Cinco de Mayo is around the corner and requires a Smoky Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa that is delicious. Since I love Mexican food whipping up a salsa would be easy. Using fresh ingredients and the flavors that I love in Mexican food are easy to combine until you reach just the right amount of spicy heat and flavor magic.

Princess is planning a Cinco de Mayo party so this Smoky Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa will come in handy. Maybe preparing a dish ahead of time will allow me to focus on an adorable outfit instead of grabbing the closest item that fits.  Every Cinco de Mayo party needs a spicy senorita and salsa.

What goes into a Smoky Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa?

Poblano and jalapeno peppers marry well together with tomatillo and tomatoes. Throw in seasonings, onion, garlic, chipotle with adodo sauce and it is a party in your mouth. During Spring and Summer I love the wide variety of fresh ingredients that are available at local farmers market. Ingredients that make you want to reach out and touch them. Or is it just me?

My market had vine ripened tomatoes that smelled delicious as I walked down the aisle. Tomatoes that screamed to be joined in a salad, sauce or salsa. Poblano and jalapeno peppers were so beautiful that I grabbed a bunch without having any idea how I would use.

Roasting the poblano peppers, tomatillo and whole garlic in the oven will intensify the natural flavors. Prepare the other ingredients while roasting and it will shorten your time in the kitchen. Warning the smells from your oven will make you hungry. Recipe is so easy to make and once your finished reward yourself with a icy cold margarita, chips and Smoky Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa.

Alexa Shout out to Roman Street for Cinco off of the latest album Bohemia. Cinco goes well with Smoky Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa.

Lagniappe: If you need an easy meal to make ahead for a large crowd check out recipe for Working Mom’s Chicken Enchiladas. Pair with a fresh salsa, guacamole and pitcher of margarita’s. For a different salsa choice, try this version Tres amigas Salsa. 

Happy Cooking Y’all.

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Of course, living near the Gulf Coast  with easy access to fresh seafood will spoil you for more than one reason. Being able to buy fresh shrimp, crawfish and  fresh catch fish is a luxury I adore. If  your landlocked and not as fortunate, most seafood markets will ship fresh or frozen seafood overnight. Trust me it is totally worth it.

Surprisingly, I have never cooked shrimp and grits. Yet I thought that it would be easy based on my love and familiarity  with the ingredients. What could go wrong with shrimp, butter, seasonings, shrimp stock, garlic and grits? Plus my grits were specially sourced from my Rural Alabama Trip To Inspire.

How to cook Spicy Gulf Shrimp Gravy, Andouille Sausage and Grits

As a rule, growing up Southern you  learn about grits early.  Since I am always trying to cut carbs I rarely cook grits. It is important for me to save carbohydrate allowance for my obsession, potato chips, Doritos, chili cheese fritos, ZAPS etc.   Thankfully, the grits package  will provide instructions. You will only need to read and follow directions.

All in all gravy requires more skill but you will manage it well. Spicy Gulf Shrimp Gravy, Andouille Sausage and Grits Recipe is easy to cook. At the same time, the hardest part of this recipe is peeling shrimp and making  stock. Great idea to recruit your man for peeling shrimp while you chop vegetables. Bribe him with a glass of wine or two if  you must. Trust me it is totally worth it.

Finally, shout out to Skate Mountain Records for Jimmy Lumpkin and The Revival  My Name is Love. I have only recently discovered this band but I love the soulful sound. Visit web site for tour dates and tunes. Trust me it is totally worth it.

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I fell in love with the Dijon Mustard on my first visit to Paris.  The spicy  pungent bite lured me in every time. Crispy french bread, cheese that will make your mouth water,  very fine house wine and other delights to your senses. Can you hear me sigh?

France on the brain and French mustard in my mouth

My senses could use a French delight or two. Since France is not an option, a dose of Dijon smeared on Creole Sausage Crescent City Savory Appetizer will have to do. France has been on my brain recently since I finished reading my favorite expat’s new book.  I read David Lebovitz’s new book L’appart over a few days. L’appart delivers an entertaining ride through  David’s “Delights and Disasters” of making Paris his home.

With  a book that starts with “Pee in this cup,” David offers humor along with the highs and lows of making his home in Paris. I admire David for having the gumption to pick up, move a world away and start anew in a foreign country. Starting all over is exciting and nerve-racking all at the same time.

As a person still struggling to parlez vous in French, kudos to David. My ear hears the French language but my brain truly moves into slow motion when engaged with the rare opportunity to speak in French. My French Canadian friends have said that I have a sexy accent when I attempt to speak French-Southern . As much as that makes me smile, I believe that they just want to make sure that I feed them again.

