I also tried this recipe today. Now I need some suggestions on how to use pesto. One way that I know is good is mixed into hot freshly boiled and drained pasta. Makes a nice light and flavorful sauce.
Simple Garlic and Basil Pesto Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Monday, July 11, 2011
Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto with Lime Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Wanted to try making pesto. I had some cilantro and tried this recipe. It tastes great.
Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto with Lime Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto with Lime Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Schnitzel Night
I was recently going west on highway 22 and passed a local culinary institution, the Taste of Bavaria Bakery http://www.tasteofbavariarestaurant.com/. This local gem was opened over 20 years ago by Larry and Mary Alice Larreau (sp?). An authentic German bakery it has provided area residents and visitors from all over with excellent breakfasts, pastries, and breads. Every now and then the bakery opens for night for a special occasion like Oktoberfest. This day the sign stated that it would be open the Saturday night before father's day for "Schnitzel Night". I immediately was reminded of a recent trip that my mother and I were able to take to visit former exchange students and their families in Europe. One of the families was the Hoffman's from Bamberg. They were actually our first stop on a two week marathon. The first night we were there they took us to a local restaurant known for their schnitzel. We were very excited (at least I was - my mom is not an adventurous eater).
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| My mother and I |
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| My half eaten Schnitzel |
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| Till's parents, Gunther and Selma Hoffman |
So when I saw the sign, I decided this would be the perfect way to celebrate Father's Day. Since my father did not go on the trip with us, we could share a little of the trip with him. Although both he and my mother weren't thrilled about schnitzel night (mom asked if there were any other choices for dinner that night and I said "no"). I was determined to relive and share the experience.
We arrived soon after they opened because I wanted to be sure that we got in - surely everyone in Ponchatoula was going to be there for this special night. Well...apparently everyone in Ponchaotula does not know how good schnitzel is because there was only one other couple in the place when we arrived. The food was good - not great. One thing I noticed was that all of the schnitzels on the menu that night were made of pork. In Germany, they make them out of veal, chicken, or pork and they are pounded very thin. The ones we had at Taste of Barvaria were more like pork chops and not thin at all. My parents had the traditional version whereas I tried one with a paprika sauce. I chose that as much for the accompaning spatzel as for the schnitzel.
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| traditional schnitzel |
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| Schnitzel with paprika sauce and spatzel |
In addition to the entree the price fixe menu included an appetizer. I chose the potato dumpling. It was very good and commonly served throughout my trip. I had it at least three times with various sauces and sometimes stuffed. They were all uniquely good - we really don't have anything like it in our cuisine.
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| Potato dumpling with mushroom sauce at Taste of Bavaria
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All in all it was a great time and brought back such wonderful memories of our generous hosts, the Hoffmans. The only drawback to the Taste of Bavaria meal was the price. At $25 a person it was a little steep. Of course I felt it was worth it because of my connection with the food, but that is probably why not many people were there to enjoy.
Tomato Jam
I have heard Tomato Jam mentioned a few times on some of the cooking shows that I watch so I set out to find a good recipe. The one below is the one that I tried and it turned out excellent. Of course, after finishing- you can follow canning procedures to store. Of course, I have already found a variety of uses and will not need to store much of it. It works on cream cheese with crackers, instead of ketchup on a hot dog, and in some baked beans I am making for the 4th of July. A little sweeter than ketchup - it would probably work as a substitute in many recipes that call for ketchup. One that I think of is a topping for meatloaf - mmm... It is a little spicy so you can control the heat by adjusting the amount of red chili flakes. Enjoy!
Tomato Jam Food in Jars:
"Tomato Jam Recipe
makes 4 1/2 to 5 pints5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped (don't peel or seed)
3 1/2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Stirring regularly, simmer the jam until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. This will take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours, depending on how high you keep your heat."
