Banana Split Pie

Today is my birthday! Happy Birthday to me! Yep, it's the big 5-0! But, it won't be official until 1:55pm, my actual birth time. Thank you, Thank you! I am a half century today.

When I make a birthday cake or dessert for myself or when asked what I would like for my birthday, my two favorite choices are Red Velvet Cake and Banana Split Pie. Because it's so hot at this time in July, the Banana Split Pie usually wins hands down! Here is the recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!

1 stick butter, melted
1 box graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
2 cups confectioners' sugar
5 bananas, sliced
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (16 ounce) container Cool-Whip, thawed
1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, stemmed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Chocolate Syrup, optional

In a 9x13 glass or porcelain dish, combine 1 stick of melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. With a fork, incorporate the butter until the crumbs are coated. Firmly press into a crust in the bottom of the pan.

In a medium bowl, cream together the other stick of softened butter, eggs and confectioners' sugar; beat for 15 minutes. Spread evenly on the graham cracker crust. Layer banana slices evenly on top of butter/sugar mixture; layer pineapple on top of the bananas. Evenly spread the Cool-Whip and garnish with cherries and pecans. Drizzle optional chocolate syrup over the top. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Keeps well refrigerated for about a week.

Note: we prefer this without the chocolate syrup

Chicken Soup In A Pinch

I have a sick one at home today and didn't have time or the ingredients to make a pot of chicken soup. So, I improvised with what I had thus making Chicken Soup In A Pinch! It came out really great and only took about 7 minutes to make. Sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do!

2 cans chicken broth
1 heaping tbls green onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 heaping tbls canned chicken (optional)
Salt to taste

In a 2 quart bowl (or measuring cup) add all the vegetables, broth and salt. Heat in microwave for 6 minutes or until frozen vegetables are cooked. Add chicken, stir well and serve. Makes 2 servings.

The Atchafalaya: Way of Life Swamped

The historic flooding by the Mississippi River of my beloved South Louisiana Cajun Country and Atchafalaya Basin is truly breaking my heart. The scenes on the internet and TV are just wrenching. I found this article on The Weather Channel website that so eloquently describes our way of life and the impact this flooding will have on my fellow cajuns. It was written by Becky Kellogg. The comments are worth reading. Here is the link: http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/atchfalaya-way-of-life_2011-05-18

"There's something real down here. People are more in touch with the earth and more in touch with each other," says Cajun and lifelong Louisiana resident Elaine Clement.

Louisiana's Atchafalaya Swamp is at the heart of the Great Flood Disaster of 2011. As homes become flooded and the Mississippi River swells to levels that haven't been observed in decades, all attention turns to the so-called Cajun Country.

Cajun Country is an area steeped in mystery and magic. Mornings dawn in the swamp with a thick coating of mist on the water. The only sounds you can hear are fish jumping and the occasional hum of a boat engine. It's one of the ultimate places you can reach for isolation and closeness with nature. But now, due to rising flood waters, this way of life could disappear.

"It's just ... different than the rest of the United States," says Clement. Clement, who grew up in Morgan City and now lives in Lafayette, would know. She has spent most of her life studying the Cajun culture and educating people about it. To her, the survival of the culture comes down to the astounding resiliency of its people. They live every day with the powerful forces of nature and weather. "We've had hurricanes the past 5 or 6 years, the oil spill last year, now this. There are some places people are starting to leave, but still... it's our home."

Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers was faced with a heart-wrenching decision. It either could save Louisiana's biggest cities or sacrifice one of its greatest treasures: the swamp. In the end, the cities won.
Few know much about the Atchafalaya, which sustains a life cycle both unique and necessary.
-Largest swamp in U.S.
-Includes 8 parishes
-Largest city is Morgan City
-30,000 people threatened by ongoing flood
-11,000 homes, buildings could be flooded

For those who've visited, and certainly for those who live there, the Atchafalaya is mystical. "I fell in love with the area and people right away. They make you feel instantly at home and like family," said Howard Sappington of The Weather Channel. Sappington traveled to the Atchafalaya Swamp with Jim Cantore to film an episode of "Cantore Stories."

"There’s something magical about being out on the Atchafalaya with the sun setting through those magnificent cypress trees," says Sappington.

Some people live deep in the swamp on houseboats or camps set up on stilts. Others live in the small cities and communities that have popped up on the dry land. They're in a constant battle with the water: building levees, filling sandbags, and hoping to hold back the water.

