Calling all cheese lovers

Cheese and crackers are a perfectly acceptable meal to me.  I've found myself at the end of a paycheck before with nothing to eat but a block of Havarti & rosemary Triscuits.  It was a delightful 'adult lunchable'!  I adore cheese with any sort of accompaniment, & I try to always incorporate it into an appetizer I serve at a dinner party.  With that said, I'm on a constant quest for the perfect cheese plate.  To me, a platter full of artisan cheeses with various meats, fruit spreads, olives, & nuts is the epitome of antipasti bliss.  Cafe Degas on Esplanade Avenue near City Park in New Orleans has a fine cheese plate on their menu.  It is served with house made pate & fresh bread & is simply delightful.  Susan Spicer's gem in Lakeview, Mondo, offers a similar platter, depending on the season.  The best cheese platter I have found is at Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel.  Chef Alon Shaya heads up the kitchen in this authentic Italian restaurant, & he is creating magic.  All the dishes are carefully crafted with only the freshest ingredients available.  The pizzas at Domenica are some of the best in the city & are fired in a custom wood burning oven.  While pizza is my favorite food group, I can't open the door to this restaurant without ordering the 'Affetatti Misti', which is an assortment of cheeses, salumi, marinated olives, & roasted vegetables.  It is more than enough to share with your table (even though you may not want to!!!), & the selections change daily. 

As you can see, this beauty could easily be a meal in itself, but it is absolutely the ideal beginning to a feast that will leave you lingering at the table for an enjoyable while.  Domenica is an hour away from home for me, and I can say with certainty that I would make that drive for the Misti platter every day.  The happy hour here has been voted as one of the best in New Orleans & is available seven days a week from 3-6.  You can get all of the hand-crafted, wood fired pizzas for HALF PRICE - that's $6.50 for a whole pizza!!! All wines by the glass, beers, & well cocktails are half price, as well.  There are so many to choose from that you can get a few to share & still pay a fraction of the cost. 

I won't find any 'adult lunchables' on the menu at Domenica (thank God), but I will find terrific rustic country Italian dishes that transport me to a place far from here.  Whether you are a tourist heading to New Orleans, a guest at the Roosevelt Hotel, or a resident of the Central Business District, Domenica should be the place you have your next meal.  Chef Alon & the knowledgeable staff will welcome you with open arms & treat you like family.  It's a perfect slice of Italy right here at home.  



Smooth sailing

The sultry summertime has a love/hate relationship with restaurants. In tourist-packed beach areas, restaurants bustle with patrons who don't want to cook on vacation.  In the less tourist saturated cities, restaurants are often slow because people are on vacation.  Sometimes, it's simply too hot to eat, & people stay home by the pool.  This lull in activity allows time for chefs to test their creative juices.  Prix-fixe menus, appetizer-heavy happy hours, & specially dinners are all products of such fusion.  In fact, I had the privilege of attending a cocktail dinner last week at Beausoliel restaurant, right here in Baton Rouge.  I've said it once, & I'll say it again: their award-winning chef, Nathan Gresham, continuously outdoes himself in the kitchen. He created a menu around five fabulous cocktails that were crafted by general manager/co-owner Jeff Conaway & his talented bar team.  As always, chef Nathan & Jeff stayed true to the local/independent vendor & chose Smooth Ambler as the spirits to feature for the dinner.  Smooth Ambler is a small, artisan distiller located in West Virginia, that uses locally sourced ingredients in the making of all their liquors.  The perfectly designed menu featured cocktails made with Smooth Ambler's gin, bourbon, & vodka.  I have been to my share of wine & beer dinners before, but I have never been to a cocktail dinner.  In fact, I was skeptical of attending the dinner, as I didn't think I would appreciate the varieties of cocktails.  I could not have been more wrong:  the dinner & pairings were absolutely fantastic.

The meal began with hand passed hors d'oeuvres of fried pork belly with ancho bbq sauce and skewers of local watermelon & seared tuna.  These delights were paired with 'peaches & streams', a refreshing (& gorgeous) cocktail made with fresh peaches, Smooth Ambler gin, & St. Germain. It was an outstanding opener for this dinner.

Next came a Louisiana seafood lover's dream:  BBQ shrimp & jumbo lump crabmeat set atop fried local eggplant.  This plate was paired with the 'old boulevardier' cocktail made with Smooth Ambler bourbon.  The delectable sweetness of the crab paired beautifully with the bold flavor of the whiskey.  The flavorful breading of the eggplant provided enough spice to make the taste buds sing with every sip of this cocktail.   

I was starting to get full at this point (the bite size fried pork belly pieces did me in), but I have never been a quitter when it comes to good eating!!  The next course was light & delicious & served with, perhaps, my favorite cocktail of the evening.  A beautiful piece of pan sauteed cobia topped with a fennel & apple coleslaw appeared in front of me.  Chef Nathan described this plate as his play on a picnic of catfish & old-fashioned coleslaw.  I love this grown up dish!!!  It was served with a stunning cocktail of lavender & honey infused Smooth Ambler gin, fresh lemon juice, & simple syrup.  The 'lavender fields', as it was called, had an ice ball in the middle that had either fresh lavender or flower inside.  It was not only tasty, but also a visual masterpiece.  The gin had a slight edge to it, but the mild fish & tart slaw cut the flavor with precision.

For real, it can't get any better, right??  How will chef Nathan create more flavor?  How will Jeff & the team one-up the whimsical drink?  These questions were answered in the next course.  It turned out to be my favorite dish:  pork cheeks confit with caramelized onions, figs, a pickled black eye pea relish, & arugula pecan pesto.  This dish was so complex & full of flavor that I was almost speechless.  Almost.  I let out a 'WOW!', & the look on my face said, 'are y'all eating what I'm eating'????? The pork was crispy & smoky, while the figs were sweet & juicy.  It was the perfect combination of sweet & salty.  The pickled pea relish gave the dish an earthy tone that paired well with the cocktail selection of mezcal, jalapeno juice, pineapple juice, & Mathilde orange. It was appropriately named 'where there's smoke, there's fire.' This drink was garnished with a thin slice of fresh jalapeno, & it lent a subtle spice to the dish.  Standing alone, the cocktail was a bit smoky & spicy, but when sipped followed by a bite of the food, it was as if the two were made for each other.

