A taste of Nawlins

A Block of Louisiana Gold prt 2

2007-09-25T14:33:00.001-06:00

I found the second part. ENJOY!!!

ML

A Block of Louisiana Gold prt 1

2007-08-03T14:35:00.001-06:00

I thought you might enjoy this.

Today's Recipe, Something for that sweet tooth!!

2007-07-26T09:45:00.000-06:00

CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 sticks margarine
3 cups all purpose flour
6 eggs
3 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Cream butter, margarine, cream cheese and sugar.

Add eggs, flour and salt and blend well.

Add vanilla extract.

Spray tube cake pan with a nonstick spray and lightly flour pan.

Bake in 300 for 1 ½ hours or until done.

Recipe of the Day

2007-06-18T09:44:00.000-06:00

CREAM OF CRABMEAT AND SPINACH SOUP

· 8 tablespoons butter
· 1 onion, finely chopped
· 1/2 cup flour (depending upon desired consistency)
· 1 pint half-and-half
· 1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
· 2 cups crab or shellfish stock
· 4 ounces fresh spinach
· 1 pound lump crab meat
· Creole seasoning to taste
· Salt

Wilt the spinach in a small quantity of oil; remove from heat, chop finely and reserve.

Sauté onions in butter over medium heat until tender. Add flour. While whisking, cook flour for 2 minutes to form a white roux.

Add the half-and-half, evaporated milk, stock, and spinach, and stir thoroughly to combine. Bring to a simmer, and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Gently fold in the crabmeat, making sure not to break up any lumps. Heat through for 2 minutes. Season to taste with Creole seasoning and salt.

For a thinner roux, decrease butter to 4 tablespoons and flour to 1/2 cup. For a richer soup, substitute heavy cream for the half-and-half.

Crafts at the Jazz Fest

2007-04-16T11:05:00.000-06:00

Here are a few places during the fest that will allow you to experience crafts from a variety of different cultures:

Congo Square
In Congo Square you will experience music and art from Africa of the African Diaspora. There will be a variety of performances by African-Americans, Latinos, Africans, and African Caribbeans. Bring some spending money because there will be original paintings, jewelry, instruments, and much more.

The contemporary crafts is a showcase of jewelry, hand blown glass, leather goods, and much more. Now if you decide to visit the Louisiana market place, you will be able to have your portrait drawn, and meet people from around Louisiana and see the things that make our city what it is.

If you would like a history lesson on Louisiana, visit the Louisiana Folklife Villiage. In this tent you will be able to learn the true culture of Louisiana. You will be able to view hand made instruments, and see artists' at work. Lastly, you do not want to miss out on the Native American Village. You will be able to relax and listen to music and watch demonstrations by tribal elders.

You don't want to miss this!! Let me know if you have ever been to one of the festivals and if so how did you enjoy it??

-Monique

Today's Recipe

2007-04-16T10:18:00.000-06:00

LOUISIANA CRAB CAKES
· 3/4 pound crabmeat (claw crabmeat is a tasty and inexpensive option for crab cakes)
· 1 yellow onion
· 1 red bell pepper
· 2 ribs of celery
· 2 teaspoon each of dried basil and dried thyme
· 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
· 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
· 1/2 tablespoon Creole mustard
· 2-1/2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
· 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
· 1/2 tablespoon Tabasco, Crystal or your favorite Louisiana hot sauce
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
· French bread crumbs (make 'em yourself, don't buy 'em)
· Egg wash (2-3 eggs, lightly beaten)
· Flour
· Remoulade Sauce

Clean the crabmeat, removing all cartilage and shells.
Sauté onion, red bell pepper, and celery until the onion is translucent.
Add Worcestershire and hot sauce and herbs to vegetable mixture.
Cool the vegetable mixture.
Mix crabmeat, vegetable mixture, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper with enough bread crumbs to hold the cakes. Form 2-3 ounce cakes.
Dredge in seasoned flour, egg wash, and seasoned breadcrumbs (sequentially). Pan-fry until golden and finish browning in oven.
Serve with a drizzle of remoulade sauce.

