One thing I failed to experience in New Orleans was jumbalaya. Fortunately my dad made a batch for a family gathering the very next weekend! This recipe is a family favorite, and it is terrific for potluck meals.
My attempt at lentil soup was one of those dinners. A simple combination of lentils, brown rice, broth, carrots, onions and Tandoori spice was intended to result in a healthful soup which we would enjoy for dinner. When I checked on the soup an hour before dinner, it had absorbed most of the liquid, so I added more broth. I checked a little later and once again, the broth had been absorbed, so I added more water. This stuff just kept growing and growing until it filled our Crock Pot…
Since it was tolerable, and I despise being wasteful, we had this “soup” for dinner and leftovers for lunches. We jokingly called it “life-sustaining gruel” due to its less-than-appetizing appearance and the fact that it served only one basic purpose of food: it filled our bellies. No recipe today folks; this one is NOT a keeper!
A couple of weeks ago I tried my hand at cheese-making, something I was a little nervous about trying at home without having taken a class to guide me in the right direction. Fortunately a course was offered at The Nutrition Center of Maine through Lewiston Adult Education.
This creation came about due to the fact that I had half a bag of orzo sitting in the cupboard, and baby spinach sitting in the refrigerator that I had purchased for a recipe I didn’t end up making. All in all, it made for an easy lunch and something I’ll make again!
I cannot take any credit for this recipe, which can be found at epicurious.com. This recipe would also work nicely with chicken, and was very easy to prepare.
This recipe was inspired by what we had in the refrigerator and freezer. While it wasn’t a planned meal, I was pleasantly surprised by the results, and it is a dish I will definitely make again.
Trunk cookies. There, it’s been said. These cookies stored nicely for a couple of hours in our trunk, and were delicious as a late evening tailgate dessert after a birthday outing in the Old Port. My father-in-law purchased them as a substitute for birthday cake, knowing that it would be very difficult to share a cake in a restaurant or on the go before a concert.
We all enjoyed these nutty, not-too-sweet cookies very much. While I do not know the true nutritional information, they certainly seemed more healthful than traditional cookies, and had a unique sesame flavor and hearty texture.
Now I’m curious to see what other offerings are available at Bel Cibo Da Cherie!
Warning: There are no food pics in this blog post; just one view of the Domino Sugar plant…
My last day in New Orleans was spent wandering the city mainly on my own, since my husband had begun his conference that day. There aren’t many food-related pictures in this posting, mainly because my food stops were very simple that day, and very much on-the-go. The highlight was a macaroon from the French Market, which I ate while on board the Steamboat Natches.
Herbsaint was our restaurant of choice for a “nice” dinner out while visiting New Orleans. Since our travels usually involve miles and miles of walking, we generally aim to walk out to dinner as well. Since we like to travel light, neither of us packed clothes appropriate for dining at a “jackets required” establishment. Fortunately our business casual attire was passable for dinner at Herbsaint, though I did notice that most people were far more dressed up than we were. Knowing this, I would probably dress a little nicer if I were to return for another dinner there.
For a cheap and easy lunch, we hopped in line for a Muffuletta at Central Grocery. While in line we were able to browse the wide array of products available for purchase in the store.