At this point in the meal, I'm thankful that I'm wearing a long, flowy dress that is hiding my very happy stomach. I'm near certain there is no way I have room for dessert.  How in the world will I manage?  When a gooey, chocolate concoction was set in front of me, I somehow magically found the strength to gobble up every bite.  The sweet ending was a chocolate torte set in salted caramel & topped with a blackberry sorbet.  All the elements on the plate could have stood alone & made a fine dessert, but all three just blew up the senses.  My goodness, this was a fantastic dessert!! I'm the first to ask for salt over sweet any day, but I believe the salty caramel was the star of this plate.  A bite of the torte with the caramel dipped in the sorbet was, in my opinion, better than scoring a Chanel handbag at a sidewalk sale.  This sweet end called for a sweet cocktail, so we were served a 'mountaineer'. It was a delicate blend of cream, blackberry infused Smooth Ambler vodka, & chocolate liqueur.  It lended a contrast to the sweetness of the torte  It truly was a perfect ending to a well-planned & executed meal. 

I did my level best to clean my plate at each course.  I did, however, come home with a small container of the pork cheeks, & it was just was incredible for lunch the next day.   As for the cocktails, I only finished the lavender fields & shared the rest with grateful friends at my table.  It was one of the best meals I've had in Baton Rouge.  My hat goes off to Nathan & Jeff for creating such a diverse & delicious menu.  It is much more difficult to create a dish around a cocktail & vice versa than it is to create a dish around a wine or beer.  This team really knocked it out of the park.  Not only did they pull off a specialty dinner for the evening, but the staff of Beausoliel also allowed for the front of the restaurant to have normal dinner service.  This speaks volumes to the restaurant team & their experience AND expertise to allow for a special event while not disrupting service.  I'm already nagging chef Nathan & Jeff to create the next specialty dinner!!

If you have yet to make it to Beausoliel, you are missing out on culinary greatness.  This gem nestled in the Bocage shopping center is turning the Baton Rouge dining scene into a force to be reckoned with. Brunch is served on Saturday & Sunday, and lunch/dinner is served from Tuesday-Friday.  The daily plate lunch specials & nightly dinner specials are crafted with care from local ingredients.  Beausoliel happy hour is one of the best in town, & there is a beautiful umbrella covered patio to relax in.  The staff & team are friendly & knowledgeable & happy to make recommendations.  Make plans to have a meal there very soon.  Your tastebuds will thank you.  











Eat. Here. Now.

The New Orleans culinary scene is fierce.  From food trucks to fine dining, Creole to Cajun, & Lucky Dogs to lamb chops, the Crescent City is a foodie paradise.  I live an hour away from the city, so I never waste an opportunity to dine while I'm there.  Of course, I would prefer to dine at an establishment where I've never been, but I always make an exception for the tried & true places I love.  The restaurant, ROOT, is one such place.  I found myself in town early yesterday evening & convinced my fabulous NOLA friend, Gretchen Gibbs to join me for dinner at this trendy Warehouse District hot spot.

This is the welcome mat at the front door.  I find irony in the simplicity of the statement.  It is that incredible.  I've been to ROOT twice before last night, but it's was Gretchen's first experience at this modern, edgy restaurant. The menu is separated into sections, beginning with the meat & cheese selections.  It then goes on to list beginnings, middles, & principals.  Again, I find the beginnings & middles to be a filling meal.  They are large enough to share, which means you can pick a few dishes to split with your dining companion(s) & keep your cost down.   That is exactly what Gretchen & I decided to do.  We began our feast with the compressed watermelon salad. 

Talk about transforming ingredients....WOW!!!!!  This refreshing salad was filled with different components of earthy & light flavors.  The watermelon was sweet & chunky.  Delicate micro greens & herbs brought out the flavors in the vinaigrette.  The pieces of tuna were seasoned to perfections & lend a smoky flavor to this bright salad.  My absolute favorite part of the dish were the avocado 'dipping dots' on the top.  You know, the fancy ice cream you see in carts at baseball stadiums & shopping malls?  Yes, that's right, Chef Phillip Lopez has created that out of avocado & it is nothing short of outstanding.  I could not get over how well the flavors of this salad came together.  It was a perfect balance.

There were so many items on the menu we wanted to try, so Gretchen & I opted for a small plate & entree to continue the meal.  We chose the duck tortellini for our smaller portion.  This delight may be small in size, but the flavors are huge.  So much love goes into this dish, & you can tell.  I'm not even sure I can find adequate words to do it justice.  The broth was rich & full of delicate flavors & was reminiscent of the Vietnamese soup, pho.  The tortellini itself was buttery & melted in my mouth.  The pine nuts gave it a salty crunch & brought the dish all together.  I may ask for a giant bowl of this next time!!



Honestly, we could have stopped eating at this point from being full, but the main dish was on its way, & it was STEAK.  People tend to view steak as a 'special occassion' meal.  When you have this at Root, you will want to give this meat it's own special occasion!!!  We ordered it medium, & it was perfectly cooked.  The outside was charred & crispy, while the inside was juicy.  Absolute perfection.  Unfortunately, the meat wasn't the star of the plate.  The accompaniment was.  Fried sweetbreads.  To put it in current social abbreviation, O.M.G.  I can't even formulate a sentence thinking about those lightly fried pieces of joy.  In my opinion, they should be on the small plate list, as they could stand alone & be a best seller.  I loved the cup of house made french fries.  The fun tube of homemade ketchup for the fries really brought a touch of whimsy to the plate.  The reduction sauce on the steak brought a dash of sweetness & didn't overwhelm any flavors.  This ain't ya mama's meat & potatoes!!!

Now, I've said it once, & I will say it again:  I prefer salty over sweet any day.  I don't care much for dessert & very rarely order it at restaurants.  At ROOT, I practically beg for the dessert menu.  There are a variety of items that will satisfy your sweet tooth here, & we went for the Peppermint Patty.  The name is exactly what it is:  a homemade peppermint patty set in homemade mint chocolate ice cream.  It is surrounded by house made cocoa puffs & malted milk.  Garnished with mint, this dessert is amazing.  The malted milk & cocoa puffs really bring out the child in you. I love how Chef Phillip brings playful elements to his creations. The best thing about this dessert is that there is no overpowering sweetness.  It is simply delicious.

ROOT should be on the top of your must-do-in-NOLA list.  Not only is Chef Phillip Lopez transforming ingredients, he's literally changing the landscape of the city's food scene.  His cooking style is very progressive, you can taste the passion in every bite you take.  According to Southern Living's July issue, Chef Phillip will be opening a new restaurant in the garden district soon.  I will be there as soon as the door opens.  My mind can't fathom a meal better than what I've had from him at ROOT, but I have no doubt he will out-do even himself.  I appreciate that Chef Phillip is a proponent of the local farmer & sources as many local ingredients as possible.  That is just one more reason that you should eat her now. 

