even make suggestions to kick it up, tone it down or variations that I might not have considered. Since I value their input it's all done in good fun. For my guests to take home I also make copies of the new recipes with space for them to make notes while we discuss the food.

The first two drinks up for consideration are old standards with new twists: a Planter's Punch and a Bloody Mary. The new twist for the Planter's Punch is that it has some added Camus Cognac with the apple cider, apple juice and pineapple juice. The new twist for the Bloody Mary is the addition of Lucid Absinthe with the spicy bloody mary mix, worchestershire sauce, horseradish, black pepper, celery salt and garlic salt. These two drinks come from Niccole Trzaska at The Liberty Bar in New York City.

This appetizer recipe is from Chef Sara Moulton, one of the busiest TV chefs. Check out this link to her site for online cooking classes, links to her TV shows and awesome easy recipes. Sara has enjoyed a long career: a 25-year stint at Gourmet magazine (which had a run from 1941 - 2009), hosted several Food Network shows for a decade, hosts public TV's "Sara's Weeknight Meals" and has written three cookbooks, one of which is "Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners." Whew! All while raising her own family. It's no wonder she specializes in quick and easy food.

Sara developed this tasty zucchini fries recipe as a way to use up all those crazy zucchini multiplying in your garden and on the grocer's shelves at the end of summer. Sara says, "What if I told you there's a way to transform the whole lot of them [zucchini] into a delicious dish resembling french fries, but without all the calories?" Well, she has my attention. How about you? Sara continues, "The secret involves cutting your zucchini into fry-like sticks, then cooking them in a way that delivers that signature crunch but without the deep-frying."

To get that toasted taste and golden color for the breaded zucchini without deep frying, you start by toasting up some panko breadcrumbs in a dry skillet. Sara also advises to pay attention to which cheese grater you use: a fine wand-style grater has two-thirds more volume than if you grate the cheese on the fine side of a box grater. Sara used a wand-style cheese grater that produced 5 Tablespoons of grated cheese in this recipe. If you use the box grater you will only need 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons of grated cheese. Who knew?

The usual basic breading technique is employed to get the crumb mixture glued to the zucchini sticks: dip first in flour, then the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs. Sara advises that if you skip the flour then the crumbs have a tendency to fall off. Stick to the recipe and don't deviate on this step.

For entertaining this recipe is a good one because you can stop at the breading stage an hour ahead of time, parking the breaded zucchini on a cookie cooling rack just before dinner or when you want to serve at the party. The cooling rack keeps air circulating around the zucchini sticks so they don't get soggy. When you are ready to bake, transfer the zucchini sticks to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

The dipping sauce is a kicked up aioli, a garlic mayonnaise. Sara added extra lemon juice to cut the sweetness of the commercial mayonnaise and some smoked paprika. Who doesn't love smoked paprika? It's definitely a standard at our house. I can get downright cranky if my local grocer is found to have an empty space on that spice shelf. Of course, the remedy I've used many times, as I am not one to be denied - is to buy regular paprika and mix it in with what's left of the smoked paprika. It doesn't take but a couple of days for the small amount of smoked paprika to influence and infuse the regular paprika for a lighter smoked taste. It's also a way to cut the price of smoked paprika if you are on a budget but still want to enjoy.

So, check out some new cocktails for entertaining and a new appetizer twist on the humble but plentiful zucchini! Be sure to check at the end of the post for links to more recipe posts...

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Photo: Lucid Absinthe

Bloody Hail Mary

Serves: 1

From: Niccole Trzaska, The Liberty Bar, 29 West 35th Street, New York City, NY 10001

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ozs. Lucid Absinthe
4 ozs. spicy bloody mary mix
4 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon horseradish
1/4 Tablespoon pepper
1/4 Tablespoon celery salt
1/4 Tablespoon garlic salt
Olive, pepperoncini and lime wedge, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a pint glass add ice, Lucid Absinthe, bloody mary mix, Worcestershire Sauce, horseradish, pepper, celery salt and garlic salt.

2. Shake and garnish with an olive, pepperoncini and lime wedge.

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Photo: Melissa Punch/Harvard Common Press 2009

Punter’s Punch

Serves: 6

From: Niccole Trzaska, The Liberty Bar, 29 West 35th Street, New York City, NY 10001

Recent Yelp reviews of The Liberty Bar.

Ingredients:

6 ozs. Camus VS Elegance Cognac

24 ozs. apple cider

16 ozs. apple juice

8 ozs. pineapple juice

Red apple slices, for garnish

Directions:

Add all ingredients except apple slices into a punch bowl with ice. Stir. Add red apple slices for garnish.

Photo: Matthew Mead/AP

Cheesy Zucchini Fries With Smoked Paprika Dipping Sauce

Serves: 4

From: Chef Sara Moulton, check out her site for recipes, online cooking classes, TV shows

Ingredients:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

5 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and ground black pepper

1 large egg, beaten lightly with 1 tbl. water

3/4 lb. zucchini, peeled and cut into 16 equal sticks

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 450 F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the panko, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl and stir in the cheese and the oil.

3. In another shallow bowl, combine the flour with the garlic powder, then season it with salt and pepper. In a third shallow bowl, place the egg mixture.

4. Working with several zucchini sticks at a time, toss them in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add the flour-coated zucchini to the egg mixture and toss to coat well, letting the excess egg drip off. Finally, place them in the panko mixture, tossing to make sure they are coated well on all sides. Arrange the fully coated zucchini sticks in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake, turning once, until golden and tender, about 8 minutes.

6. While the zucchini is baking, in a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic and paprika. Season with and salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cooked zucchini lightly with salt and pepper, then transfer to a platter and serve immediately with the sauce.

Nutrition information per serving: 290 calories (120 calories from fat = 41 percent of total calories); 14 grams fat (3 grams saturated; 0 grams trans fats); 55 milligrams cholesterol; 34 grams carbohydrate (2 grams fiber; 3 grams sugar); 10 grams protein; 500 milligrams sodium.

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Super Simple Breakfast: Texas Hash, Sausage and Egg Casserole, More Casserole Links

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Photo: Sausage Egg Casserole from AllRecipes.com

From Denny: Going to the beach for Labor Day? Company coming and you are wondering what is easy to cook up for a hungry crowd? Here are a couple of easy recipes for breakfast any time of the day. They are also the kind of flexible recipes that you can add some of your favorite ingredients or seasonings to your taste.