The Atchafalaya is the heartbeat of Cajun society in America. Many people still speak French and they have a patois all of their own. "They are warm, funny, outdoorsy people that love life and welcome strangers like family," says Sappington. "They are proud of their heritage, food and culture. Almost all of these Cajuns 45 years or older speak fluent French. They like to tell jokes and love for visitors to experience their culture, including their lovable alligators."

Still others head to the Atchafalaya to drop out of society, preferring the mist-covered waters to the daily interaction with people. "You've got the world here in some ways," says Elaine Clement. "We share each other's cultures. Cajun, French, Quebecois, African, Belgian. It's unique from the rest of America."

It's because of weather, and floods in particular, that the Atchafalaya Swamp and Cajun culture have been able to grow and thrive. "The reason South Louisiana exists is because of the flooding of the Mississippi River," says Clement. "The levees were put there because of the flooding. That deposited silt and eventually created land that people built their homes and cities on. The flooding essentially built this area. Now with the levees, the oil drilling, the hurricanes, it's hard."

Now, as the floodwaters continue to filter downstream at record levels, residents are really concerned about the strength of the levees. Many of these levees were built by cities, subdivisions and neighbors who are simply trying to fight the powerful force of nature. The only thing keeping the Mississippi River from invading their homes is a dirt dam. "That's the biggest problem right now. Will the levees hold? It's kind of a test. This is supposedly an historic flood," says Clement.

As the relentless onslaught of the floods continues, it's more than just a swamp that's threatened. One of the many unique cultures that make America a melting pot is in danger. "We are people that are very conditioned to picking up and moving on," explains Clement. "We thrive in a crisis. It struck me, too, that even during the hurricanes, nobody stayed in the shelters. That's because we took people in. We take of each other."

Why do they stay there when the constant battle with nature seems, ultimately, a losing fight? "It's home. We love where we live. Does it make it easy? No. But we keep on."

Hello, It's Me!

Hello, it's me. Is it me you're looking for? (conjuring up the Lionel Richie song)

I'm sorry that I've been incognito for the past month. My bad! In July of last year, I started this blog as a stress reliever; several people were asking me to share my recipes while others were asking about life in Louisiana. However, in January, I returned to school for the first time in over 22 years to pursue a second degree. I'm in pre-nursing and once I have fulfilled the prerequisites, I will apply to and, hopefully, be accepted to nursing school. Upon completion I will be a registered nurse! Whoo Hoo!

The coursework is brutal; it's been hard going back after all these years, hence the lack of posts. I'm taking two classes this summer so I'll have more time and hope to post more regularly but the following two semesters (fall and spring) will be difficult, so posting will be sporatic then.

Anyway, I'm still here and have several recipes and stories to share with you. I've been taking some much needed R&R to recharge my batteries so I'll see you in a few days!

Crabmeat Stuffing

Per request, here is a versatile crabmeat stuffing recipe that can be used in a wide variety of dishes. I use it to stuff vegetables like baked tomatoes and mushrooms as well as for stuffed crab, shrimp and even stuffed chicken! It can also be formed into patties and pan fried in butter.

It's more economical to use the claw crabmeat unless you are making crab cakes or something special and want to use jumbo lump crabmeat in your recipe. If you want more crabmeat in your stuffing than what this recipe calls for, just add another pound. Additionally, you can add chopped shrimp as well as chopped crawfish for a different flavor. This recipe makes a large batch but you can either cut it in half or freeze the rest in an airtight container.

1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine
2 medium bell peppers - chopped
3 large onions - chopped
3 stalks celery - chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups bread crumbs
1 tbsp. Flour
3 eggs
1 handfull chapped parsley
1 lb. claw crabmeat, shells and cartiledge picked out


Melt butter in a sauce pan and saute onion, celery and bell peppers on medium heat until translucent - approximately 15 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper.In a separate bowl, mix all other ingredients except the crabmeat. Add the sauted vegetables and mix well. Gently fold in the crabmeat.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana is the Crawfish Capital of the world and is home of the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival which takes place annually on the first weekend of May.

For those of you who have never been, this is an event to experience! It's full of Cajun traditions, music, dancing, food, fun and an opportunity to submerge yourself in the Cajun culture. If you have a opportunity to get away, you should make plans to attend.

Not only can you enjoy Cajun music and dancing but you can try crawfish prepared every way imaginable and by the best cooks! Also, you can get to know the locals, hear their wonderful cajun accents, become enthralled by the stories they tell and listen to some hilarious cajun jokes! It's truly an experience that you'll never forget. Just another snapshot into Life In South Louisiana! Laissez les bon temps rouler, Cher!