 

Transforming ingredients

Pizza is my favorite food group.  All of the components of the food pyramid can be found in a single piece of pizza:  bread, dairy, vegetables, & meat.  You really can't go wrong with that meal, right??  Of course, our-ever growing health conscious society is always looking for ways to make this all-American dish low in sugar, fat, carbohydrates, & anything else that makes pizza delicious.  I do believe yours truly has found a way to make a fantastic carb-less pizza & still keep all the taste.  You, too, can do it by transforming a simple ingredient:  cauliflower.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Cauliflower.  Now, as a kid, the only way I would eat that vegetable is in my mamaw's kitchen, deep fried from Schwan's.  In fact, I would chase the Schwan's truck down the street to buy the breaded cauliflower & a box of root beer popsicles.  Now that I've grown into a mature adult, I've come to love cauliflower practically any way it is prepared:  steamed, creamed, roasted, pureed, & raw with ranch dip.  I've been searching blogs for dinner ideas lately, & I came across a recipe for a cauliflower pizza crust.  Really?  Made with cauliflower?  You don't say!!  I decided the rainy weekend would be the perfect time to give it a go.  Now, I tell you, I followed the online recipe to the T on the first go-round, & the crust was a flop.  I will NOT be including the pictures from that fiasco.  Once I recovered my patience, I gave it a second shot, & it was perfect.  Here is my recipe & simple instructions:

one cup cooked, riced* cauliflower
one cup grated cheese (I used cheddar)
one egg, beaten
salt
pepper
garlic powder
Italian seasoning

*To rice cauliflower, you simply chop the florets from the head & use a cheese grater or food processor to finely grate them.  It will look like rice in your bowl.  I grated an entire head, & it yielded a bit more than two cups.  . 

- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Once you rice the cauliflower, put it all in a microwave safe dish with 1/4 cup water, & microwave for six minutes, stirring halfway through.  Allow the cauliflower to cool in the refrigerator for AT LEAST one hour before using. 
- Combine one cup cauliflower & grated cheese in a medium mixing bowl, then stir in the egg.  Once that is well mixed, add your seasonings to taste.  I never use the same amount in my recipes, & only you know how much of each seasoning you prefer. 
- Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.  You may also line with parchment paper, but spray it, as well, if you do.  Place cauliflower mixture on sheet & form into about a nine-inch round.  It is best to keep the crusts individual size, so you may double/triple the recipe as you see fit. 
- Bake at 450F for 12-20 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your crust.  I let mine go the full 20 minutes, as I like my crust to be crispy.  Do check on it in intervals, as oven times & temps vary.
- Remove crust from oven & top with your favorite toppings.  I used pizza sauce, sliced squash, onions, fresh spinach, & fresh mozzerela. Place pizza back in the oven on broil until cheese melts.

This pizza had delicious taste & none of the carbs.  You can use virtually any topping you want.  Next time I make this dish, I will take the crust off the cookie sheet & let it cool on a wire rack to allow it crisp up more on the bottom.  Domino's, Pizza Hut, & Papa John's are spending millions in marketing to revamp their image & come up with the perfect pizza.  You, dear friends, just need to dig in your pantry for some simple ingredients, & you will have the perfect 'new' pizza that's better for you, easier on your pocketbook, & your kids will never know they aren't eating bread.  That's a winner no matter how you slice it. 

Senseless heartbreak

My morning routine is pretty streamlined & boring:  wake up, make coffee, read my Bible, hope for a great Groupon deal on email, & see what my social network is doing.  There is typically nothing earth shattering to be discovered.  This morning, however, I was met with news updates of the tragedy in Colorado that took place during the night.  I've been thinking about that massacre all morning & am trying to process it.  My heart is so heavy for everyone involved.  I literally got sick to my stomach when I read the articles describing the horrific scene.  There are so many questions in my mind, I don't even know where to start.  What was so wrong in the gunman's life that he would actually plot this?  Were the medical centers equipped for all the trauma?  (Obviously, hospitals have protocol in place for such events, but we hope they never have to use it).  Did someone try to stop the shooter?  Could this have been prevented?  Will we ever be safe?  I refuse to glorify the gunman by saying his name & giving him more recognition.  What he did was senseless, twisted, & downright heinous.  That is a person who has no soul.  I thought of all the lives affected by his actions - not only the people who lost their life, but also the loved ones that are left behind.  I think about the employees of the theatre just going to work & now returning from their shift forever scarred.  I pray for the first responders who literally carried out children covered in blood.  Some police even carried the wounded to hospitals in their patrol cars.  My heart truly breaks for every single person affected by this. For them, life will never be the same, & we will never know the reach of this atrocious act.  As a society, we should feel safe when we go to the grocery, take our kids to the park, attend church, or do any sort of normal activity.  It pains me to see how one act of evil strips us of joy & wraps us in fear of what will come next.  Take a moment to pray for everyone involved.  Pray for healing, comfort, & peace that can only come from God.  This nightmare should never happen to anyone.

MERE'S NOTE:  This blog is intended to be light hearted & bring awareness to the great state of Louisiana & its people, food, & culture, but I felt compelled to share this today.  Sometimes, when there's so much in my head, it's best to just write it all down. 

Geaux Green

The crops of summer fruits & vegetables are overflowing in gardens & stores right now.  You can't turn a corner without seeing locally grown peaches, tomatoes, blueberries, watermelon (my personal favorite), & countless other summer delights.  My newly retired mother gets no greater joy than calling me every morning to share how many pounds of peas she has picked from her garden & how many peppers & squash will make their way to the lunch table.  I'm not sure about you, but all the fresh finds at the farmers market excite me so much that I often times buy more than I can eat & end up letting some food go bad.  I found myself in one such situation this week.  I got carried away with the buy-one-get-one-free baby spinach at Whole Foods.  Rather than waste a whole container, I decided to make a 'green' smoothie.  I had some fresh kale, raspberries, & frozen blueberries.  I took a handful of each, tossed it in a blender with a splash of no-sugar-added apple juice, & had a refreshing (& nutritious) liquid breakfast.  Before you turn your nose up & say how disgusting this sounds, do yourself a favor & TRY IT!!!!  In fact, you can turn anything into a smoothie.  Look in your fridge & see what needs to be used now.  There are so many tasty choices:  figs, apples, bananas, raspberries, strawberries, celery, kale, spinach, blackberries, peaches, avocados, & the list is endless.  Flax seed, whey, & peanut butter could always be added for a kick of protein.  This morning, I made myself an avocado smoothie & finished up the last of my kale (I got two weeks of smoothies out of one bunch).  I will leave you with the recipe & a challenge to go green.  Your body & wallet will thank you.  And, as always, send me your feedback & new favorite smoothie combination. 