Texas Hash is so simple for breakfast, lunch or a quick dinner. It's a great recipe for using up pre-cooked rice. This recipe calls for cooking the rice ahead of time. If you are going to the beach you could easily pre-cook the rice, package it up to make the dish later so it would not take long to complete the cooking. This Texas Hash is made with ground beef instead of the traditional leftover roast beef or chuck roast which is also quite tasty.

Just brown up the ground beef - how about ground sirloin for extra awesome flavor? - add a chopped onion to saute. This recipe calls for browning the onion which I'm no fan of because it tends to give off a really strong burned taste to the dish. It's better to first brown the meat, turn down the heat and then slower saute the onion until soft and sweet.

Add the can of diced tomato - or take the time to add diced fresh beefsteak tomato. Season with a packet of taco seasoning. Of course, I would add extra garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin and some dried ginger to taste. We like a lot of spices in this part of the South. Serve with loads of shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite cheese like maybe some Parmesan or Romano or Asiago or Monterey Jack or even fresh Mexican cheese.

The Sausage and Egg Casserole is a safe bet for company visits when everyone is a bit tired from the trip. You can make this ahead of their arrival and bake the next morning. How simple and effortless is that? ...

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Choose your favorite bulk sausage. Jimmy Dean mild hot is available across the nation and we enjoy that brand at our house as much as the local Louisiana brands. Make sure you greased your 9-inch x 13-inch pan before getting all involved in making this dish. Yes, there are those of us who can get distracted while answering questions from kids and hungry spouses and multitasking by feeding the cat and dog bugging us for treats, well, you know who you all are.

Just cook the rice - or set aside the pre-cooked rice - as you start browning up the sausage. While this recipe calls for browning the onion, at my house we prefer to turn down the heat and slowly saute the onion until it is soft and sweet. We also use a sweet onion for this recipe and people will swear you put sugar in the dish when you didn't!

If you are using bread slices then slather with the softened margarine/clarified butter. Me? Shortcut Annie here would take about a half loaf of French bread and slice and dice into cubes to fill the pan, pouring melted clarified butter all over it. Why overwork yourself with all that careful technical slathering, right? :)

Place those buttered bread cubes all over the bottom of the greased pan. Sprinkle the browned sausage, sauteed onions and your favorite shredded cheese all over the top.

Beat well together the eggs, half and half, dry mustard and salt. Pour over the sausage, onion and cheese mixture. Think layers: buttered bread cubes layer, sausage-onion-cheese layer and then eggs-half-n-half-spices layer.

Chill in the pan for at least 8 hours. Make the night before you go to bed, let it sit in the fridge until the next morning. Bake for 40 minutes and discover a fresh, fragrant and relatively quick hot meal while you make and serve coffee for the slow to wake up and get the conversation started for the day. Since it's a one dish meal there is also less clean up so you can all blow out faster to get to that beautiful beach! Happy Labor Day!

Listed below are some of my latest recipe postings. Following that are also more links to different versions of this sausage and egg casserole I found up on AllRecipes.com which looked interesting and thought you might like to give a try when you are craving something different.

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Texas Hash

Serves: 6 to 8

From: Christa Wilborn, cardiac nurse, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice

1 onion, chopped

1 lb. ground beef

1 (28-oz.) can diced tomato

1 (1-oz.) pkg. taco seasoning

Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package directions or use pre-cooked rice.

2. Brown onion. Add ground beef and brown.

3. Add remainder of ingredients and cook, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve with cheese.

Sausage and Egg Casserole

Serves: 6 to 8

From: Christa Wilborn, cardiac nurse, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ingredients:

2 - 1 lb. bulk sausage

6 slices bread/French bread has more texture

Softened margarine/clarified butter

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

5 eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions:

1. Cook sausage until done, stirring to crumble. Drain and set aside.

2. Spread each slice of bread with margarine. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in 9-inch-by-13-inch greased pan. Sprinkle with sausage and cheese.

3. Combine remaining ingredients. Beat well and pour over the mixture in the pan. Chill at least 8 hours. Bake at 350 F. for 40 minutes.

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Breakfast: Easy Simple French Toast Casserole

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Not ready for the world before your cup of joe? Quit hissing, COFFEE's brewing!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!

From AllRecipes enjoy taking a look at other breakfast casseroles:

Grits, Sausage, and Egg Casserole

Sausage Egg Casserole with Monterey Jack cheese, green chile peppers

Easy Strata and Variations with cheddar cheese, mushrooms, green onions and loads of ham

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Strata

Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Tellang's Breakfast Casserole with Gouda cheese

Breakfast Casserole III with potatoes and Cheddar cheese

Country Sunday Breakfast Casserole with hash brown potatoes, Cheddar cheese and country gravy mix

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Summer Food: Raspberry Almond Cheesecake Tartlets

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 18:24:00 +0000

Photo by Helana Brigman

From Denny: Do you enjoy cheesecake but want an easier way to make it? Then this recipe is for you. I like cheesecake too but find it too large for just two of us to eat and too time consuming to make unless I plan on entertaining a hungry crowd.

A springform pan is an absolute must to make a proper cheesecake - and the patience of a saint to leave the oven door cracked open as it slowly cools down for hours so you can hopefully avoid it cracking straight down the middle like an ugly scar. Usually, I've been pretty lucky over the years. Of course, when I wasn't lucky it was evident that a wonderful fruit topping like blueberry or strawberry could hide a multitude of sins just like gravy on a screwed up dinner. :)

Well, this recipe from food writer Helana Brigman is for the cheesecake challenged and the impatient. You make this cheesecake in mini tartlets pans that are individual portions in just bite sized pieces rather than a huge honking slice of 6,000 calories like you get served at the Cheesecake Bistro.

What's involved in this recipe is to first make a simple graham cracker crust you crush up in your food processor or blender. If you don't have that available then resort to the manual method of crushing graham crackers between two pieces of waxed paper using a pastry rolling pin.

If you are really desperate just use a heavy jar of applesauce or canned "something" to roll over the waxed paper. Yes, I have been wildly creative over the years, especially when the weather was too yucky to run out and get an ingredient that was missing or the electricity went out. During hurricanes it's easy to get bored so you start working on what you can for a meal until the electricity comes back on to finish it.

The cheese filling could not be simpler: cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and lemon zest.