Tomato Jam Food in Jars:
"Tomato Jam Recipe
makes 4 1/2 to 5 pints5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped (don't peel or seed)
3 1/2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Stirring regularly, simmer the jam until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. This will take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours, depending on how high you keep your heat."
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Jacmel Inn
No sooner than I had posted the list from Tripadvisor that Jacmel Inn was the best restaurant in Hammond I received an invitation to have dinner there. Well, you know what my answer was...yesssssssss! It has been about a year or so since I had been there and the previous post made me remember how good it could be. Jacmel has been a part of the Hammond community for many years. I remember going there to eat before a high school prom in the late 70's. Through the years, I always remembered their fresh baked bread served with butter and house dressing. The house dressing is described as a peppercorn ranch and their recipe is one of the most talked about recipes in Hammond (along with the Tong Cho sauce at Trey Yuen - more about that in a future post). I remember a friend of mine from years ago, Sandy Day, had the recipe and I think she gave it me - but I don't know where it is know. The good news is that one of the guests in our dinner group the other night met her husband (who was the chef) at Jacmel about twenty years ago. He is now a chef in New Orleans and caters for special events. She says she may get the recipe from him.
Now, about my most recent meal. Of course the bread and salad (dressing) was delicious as always. I also had the French Onion soup (pictured) which was also very good.
The main course was a filet served with roasted potatoes and a few asparagus spears (picture). I ordered it medium and it was cooked to that doneness. It had a nice crusty outside with red and tender center.. The cut could have been better - there were a few pieces that were difficult to chew. Overall it was a good - not spectacular steak.
And yes, we had dessert. I ordered the white chocolate cheesecake with a praline sauce. It was good, but had an unusual texture. The cheesecake was not smooth, but a little chunky. I guess from the white chocolate although the chunks were not chocolate. It could not have been too bad since I ate most of it. Of course, since I am a cheesecake connoisseur, my standards for cheesecake may be too high. : ) Happy eating!!
And yes, we had dessert. I ordered the white chocolate cheesecake with a praline sauce. It was good, but had an unusual texture. The cheesecake was not smooth, but a little chunky. I guess from the white chocolate although the chunks were not chocolate. It could not have been too bad since I ate most of it. Of course, since I am a cheesecake connoisseur, my standards for cheesecake may be too high. : ) Happy eating!!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Tripadvisor for Restaurant Reviews
Another site that I use to find restaurant recommendations when traveling is Tripadvisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com/. The nice thing about this site is that it covers other aspects of travelling including hotels and attractions. Users long on and rate the various places and then we can see what they say and recommend. Just to give you an idea of the coverage and reliability. Here is a list of the restaurants and ratings listed for Hammond. Of course this only lists the restaurants that have reviews on Tripadvisor and the ranking is influenced by the reviews that are given.
Jacmel
#1 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $31 - $50
Cuisines: Cajun & Creole, Italian
- “ Great food! ” Jun 5, 2011
- “ Lobster Knuckles, Local Mushrooms, and Lasagna. Can't Beat It. ” Mar 23, 2011
#2 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $30 Cuisines: Mexican
- “ This is the best food ever go there every... ” May 5, 2010
- “ Really good food! ” Apr 19, 2010
#3 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $5 - $20
Cuisines: Mexican
Good for: Families with children, Romance, Doing business, Outdoor seating
- “ Best Mexican food I've had in a long time! ” Apr 13, 2011
- “ 3 good, 1 bad ” Mar 6, 2010
#4 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $35 - $50
Cuisines: French
Good for: Families with children, Romance
- “ Awesome Experience! Highly recommend Michabelle's ” Jun 6, 2011
- “ My husband and I celebrated our 21st... ” Oct 16, 2010
#5 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Cuisines: Seafood
- “ Loved it! ” Apr 13, 2011
- “ Casual and delicious, good for all tastes! ” Feb 10, 2010