GEAUX GREEN SMOOTHIE

one avocado, peeled & cored
one handful spinach
one handful kale
one banana, peeled (you freeze it for a thicker consistency)
one cup no-sugar-added apple juice (more or less, depending on the desired thickness)

Toss all ingredients in a blender & blend until it reaches the consistency you want.  Enjoy!

Happy Days are Here Again

In this economy & busy summer season, we are all watching our pennies, but we still want to have some fun.  I've put together a list of deals at local restaurants that can help you find some fun on a budget.  Please feel free to add your comments, & also tell me your favorite places.  I love to find a good deal!  Most restaurants also have summer specials & wine dinners or other events going on.  Ask your server or manager for details.  You will be surprised what you may learn.  As for the deals at Whole Foods, check out the community calendar to the right of the door as you leave.  You can find out what classes are available at the store & when they will be doing cooking demos.  I can't wait to hear from y'all on your favorite deals in town!  Bon Appetite!

MONDAY:

The Little Village has 50 cent martinis available at 5:00.

TUESDAY: 
Tsunami has $3 house wine, 25% off all rolls under $9, & the best view in the city. 
Drusilla Seafood has all-you-can-eat boiled shrimp for $12.95

WEDNESDAY:
Rock-n-Sake 'wines' you down with 50% off all bottles of wine from 5pm til close.
The Bulldog has 'pint night' where you can take your glass with you.
Roberto's River Road Restaurant has 40% off all bottles of wine.
The Little Village on Airline has all-you-can-eat lobster for $45.
Whole Foods puts their specials on today.  You can 'double dip' on Wednesdays, as the previous week markdowns don't expire until midnight.  Make sure you grab the coupon book as you go in!
Bonefish Grill has $5 bang-bang shrimp, glasses of wine, & specialty cocktails.

THURSDAY:
Sullivan's offers select martinis for $5, & the folks over there have just revamped the bar menu.  There are $5 appetizers, as well.
Hymel's in Convent has all-you-can-eat boiled shrimp for $13.95 & fried fish for $9.95.
Make it pizza night with Whole Foods deal of $9.99 large pizza to go.  You can have them warm it for you or cook it at home. 

FRIDAY:

Sullivan's has half price bottles of wine from 11-2.

DAILY:

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse has a deal called 5 for 6 til 7.  It simply means there are five cocktails, five wine choices, & five appetizers available for $6 until 7:00.  This special is only available in the bar area.  The steakhouse burger is, in my opinion, the best deal in town.  It is served with fries or onion rings for $6.  You won't find a better burger anywhere else. 

Beausoliel has $5 wine, specialty cocktails, & appetizers available from 3-6pm each day.  They also offer Abita Amber for $2.  Indulge yourself in the truffled fried oysters for a treat after a long day at the office. 

During the day, take advantage of the 'power lunch' at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.  Your choice of a filet or fish served with a salad & side for just $22.  That's tough to beat!

Where are you from?

People crave connection.  Even in this instantaneous, digital age, people are constantly connecting.  We have Facebook friends, Twitter followers, Instagram to capture every moment, text messages to avoid conversation, & the list goes on.  Your phone can do virtually everything for you.  There is, however, the connection that draws a common ground between people:  our home.  Here in the South, the minute you meet someone, it seems the first question is always 'where are you from'?  That should be the simplest question to answer, but for me, it is not.  You see, I don't have roots.  I don't have a 'childhood home' to return to.  I was born in Ruston, Louisiana, but I never lived there.  Let me give you a quick tour of where I grew up:  Sterlington (elementary school), Grayson (junior high),  Ferriday (high school), & even a brief stint in Bastrop, but I was too young to remember my time there. If you aren't familiar with any of these towns, pull out that old school invention called a map & look them up.  I'll give you a clue:  it's all north of I-10.  I moved to Baton Rouge in the summer of 1999 to attend LSU & have never left.  I've been here so long that I call it home.  My parents have moved twice since I left,  & they currently reside in Rayville.  Again, 13 years have passed since I've lived in north Louisiana, but I can sometimes feel 'north Louisiana' come out in me: I will make some sweet tea & sit on my patio & listen to the wind.  I will cook some peas from my mother's garden & serve it with hot water bread.  Sometimes, I will even attend a country church where the Baptist Hymnal is still in the back of the pew, & the choir still wears robes. As a child, I didn't quite understood the phrase, 'home is where the heart is', but now, I grasp it completely.  At the end of the day, a house is nothing but a structure in which to dwell.  It could be bought, sold, or destroyed tomorrow.  It is the life that we build with our family & friends that connects us & makes a place our home.  The next time you ask where someone is from, I challenge you to dig deeper.  There is always a story worth sharing. 

Father Knows Best

Fathers are being celebrated all across America today. Grills are being fired up & filled with steaks to honor dad.  Golf courses are scattered with fathers who are breaking in the new clubs their kids just bought them.  My father, however, just wanted to go eat at What-a-burger.  I love that man!!  Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend this actual day with my dad, but I did have the chance to visit with & treat him to dinner this past week.  Roger Johnson is the best man I know.  He did, after all, raise me.  That alone should earn him a medal of honor.  He is patient, gentle, kind, & fully devoted to the Lord.  Not a day goes by when my father doesn't read his Bible & pray.  I am 13 days away from turning 31, & in all my years, I have NEVER heard my father speak ill, gossip, or say a cross word about anyone.  Ever.  That's incredible.  I need to be more like him in that way, for sure.  Some of the earliest memories I have is of my sweet dad taking me to the Quick Stop in Sterlington where we lived when I was in elementary school.  He always bought me an icee & a 25-cent bag of Cheetos Paws.  He never missed a t-ball game & always bought me Big League Chew because it was my favorite gum.  We watched the Chicago Cubs play on television & sang with Harry Carey during the middle of every 7th inning.  Dad was never too busy to jump on the trampoline with me & my sister. The day we took the training wheels off my pink bike, he held on until he knew I could stay in control.  My dad sat through every elementary school, junior high, high school, & college band concert just to see his daughter play the flute.  He made sure we always went on vacation, & I have fond memories of Magic Springs, Dollywood, & Disney.  Dad would always say to me, 'Meredeth Ann, give it your best, & finish strong in all you do.'  I hope that I have made him proud.  I certainly am blessed & honored to be his daughter.  Thank you, sweet dad, for all you have done & sacrificed for our family.  You're the best one, & I love you to the moon & back.