David’s  newest book will transport you to Paris. L’appart provides an inside look at acquiring a home in Paris. A must read if this is on your list. France has an interesting take on the home acquisition process. David learns what it truly means when you hear ‘pas de probleme’ from your contractor too many times. David is a gifted writer and weaves in the Paris that I love in between the renovations.

L’appart offers lagniappe along with the coaster ride in Paris

A great story on its own but David provides a bit of lagniappe with recipes in between the story lines. I am looking forward to trying David’s recipe for Thai Curry with Lamb and Haricots Verts since Grill Man and I love Thai food. Chocolate Souffle will be another recipe that I add to my next soiree.

If you’re not familiar with David check out  his web site at www.Davidlebovitz.com. Upon arrival you will discover mouth-watering photos which provides any traveler a longing for a visit to city of lights. David’s site is a great resource of information on Paris sights and sounds. Who better to suggest amazing food?

New Orleans is the closest city that I know that weaves French  throughout the fabric of the city. While your pouring your next glass of Viognier shout out to Alexa for Lucinda William’s  song “Crescent City” and make  Creole Sausage Crescent City Savory Appetizer.

If you need another appetizer to continue the French theme, check out my pate. It is delicious and also freezes well.

Au revoir  mon ami!

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My friend Red,  introduced me to this recipe. Ironically, we both read a historical fictional book titled Signora da Vinci by Robin Maxwell. The story  is a historical fiction about Leonardo da Vinci’s mother, Caterina. First of all, I loved the behind the scene story of Caterina and the drama that unfolds in her life in this book.

Secondly, in the back of the book, the author requested Susan Jeter to  create a recipe using ingredients that were common to Italy . Somehow I managed to miss this recipe when I read the book. My friend Red, introduced it when she included the appetizer for a dinner party in our home. With this post, I have adapted Susan’s lovely recipe.

Fast delicious Appetizer that everyone loves

What is not to love in this recipe? Sweet grapes, salty olives, luscious olive oil and balsamic vinegar tossed then reduced. A reduction that develops  into a sexy coating that screams for french bread and goat cheese.  Foodie Appetizer Sweet yet Savory is easy to prepare ahead of time, then served as needed. Easy, delicious and pairs well with most everything.

Recently, I served this dish at my Blog Anniversary Tasting. At my event, I served Foodie Appetizer Sweet yet Savory over cream cheese in lieu of goat cheese. My preference is serving this delicious bite of sweet and savory over goat cheese. Select the cheese that you love or serve both.

In my study of food, I am trying to learn about food pairings with wine. When serving this dish, pair with a pinot grigio or check out other options.  In my review, I located this site as one resource for food and wine pairing.  Site has great suggestions to start with as a wine pairing ultimately it boils down to what you like to drink. Taste test wines with this Foodie Appetizer Sweet yet Savory and let me know your favorite.

Alexa Shout out to Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse for Body and Soul.

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My need for a quick appetizer plus craft beer runs the gambit and includes  having  a loved one  that may experience a bad case of “h-angry”? H-angry is a special kind of “I am so hungry that I am angry”. H-angry is something that I try to avoid at all costs. Grill-Man’s hypoglycemia kicks h-angry into overdrive. Let’s just say that it is not a pretty thing to watch.

First Quick  Appetizer plus craft beer now and later?

No matter the reason, it is good to have a meal trick up your sleeve. Pesto, Sausage, Zucchini, Cheese and Green Onion Pizza will do nicely. Because variations on this recipe are endless, it is easy to select your toppings that you may want.

Most of these ingredients, I always have on hand and could be changed based on pantry inventory. In this recipe I have chosen to use store-bought pie shell in lieu of pizza crust. Before you get your panties in an uproar, here’s why:

• pie crust is always on hand
• easy to use pie crust unrolls easily and allows for time savings
• it allows for a thinner crust which I prefer
• fewer calories per slice

If you’re a traditionalist and want to replace with pizza dough, please do so. The internet will yield lots of homemade crusts. This option will not be as quick unless you opt for the store-bought crust which requires a grocery store trip. Or plan in advance and have dough on hand or in the freezer which requires time to thaw.

Since, Pizza is food that most anyone will eat. This recipe will allow you to hide the zucchini. A sneaky way to introduce a veggie is to place the zucchini on first, then add cheese and other items on top. Mom  may have to get creative when introducing veggies to any meal.  The earlier you work in the vegetables  the better. This does not work for everyone. I am aware that some people just “do not like vegetables”. If that is the case, leave them off  or replace with another item.