Drunk Ass Cabbage

I found this on another site and belly laughed hysterically! It's from http://classyfoodmofo.tumblr.com/
The site only has three postings but this one was priceless, so I had to share. I'll have to try the recipe as it sounds pretty good too!


March 17, 2011

Drunk ass cabbage for this drunk ass holiday

Hey Seamus McDrunky, it’s St. Patty’s day. The only time you and your significant other can indulge in flatulence fuel without hating each other (except for that place with the nickel burritos on Cinco de Mayo). I’m not going to tell you how to make fucking corned beef. I’m not Encyclopedia fucking Britannica. But you assholes ALWAYS mess up your cabbage. I swear to Jesus Tapdancing Christ if I smell another pot of your fart-smelling cabbage, I’m going to punch you in the goddamn throat. Use this recipe, or your family will hate you forever. If they don’t already.

1/2 a head of cabbage, chopped to shit
1 red onion, sliced so thin you can see your crappy kitchen through it
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup of white wine, if you can manage to not guzzle it all.
1 Tbsp garlic, minced with a big fucking knife
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Heat up a big-ass skillet over medium heat with the oil in it. Toss the cabbage and onions and salt in there and stir it like you fucking mean it. Add the wine and cover the pot for about 15 minutes. Go have some shots or something.

Take the cover off and add pour off all that liquid. It hates you. Hate it back. Add the vinegar and garlic. Let it cook for another minute or two. Or not. I don’t even care.

Serve it with corned beef and enjoy fumigating your house tonight.

Cheesus Christo Pizza

Ok, Now this one is even funnier! I wish I had the guts to write like this and even more guts to post something I've written like this! I'm in tears, I'm laughing so hard! This is another recipe taken from http://classyfoodmofo.tumblr.com/

March 17, 2011

Cheesus Christo Pizza

Pizza dough (Make it, buy it, get it. You figure it out, I’m not your mother)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/3 cup grated smoked provolone
1/3 cup crumbled feta
fresh fucking thyme
salt and pepper
Olive Oil

Get your oven hot. Get it real hot. 450 degrees hot.

Take the dough and caress it. Knead it. It feels good, doesn’t it? Shape it into a ball. You like balls, don’t you? Just like your mom. You’ll want to put it in your mouth, but don’t. Not yet. Now leave the dough alone. Make it wait for you. That dough is going to be so fucking ready for you in about 20 minutes.

While the dough is waiting, get a pizza pan ready to receive the dough. Take some olive oil and drip it all over that pan. See how it glistens? Now, put your fingers in the oil. Yeah, like that. Rub it all over that pan. That pan is so wet for you now. That dough is bursting with desire to be laid out on that pan. You gotta get that dough ready to go. Lay it right on that pan. Look right at that dough and then finger that dough. Use your fingers to spread that dough, getting it ready to get pounded. Is it ready? Yeah, it’s ready. Now pound that fucking dough. Pound it hard. Pound all the way to the edge of the pan until it can’t take it anymore. Yeah, baby.

That dough is really ready now. That dough is ready to get kinky. That dough wants you to cover it with your cheese. All of your cheese. You’re so ready to blow your cheese. The mozzarella first, then the other cheeses. Except for the feta. Take that feta and crumble it between your fingers. Crumble the fuck out of that feta. Then sprinkle it all over the rest of the cheese. Oh, God, look at it. Pull the thyme leaves off the stalk and make it rain. Look at it. You know what’s next. All it can think about is that burning hot oven. It wants to be inside there. Slide it in, baby.

You want to watch it. You like to watch. Watch it in there, bubbling and browning. Keep looking at it. When it looks like it’s ready for you, pull it out, slow. It came out of there so fucking hard. Let it rest.

After it’s cooled down a bit, you can drizzle some red wine reduction on it. You know you want to. Just so you can lick it off before you go down on that pizza. Mmmmm. That’s right. She’s ready for you now.

For the reduction:

Bottle o’ red wine (Don’t be cheap. Something you’d drink)
cinnamon stick
2-3 bay leaves
1-1.5 tbsp peppercorns
4-5 cloves
1 stalk thyme (don’t worry about taking the leaves off the stem)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken stock
2-3 tbsp butter
2-3 minced shallots (or about 1/4 cup minced red onions)

Oh, butter. Butter is so naughty. Talk to it. “You ready to melt for me, baby?” Butter is ready. Butter is always ready. Toss one tablespoon of butter into a sauce pan and let it melt over medium heat. Those minced shallots can’t wait to get inside that melted butter. Put them in. Put them in hard. Stir them around until they get soft. Then let some friends in on the action. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, thyme, and peppercorns. So spicy. Let them heat up real good. Your whole house will smell like spicy sex.