In Honored Memory

The highlighted date on my calendar reminds me that today is a holiday. I don't have to go to work today. Some would even call today a vacation. Retailers will turn profits today on mass sales. Grills all across the country will be fired up & filled with all kinds of meats for the annual BBQ. Memorial Day has become lost on us. What was meant to honor our armed forces has just become another day of vacation. I'm guilty of taking this holiday lightly in years past, but now, more than ever, I'm grasping the breadth of all Memorial Day represents. You see, my friends, the men & women in uniform do not take their duty lightly. We wake up today & have freedoms that many people laid down their lives to protect. I've never met a soldier who wouldn't do it all over again. Sure, the comfort of a warm bed & running plumbing is difficult to leave, but the heartbeat of a soldier is protecting the freedom of America. It is their honor & duty, & they would brave the terrors of war to keep us safe & free. I've been thinking so much lately about honor & value. When I think about things I place value on, it certainly tells me where my heart is, and quite frankly, is sometimes a realization that priorties need to change. When I think about the men & women who have died for us & those who still fight, I'm humbled. They fight for people they don't even know. They're fully aware that they may never return home. Their sacrifice is so selfless. Take for instance, the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb is guarded by the Sentinels of the Third United States Infantry Regiment "Old Guard". These Sentinels guard this special tomb in Arlington National Cemetery 365 days a year, 24 hours per day, seven days a week. They do not stop in rain, heat, or snow. These soldiers are required to commit two years of their life to guard the tomb. They cannot drink alcohol or speak a swear word FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, lest they give up this privilege. The Sentinels creed speaks of their dedication to their sacred duty & serving it with dignity & respect. That is strong! Their discipline & dedication is overwhelming. As for the blessed soul who rests there, it is etched on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, 'Here rests in honored glory, an American Soldier known but to God'. This soldier not only gave his life for his country, he gave his identity. It is only fitting that the Sentinels who guard the tomb take 21 steps, pause 21 seconds, & repeat. That is reminiscent of the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military. I thank God for this unknown soldier & for every single man & woman who has fought to keep America safe & free. I know that freedom isn't free. Today, I honor you precious military & extend my most sincere appreciation for your service. May we never take your sacrifice for granted. You are truly America's heroes. I pray God's protection over you, comfort for your family, & continued blessing on America.

Big plans for a big weekend.......

When Thursdays roll around during the week, my mind automatically goes into weekend mode.  I begin to plan activities that will start right after work on Friday.  Some weeks, that activity may simply be to make sure my sofa doesn't move & watch Law & Order SVU reruns.  Other times, my weekend is so packed I have to give it a baggage claim check.  This, my friends, is one of those weekends, & I can't wait!   I will be attending my first ever Greek Festival in New Orleans.  I'd love to hear from the Greek Fest pros out there as to what we simply have to enjoy while there.  I've heard the lamb is delightful & the cheese selections are delectable.  I can't wait to try everything.  Send me your tips on how to make my first Greek Festival unforgettable.  The New Orleans Food & Wine Experience also has the city abuzz with foodies.  You can find a complete listing of events at www.nowfe.com.  NOWFE is celebrating their 20th anniversary.  Do you have a favorite event?  Let me know where you will be indulging in your favorite food & wine pairings. I will be out & about in the city all weekend.  Do you have a favorite museum?  Perhaps you like to take a walk in one of the many parks.  My friends & I will be looking for free or inexpensive pastimes this weekend.  I can't wait to hear your ideas.

Of course, I've got to be rocking my purple & gold tomorrow!  Those baseball Tigers will be taking to the diamond in Birmingham tomorrow to battle for the right to stay at the SEC tournament.  Where will you be watching the game tomorrow?  I want to hear all about it & your score predictions.  What yummy ballpark treats will you be indulging in?  I look forward to celebrating another year of LSU baseball dominance. 
Last but not least, it is a huge weekend for my family. My mother said goodbye to employment & hello to retirement today.  She has devoted 37 years of her life to teaching.  I know it is exciting for her, but at the same time, she doesn't do well with sitting idle.  I predict she will be back in the classroom next summer in some capacity.  Still, I'm sure she turned cartwheels down the hall today.  Tomorrow, my parents will celebrate 39 years of marriage.  That is remarkable, indeed!  They have been such a true example to me of love, patience, kindness, generosity, & understanding.  Certainly there have been hard times in all these years, but their devotion to God & one another has carried them through.  I'm honored to be their daughter. 

Whatever activity that you & yours plan for this long, Memorial Day weekend, I hope that you enjoy every second of it.  Take a moment to pray & thank God for our country & those who have died fighting to protect it.  Remember that freedom isn't free. 

Sweet Summertime

I keep an old coffee can full of spare change in my kitchen.  I do my best to let it fill up before I cash in the coins, but sometimes I grab a handful of quarters to allow myself a small treat for the day. Depending on the day, my treat could be a coffee from the local CC's or a red velvet cupcake batter frozen yogurt from Yogurtland or even a soft serve ice cream cone from a run down country dive.  No matter what the treat, I only allow myself to grab enough change to purchase the smallest size so I won't be tempted to blow out my diet.  I found myself driving down Highway 1 last week from Donaldsonville to Thibodaux.  I was looking for a pretty shade tree in Belle Rose to sit under & eat my lunch, when, like an oasis in the desert, I spotted my favorite sno-ball stand & the red 'OPEN' sign.  I was so ecstatic that I left my car running in the driveway, grabbed the spare change out of my purse, & ran to the window to order.  There aren't many frills to this sno-ball stand.  The flavors are posted on a simple board to the right of the window, & the board is framed by handwritten signs of other offerings to quell the cravings any customer may have.  Perhaps my favorite feature of this roadside shack is sweet Ms. Bertie.  She is pushing 80 & can work that Sno-Wizard machine better than any of those young kids she hires for the summer.  I didn't make that up, friends.  Mrs. Bertie told me.  Don't worry, she will let you know it, too.  I opted for a butter cream sno-ball with a dollop of condensed milk on my visit to Mrs. Bertie last week.  I only used up $1.50 of my spare change & enjoyed every bite of my ice cold indulgence.  I'm constantly on the quest for the best sno-ball, so I can't wait for a return trip next week to test the chocolate with cream.  Or maybe I'll have the dreamsicle.  Or maybe I'll just let Mrs. Bertie surprise me with her favorite flavor & a few of her stories of days gone by. 

