Turkey Day - Only Two Weeks Away !

It's that time of year again, to begin preparing for that big Thanksgiving dinner! I've gathered all of my treasured recipes that I will be using for my Cajun Thanksgiving feast and have begun to shop for and order the ingredients. I will be making mostly traditional Cajun dishes, with maybe a few nouveau Cajun recipes, for variety. Here are the first two, in a series, of my favorite T-day recipes that are guaranteed to please your guests. The first was my dear mother's recipe and the second, was my dear godmother's, and and they are both really quite fabulous, cher! Absolute family favorites, any time, but especially at Thanksgiving. Cest bon! Le bon manger!
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Mama's Cornbread Dressing
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Dressing Mix
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1 lb. ground round beef
1/2 lb. fresh ground pork
1 1/2 cups beef broth or stock
1 cup each (onions, bell peppers, and celery), chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and Tabasco to taste
1 or 2 tbs.'s Cajun seasoning
2 tbs.'s Worcestershire sauce
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In a large Dutch oven, Season beef and pork with salt and Tabasco, and cook on medium heat till browned. Skim excess oil. Add the chopped vegetables and garlic and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add beef broth or stock, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, make cornbread. Add a little more Cajun seasoning to dressing mix, before mixing with cornbread.
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Cornbread
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2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
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In a large bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs and oil. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix well and pour into a greased cast iron skillet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Mix cornbread, gently, with the prepared dressing mix and turn into a buttered casserole dish. Heat thoroughly, in oven, before serving. Serves 8

Everyone just loves this dish and I receive more compliments on this cornbread dressing than anything else on my Thanksgiving table. Bon Appetit!
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Nanny's Praline- Sweet Potato Casserole
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8 medium sweet potatoes , peeled, chopped, and boiled until tender
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup cane or maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp.'s cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
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Whisk half and half with brown sugar, syrup, cinnamon vanilla, salt, and egg, in large bowl. Add the cooked, drained, sweet potatoes and beat with electric mixer until smooth. Coat a 13" by 9" baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon in sweet potato mixture and set aside. Make topping.
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Praline Topping
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1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 small can Pet milk
4 tbs.'s butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Melt butter in 2 qt. saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, Pet milk, and pecans. Cook and stir, constantly, on low heat until blended and smooth and thick. (about 5 minutes) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread evenly over top of sweet potato mixture. Cover with foil and bake @ 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Serves 8 Cest bon!
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Another Great Cajun Weekend !

It was a glorious fall weekend, in Cajun Country. Blue skies, sunny, and warm! We kicked off the weekend, on Friday, at the Bach Lunch in Parc Sans Souci, in downtown Lafayette. The Lost Bayou Ramblers entertained the crowd with their high spirited, traditional/eclectic Cajun tunes.

It's been such a pleasure to be outdoors with the beautiful weather that we've been having for over a week, now. Here is a clip of the Lost Bayou Ramblers playing to a front row of fans from the next generation of Cajun music lovers. The children are students from St. Cecilia Elementary School and they were on a field trip.




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Then on Saturday & Sunday, it was on to the Omelette Festival in Abbeville. The Giant Omelette Celebration was a blast with lots of good Cajun music and food! Abbeville really knows how to party! (click to enlarge)


Downtown Abbeville was packed with a rowdy crowd, and they went wild when the chefs started to saute "the trinity". ( 50 lbs of chopped onions, 85 bell peppers, and 100 stalks of celery) Add to this 50 lbs. of butter and crawfish! It was fabulous!


The arts and craft show in Magdalen Square
was one of the best that I've ever seen. !



These cheese stuffed, bacon-wrapped jalapenos from Azul Tequila Mexican Restaurant, were my faves. Cest bon!


Here's a clip I took of the chefs pouring in the 5,000 eggs and the members of the Tabasco Dance Troop, adding the hot sauce. Let the good times roll, cher!



Hope that ya'll had a fun weekend, too! Merci beaucoup for stopping by and for all of your great comments! I'll be back soon to share some of my favorite Cajun Thanksgiving recipes. Have a wonderful week, everyone!!

Time for the Omelette Festival ! + Pumpkin Cheesecake

On the first full weekend of November, every year, my hometown of Abbeville, La., hosts the Giant Omelette Festival. The Confrerie of Abbeville, along with chefs from all over the world, will be cooking the famous, 5,000 egg/ crawfish omelette in a 12 ft. skillet, in downtown Abbeville! This year's 25th annual festival will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7th and Sunday, Nov. 8th. It will have a stellar entertainment line-up, including Joel Martin and Da Classics, Feufollet, plus Grammy nominee, Al Berard and the Berard Family Band and many more! Gonna be a whole lotta dancin' going on! And in addition to the giant omelette, there will be 10 other fabulous Cajun food booths, including my favorite, "Lena's Cajun Seafood", with her Crawfish, Shrimp, and Crab Fettuccini. Out of this world! There will also be a fabulous arts and crafts show in Magdelan Square. Get out and take a ride to Abbeville and experience this great festival, for yourself. You'll be so glad you did! Let the good times roll, cher! Click here for a full schedule.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Speaking of sinfully good, luscious desserts, here is a recipe that I love to make for my Dad's birthday, which is coming up this Sunday, on November 8th. It is one of his favorite desserts and only the best will do for Dad's 88th birthday party! He says that this cheesecake is so good that it should be declared sinful and should be against the law!