When the shallots have gotten brown and dirty, add the wine and stock. It’s like a jacuzzi for spicy whores. Let the sauce reduce until about 1/3 is left. Constantly taste to check the flavor. You love the taste and and how thick it is. You want it in your mouth.

When the sauce is done, pour it through a fine sieve and then back into the pan. Add the rest of the butter in pieces, stirring so every addition is completely mixed in. Look at that sauce. So velvety and smooth. You want it all right now, but maybe put some in a squeeze bottle to squeeze onto your pizza. Or right into your mouth. Like your mom does.

A Seafood Story and Frog Legs

When I was 6, I found a four-leafed clover. To celebrate, I ran around my yard with glee and then stepped in a huge, warm pile of dog poop. Squishy mess between the toes. Not nice.

And, the time when I was in college and kept a friend's fish aquarium which was placed in an area that received sunlight and when the water got too warm, one of the fish jumped out and, again, I stepped on it, barefoot. It "popped" and I had squishy "stuff" between my toes. Ugh. I actually called a friend, crying, to come clean it up (and my foot) because I was so grossed out. And then I made him carry me outside because I didn't want to walk on the floor!


Don't let me forget to mention the time I was barefoot, running around playing at night, stepped on and squished a frog...sticky slime between the toes is not fun. Nor is it easy to clean off. GAH-ROSS!

But, boy, do they cook up good! Somehow, I am trying to tie this into St. Patrick's day, oh my! Being that it's Lent, and St. Patrick's Day is also St. Joseph's Day which is a Holy Day, no meat is allowed. So seafood is on the menu tonight. But obviously, I have some unfortunate experiences with LIVE seafood! Or being around them barefoot, that is. Look at their little heiney's!

Allow me to expand on Frog Legs. Trust me when I say they taste like chicken because they really do. Fried, Grilled (the most popular ways to cook them), or however they are prepared, they truly (honestly) do taste like chicken and they have the same texture as chicken too. You can take any recipe you have for chicken and use it for Frog Legs and the result will be the same.

I prefer to pan fry or oven bake them after salting and peppering them then dredgeing them in seasoned flour or deep frying using a tempura egg batter coating. However, I've also grilled them using the same ingredients and method for steak: garlic butter, salt and pepper and maybe a little bit of Tony's to taste.

Tempura Egg Batter

Any seafood, chicken or vegetable fried in a tempura batter is so succulent and tasty it's is one of my favorite ways to fry up something special. It's a little extra work but worth it if you want something really good! I always add some Tony's to my batter (about 1 tsp) but here is the original recipe. Have fun!

1 c. flour
1 c. ice water
1 slightly beaten egg
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Add flour, oil and egg, stir. Slowly add ice water to avoid lumps. Beat together all ingredients. Dip food in batter and fry in deep hot fat (360 to 365 degrees) until tender and brown.

Green Velvet Cake

I sure wish I had thought to post this sooner. Being back in school for the first time in over 20 years is doing that to me.

Follow the Red Velvet Cake recipe but substitute green food coloring for the red. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Southern Style Greens

Greens. Mustard, Turnip or Collard. Just Greens, those Greens. That vegetable I despised growing up and was forced to eat. Against my will. Then, in my early 20's, my taste buds changed and I couldn't get enough of them! Now I can positively inhale them!

Unfortunately, I didn't know how to make them so I was always at someone else's mercy to get them and that was too few and far between for me. Luckily for me, a friend's mother-in-law always had someone come cook for her every Monday and this woman made greens to die for. So, one day, I got there early and helped her make them. Best thing I ever did...

Greens are a winter vegetable and are only best after the first hard freeze. If you want to cook fresh greens out of the garden or from a farmer's market, that's when to do it. Otherwise, you can buy frozen greens. I find greens from the grocery store (at other times of the year) are on the bitter side and they shouldn't be bitter.

There are several ways to make greens and you can choose what's best for you. However, this is the "old" way of making them but you can modify the recipe to be more healthy. Sometimes I cook them the original way and other times I cook them "healthier". Also, fresh greens have a lot more volume when uncooked and will wilt down to practically nothing so you need to "eye-ball" your quantities when using fresh greens.