#6 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $10 - $15
Cuisines: American, Bar, Pizza
Good for: Families with children, Doing business, Local cuisine
- “ AMAZING!!!!! ” Jul 30, 2010
- “ The food and pizza is GREAT!! My favorite... ” Jan 8, 2010
#7 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $15 - $20
Cuisines: Sushi
- “ Great! ” Mar 25, 2010
- “ An oasis of great Japanese food in Louisiana ” Mar 9, 2010
#8 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Cuisines: American, Delicatessen
- “ One and Done ” Feb 22, 2011
- “ Best Chinese food in Hammond ” Jul 31, 2010
#9 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $5 - $10
Cuisines: Donuts
Good for: Families with children
- “ Don't Miss These Donuts! ” Jun 1, 2010
- “ Meh ” Aug 4, 2008
#10 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $5 - $15
Cuisines: American, Barbecue
Good for: Families with children, Doing business, Local cuisine
- “ Great ribs at a good price ” Jan 16, 2011
- “ Great BBQ in Hammond at a reasonable price ” Jan 1, 2010
#11 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $15 - $30
- “ Great Food & Service! ” Jun 8, 2011
- “ First time ” Jun 12, 2010
#12 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $8 - $15
Cuisines: American, Bar, Cajun & Creole, Hamburgers
Good for: Local cuisine, Outdoor seating
- “ great place for an afternoon drink and snack ” Nov 16, 2009
- “ Very good food ” Apr 27, 2009
#13 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Cuisines: French
- “ Usually reliable good dining ” Mar 12, 2010
- “ Wonderful Food, but a little pricey. ” Feb 10, 2009
#14 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
Price: $8 - $15
Cuisines: Asian, Japanese, Sushi
Good for: Families with children, Romance, Doing business
#15 of 16 restaurants in Hammond
- “ Ok food, terrible prices ” Jan 16, 2011
- “ Must be better restaurants around with much better balanced meals ” Nov 19, 2010
1 additional restaurant with no user reviews
Red Beans and Rice
Had the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite Hammond restaurants, Tope La, for lunch. We were celebrating the retirement of a colleague. I tried a unique item they have on their lunch menu, fried catfish and red beans rice. What makes it unique is the combination of the two different dishes.
Although it was good - the red beans were not as good as the ones I make at home and I did not care for the sausage that was part of the dish. Of course the red beans that I make at home are usually very easy to make and delicious because I use Blue Runner cream-style beans. I begin by browning some sausage and then adding the can of Blue Runner. I also add some Tony Chachere's (another secret of the Louisiana home cook).
If you have a faovite red beans and rice recipes or a "secret" Louisiana ingredient you want share post on the comments. Happy cooking and eating!!
Monday, June 6, 2011
New Restaurant - Cafe Nola in Ponchatoula
Went out to eat a week ago to a new place in town, Cafe Nola. It is on Highway 51 in a new shopping center (I believe called South Oaks). I had heard a few good things about it and wanted to try it out. The place is beautiful with lots of earth tone colors and eye-popping art. I think I noticed a few Michalopoulos (http://www.michalopoulos.com/) prints near the entrance. The menu is typical for a south Louisiana nice casual restaurant (fried and broiled seafood, steaks, salads, pasta, etc.). I tried the Delacroix Stack (pictured). It was fried eggplant that was stacked with fried oysters and covered with a crabmeat and butter sauce. It was very good. The ingredients were fresh and off high quality. My brother had the spaghetti and meatballs and seemed to enjoy them. The portion was so large he had to bring more than half home. My day had a seafood and pasta dish that he said was very good.
We saw some mutual friends there (the Butlers) who told us they had been several times and enjoy the food very much. They told us that the chef/owner had serveral restaurants in the surrounding area. You could tell that this restaurant benefited from the successful experience of the previous restaurants. All in all it was a great night out. It was also nice to support a new local business. We knew most of the staff - many of them from our church.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Steaks
After writing about my birthday dinner which consisted of home cooked steaks I thought this would be a good time to discuss where to find good steaks when eating out. My current favorite place to eat a steak is Buddies in Hammond. They have an excellently seasoned steak that is reasonably priced. I believe that they have a Thursday steak night with an great deal on a steak.