A Mother's Love

Unless you live under a rock, you know that Mother's Day was celebrated last Sunday.  As Hallmark was raking in the profits of the holiday, I was driving to rural north Louisiana to see my own dear, precious mother, Carol Johnson.  She is one dynamite woman.  I just want to dedicate this blog post to her greatness.  My mom is retiring in two weeks from teaching school.  She has dedicated her life to molding young minds & has literally only missed five days of work in her career.  When I was a freshman in high school, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She had surgery on a Wednesday, was released from the hospital on Thursday, & was back in the classroom on Friday.  Her principal called my dad to come pick her up, but my mother wouldn't have it.  She said, "I can be sick at work just as well as I can be at home.  Might as well stick it out."  I tell you, what, Carol Ann Johnson is one tough cookie.  She weighs 101 pounds soaking wet, but she can put away more food than Whole Foods could stock.  My friends would try to keep up with her food consumption, but to no avail.  During my high school years, we had 'family night' Pizza Hut every Tuesday evening for their buffet.  The best part of the evening would be counting the plates that mom ate.  A clean plate for every trip to the buffet would usually render seven plates in a stack for mom.  I certainly got her appetite, but, unfortunately, I didn't inherit her metabolism!!!  Perhaps what I love the most about this darling woman is her commitment to the Lord. Every morning she pours her cup of coffee & reads her Bible.  So faithful, she is!!  My mother prays like it is the last sentence she will ever speak.  I know her prayers have blessed & protected the lives of my father, sister, & me.  When the day comes that I am a mother, I can only hope & pray that I can be half the mother that she is.  I'm absolutely positive that I contributed to the gray in her hair, but I sure do love her bigger than the sky.  Thank you, momma, for all the years of prayers, hand written notes, making cheesy chicken , & the unconditional love you give me.  I am beyond lucky to be your daughter. 

How does your garden grow???

Summer doesn't officially start until next month, but the seemingly sub-Saharan Africa temperature & humidity here in south Louisiana could certainly make you believe otherwise.  I don't know about you, but the heat of the season draws me away from heavy foods & cooking anything that puts me over a hot stove.  I am magnetically pulled to fresh vegetables for every meal.  There's nothing like eating a thick, homegrown red tomato & letting the juices run down your arms.  That, my friends, is what summer means to me.  My late papaw & mamaw lived on 33 acres of land.  Almost half of it was covered in a garden.  Papaw planted peas, green beans, butter beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, squash, & peanuts.  I vividly remember spending my summer days dragging a five-gallon bucket through rows of peas & picking what I could.  When it came time to shell the peas or shuck the corn, however, I would always to find something else to do, but the rule was that everyone had to pitch in.  I didn't inherit the green thumb that my family had. That is why I rely on the farmer's market, produce stand, & other garden-savvy friends to help me out with my summer vegetable fix. My friend here in Baton Rouge, Josh Higginbotham, has planted himself a fine garden, indeed, & it is brimming with vegetables & herbs just begging to be transformed into a refreshing summer meal.  Josh was gracious enough to allow me to take some pictures of his beautiful garden.  We even saw the first tiny tomato of the season during our time outside! He has taken great care to assure that all plants were planted & tended properly & is already reaping the benefits of the harvest.  This is a shot of Josh's glorious garden in all its green splendor.  I am so excited to see the bounty it will produce throughout the next several months!

 

The tomatoes have started growing in full force.  I adore fresh tomatoes on a bacon sandwich or sometimes just eating it like an apple.  My mom would just pick them out of the garden, slice them, & serve them with salt & pepper with our lunch.  I hope I can talk Josh into giving me some tomatoes & cucumbers for a fresh summer salad.  Maybe he'll even let me pick some of his fresh herbs to make a caprese salad.  Of course I'm going to ask him for some fresh lemons to squeeze in my water.  Josh is probably going to be sorry he ever told me about his garden!!! Here are some pictures of the 'first' of the crops.

I get the sneaking suspicion that those tomato & pepper plants are going to produce rapidly, & Josh will have to make some of his world famous homemade hot sauce just to keep up & use everything.  I absolutely can't wait to write about that!  What I didn't tell you about Josh is that he is a good ol' Cajun boy from Vidrine, Louisiana.  He assures me that he makes the best gumbo this side of the Mississippi River.  That is another blog for another day, but I can promise you a gumbo throw-down when the temperature drops down!  Thank you, Josh, for opening up your garden to me, but most of all, thank you for keeping the 'locally grown' movement alive here in the city.  You've inspired me to work on my green thumb & create something of my own.  I promise you, my friends, to keep you posted on the bounty that Josh collects & the new dishes that will be created from all of it.  Tell me what some of your favorite garden goodies are & how you enjoy the harvests of summer.  It brings back sweet memories of days gone by & how the greatest treasures in life are the simple ones.

Getting back to my personal best....

Whew!!  It has been a busy past two weeks for yours truly.  So far, I have managed to survive a long weekend in New Orleans, struggle with an awful case of tonsillitis, & a squeeze in some time to visit friends in Florida. I'm exhausted, but I just know I'll be back to my personal best in no time.  :-)

If you are going to be in the New Orleans area anytime soon, do yourself a favor & have dinner at Root on Julia Street.  This fantastic restaurant was the pick of April's monthly 'let's go to a new restaurant that we've never tried' dinner.  Friends, I was blown away by the menu at Root. Chef Phillip Lopez is creating amazing cuisine at this modern, hip establishment.  My friend & I ordered three small plates to start our meal, & that was all we needed.  We had a beet salad, roasted brussel sprouts with lardon, & the star of the meal:  chicken wings.  OK, I know you think I have lost my mind, but the Korean style chicken wings at Root are - without question - one of the best meals I've ever eaten.  Ever.  They were so good, in fact, that I informed the kitchen that next to being in the presence of God, the wings are the best experience one can have. 

I'm not sure what deliciousness went into the cooking of these tasty morsels, but I can tell you these chicken wings were made with love.  Make the short trip to New Orleans & let me know what you think of Root.  Trust me, you will not be disappointed.  Please, fellow foodies, send me some suggestions of restaurants I should try or try again.  I'm always looking for my next great meal.  Be blessed.... 