1 (15 oz.) can or 2 cups fresh pumpkin, strained
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, (crushed fine)
5 tbs.'s melted butter
2 tbs.'s sugar
2 (8 oz.) pkg.'s cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp.'s pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
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Crust:
In large bowl, stir together, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 2 tbs.'s sugar. Mix well and press mixture onto bottom and about 1 inch up sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake 5 minutes @ 350 degrees, then set aside to cool. Then chill until ready to use.
Note: I have also used chocolate graham crackers for this recipe.
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Filling:
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until well blended and smooth. Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in pumpkin, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and continue mixing until well blended. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well, after each one. Scrape bowl and beat in vanilla extract. Pour filling into pie crust and sprinkle evenly with topping and place springform pan on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Topping:
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbs.'s brown sugar

Mix together and sprinkle over top of the filling before baking.
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Divine, cher! Absolutely, divine! Bon Appetit!

A Cajun Gift Shop and Art Gallery

When a good friend called and wanted me to go to lunch, and shopping, I was thrilled. She wanted to go to one of my favorite gift shops, The Jefferson Street Market, in downtown Lafayette. The market is filled with beautiful gifts, original art, and vintage and antique items. There are over 100 booths in JSM and we had no problem spending several hours in this fabulous market.

(click to enlarge)

Below is my favorite booth in the market and I have bought many fabulous items for gifts and for my home, from this room. I have my eye on that lamp. (on right) And I love the mirror, too.
This is a display of wonderful paintings by one of my favorite artists, Julie Breaux. Many local and regional artists sell their paintings, in this gallery. I love the portrait of a Cajun girl.

This is one of my friend's faves where she finds lots of good stuff. I especially like the leopard chair and , I am thinking about buying it for my bathroom, and the vintage cards.

After a while, we decided to grab a light lunch at the market's restaurant, The Whole Wheatery Eatery. We both ordered a Bible sandwich, which comes with avocado, lettuce, tomato, carrots, sprouts, and shredded cheese of your choice, served on pita or whole grain bread. Cest bon with an iced green tea ! I know, not your typical Cajun lunch, but I'm going light, until Thanksgiving!

Grilled Beef Tenderloin w/ Mushroom Wine Sauce

Here's one of my favorite recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks. "Something to Talk About", compiled by the Junior League of Lafayette is chocked full of nouveau and traditional Cajun recipes for occasions we celebrate in South Louisiana. Recipe entries are from many of the great Cajun cooks of Lafayette. From Mardi Gras fare to Christmas dinner, this special collection of recipes will help you to prepare and enjoy the world famous Cajun cuisine, no matter where you live. Cest bon! Bon Appetit'!

Click on title to see a review of this cookbook.
Something to Talk About

Grilled Beef Tenderloin
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Beef
2 lbs beef tenderloin
3 tbs.'s olive oil
1 1/2 tsp.'s salt
1 1/2 tsp.'s pepper
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Mushroom Wine Sauce
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
6 shallots, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 tbs.'s all-purpose flour
1 10 oz. can beef consomme'
3/4 cup red wine
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For the beef, preheat the grill. Coat the beef with olive oil. Rub a mixture of the salt and pepper into the beef. Place on a grill rack and grill over hot coals for 30 minutes for medium.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots, onions, and garlic. Saute' for 2 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the beef consomme' and red wine for 5 to 8 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Serve immediately over the beef. Serves 6 to 8
Serve with a big tossed salad and some good French bread to soak up the wonderful flavor of this delectable sauce. Le bon, manger!
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I have received a few requests for more festival dancing videos, so here is one that I took on the Saturday of Festival Acadiens, earlier this month, before the dance area turned into a mud slide. Enjoy! Let the good times roll, cher! Hope that you're all having a great weekend! Happy Halloween!