Check Quick Appetizer, Plus Craft Beer from Fairhope Brewing Company

Enjoy this pizza recipe and it will pair well with beer. In Fairhope, we are lucky to have the first production craft brewery in Lower Alabama since prohibition. In order to make this happen, a ton of beer lovers near and far had to unite for a common goal to change Alabama law. For more information on this subject visit Free The Hops.

Due to the the hard work and constant beer drinking, Fairhope Brewing Company celebrated their Fourth Anniversary  this year.  The story behind the crafted beer is a story in itself. Visit the taproom soon and discover what makes FBC special.

Since Fairhope Brewing Company has a notable offering and distributes to Alabama, parts of Mississippi and Florida you’re in luck. If your around those parts of the world visiting our sandy beaches check ’em out. They are very clever with the naming of their beers and flavors.  Just to name a few:

Everyday Ale
S’wheat Home
Judge Roy Bean
I Drink Therefore I Amber
(take The) Causeway IPA
Along Came A Cider
Tarts and Crafts
Rescue Dog Red Ale
Coffee Stout

Shout out to Alexa for a song to pair with quick appetizer plus craft beer or pizza. Alexa delivered up some poetry about Cold Pizza and Warm beer. This was not what I had in mind so I resorted to you-tube. Never does it disappoint to give some type of entertainment. Check the version out on you-tube by Small Boys.

Now it’s time for the quick appetizer plus craft beer. I think a tall  frosty mug of I Drink Therefore I Amber. Nite Y’all!

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Fresh Gulf shrimp make amazing shrimp recipes. Shrimp is a great start to a delicious appetizer recipe or meal. I am fortunate to live near the Gulf Coast and fresh seafood is a special treat.  The shrimp, crabs, craw-fish, oysters and the wide range of  fish is a bonus when cooking and developing recipes.

It is a luxury that many may afford whether they buy or catch their own seafood. On the coast, we have multiple markets that offer the Gulf’s finest fish and shrimp for your dining pleasure. You may still enjoy our fresh seafood even if you live far away from the coast.

Most markets will ship seafood out-of-state fresh or frozen directly to your door.  No one should have to long for fresh quality shrimp or seafood, ever. Alabama Gulf Seafood  has a great web site that details how to find, catch, cook and see Alabama seafood.

On occasion, I have had the pleasure of fishing in Gulf waters off shore  and loved it. Being a guest on a charter boat is  always  exciting. There is nothing like a fresh catch whipped into a great recipe on board. A fish  that was recently swimming turned into a ceviche recipe before your eyes is “as good as it gets”. Add this to your list, it will get no fresher than that.

There is nothing like dragging in a big ‘ole fish. I am not a fan of the entire bait process but it is hard to fish without bait. The next time you’re in the area, charter a boat and  experience the joy. You not be disappointed, unless you’re a “lilly-livered-land-lubber”.

If your lucky enough to own a boat then you know what it is like to wander on the Gulf waters, as you please. Perhaps it helps to have “coördinates of fishing honey holes” or a great charter captain so that you always find and catch fish.

The Gulf is a great big place and fish know where to hide. Finding and catching fish is part of the challenge.  Sometimes it is hard to find a “mess of fish”. Find a local market and place your order. Fish and shrimp are plentiful and easy to manage for transport or preserving to cook your favorite fish and shrimp recipes.

Forrest Gump on Shrimp Recipes

Who could say it better than Gump? Forrest Gump said, ” Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. Dey’s uh shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep-fried, stir fried, There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. ”

Shout out to Alexa for Light Jazz, it has been a long day and I need to start my shrimp recipe in a rich sauce.

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Glazed garlic salmon prepared as an entrée or appetizer is a treat . Any wild caught fish is delicious when served as fresh as possible. If you live on or near a coast, enjoy often the luxury of buying fresh caught fish. It is a superb and should not only be enjoyed in restaurants.

First of all, fish is very easy to prepare at home using simple spices and traditional cooking methods. Served raw as sashimi, pan-fried, baked, steamed, broiled or fried, fish is always delicious. Whether fish is served  on its own or in a supporting role as appetizer, your guests will enjoy.

In the event that your unsure how to prepare fish at home, just start. Cooking fish is easier than you think. Salmon or fish is a healthy addition to your diet.  Moreover, fish thaws out quickly from a solid frozen state. This will come in handy if you’re rushing home and want to prepare a fresh meal on a weeknight. Remember, a piece of fish, small salad and glass of nice white wine is a welcome meal any time.

Cooking Tips for Glazed Garlic Salmon

Thankfully fish cooks quickly but tastes poorly if overcooked. Cook  fish 10 minutes for each inch of thickness except when frying. Fish is ready when the color turns to opaque or has reached 140 to 145°F internal temperature. After all once you remove it from the oven or pan it will continue to cook for a bit.   Enjoy the treasures of the ocean and Glazed Garlic Salmon.