Sno-ball Bliss

The days are getting longer.  The weather is getting warmer.  Flowers are blooming all around.  Spring has sprung my friends, & with the changing seasons comes the appearance of the formidable sno-ball stand.  You can tell when you're in close proximity to one, as there are crowds of people - mostly eager children with syrup dripping down their faces and arms - standing in line waiting for a delicious sno-ball in the flavor of their choice.  I will scrape together all the spare change I can get my hands on just to put together enough coins for a kiddie size sno-ball.  That, my friends, is how much I enjoy this frozen treat.  For anyone not from the south, a 'sno-ball' is literally made from ice that is put through a machine to make it almost powder like, thus resembling snow.  It is served in a Styrofoam cup with a straw & a spoon so you don't miss any of the tasty, sugary mixture.  You may hear them referred to as a 'snow cone', but those of us who grew up on this hot weather classic call them sno-balls.  The most famous stands are in New Orleans.  You may as well pack a lunch if you head to Sal's or Plum Street Sno-balls.  Those crowds can get as thick as the condensed milk being poured into the middle of a dreamsicle.  My work travels bring me on so many country roads that I have literally mapped out my favorite sno-ball stands & the prices/hours at each. I remember that bubble gum was my go-to flavor as a kid.  My mouth would turn bright blue in a matter of seconds within taking my first bite.  Cotton candy flavor became my next obsession, followed by dreamsicle with cream when I realized I had enough change to add to it.  I never thought a sno-ball could get any better until the condensed milk/cream blew my mind.  These days, I find myself gravitating to the cake batter flavor.  I had my first sno-ball of the year on Monday.  It came from a roadside stand between Highway 1 & the Mississippi River in Brusly. Now that I'm older & wiser & understand that my favorite summer splurge is loaded with sugar, I order the kiddie size.   

This, my fellow foodies, is a wedding cake sno-ball.  It's as much of a 'snack' to me as it is a memory.  I act like such a kid when I indulge in this frozen delight.  I recall my mom telling me I could have a sno-ball if I cleaned my room & made my bed.  Now that I'm on my own, maybe I should invoke that same promise to myself to make me keep my house spotless!  Please tell me your favorite sno-ball flavor.  Where is your favorite stand located?  I've always got some spare change ready to try something new.....

Lazy Country Days

Driving 127 miles is a typical work day for me in my sales job, so when the weekend comes, I prefer to keep my miles to a minimum.  Yesterday, however, I drove exactly 127 miles through the beautiful country in the parishes that surround Baton Rouge.  The day's festivities started with a crawfish boil at an old plantation in Iberville Parish.  The antebellum home's sprawling gardens & moss-laden oak trees provided the perfect backdrop for 850 pounds of mud bugs to be boiled. 

After a few hours of visiting & devouring my share of goodies,  it was on to the next adventure:  the outdoor wedding of Cary Koch & Tyler Gordy in St. Francisville.  The ceremony took place at the beautiful home of the bride's parents & was certainly a nature-filled experience.  I've never been to a wedding where I was greeted at the entrance with a bottle of bug spray....until yesterday.  The bride & groom created an 'interactive walkway' of portraits & antiques through the woods leading to the ceremony site. 

The sweet, intimate ceremony was followed by a rockin' reception at the house & was complete with a buffet of bacon-wrapped fried oysters, fried gator, & duck strips.  I was concerned that a food coma was inevitable, but the band quickly got us grooving.  It was a magical evening for all in attendance.  I just can't get enough of the country....

Again, God was certainly smiling on us in south Louisiana with such picturesque weather for the weekend.  I predict mad heat by mid-May, so I plan to soak up as much outdoor play time as I can stand until then.  As most of you know, festival season is in full swing here. French Quarter Festivial (FQF) was held over the weekend, & I was lucky enough to take in Rebirth Brass Band, as well as Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys on Thursday evening.  FQF is my favorite, & I'm glad I had the chance to get some jive time in on its opening day.  Send me your pictures from FQF or the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival or whatever outdoor activity you participated in.  What is your favorite festival?  I leave you with a clip of Rebirth doing what they do best.  Have a beautiful & blessed week, my friends. 







Crazy for Quinoa

I am completely fascinated by quinoa these days.  If you're not familiar with quinoa (pronounced 'keen-wah'), this post will hopefully change your life.  Quinoa is a grain-like crop & is a complete source of protein.  It resembles grains of sand & reminds me of couscous. Quinoa is sold at your local grocery typically on the same aisle as rice & other grains.  If you're a lucky soul who lives close to a Whole Foods store, you can find quinoa in the bulk section & try out a tiny bit before making the leap to buying a bag.  I love the versatility of this healthy grain.  I view quinoa much like I do rice or grits:  you have to add something to it to make it fun.  You see, buy itself, quinoa is very bland, albeit filling.  It is the type of dish that fills your belly without filling out your waistline. When you add simple ingredients to it like a chopped cucumber, red & yellow bell pepper, & parsley, you have yourself a California style quinoa salad.  You can literally add anything in your pantry or fridge to quinoa & have a sturdy side dish for dinner or an easily transportable lunch.  It is even great for breakfast in lieu of oatmeal.  I've had a fried quinoa cake at a restaurant before & was in total foodie euphoria.  Quinoa is prepared just like rice with a 2:1 ratio, meaning two cups of liquid to one cup of quinoa.  The only preparation you must do is rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer before cooking, as it has a very sandy residue.  No one wants to eat a mouthful of dirt.  :-)  Here's a super simple recipe just to get you started:


CAPRESE QUINOA

- one cup quinoa, thoroughly rinsed
- two cups chicken or vegetable stock (You can use water; I just like stock flavor.)
- one small white onion, chopped
- two cloves garlic, minced
- one pint cherry tomatoes, halved or chopped
- handful of fresh basil, chopped
- drizzle of balsamic vinegar (optional)

In a saucepan, bring the quinoa & stock to a boil.  When it hits the boiling point, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover & cook until the quinoa is translucent & has 'spiraled' from the grain (about 15 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl & add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, & basil.  Drizzle with balsamic for a delightful caprese-style side dish.  If you wish to serve it cold, simply let the quinoa cool in the large bowl & add the ingredients once it has cooled down.  I also like to add fresh lemon juice & capers because I *love* salt. 

Y'all are going to love this versatile superfood!!  Please send me your feedback & favorite quinoa recipes.  Just one cup of this delicious grain makes an entire pot, so it is not only friendly to your waistline, but also to your wallet, as you can stretch it out for a few days.  That is just one extra reason in this economy to go crazy for quinoa.  Enjoy!