Balfa Toujour

Time for The Blackpot Festival ! + Mama's Apple Cobbler

Wow, do we ever have a fun weekend coming up, here in Cajun Country! Beginning tomorrow, Friday, October 30th, at 7 p.m., we have the 4th annual South Louisiana Blackpot Festival and Cookoff, taking place at Acadian Village in Lafayette. Some of Louisiana's hottest folk roots bands, will entertain the crowds. Cajun music legend, Hadley Castille , will kick things off on Friday night, at 7:00pm, with the music rolling till midnight. The festival will continue on Saturday, from 11:30 am till midnight. With fall temperatures predicted and sunny skies, on Saturday, it will be a pure pleasure to be outdoors and take in all of what the area has to offer. Get out and enjoy the wonderful festival atmosphere. And did I mention they will have campsites available, just in case you want to have a real Cajun adventure!

A few of the fantastic 21 regional bands slated to perform at the Blackpot Festival are Walter Mouton & the Scott Playboys, The Pine Leaf Boys, with the Red Stick Ramblers closing out the festival on Saturday night. And don't forget about the food. The Blackpot Festival celebrates the old fashioned Cajun way of cooking with black cast ironed pots, without electricity. This cook-off challenges chefs to make their best recipe and then share it with the lucky crowd. For a complete schedule and more details, check out: www.blackpotfestival.com


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Mama's Apple Cobbler

Every fall, while I was growing up, my dear mother would make the most delicious apple cobbler, as an after school snack for us. As soon as we would hit the door, the wonderful aroma of this fabulous treat would announce it's presence in the kitchen. It is, to this day, one of my favorite desserts and simply heavenly with a bit of whipped cream on top or even a scoop of ice cream. Cest bon, cher!
Filling:
5 cups apples, (I used Gala), peeled and chopped
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tbs.'s brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
2 tbs.'s butter



Combine all filling ingredients, except butter, in large bowl. Gently mix until blended. Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish and place butter on top, in center.



Topping:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup each, white sugar and brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tb.'s butter, softened
1 egg



Combine all topping ingredients in a medium bowl, and blend until mixture resembles a crumble. Place topping evenly on top of filling.
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Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6.
Serve a la mode or with whipped cream. Oh, cest bon, cher!! Enjoy!


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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms + Louisiana Hot Sauce Tour

With all of the requests that I've had for these melt in your mouth mushrooms, I just had to post the recipe. One of my favorite appetizers, these sinfully delicious treats are so divine that you'll want to double the batch! And so quick and easy for those busy days.
Bon Appetit!




Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 1/2 cups lump crab meat, picked over
1 tbs. crushed garlic
1 tbs. bread crumbs
1 tbs. Cajun seasonings
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds large fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbl.'s melted butter
Grated cheddar or parmesan cheese ***********************************************************************************
Combine crab meat and 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Add garlic, parsley, and seasoning and mix well. Stir in egg and blend gently. Fill mushroom caps with crab mixture. Mix 1 tbsp. bread crumbs in melted butter and place a little of this mixture on top of each mushroom. Top with cheese. Grill on medium heat for 15 minutes or bake @ 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 10 Enjoy!
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Louisiana *Hot Sauce Tour*

What do you get when you have two master bluesmen playing a gig in one club, packed with Cajuns, in downtown Lafayette? One hellava good time, cher, oh the fun!! Nitetown night club was the scene Friday night, for the Louisiana Hot Sauce Tour, featuring two of the best Southern blues musicians in the country! The place was packed to the gills with happy fans!

One of the greats performing was Kenny Neal, who was born in New Orleans, and is the son of master bluesman, Raful Neal. Kenny has mastered the art of the harmonica, bass, trumpet, piano, and guitar, making him one of the masters of the genre. Kenny and his hotter than hot band were getting down!!


Born in Baton Rouge, Tab Benoit rocked the packed house with his eclectic style of swamp and soul, blues guitar, mixed up with a little Chicago blues. When I tell you that he is good, cher, you know that I mean it! Tab was letting his hair down at this great show. Let the good times roll, cher!

Here is one of my all time favorite videos of Kenny Neal & the Neal Family Band.
Grab a cold drink and enjoy these fabulous bayou blues! Cheers, ya'll!!

Tailgating Fun - Cajun Style!

What a blast we had on Saturday, tailgating at the U.L.L. (University of Louisiana at Lafayette ) homecoming game, in Lafayette. (also, my alma mater and my daughter's) Cajun Field played host to 21,000 Ragin' Cajuns fans decked out in red and hot peppers and cooking up a storm.

The Krewe Des Amis tent was my favorite, by far! Dynamite, food, decorating, and music!

Check out this platter of wings!

When I tell you that these Cajuns know how to throw a tailgating party like nothing you've ever seen......... And Lawd have mercy, cher, there was some good eating at Cajun Field today! This guy was grilling up some crab-stuffed mushrooms and boudin. Both, out of this world!!!

And this pork jambalaya was sinfully delicious, cher!

And what's a Cajun party without some fabulous live Cajun music provided by Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin' Cajuns. This is one tight band that blew the roof off the place with their high energy tunes. Let the good times roll, cher!