Before Buddies, I remember liking the steaks from the Caboose. First in Independence and then their location in Hammond. The first time I went to the Caboose in Independence was with the Sims family after a school board meeting where their son William was honored for being Key Club International President. That was over ten years ago. Now I think both the Independence and Hammond location are closed and they have opened a Caboose in McComb. One day I will need to go up there and try it. Other places in the area that have good steaks are Jacmel Inn, Don's, and Catfish Charlies. If you have a favorite place to eat steaks, post it under comments.
Birthday Dinner - Steaks and Hash Brown Casserole
In addition to trying to have 50 cakes, I wanted to a special dinner with family and close friends that consisted of some of my favorite foods. My go to protein is steak. I always enjoy a steak and they are easy to cook at home. For my birthday dinner, I prepared the steaks two ways. One was using a dry rub and letting the sit uncovered in the refrigerator all day. Another method was using a marinade - similar to the one posted below from All-Recipes. I tried one of the dry rub and it was good, but I put too much seasoning on the outside. Later I tried one of the marinated steaks and it was very good. My only problem with cooking steaks at home is that I tend to overcook them on my grill. I think that because I like more medium well than rare that I err on the side of cooking too long. I am still working on that part of cooking them at home. I am also still looking for the perfect marinade. Any suggestions are appreciated. In addition to the steaks, a few friends made a hash brown casserole to go with the steaks. That was the perfect accompaniment. I found a recipe similar to what they made and posted it below. Perhaps if one of them read this, they will post the recipe they used. Sunday, May 1, 2011
Birthday Cake
Well, I celebrated my 50th birthday this week. When you think about being 50 (when you are younger) you don't think of it as a time to celebrate, but when you get here you realize it really is. I have been blessed with 50 wonderful and healthy years. I have been able to go so many places and become friends with so many people. It makes me excited to think about the next 50 years and what God has in store. Anyway, to celebrate I thought it would be fun (funny) to have 50 cakes (including mostly cupcakes). Since word got out and I have some generous family and friends, I began to receive cakes about a week before my birthday. The first one was a milky way cake from my friend Annette (pictured) and the last (I hope) was a strawberry shortcake from the Cocoa Bean (pictured). In between I had a chocolate cream cheese cake (thanks Linda), a German chocolate cake (thanks mom), a banana nut cake (thanks Cindy), a carrot cake, red velvet cupcakes and German chocolate cupcakes. In all, I had close to 50 cakes and of course some help eating them. Although it was fun and funny I would not recommend that anyone else try this. It is definitely not good for the waist line and will not help me get to 60. For that birtday, I need to try to run or walk a long race and begin training for it now. I will say that my favorite was my mother's German chocolate cake. What kind of cake is your favorite? Post your favorite cake under comments.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Natchez, MS - Biscuits and Blues
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| What was left after our first round of biscuits. |
Had the opportunity to visit Natchez, MS this weekend chaperoning the Ponchatoula High School Key Club at the Key Club District Convention and yes, we had to sample some of the great food of this historic city. Our first stop was a restaurant called Biscuits and Blues. You guessed it - they are known for their biscuits and live Blues music (at night). We were there for lunch so we only got to sample the biscuits. As you can see from the half eaten basket of biscuits - I could not wait to eat before I took the picture. The biscuits are as good as they look, but what makes them extra special is the butter and orange marmalade spread they serve with - delicious. The best part is they send them to your table free to start your meal. I also ordered one of the lunch plate specials - fried catfish. It came with three sides. I chose baked beans, corn casserole, and macaroni and cheese. The fish was good. The baked beans were very good and the other two sides were just average. My fellow Key Club advisor, Shane, ordered beignets covered in crawfish and mushroom sauce. She had ordered it on a previous trip and was looking forward to having it again. It looked delicious. I think I will try it the next time - I hope there is a next time. Those biscuits were too good.