The fruit glaze is made with fresh ripe strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice that you heat up in a nonstick pan. If you don't like nonstick pans like I don't then use a double boiler. Just place medium high heated water in bottom pot that is turned down to a slow simmer and place a smaller pot or even a pasta bowl on top to heat your ingredients. Just be careful as you remove the cooked fruit glaze from the bottom pot because the steam can burn you.

Assemble by lightly spraying your tartlet pans with oil or rub with a little soft butter. Press the crushed graham cracker crumb mixture until you line the sides well. Bake the crust. Make your cheese filling and spread over the cooled crusts. Make your fruit glaze, cool it, and then spread onto the tartlets. There will be leftover fruit glaze you can enjoy on your pancakes or ice cream. Rinse your raspberries and arrange in the center of the tartlets with sprinkles of sliced almonds all along the outside edges in a ring.

Now contain yourself and any sticky fingers in the house! Chill the assembled tartlets for three hours before serving. If you plan to keep them overnight - or if they survive that long at your house - then be sure to cover with plastic wrap to prevent them from losing moisture or absorbing any possible refrigerator odors.

Yes, you can enjoy making cheesecake at home with this easy recipe! Try it with different fruits like blueberry or peaches...

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Photo by Helana Brigman

Raspberry Almond Cheesecake Tartlets

Makes: 6 (4.75-inch) tartlets

From: Helana Brigman, a regular contributor to The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Check out her stellar food blog here for daily recipes!

Crust

6 sheets graham crackers, broken up and crumbled

3 to 4 teaspoons water

2 Tablespoons vanilla

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Cooking spray

Filling

1 (8-oz.) package regular cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Fruit glaze

2 cups strawberries, hulled

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups raspberries

3 Tablespoons sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Process broken graham crackers in food processor until the consistency of crumbs.

3. Add water, vanilla extract and melted butter to graham cracker crumbs, pulsing to combine.

4. Lightly coat six 4.75-inch tartlet pans with cooking spray. Spoon 3 tablespoons graham cracker crust into each pan. Press down with a tablespoon, making sure that the bottom is properly lined and so are the sides.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.

6. Prepare filling: In a standing mixer, mix cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Spread evenly over crusts.

6. Prepare the fruit glaze: Quarter strawberries and purée in a food processor. Transfer strawberries to a nonstick skillet, mixing in sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Warm glaze over medium-high heat until simmering, whisking the entire time. Remove from heat and cool.

7. Spoon strawberry purée over tartlets and smooth. Use leftover purée for ice cream or another dish.

8. Wash raspberries and arrange over the tartlets. Take almonds and sprinkle along the sides (outer edge) of the tartlets. Refrigerate for three hours before serving or removing from tartlet pan. The tartlets keep well overnight, but make sure to cover in plastic wrap so that they don’t lose moisture.

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Breakfast: Easy Simple French Toast Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 23:04:00 +0000

The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND

From Denny: Whether it's the holidays, a busy summer when the kids are out of school or company came to visit, we all need something fast and simple to put together that's a crowd pleaser. This simple easy to assemble breakfast casserole fits that bill!

All the ingredients required are a loaf of good French bread, a full 8 ounces of your favorite brand of cream cheese, milk, maple syrup, butter, sugar and eggs. Add fresh fruit to serve and it's that easy!

Usually when a recipe calls for sugar I often substitute agave syrup or brown rice syrup or even molasses. If you don't like or can enjoy cow's milk why not substitute almond milk? When butter is in a recipe I choose to clarify it just because we love the extra boost of flavor at our house from browning and filtering out the milk solids - as well as the added health benefits. You could use margarine in this recipe as a substitute too. And, to gild the lily, why not add a few shakes of nutmeg and/or cinnamon, some chopped pecans or walnuts before baking? Yeah, Flavor Town is the name at our house...

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The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND

French Toast Casserole

Serves: 8

From: Jeanne Partin in the cookbook “Cooking Up a Legacy of Faith” that is published by St. John’s Rosary Altar Society of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Zachary, Louisiana, available for purchase for $20 each from the church office. Call (225) 654-5778 for information.

Ingredients:

1 loaf French bread, cut into about 1-inch cubes

8 ounces cream cheese, cubed

8 eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup sugar

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

Additional maple syrup, if desired

Fresh fruit, for serving

Directions:

1. Cut bread into cubes. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Lightly grease 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with butter.

2. Place half of the bread in the baking dish along with the cream cheese cubes. Top with the rest of the bread.

3. In mixing bowl add eggs, milk, maple syrup and melted butter. Whisk together until eggs are well blended. Pour over the top of the bread cubes.

4. Press down with a spatula until all the bread is wet. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2-24 hours.

5. Bake uncovered, in preheated 325 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with fresh fruit of your choice.

Note: The newly published “Cooking Up a Legacy of Faith” cookbook is available for purchase for $20 each from the church office. Call (225) 654-5778 for information.

Be sure to check second hand book sellers like ebay for previously owned copies. Many times people buy these cookbooks to support their church and then never really use them so they are often in pristine condition.

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Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

From Denny: This sheet pan cake of creamy goodness only requires two cups of fresh blueberries. First you make a simple syrup of water and sugar, add cornstarch to thicken, then add the blueberries. Set the blueberry topping aside to cool while you create the crust.

The crust is a yummy combination of finely chopped pecans, butter and flour that you pat into the sheet pan and bake for about 10 to 20 minutes to make your tasty crust. Set aside to cool.

To make your filling you combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar together and when that is well combined you add in the whipped topping, pouring it into the cooled crust.

After the blueberry topping has cooled then pour over the cream cheese-powdered sugar-whipping topping mixture. Now set the sheet pan of blueberry goodness into the fridge to chill well. Serve to screams of total delight!

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Blueberry Yum Yum Cake

Makes: 9-inch-by-13-inch cake

From: Cliff Muller, Berry Sweet Orchards in Ethel, Louisiana. Check out my 2011 post where I featured this recipe previously to read up on this blueberry grower.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water, divided

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup flour

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (9-oz.) container whipped topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Combine blueberries, 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Combine remaining water and cornstarch, add to blueberries and cook until thickened. Set aside.

3. Combine flour, margarine (or butter) and pecans. Pat mixture into a 9-inch x 13-inch pan and bake 10 to 20 minutes, or until light brown. Cool.

4. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together, then add whipped topping and pour over cooled crust. Pour blueberry mixture over cream cheese layer and refrigerate.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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Summer Food: Cream Cheese Pastry Blueberry-Apple Cobbler and Traditional Blueberry Cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 18:35:00 +0000

The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND

From Denny: Blueberries. The awesome blue food we all love. So, I went hunting for something interesting in the cobbler department for us this week. The first recipe is from our local newspaper, a blueberry cobbler made with a cream cheese pastry and a filling that consists of a combination of blueberries, apple and lemon. A cream cheese pastry always tastes great with a fruit filling, especially blueberries! It's a simple and straightforward pastry recipe with flour, salt and butter but also with cream cheese and a bit of orange juice added to the pastry to spike up the flavor.

The filling calls for fresh blueberries, an apple and lemon juice and lemon zest. While this recipe calls for sugar I often substitute brown rice syrup or agave syrup in its place for a lower glycemic index than refined white sugar. Try it half sugar and half agave as an idea, whatever you like at your house, just try experimenting until you find that sweet spot Goldilocks zone for your taste buds!

The second recipe is a traditional blueberry cobbler made in a 9-inch square baking pan like you do for brownies and is from a local Louisiana blueberry grower. When a recipe calls for margarine, well, I'm no fan of margarine, so I use clarified butter. If you don't have the time to make your own clarified butter it's now available in grocery stores as I saw a jar in Trader Joe's just last week.

Also note that I use "Tablespoon" and "teaspoon" as an easier read so you don't get confused by small type - by writing it out instead of an abbreviation and also capitalizing Tablespoon. There have been those moments when I was busy and scan read a recipe only to make a mistake with too much or too little of an ingredient so I changed all my recipes to reflect what I do here on my food blogs. The whole point is to enjoy a good food experience!

Oh, and the Denny Lyon Gifts ads are from my Cafe Press store. The profits go to my two favorite charities: the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank that feeds half of Louisiana and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital that has helped thousands of children on the Gulf Coast. After all, should anyone go hungry in America? Should any parent have to emotionally stress and experience financial ruin because their child got sick? Thank you to those of you supporting my gift store effort!...

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The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND

Good Blueberry Cobbler

Serves: 8

From: Corinne Cook, food writer @ The Advocate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "This handwritten recipe has been in my blueberry file for years. It is a delicious cobbler with the bits of apple in with the blueberries, all tucked inside a cream cheese pastry dough. The pastry is made in the food processor. The cobbler part is thin but delicious, especially when you get a bite of the pastry with the berries. It’s not overly sweet."

Pastry

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) plus 1 Tablespoon for topping

1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, room temperature

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 Tablespoons orange juice

Directions:

1. Add butter and cream cheese to food processor bowl. Measure flour and salt, whisk together and set aside.

2. Process butter and cream cheese in food processor until mixture is well blended and smooth. Add the flour and salt mixture and process just until it’s pebbly.

3. Add orange juice and process with on and off motion until mixture forms a ball. Remove from processor. Wrap ball in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the fruit filling.

Filling

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

1 cup sugar

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice or slivers

Juice from 1/2 lemon, about 1 Tablespoon

Zest from 1 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream, whipped cream or ice cream for topping, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In heavy saucepan, add blueberries, sugar, diced apple, lemon juice and zest. Bring to a boil and continue cooking at a medium boil for 10 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, stir and remove from heat. The filling will be thin or soupy. Set aside.

3. Remove pastry from refrigerator and divide it in two — make one ball a little larger than the other.

4. Butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish or bowl. Using your fingertips, flatten out the ball to make a disc and then press the pastry to cover bottom and partially up the sides of the bowl to within 1-inch of the top.

5. Pour filling into prepared bowl.

6. Roll out or pat the remaining pastry over waxed or parchment paper. Cut into strips, rounds or free form shapes. Place that dough over the top of the cobbler (using all the dough). Dot top with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; cut into pieces.

7. Place cobbler in preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until pastry is cooked and light brown.

8. Serve with cream, whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Traditional Blueberry Cobbler

Serves: 8

From: Cliff Muller, Berry Sweet Orchards in Ethel, Louisiana , local blueberry grower. Also, check out my 2011 post about Cliff's blueberry orchard and a recipe.

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup milk

5 Tablespoons margarine or butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in medium-size bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs and milk.

3. Melt margarine in 9-inch square baking pan. Remove from oven; immediately pour batter over hot, melted margarine. Spoon blueberry mixture over batter.

4. Bake 40 - 45 minutes until puffy and brown. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream. Serve warm.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Photo: The Advocate/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

From Denny: This is an easy to assemble cake, practically a dump cake after you add together the dry ingredients and milk. You pour the melted butter over the batter without stirring and layer loads of blueberries on top and then bake to get this marbling effect.

Make sure you are using aluminum free baking powder, an easy find at most grocery stores these days and always at health food stores like Trader Joe's. You could also substitute agave syrup for the white sugar to lower the glycemic index. I'm considering trying it with brown rice syrup to see how it performs so I'll let you know later how that turns out. (First we have to finish off my experiment with a rice pudding recipe that came out quite well.)

While this recipe calls for Louisiana blueberries there are plenty of other blueberry growers with very delicious berries in Texas, Mississippi and California and other states too. Since blueberries have grown in popularity more farmers have turned to growing them. Get what is local to you so the berries will be fresh. Buy USA berries which supports workers and farmers in America.

This is a small pan cake (9" x 9") so it is suitable for just a snack for a few friends or a couple of people who regularly cook for two - with leftovers. Oh, that's too bad, you mean there might be more to enjoy for breakfast? This would be wonderful at tea time or a coffee break snack at the office or home as this little cake will travel well for picnics and gatherings too. It would even taste great chilled for the hot summer weather. Blueberries are awesome and healthy!

Oh, and a big thank you to those of you supporting Denny Lyon Gifts by purchasing products like aprons, t-shirts, pillows, bedding and mugs. My profits (paid by Cafe Press) go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank here in Louisiana that basically feeds half of the state and also to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, two of my favorite charities that help a lot of children. Who should go hungry in America? Who should experience financial ruin because your child gets sick? So, I started up my small store at Cafe Press for some creative fun of designing and to give to these charities. So, again, thank you for your support. You guys rock!...

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Photo: The Advocate/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

Small Blueberry Cake

Makes: one 9 x 9-inch cake

From: Carmen Kundler in “The Best of Louisiana” Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry recipe booklet. Not available online at this time because I sure have looked for it to give a link.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1 cup fresh Louisiana blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Melt butter in a 9 x 9-inch pan.