Outdoor Obsessed

What a glorious Easter weekend it has been here in south Louisiana!  After two days of thunderstorms & tornado warnings, the sun finally peeked out Thursday afternoon & sent me searching for a restaurant with outdoor seating. Hey, I need to take advantage of the weather while I can:  the sweltering summer heat will be here before we can blink our eyes.  I literally can't get enough of being outdoors right now.  I was in New Orleans on Thursday evening, so I opted for the beauty of the newly refurbished Oak Street to have a meal.  I found a delightful new Asian restaurant called Chiba that was happy to seat me at an outdoor bistro table. The waitress rushed out to inform me that I had six minutes left during happy hour & suggested a few appetizers.  I opted for the pork belly steam bun for $3.  My friends, I tell you, that is hands down one of best bites I've ever had in the city of New Orleans.  This steam bun was a light, fluffy pillow of goodness that was folded over tender pork belly & tangy pickled slaw.  It was the perfect savory balance.  I have never tasted bread like that before & could have eaten an entire tray of pork belly steam buns.  The next time you decide to take a stroll in the city, make sure Oak Street is your destination.  Chiba offers a variety of sushi rolls & sashimi in addition to other dishes to suit the needs of the 'I-refuse-to-eat-raw-fish' dining companion.  The outside of Chiba is very understated with only a few tables, but the swanky interior & vibe transports you to New York City.  Be sure to try their new dessert:  tempura fried bread pudding.  Only in New Orleans.......

Yesterday was one of my favorite days of the year:  Good Friday.  I love what that day represents.  I have the privilege of getting together with dear friends on that day each year to celebrate the beginning of Easter weekend.  The tradition?  Crawfish boil!!!  Our host boiled 175 pounds of these mudbugs.  I can say that yours truly was responsible for devouring at least ten pounds of them!! I just can't get enough! We stayed outside from noon until 7:30pm until the mosquitos came out. It was beautiful weather to celebrate a beautiful day. 

As we move into Easter Sunday tomorrow, I would like to think the weather on Resurrection Sunday was as perfect as the weather was this weekend.  I imagine that the sky was cloudless & blue when the empty tomb was discovered.  It is my hope that each of you have a beautiful Easter with your family & that your celebration is filled with lots of sunshine & love. 







Gadgets galore

As I get older, I find myself asking for more practical gifts when my birthday & Christmas comes around.  I used to ask for perfume, picture frames, & the fashion-fad-of-the-moment, but my taste has sure changed in a matter of years.  I'm now a 30-year-old single woman who loves to cook & entertain.  It suddenly became very important to me that I have platters & dishes to accompany the food that I work so hard to prepare. Kitchen gadgets never cease to amaze me, either.  I used to watch my mother & mamaw (her mother) peel vegetables with a knife.  The first time I tried that in my teens, it took me 15 minutes to peel a squash, & I cut half of it off in the process.  I opted for a veggie peeler, & it has yet to let me down. Immersion blenders fascinate me.  I love the fact that you can now blend a soup right in the pot.  The salad spinner has saved us from soggy lettuce. The Keurig gives us a single cup of coffee.  The microplane zests & grates, allowing us to jazz up anything from dressings to marinades to entrees.  Perhaps the most treasured gadget in my kitchen is an old-fashioned sieve.  My mom gave it to me recently so that I could use it to drain quinoa.  Sure, I have a colander, but the wonder food would just slip right through the cracks.  I smile every time I use that sieve, as I see my mother in it.  She would put her freshly shelled pecans in it to remove any pieces of grit or shell that may be stuck in it.  Now, it's in my kitchen.  I use it for my quinoa & any other fine grains that I don't want to end up in the garbage disposal.  This sieve probably cost $2.00 in it's heyday.  Back then, that was a significant amount of money.  To me, though, it's priceless, as it was touched my the hands of my mother, grandmother, & great grandmother. What do you value most in your kitchen?  There are so many fun, quirky, time-saving kitchen gadgets out there & interesting stores devoted to them.  I still believe the best ones are those that are time-tested & part of the family, even if they *do* have to be hand washed.

Sundays are Fun Days

Sundays are always so beautiful to me.  I recall my childhood being filled with special memories on Sundays.  My mom always cooked a big lunch after church.  It was usually pot roast with potatoes & carrot, but no matter the main course, we always had fresh peas from her garden, & hot water cornbread.  My mom cherished Sunday afternoons because she could take a nap.  My sister & I did everything we could to avoid them, but we sure knew better than to wake mom!!  Perhaps my favorite Sunday memory is going to Shoney's Restaurant after church with my parents & friends from our church.  If we were really good that day, my dad would let my sister & me order a hot fudge sundae.  I always asked for extra cherries on top.  Even though I've been out of my parents' home for 13 years, I still love 'family dinner' on Sundays.  You see, I believe there are two types of family:  the one that you're born into & the one that you choose.  My actual  family lives three hours away from me, so my 'chosen family' & I either go to brunch or cook a big meal on Sundays.  Yesterday, however, presented an impromptu visit with a friend that turned into a beautiful Sunday dinner.  Aren't the unplanned events always the best?!?!  My friend, Mike, & I were strolling down Maple Street in New Orleans & came across a hidden jewel called Jamila's Cafe.  Mike lives in that neighborhood, so he had been to this fabulous restaurant before.  It was a beautiful evening, so we opted to sit outside.  Our waiter, Moncef, & his wife, Jamila, own the cozy restaurant that specializes in Tunisian cuisine.  We started with the grilled eggplant salad that was tossed with mixed greens, feta, & balsamic vinaigrette.  The escargot was delightful, but the lamb tagine stole the show.  It was beautifully cooked in a clay pot with house-made lamb sausage in a delicious broth & served with a yellow rice.  I couldn't get enough of it!  Somehow, I managed to save room for creme brulee & house-made baklava.  I'm so glad I did!  Jamila is the only one in the kitchen.  Her dishes were wonderful, & you could tell they were made with such love.  The service by Moncef was incredible.  It was the perfect end to a picture perfect Sunday.  No matter which 'family' I am with, the camaraderie of dinner always fills my heart with joy.  I hope you can take time to dine with your family this week, even if it is only for ten minutes in between activities.  Trust me, these truly are the most fun memories that will last you a lifetime.  (Meredeth's note:  I realize today is not Sunday.  I didn't get home in time to publish this last night, but I couldn't let this thought go to waste.)  :-)