4-5 bunches, 2 plastic sacks, or 3 bags frozen greens (approx)
1/2 pkg salt meat, chopped or 4 strips of bacon (or 3 tbl oil)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup bellpepper, chopped (optional)
2 tsp chicken bouillon
water
salt
pepper

If using fresh greens, strip the leafy parts off the hard stalks. Then soak and wash the leaves in soapy water 3 times to remove all the dirt, grit and debris. Each time, allow them to soak in the soapy water for about 10 minutes, swishing them around frequently to loosen and remove dirt/grit/debris. Repeat the process at least 3 times or until you are confident all dirt/grit/debris is gone. Rinse well.

Fry salt meat/bacon in a large pot until brown. Add onion, celery and optional bellpepper and cook until wilted.

Add your greens. If using fresh greens, add as much to the pot as possible. Cook the greens and as they wilt, stir to work the uncooked greens down to the bottom of the pot. Keep adding the fresh greens as you can. Add about 1-2 tbl oil, if necessary (this depends on the amount of greens you have).

Once the greens are wilted enough to fit into the pot, add about 2 cups of hot water. You don't want a lot of water, so add the two cups, stir, cover and simmer a few minutes. You want just enough water to cook the greens and keep them moist, that's it. Then add the chicken bouillon.

Stir well to dissolve the bouillon, season with salt and pepper and cover. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until greens are tender and dark, about an hour. Recheck seasonings, then serve.

Historic Baton Rouge Building

Upon perusing the local paper of my hometown, I found this and thought you all might think it was interesting.

The Lafayette Building, an 8,000-square-foot property, was built in 1762. The building is actually two adjacent buildings of Spanish-Colonial architecture.

The article states, "The north building is believed to have been built in the mid-18th century probably during the time that Louisiana was a province of Spain. It is said that in a previous restoration of the building, workmen found a board dated 1762, leading some people to believe that the building was built in that year. A historic marker says the Lafayette Buildings were erected in 1762 and describes them as the “legendary site” of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit in 1825".

In 1978, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lent Is Upon Us

Mardi Gras season ended with Ash Wednesday yesterday and now Lent is upon us. Time for all us South Louisiana Catholics to repent for the drunken debauchery we partake in the rest of the year! Mea Culpa!

Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter and is a time of sacrifice for Jesus. It lasts for 40 days and culminates with Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Ash Wednesday, every Friday and on other Holy Days during Lent, we do not eat meat.

Because seafood is acceptable and Louisiana has an abundance of fabulous seafood, we make a lot of our best and favorite seafood dishes during Lent. I've linked seafood recipes and other non-meat recipes that I've previously posted on the site so you can peruse them easily.

Shrimp Jambalaya
Seafood Gumbo
Seafood Eggplant Casserole
Cajun Cornbread Casserole
Copeland's of New Orleans Hot Crab Claws
Barbeque Shrimp
Crawfish Bisque
Garlic Cheese Grits Just Add Shrimp!
Shrimp Salad
French Onion Soup
Chicken Enchiladas Substitute the chicken for Shrimp!
Vegetable Boil Season it up some more and add any seafood!
Shrimp and Spinach Salad or Dip
Creole Crawfish Etouffee
Crawfish Stew
Spinach Madeline Add some lump crabmeat or shrimp!
Shrimp Creole
Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca

Shrimp Jambalaya

Mmmmm, Mmmm, Chere! Talk about some good eating, Shrimp Jambalaya is one of my favorite dishes. Shrimp Jambalaya is a Creole or Red rice dish made with tomatoes as opposed to a meat based Cajun jambalaya that has no tomatoes and is darker from the browing of the meat. You can compare this recipe to my Jambalaya recipe that I posted last year.

Shrimp Jambalaya is very popular throughout the year but particularly during Lent when us crazy South Louisiana Catholics observe the penance of not eating meat on Friday's to make up for all of our debauchery the rest of the year! This recipe is taken from the old New Orleans Ursuline Nun's cookbook entitled "Recipes and Reminiscences of New Orleans" published back in 1971. I don't know about the rest of the nation but Popeye's Fried Chicken restaurants in Louisiana serve Shrimp Jambalaya during Lent just for us! Ahhh, eeiiii!

Shrimp Jambalaya

4 lbs large raw shrimp, peeled
3 tbls oil
1 onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 small bellpepper, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp salt, or to taste
2 cups parboiled rice (see Tips and Information)
3 cups water

Peel the shrimp and set aside. In a large pot, saute onion, celery and bellpepper in oil until wilted and onions are clear. Add parsley, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic and seasonings, stir well. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes.

Add rice and water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low (or warm if your stove runs hot) and stir in shrimp. Cover tightly. Allow to cook untouched for 25-30 minutes. Peek under the lid to see if rice is cooked. Stir to fluff the rice and serve with a nice salad.