3. In medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar and baking powder.

4. Add milk and stir. Pour into pan and pour over melted butter — do not stir.

5. Evenly pour berries on top.

6. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until browned. Best when served hot.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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Check out awesome Louisiana eating: oysters, shrimp, crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!

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Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Advocate photo/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

From Denny: Could this week get any hotter? With 100 degree highs and a 115 degree heat index this summer is turning out to be a real scorcher. It brings to mind a Downton Abbey episode when Lord Grantham was arm-twisted by the women of the family to quit drinking for six months until his health issue was confirmed or denied: "Good God, man! Steady on!" Any time we don't like something or want to complain at our house that's our new go-to phrase for laughs.

Cooling summer desserts come to mind when the weather is uncooperatively too hot. In fact, before the age of air conditioning it was custom to never eat a hot meal. The vegetables were as cold as the meats on the plate. You still see some of that mindset in places like Greece where the concept of a hot vegetable is considered strange. They boil their vegetables and then chill them before even considering offering them to a guest or family. With this kind of outrageous weather the idea sounds good! It certainly takes the stress off the body for getting too hot.

What?! You've heard enough about the ridiculous hot weather and Greek culture? How about this easy recipe that is kid friendly too that the family could help with this one. This one is easy to assemble as it involves a purchased angel food cake torn into chunks, cream cheese (whipped or not), sweetened condensed milk, a box of Jell-O vanilla pudding, whipping cream, toasted pecans (Louisiana pecans, if you can get them, because they sure are wonderful) and a honking huge quart of fresh blueberries. Remember, this trifle does serve 10 to 12 people. Enjoy!...

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Lucy Name Canvas Lunch Tote

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Advocate photo/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

Blueberry Heaven

Serves: 10-12

From: Cherie Chassaignac, whose family is a blueberry grower.

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) container of cream cheese or whipped cream cheese

½ cup powdered sugar

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (3.4-ounce) Jell-O brand vanilla pudding prepared - use only 1 cup in the recipe

1 pint whipping cream, whipped and divided

1 angel food cake (torn or cut into bite-size pieces)

1 quart fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried, divided

1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional for topping)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, using a whisk, beat cream cheese and sugar together.

2. Add condensed milk and 1 cup of the prepared pudding; whisking well.

3. Gently fold in half of the whipped cream.

4. Layer in a trifle bowl: Cake, cream cheese mixture, 3 cups blueberries, remainder of whipped cream and remaining 1 cup fresh blueberries. Top with toasted pecans if desired.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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Summer Food: Blueberry Lemonade To Beat The Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

2TheAdvocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND

From Denny: Blue food. It's pretty to look at and cooling in this summer heat. Blueberries are the very essence of summer. Did you know the silvery bloom on blueberries is a naturally protective waxy coating?

Most people don't wash them until just when ready to eat. Well, that doesn't work in our house so I pour a large bowl of water, add about 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar and let the entire plastic box and blueberries soak for about 5 minutes to kill bacteria. Drain the entire box well, dry off a bit with a towel and throw back into the fridge. Usually, a reputable grocery store - and even from the farm - they give the berries a quick vinegar wash to brush off leaves and bugs.

We all like to dine on blueberries by the handfuls as snacks, toss them on to the breakfast cereal or yogurt and make breakfast muffins. Here's a new twist: how about blueberries in your homemade lemonade?

This interesting recipe (from our local newspaper food writer) combines two fruit syrups: a blueberry syrup and a lemon syrup. You only use the blueberry syrup to color the lemonade to your preference. The remaining blueberry syrup can be used on pancakes, waffles, toast or even in salad dressings. OK, you got me, this lemonade is so doggone pretty! Great idea for summer entertaining...

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The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND

Grandma’s Blueberry Lemonade

Serves: 6 - 8

From: Corinne Cook, food writer @ TheAdvocate newspaper, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "Lemonade starts with a base of lemony simple syrup then the fresh lemon juice and cold water are added to make the beverage. The pink color is from the blueberry syrup. The extra blueberry syrup can be used in salad dressings or over pancakes."

Blueberry Syrup

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

In small saucepan, combine blueberries, water and sugar. Bring to boil, reduce heat to slow boil and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until juicy. Remove from heat, strain and press juice from berries into small dish. Set aside to cool.

Lemonade Base

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

Yellow rind of 2 lemons (remove all pith then chop into large pieces)

1 cup fresh lemon juice (5 or 6 lemons)

4 cups cold water

Ice

Lemon slices for garnish or mint sprig

Sugared rim of glass, optional

Directions:

1. In small saucepan, bring sugar, water and rind of 2 lemons in saucepan to boil. Stir, reduce heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved; about 1 minute. Remove rind then set aside to cool.

3. When syrup is cool, add fresh lemon juice and 4 cups cold water.

4. Add some of the blueberry syrup to the pitcher of lemonade to desired color. Taste for sweetness.

5. To serve, fill glasses with ice and pour cold lemonade over ice.

6. Garnish pitcher or glass with lemon slice or mint.

7. For a sugared glass rim: Rub glass rim with cut lemon slice then dip glass rim in a small plate of sugar to which a bit of finely minced mint is added; or mash 2 mint leaves in the sugar with the back of a teaspoon to release some of the oil into the sugar. Remove the mint leaves before dipping glass edge into sugar.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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BBQ Grilling: 3 Tasty Compound Butters To Complement Your Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 16:18:00 +0000

AP photo/Matthew Mead -- Compound Butters

From Denny: Whether you are grilling or baking in the oven specially infused butters offer wonderful flavor choices to celebrate your food! Chef Sara Moulton is known for easy recipes that can be done at home with a minimum of fuss. She's also one of my favorite food teachers as she is so relaxed, giving even the novice cook a boost of confidence.

Her first recipe is for an herb butter. Do you have some favorite herbs that you just can't cook without? This recipe is all about your favorite combination of herbs, though she does suggest a few to get you started. While you could substitute a Vidalia sweet onion in place of shallots, well, shallots are that much sweeter, and, oh, so wonderfully flavorful so try to find them in your area. Shallots, a favorite of classically trained chefs, are usually in plentiful supply in the spring and summer months, often into autumn.

Are you more in the mood for a citrus butter? Chef Moulton combines the zest and juice of lemons and limes for a sublime summer taste that everyone will enjoy.