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| Beignet with crawfish and mushrooms |
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tope La - Hammond
Tope La has been in Hammond for about 10 years and is one of the "nicer" restaurants in town. The food is generally very good. I have eaten their about 10 times for various occasions. This time a group of colleagues and I met for an early dinner after work. I ordered off of the special "rustic Italian" menu they were featuring. A generous friend in the group ordered a couple of appetizers to share. One was the fried olives. (This just lends credence to the idea that we fry anything in the south.) They were pretty good. Since they were green olives they had a strong olive flavor. I like olives so that was OK for me. The other appetizer was outstanding. It was fried eggplant topped with a lump crab meat sauce (picture on right). The crab meat was excellent and so was the sauce. For an entree, I ordered the chicken parmigiana (pictured at bottom). Not sure why, because I try to avoid pasta. It was just OK - nothing special. A couple in our group ordered the sugar cane salmon - it looked delicious. I always want what other people ordered instead of what I order. The service is always good as well - this time no different. Looking for a special occasion in Hammond - try Tope La. 
Strawberry Festival Sunday
It was another wonderful Sunday of worship and food. Those go together really well. The Annual Strawberry Festival Breakfast at First Baptist was once again a huge success. Each adult Sunday School class sets up a table. In the first picture is the table that I thought looked the best. It was from Robin Ward's class and decorated by Marie Sullivan. The had a variety of fruit cut and ready to dip in a chocolate fountain. The next picture is from one of the older ladies classes, Bonnie Whelan's class, and knew they could cook. I was at the beginning of that line when they said "amen." They had what they called a breakfast jambalaya. It included all the parts of a breakfast meal: potatoes, eggs, and sausage. It had a great flavor and it was convenient to have all of those elements together. They also had homemade biscuits - mmmm. I had one of those with some homemade jelly. They also had some delicious smoked ham. It was a great start to the feast. After completing that plate, I also enjoyed an asparagus, egg, ham, and cheese casserole. Mrs. Amanda said that it was made by Charlotte Shaffer and it used fresh asparagus from their garden. It was wonderful. Things just seem to taste better when you know the vegetables are fresh. My final stop was at my friend Annette's table. Her class is the class that has adopted me. As a youth Sunday School teacher, I don't have a class to attend. I was getting full by this time but really enjoyed another breakfast casserole with lots of crisp bacon on top. Not sure who made it but it was good. Everything was great and the fellowship was even better. I could not stay as long as I wanted, because our choir director was waiting on us to rehearse for the service. Can't wait until next year.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Strawberry Festival
Of course, the festival grounds have a wide variety of foods with all of the profits going to non-profit groups. Just name some of the food that I have tried over the years, gumbo, bloomin' onion, fried shrimp poboy, steak sandwich, funnel cakes, strawberry shortcake, strawberry smoothie, chocolate dipped strawberries, Italian sausage sandwich, fried pickles, red beans and rice, smoked turkey leg, and that all I can name off the top of my head. Feel free to post a comment and share your favorite Strawberry Fest food.
Another event that weekend is the "famous" First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula's Strawberry Festival breakfast followed by a worship service. At 9:00 in the churches activities building, each of the adult Sunday School classes set up a table of wonderful breakfast goodies - many with a strawberry theme. Each class tried to outdo the other, which is a bonus for those of us enjoying the food. Every breakfast item you possibly imagine is included. This year I will try to take pictures and report on my favorites. You are welcome to come enjoy and stay for our worship service at 10:00. Everything is finished by 11:00 so that people can get safely home or go enjoy the rest of the day at the festival.