The crowd loved this band!

My camera battery went out, 19 seconds into the video that I was taking.
So, I danced for the rest of the time. But at least you can get an idea of the fun!



This one only lasted 9 seconds. Cie la vie!



A beautiful day, well spent with friends and family, enjoying great food and music, supporting our team. Does life get any better than that? What did you do for fun, this weekend?

An Award + Cajun Lagniappe!

I was totally surprised and honored when my dear friend, Dave, over at My Year on the Grill, presented me with the "i give good blog award"! In his award post, (click here to read) he gave me the best shout out that I've ever received and I'd like to say "Merci beaucoup, Dave! Please take time to visit his incredible grilling blog, which entertains, informs, and educates so many of us foodies. His recipes, step by step directions, tablescapes, and writing are excellent and worthy of praise. And did I mention that he's hilarious and makes me laugh, every time I visit him. He is currently in New Orleans, taking Cajun dance lessons, eating Cajun food, and having a blast in the French Quarter but will soon be back, posting all about his adventures in Louisiana. Lassiez les bon ton rouler, cher!

The rules for the "i give good blog" award: Make a cocktail, pick out four of your favorite bloggers. Send this award to them, and tell them why you think they give good blog.


Banana Colada Daiquiris
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4 oz. spicy gold rum
8 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut cream
2 bananas
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In blender, place all ingredients plus 1 cup crushed ice, and blend on high speed for 1 minute.
Garnish with maraschino cherry, banana slice, and fresh pineapple slice. Serves two. Enjoy! Cheers!
Note: This simply divine drink can also be made without alcohol. Equally delicious!
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Now that everyone has a drink, heck, make it a double, since it's Friday!, I'd like to propose a toast to several bloggers who give VERY good blog! There are so many great bloggers out there, but I'm supposed to only pick four. Cheers!

Angie @ Gumbo Writer
whose fun blog with a slightly Cajun view on things, will keep you on your toes, as a writer, and have you rolling with laughter at her jokes. Her great writer's contests and interviews are always interesting and there is never a dull moment ! As "canaille" as they come!

Carol @ The Writer's Porch
whose Southern charm and humorous posts about farm life in Mississippi, capture the hearts of many and her sunrise photos are gorgeous. Her yard sale/flea market finds never cease to amaze me, as do her great book reviews and writing . A true Southern belle!

Eddie @ Clouds and Silvery Linings
who has one of the best blogs on the planet. His imagination is second to none and his kindness and friendship are hard to beat! His writing and wit are fantastic and he really gives you a bang for your buck! A charming English gentleman! (when he's not portraying Mr. Hyde)


Katherine @ Smoky Mountain Cafe'
whose fabulous cooking blog has inspired so many to venture out of their comfort zone and try something new. Her nouveau New Orleans cooking style and recipes are wonderful and her photos are excellent! And check out her Thanksgiving 08' post! True Southern hospitality!

Please pay them a visit and tell them I sent you! Congrats to all!
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Another great fun weekend coming up, here in Cajun Country. With beautiful weather,
(mid to upper 70's and sunny) on tap for the whole weekend, it's sure to be a blast. Get out there and enjoy everything that Acadiana has to offer! Here are a few lagniappe pics of some recent Cajun fun. Have a bon ton , ya'll!

Lassiez les bon ton rouler, cher!

Gumbo Cook Off + French Rockin' Boogie !

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After a delicious Oyster Poboy for lunch, at Pat's Downtown, we took a break from eating, and went over to the Filling Station Pub and Grille for a little siesta. It was a beautiful day, perfect for sitting out on their lovely patio, and sipping a glass of wine with a good friend. We were resting up for the Gumbo Cook Off, a little later, at Parc International, in downtown Lafayette.

Happy hour started a little early today at 4:00 pm, at the Acadiana Realtor's Association, Gumbo Cook Off.There were lots of different kinds of gumbo, with 24 booths to choose from!! Of course, I tried the seafood gumbo first. When I tell you that this was some of the best seafood gumbo that I have ever eaten, then you'd better believe it, cher! Cest bon! Then, there was duck and sausage, shrimp and okra, chicken and sausage, crab and oyster.... etc. Are you starting to get the idea? Le bon manger!

This duck and sausage gumbo was going fast! Cest bon, cher!

Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie

And what's a gumbo feast without a little Cajun/Zydeco music? Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie entertained the crowd and sent the dancers into Zydeco overdive! My camera was having issues, so I couldn't get a video, but here is a clip that I took, this summer, of Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie, at Whiskey River, on the beautiful Atchaflaya Basin. Just to give you an idea of how this band can rock a crowd. Oh, the life of a Cajun, is oh, so good!!!