How about something more substantial for those manly men who enjoy a great grilled steak? Oh, this recipe is for you! Combine this steak butter with Dijon mustard, a fresh finely minced garlic clove and Worchestershire sauce (we prefer Lea & Perrins at our house though you could use the brand you like),

If you can't grill outside just use a grill pan on the stovetop to get those prized grill marks, turn it over and place it in the oven to finish. When ready to plate make sure the steak plate has been heating in the oven. Place a large slice of this steak butter onto the plate and then place the steak on top of the butter. Talk about awesome taste as the butter melts on the very hot plate, spilling out like a gravy for your steak! That's the method all the old steakhouses of the 1940's and 1950's used before restaurants went to open charcoal or wood fired grilling.

The beauty of all these butters is that all you have to do is roll them into logs and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze until ready to use. Just slice off the amount you need and return it to the freezer. How simple is that? You can make these up way ahead of when you will need them.

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AP photo/Matthew Mead -- Compound Butters

Compound Butters

Makes: 2 sticks

From: Chef Sara Moulton. Here are three delicious variations on compound butter. Pick your ingredient mix, then follow the instructions.

Herb Butter

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened

2 teaspoons minced shallots

3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, dill, chives, parsley, basil or a mix

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Citrus Butter

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Steak Butter

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, use a fork or a rubber spatula to combine all ingredients, mixing well.

2. On the counter, spread 2 sheets of plastic wrap, each 10 to 12 inches long. Transfer one half of the butter to each sheet and use a plastic spatula to shape the butter into a log about 6 inches long and 1 inch thick. Wrap the plastic wrap around the butter, using it to smooth the log, then twist the ends in (like a sausage) until the log is about 4 inches long by 1 1/2 inches thick.

3. Wrap the log of butter in foil and chill or freeze until you are ready to use it. Cut off tablespoons and place on grilled steaks, chicken, fish or vegetables.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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BBQ Grilling: Try Grilled Summer Cooling Puttanesca Gazpacho

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

AP photo/Matthew Mead

From Denny: Fancy a cold soup to counter the ridiculous hot heat of the summer? Gazpacho is everyone's favorite, especially when entertaining for large groups. This version involves grilling all those delicious veggies like red bell peppers, poblano peppers, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and a head of fresh garlic.

Let the charred peppers cool before removing the skins and the inside seeds and membranes. Squeeze the cooled soft garlic cloves out of their papery skins and into the food processor. Add the delicious flavors of capers, Kalamata olives, anchovies, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Make the soup as chunky or as smooth as you like. Chill well before serving. To serve, garnish with yummy ricotta cheese and fresh torn herbs like cilantro and basil. Then sit back and wait for the compliments to arrive!

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AP photo/Matthew Mead

Grilled Puttanesca Gazpacho

Serves: 6

From: AP/Alison Ladman, recipe developer and tester for Associated Press, a real foodie dream job! (Read the good article about her on her name link previously.) She is also owner of The Crust & Crumb in New Hampshire.

Alison Ladman is recipe developer for the Associated Press.
(Matthew Mead/Associated Press)

About this recipe Alison says: "Because you will set the entire can on the grill, select anchovies that come in an unpainted can. Alternatively, empty the content of the can onto a double layer of foil and fold to create a pouch."

Ingredients:

1 head garlic

Olive oil

2 poblano or Anaheim peppers

1 red bell pepper

2-ounce can anchovy fillets

6 large tomatoes

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into thick slices

2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup Kalamata olives

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Ricotta cheese, to serve

Torn fresh cilantro

Torn fresh basil

Directions:

1. Heat the grill as hot as possible. Have a rimmed baking sheet ready near the grill (one that has all four sides so juices don't drain off). As things finish grilling, you will transfer them to the baking sheet to cool.

2. Slice off and discard the top 1/2 inch of the garlic head, or just enough to barely expose the tops of each clove. Drizzle the head with olive oil, then wrap it in foil. Place on the grill and cook, turning frequently, for 30 minutes. Place the poblano and red bell peppers on the grill and cook, turning, until charred evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside.

3. Open the can of anchovies and place the can with the anchovies inside on the grill (or place the anchovies contents into a double folded pouch of aluminum foil and place on the grill). Heat for 8 minutes.

4. Cut the tomatoes in half, then grill for 10 to 12 minutes, or until charred. Grill the cucumber halves for 10 minutes, or until lightly charred. Grill the onion slices until charred and tender, about 8 minutes.

5. When everything has been grilled and moved to the baking sheet, gently rub off and discard the skins from the cooled poblano and bell peppers. Break open the peppers and discard the seeds. Place the flesh of the peppers in a food processor or blender. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their papery skins into the processor.

6. Cut the remaining vegetables — the tomatoes, cucumbers and onions — into manageable chunks and add them to the food processor, along with the warmed anchovies (with the oil), capers, olives and vinegar. Process until the soup is as smooth or chunky as you desire, adding water if the mixture is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. Chill. Serve topped with ricotta, cilantro and basil.

Nutrition information per serving: 170 calories; 60 calories from fat (35 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 730 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 9 g protein.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

AP photo: Matthew Mead -- Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

From Denny: This is a delicious unusual recipe twist for the popular sweet potato. We all know that goat cheese is a low salt and low fat alternative to the regular highly salted - OK, totally yummy - cheeses.

I've tried goat cheese as the soft melting quality cheese in my omelets and found it a bit sour in comparison to my favorite cheddar cheese but eventually created a medley of white cheddar, fontina or mozzarella in addition to just a touch of goat cheese for my favorite blending of flavors..

Yet that slightly tangy sour taste is the perfect healthy complement to the very sugary sticky sweet potato. This recipe also adds fresh thyme and olive oil for aromatic delight and lots of fresh garlic and butter for robust flavor. To sweeten it up a bit the zest of an entire orange is added for that citrus brightness that pairs so very well with sweet potato!

It's advised you slice the sweet potato in thick chunks so it is easy for the thick smear of cheese, oils, herbs and citrus zest to adhere better. If you like your potatoes to have a bit of crispness on the skin, then open up the aluminum foil in the last 10 minutes of grilling to brown and crisp up a bit.

Also note that you will require a microwave to partially bake the potatoes before placing on the grill. This recipe is best done at home instead of at some remote fishing camp with no electricity - like we have so many of here on the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana. :)

This is such an easy recipe it is kid friendly and a good choice to help teach the kids to learn how to grill by helping you with the prep work. What creative kid would not enjoy smearing a gooey mess onto those sweet potatoes? I rest my case. :) Enjoy!