Of course, while you are in town this weekend and the next few weekends don't forget to get some Louisiana Strawberries. Local farmers will be set up at the festival so that you can purchase straight from them. If you have a favorite way to eat strawberries, post in the comments for everyone to enjoy. See at the festival.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Lacaretta's - Amite
Recently had lunch at the Lacaretta's in Amite and wanted to give you a report. I actually took pictures of what I ordered before I began to eat - I usually forget until it is half gone. Lacaretta is a local Mexican food chain that began in Hammond about 10 years ago. The restaurant immediately became popular for the relaxed atmosphere, good food, and reasonable prices. As with any good restaurant it began to spread. I believe there are about 5 or 6 locations including the one in Amite. Most of the time the food is good. Your usual offerings of Mexican -American food. One of their most popular items is the cheese dip. I admit that I have gone just to get that before. On my recent visit, I ordered the fajitas. I usually get something else, but wanted to try their fajitas. The chicken fajitas were only $7. You can see from the pictures you get a nice sized portion for that amount. I was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Some recent trips the food has just been OK. Although they did not come out sizzling and smoking - I'm glad they didn't - they were freshly cooked and nicely seasoned. I also included the optional guacamole - I love guacamole! The only thing missing for me was cheese. I like cheese on my fajitas. I'm sure if I would have asked they would have gotten some for me. Monday, March 28, 2011
Top Chef All-Stars
The season finale of Top Chef All-Stars is set for Wednesday, March 30, 9:00 pm. Here is a link to the show's website: http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef It is broadcast on Bravo. This was an especially great season for Top Chef fans. This represents the 8th season and for this round they brought the favorites from the previous season. The big thing about most the all stars was that they almost won their season - most coming in second or third. This season they had the opportunity to redeem themselves. Since everyone was pretty good it also meant that the producers of the show could create some very difficult challenges. I thought the challenges this season were the best ever. It is really unbelievable what these chefs were able to do under extreme circumstances. One of my favorite episodes was the Ellis Island one. The quick fire challenge was creating a dish using the concession stand items on the ferry that brings visitors to the island. They had until the boat landed on the island. Then for the elimination challenge they brought family members in to help them explore they ancestors and develop a dish that reflected their heritage. Since I love learning about my ancestors about as much as I love food - this was a great combination for me. I also like the episodes where you learn more about the contestants by meeting their families. Another favorite episode was the one that celebrated gulf seafood. Contestants created dishes using seafood from the Gulf of Mexico to help promote the industry after the oil spill. The judges were Paula Dean and John Besh.
After a season of exiting challenges it comes down to the final two: Richard Blais and Michael Isabella (pictured). I am pulling for Richard because he is the most talented chef of the group. He was very close to winning his season, but choked on the finale. He really needs redemption and I hope he gets it. Let me know if you have a favorite and why. Also after the finale I will post my final comments on the season. You can also view of the episodes all day on Wednesday, March 30 on Bravo. So even if you have not followed the show you can catch up on one day.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Cheesecake
I would have to say that my favorite dessert of all-time is cheesecake. I have made quite a few and eaten quite a few at restaurants. Of all the cheesecakes that I have eaten, the most memorable one was at Junior's Restaurant in New York City. Here is their website: http://www.juniorscheesecake.com/. There are four locations with the original being in Brooklyn. I have eaten at the one in Times Square about 4 times (pictured). Twice on two different trips to NYC. One reason that I like them so much is the way that they combine cake and toppings with the cheesecake. I wish that I lived close enough to try all of them, but since I don't, I can only say that once I tried the Devil's Food Cheesecake that I was hooked (see picture). I will say that the picture does not do it justice because it is about 6 inches high. I can't finish a piece in one sitting. 
This Christmas I tried to recreate the tower of goodness at home (with limited success). I made a Red Velvet Cheesecake and one like the Devil's Food Cheesecake. The key is to combine layers of cake, icing, and cheesecake. I may try it again, but I'm afraid that if I am too successful, I will want to eat the entire cheesecake. Feel free to post your favorite cheesecake spot or recipe.
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