Remoulade Sauce
· 1 cup ketchup
· 21/2 tablespoons horseradish
· 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
· 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
· Dash Tabasco
· 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
· 2 raw eggs, beaten

Mix the all ingredients in a glass bowl. Chill in the refrigerator 4 hours.

Yield: 6 servings

Its Jazz Fest time!!!

2007-04-09T08:30:00.000-06:00

The Jazz Fest is a festival that celebrates New Orleans's music, its cuisine, and its crafts. The fest begin in the 1960's, and was held by many organizers. The first two festivals were held at Louis Armstrong park and Congo Square. However, in the 1970's it was founded by George Wein and has been held yearly ever since at the New Orleans Fairgrounds. This year it will be on April 27-29, 2007, and May 4-6, 2007.

If you want to know this years lineup, you can visit:
http://www.nojazzfest.com.

Tickets can be purchased there or at:
http://www.ticketsnow.com, or http://www.ticketmaster.com

For accomodations you can visit these sites:
http://www.neworleans.bookit.com
http://mytravelguide.com
http://www.hiltongardenin.com

Here is another site that offers discounts on attractions and tours, resturants, accomodations, and for shopping at the riverwalk:
http://www.neworleanscoupons.com

Recipe of the Day

2007-04-09T08:21:00.000-06:00

SEAFOOD FETTUCCINI

· 1 lb. Shrimp peeled crawfish tails, boiled and peeled; OR
· 1 stick of butter (Do not use margarine.)
· 1 pint of half-and-half
· 1 good-sized bunch green onions, chopped (tops, too)
· 3 - 10 cloves garlic, chopped (to your taste)
· Creole seasoning to taste (or 1 - 2 tbsp.)
· 1 lb. cooked fresh pasta (Dry pasta is all right if fresh is not available. Rotini is preferred, but use your favorite shape.)

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain, then rinse under cool water. Drain again, thoroughly.

Melt the butter in a large pot and saute onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
Add the seafood and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the half-and-half, then add several big pinches of Creole seasoning, tasting before the next pinch until you think it's right.

Cook for 5 - 10 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
Add the pasta and toss well.
Let it sit for 10 minutes or so over very low heat, stirring often.

Serving Suggestion: Serve immediately, with lots of French bread.

A brief history lesson!!!

2007-04-07T11:41:00.000-06:00

La Nouvelle-Orleans (New Orleans) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. Because of the location in the bend of the Mississippi, New Orleans is also referred to as "The Crescent City." The Crescent city is known for Mardi Gras, Streetcars, cafe au lait, beignets, muffulettas, neutral grounds, heat, humidity, crawfish, yats (hurricanes), the French Quarter's, gumbo, and red beans 'n rice, and Jazz.

New Orleans is know all around the world for its Cajun Cuisine. What most of people don't know is that this food originated from cajun immigrants in the Acadian region of Louisiana. Acadian refugees were poor and had to live off of the land. So, rice, crawfish, and sugar cane were extremely important to there dishes. In addition to rice, crawfish, and sugar cane, the holy trinity (which is a mixture of bell peppers, onions, and celery) is used to season most cajun dishes.

Not only is the food in New Orleans good, but the music is amazing. New Orleans is the birthplace to Jazz. Jazz is rooted in the blues, the folk music of former enslaved Africans in the U.S. South and their descendants, which is influenced by West African cultural and musical traditions that evolved as black musicians migrated to the cities. The front-line of the traditional jazz band includes the cornet, which carries the melody, the clarinet, which harmonizes the melody, and the trombone, which punctuates the melody from below. The rhythm section includes four parts. The drum is the first, it keeps the beats steady. Then there's the brass, it holds the sound together. Lastly, there is the guitar (which was later replaced by banjo/and or piano), and it provides chord structure.

If ever in the city, and you want to enjoy good food and music, here are some sites you can refer to:
http://www.graylineneworleans.com
http://www.neworleans.com
http://www.neworleansonline.com