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AP photo: Matthew Mead -- Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 4

From: Associated Press/Alison Ladman. "Slice the potatoes thickly to hold the smear of butter, goat cheese, orange zest and fresh thyme between the slices. If you’d like to crisp the edges of your potatoes, open the foil on top of each after about 10 minutes of cooking."

Ingredients:

4-ounce log goat cheese

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium sweet potatoes

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Heat one side of the grill to medium.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, butter, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, thyme and garlic. Set aside.

3. One at a time, cut deep slits crosswise into each sweet potato. The slits should be spaced about 1/2 inch apart and cut down to within about 1/4 inch of the base of the potatoes. Don’t cut all the way through; you want the potato slices to remain attached at the bottom. Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes on high.

4. Use a thin spreading knife to carefully spread a small amount of the goat cheese mixture between each of the slices in the potatoes. Brush each sweet potato all over with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Wrap each potato in foil, then place on the cooler side of the grill. Cook, moving them occasionally to prevent burning, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through.

5. Allow to remain wrapped and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 130 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 30 mg cholesterol; 680 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 8 g protein.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

Recent related articles:

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Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

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A Truth Journal: Why is Trump Catching on Fire? What Would His Cabinet Look Like? The Hilarious Lowdown

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 00:27:00 +0000

A Truth Journal: Why is Trump Catching on Fire? What Would His Cabinet Look Like? The Hilarious Lowdown: From Denny: My fellow media are flabbergasted that billionaire Donald Trump is rising so fast in the Republican polls. The media is so entrenched in their collective bias that they refuse to take his candidacy seriously. Hold on to your hats, folks, because Trump will survive far beyond the summer flavor of the month. Come on; we all know that former President Bill Clinton secretly got him to run as a way to help clean house on the Republican candidates, paving the way for Hillary to win. Well, that strategy just might backfire since Trump is catching on with the disgruntled middle class.

Well, Trump may be stupidly wealthy but he still knows how to talk Middle Class in his brash Brooklyn accent. In fact, Trump reminds me much of the very bold personality of President Teddy Roosevelt. And, he is every bit as passionate about his views, with plenty of real fire in the belly running for President that the American public likes in a presidential candidate. We certainly are not seeing any of that fire in the belly with any other Republican candidates and only with one Democrat candidate, Bernie Sanders...

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BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

AP photo: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

From Denny: When it comes to summer entertaining we all like to fire up the grill. Well, here's a finger friendly recipe for those chili pepper nibblers and snackers who want to try the latest Shishito pepper sensation in the food world.

The peanut sauce is a medley of awesome flavors: smooth natural peanut butter, red wine vinegar, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce and your favorite hot sauce. All that's left to do is add some other good recipes to your party menu like this grilled chicken dunked in that famous Alabama White Sauce!

BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce

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AP photo

Grilled Red Onions and Shishito Peppers With Peanut Sauce

Serves: 6

From: J.M. Hirsch. "Shishito peppers are sweet East Asian peppers. You can substitute any sweet pepper for Shishitos."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

1-inch chunk fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Splash hot sauce

1 pound shishito peppers

2 large red onions, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Kosher or other coarse salt

Directions:

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. In a blender, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and hot sauce. Puree until smooth. Taste and adjust soy sauce, vinegar and hot sauce to desired taste. The sauce should be thin enough to drizzle easily. If not, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and blend. Set aside.

3. On a large serving platter, combine the peppers and onion slices. Drizzle with the oil, then toss gently until evenly coated. Try not to break apart the onion rings. Arrange the peppers and onions on the grill and cook, turning often, until evenly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Return the peppers and onions to the platter. This time, let the onion slices separate into individual rings. Sprinkle the onions and peppers with salt, then drizzle with a bit of the peanut sauce. Serve with the remaining peanut sauce on the side for dipping.

Nutrition information per serving: 240 calories; 140 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 15 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 420 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 7 g protein.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

Recent related articles:

BBQ Grilling: Grilled Puttanesca Gazpacho

BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce

BBQ Grilling: Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes

BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Summer Food: Blueberry Lemonade To Beat The Heat

Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

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Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All

Summer Food: Raspberry Almond Cheesecake Tartlets

Breakfast: Easy Simple French Toast Casserole

A recipe for Shishito peppers over at Epicurious:

SAUTÉED SHISHITO PEPPERS: SUMMER'S BEST NEW BITE

Another Shishito pepper recipe at the Boho Brass blog:

HONEY GARLIC SHISHITO PEPPERS + EDAMAME

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BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 23:45:00 +0000

AP photo: Matthew Mead -- Butterflied Barbecue Chicken With Alabama White Sauce

From Denny: With all this ridiculous hot weather across the nation we are all left wondering if we are the ones getting grilled! But wait! Time to grill that famous summer BBQ chicken, this time with the Alabama White Sauce becoming so popular.

If you are not familiar with Alabama White Sauce it's based on mayonnaise. Yucky mayonnaise, you say? Hey, all that oil delivers the spicy flavor of this unusual sauce and the mayonnaise taste is completely changed by the following: There is plenty of cider vinegar and lemon juice to cut the oil and the addition of cayenne pepper, black pepper and horseradish definitely spices up the taste. The recipe for this sauce follows so you can make your own.

This Alabama White Sauce recipe is from Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, the restaurant famous for this sauce. They have also been featured on the Food Network. And hey, if you can't travel to Alabama, Big Bob's does sell gift baskets of their famous sauces on their web site.

During the rest of the week I'll be posting these recipes below that would make a great complement for a stellar entertaining menu:

BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

BBQ Grilling: Grilled Puttanesca Gazpacho

BBQ Grilling: Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes

BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

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AP photo: Matthew Mead -- Butterflied Barbecue Chicken With Alabama White Sauce

Butterflied Barbecue Chicken With Alabama White Sauce

Serves: 4

From: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, is famous for this unusual white barbecue sauce. One taste is all you need to become a believer. In the restaurant, freshly smoked chickens are dunked in this sauce before serving. Pulled chicken doused with this sauce also is very good.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (31/2 to 4 pounds)

Olive oil

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Alabama white barbecue sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Prepare a grill for medium heat, indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, this means banking the hot coals to one side of the grill and cooking on the other side. For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side, then cooking on that side.

2. Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry. Flip it upside down so the breast is on the cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone so the bone can be removed. Gently but firmly open up the bird a little, then flip it to be breast side up. Break the breastbone by firmly applying pressure and pressing down.

Brush chicken all over with olive oil. Season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill and grill for 20 to 30 minutes, or until beginning to brown.

3. Turn the chicken over and brush barbecue sauce on the back of the chicken. Grill for 10 minutes. Turn back over (breast side up) and brush sauce on skin. Grill for another 20 to 30 minutes, brushing it twice more with barbecue sauce, until the thigh registers 180 F.

4. Remove the chicken from grill. Using a clean pastry brush, brush the chicken one more time with sauce, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Nutrition information per quarter of a chicken and 1/4 cup of sauce: 920 calories; 690 calories from fat (75 percent of total calories); 77 g fat (17 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 225 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 53 g protein; 630 mg sodium.

Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

Makes: about 3 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce can be made in advance and kept for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Nutrition information per 1/4 cup: 250 calories; 250 calories from fat (100 percent of total calories); 28 g fat (4.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 0 g protein; 310 mg sodium.

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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EU Visitors: How Cookies Are Used on This Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 17:43:00 +0000

Google's suggestion of notification: "We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners."

Denny Lyon's message: I find the use of cookies annoying and invasive of my privacy as much as yours. Yes, I use AdBlocker when I surf the web. Now that the EU won against Google, any one with a simple blog, like here on Blogger, is required to suddenly understand all the legal ramifications and legal language.

Of course, Google just dumped this on bloggers with nothing but confusing messages of how to notify you of their cookies you already knew existed. Look below for the links to Google of all their "privacy" notices and other goodies. I'm in the process of figuring out how to install cookie consent notices on all my 26 blogs so this page is the starter for cookies notification.

We all get followed all over the web and reported back to the NSA and other intelligence agencies, collecting data globally. Use Opera as a free and excellent browser (from Germany) for no reporting at least to the NSA. Use duckduckgo as your search engine instead of Google or Bing because it comes out of The Netherlands and they do not report your browsing data.

Well, friends, consider yourself "cookie" notified. Surf the web wisely and don't let these annoying Big Business types spoil your fun.

Cookies notification in European Union countries

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A Truth Journal: Beau Biden: He Gave Politics - And Humanity - A Good Name

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 13:59:00 +0000

Paul Sancya/AP/File - Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, who died Saturday, introduces his father, Vice President Joe Biden, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in 2008

Read on for why this man was so exceptional and how you can benefit from his example.

A Truth Journal: Beau Biden: He Gave Politics - And Humanity - A Good Name: From Denny: Beau Biden, a rare person in politics, government or anywhere: he was known as a person of exceptionally good character. Many of us are saddened at his passing as much as his family. When we lose a person of such goodness and moral strength who spent his life in service to his country and his family we are all reminded of his example for all of us to do better.

One of those rare politicians given generous authentic praise from both sides of the aisle...

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Memorial Day Easy Recipe Travels Well: Beef Taco Pasta Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 May 2015 23:51:00 +0000

From Denny: Looking for a new family favorite that doesn't break the bank or take forever to make? It's a simple, straight forward main dish that can travel well to family reunions, potluck dinners, picnics and Memorial Day or Labor Day and summer outings with friends and family when a dish is requested to bring to the event. It's an easy dish for Saturday night casual or a busy week night when the family is going in twenty different directions as you can scoop up a serving and reheat it in the microwave with ease.

This recipe calls for browning the beef in butter or olive oil. I always clarify my butter, even letting it brown a bit to give it a nutty flavor (then straining off the crispy milk solids) so awesome for casserole dishes like this that bake with cheese. As far as spices go, I'd add some extra cumin, smokey paprika and garlic powder. Some fresh chopped cilantro would be awesome too!

If you wanted to try a twist on the salsa you could try using the organic marinara sauce under the Trader Joe's brand we love at our house - one of the few sauces out of a jar that actually tastes terrific, without any sugar added is a bonus!

As to cheese, I'd add another cup of a good melting cheese like a Mexican fresh farmer's cheese or a mozzarella, whatever you enjoy. This is an easy casserole that can take on the personality of your favorite tastes so experiment and tailor it to your family's taste.

Serve this easy casserole with a large green salad or some grilled veggies like zucchini sliced long to show off those well-earned grill marks. This casserole freezes well and reheats just fine in the microwave. Except for the ground beef and the cheddar cheese the rest of the recipe comes out of your pantry. This casserole is one of those easy recipes when you are too tired to make something more complicated. What more could you ask for anyway?

This is Memorial Day weekend so stay safe on the roads! And please remember America's fallen of many wars past, saying a prayer for their families.

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Taco Pasta Casserole

Serves: 8
From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana local food editor who retreaded it from a 1999 newspaper clipping featuring Betty Price

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 (1.5-oz.) packet taco seasoning mix
1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 (12-oz.) box shell pasta
2 (14.5-oz.) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (11-oz.) jar chunky salsa
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and drain off excess liquid.

2. Add taco seasoning, blend and set aside.

3. Sauté onions and pepper in butter or olive oil until tender, then stir into the cooked meat. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, then drain.

4. Mix meat mixture, cooked pasta, tomatoes, salsa and half of the grated cheese together. Spoon mixture into a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish which has been sprayed with nonfat cooking spray.

5. Top with remaining cheese and bake in preheated 375˚F oven for about 25-30 minutes or until heated well.

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Comfort Food From Louisiana: Chef Recipe: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Crawfish, Pepper Jack and Shrimp-Tomato Bisque Soup: April Is National Grilled Cheese Month

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 13:54:00 +0000

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Chef Recipe: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Crawfish, Pepper Jack and Shrimp-Tomato Bisque Soup: April Is National Grilled Cheese Month: From Denny: Now this is an exotic version of the humble comfort food: the American grilled cheese sandwich.

You have no idea how hard it was when visiting Austria a few years ago when I attempted to explain how to make a simple grilled cheese sandwich to a local chef. It was a seriously foreign concept to them. They didn't have a clue. Lots of delicious local cheeses yet no Austrian version of a grilled cheese sandwich! Imagine that.

This Louisiana version comes from executive chef Carl Schaubhut of Café Adelaide in New Orleans. Of course, as seafood, this rich sandwich is considered Lenten season friendly. Serve by pairing it with the shrimp-tomato bisque soup. Here in Louisiana we always look for an excuse to enjoy our bountiful seafood so why not go meat free on Fridays even when it isn't Lent? (You know, that special time that arrives after Mardi Gras and before Easter.) Our restaurants enjoy creating Lenten season menus, always topping themselves from the year previous!...

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Check out awesome Louisiana eating: oysters, shrimp, crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya

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