Shout to Alexa for Ocean by Led Zeppelin. Forever I have loved this song and band since I was a teenager. An exotic entry into the world of rock. Zeppelin represents good and bad all at the same time, but in a good way. I have been able to see Robert Plant twice in small venues and I attest that he knows how to wail the blues and rock it. If you’re a fan, see him while you may.

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I was able to spend the weekend with family and catch up with all the current happenings. Our family is fortunate to include a couple of Cajun Crawfish Boil Masters. I so enjoyed the camaraderie and flavor of it all. I will have to pay attention next time and record the crawfish boil recipe to share with you.

If you boil shrimp or crawfish, you probably include onions, garlic, corn, potatoes, carrots and sausage. This always adds a delicious impact to any boil. I always learn at least one cooking trick from my cousins, Hunter and Funny Girl. This visit I learned to add mushrooms and tamales to the boil pot. What? They were delicious and amazing.

The next day, I used the left overs from the crawfish boil and made my Crawfish pies. I used the crawfish, onions, garlic,mushrooms and sausage in lieu of using fresh. The flavors were there in a full-on-flavor kind of way. This is a recipe posted earlier, click for recipe Crawfish Pies.

Food and flavor are celebrated in Louisiana in a big way. Living off the land and buying local is a way of life for many. We were blessed to visit with family, enjoy the food and flavors of my childhood. All of it was doused with zydeco, loads of stories and icy cold beer. What could be better than that?

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As an independent woman I must confess football and I have had our issues. They are not big issues mind you but they exist. I don’t understand the rules and game exactly but I get the overall gist. The game is complicated. It is a lot for a social football viewer to keep up with.

I am typically proud of myself if I know who’s actually playing.  I give my  Dad credit for this he wasn’t a big football fan. Football was not on the TV set playing every weekend at our house. I had to learn how  to actively participate as  a “social football fan”.

Amazingly, I have a few girlfriends that are die-hard fans. Fans that know the teams, players, coaches and stats which totally impress me with their knowledge. They know how to watch a game and call the plays before the talking heads render an opinion. I am in awe of their skills.

In our group of friends we share hosting football games so the party and our Bama Mascots move around. Everyone in our group is busy and at times our men are left to watch the game alone. This leads to a volley of texts back and forth among the group. Not to mention the occasional very loud noises heard at my house when someone misses a play. There was a particularly loud noise heard on January 9th.

These are a few of my College or NFL football highlights:

Football is a reason to have a party and socialize with friends, game on, food and beverages in abundance. Football is an event to share and watching the entire game is not mandatory.

It is a way to connect to people whether they support your team  or compete. I enjoy the camaraderie, bands and excited touchdown dances that show the joy of “Damn, I caught that!”

Football  is part of our social fabric whether you truly love football or you’re a “social football fan”. All football parties whether college or NFL must have food, required beer and mostly friends.

Game Day Creamy Chicken Dip is an easy appetizer to serve a few or double up and serve a crowd. This Dip may be made ahead and popped in the oven just before serving. It will be a good addition to your Superbowl Sunday February 5th.

Click on the link ad try these other appetizers for your Superbowl Game Day.

Tres Amigas Salsa

Crawfish Pies Down on the Bayo’

Hauntingly Delicious Shrimp Dip

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Breakfast Egg and Cheese Slice or is it Pizza? Well that is a good question. I have wanted to create a breakfast pizza for some time. My goal was to use all the features that I like of a traditional pizza such as:

round thin crust
portability of pizza
ability to use multitude of toppings
economical ingredients
ease of availability of items
marriage of crust, meat, cheese, vegetables and spices

Pizza has been around for years in a multitude of formats. The common thread is the marriage of crust, meat or without meat, cheese, spices, sauce and toppings. It is winning formula which is why it is so very popular.  I certainly love to eat pizza but I must limit my intake. Otherwise I would have to work out so much that I would not have time to write.

I created the slice or pizza this morning based on ingredients within my casa. I knew I would get a bit of push-back from the Man because it was absent of meat. I also know that he needs to cut his meat intake. (It’s a process.)

To make the slice or pizza, I wanted to use the store-bought pie crust that is easily available, ready to use and requires least clean up.  There are pros and cons to making fresh dough, crust or pastry. If you have the time and access, fresh is always better.

In lieu of sauce, I used a Costco Basil Pesto. I usually make my pesto and have on hand in the freezer. Sadly, my basil plants were destroyed with the last storm and my pesto went poof. If you have the time and access, fresh is always better.

The Egg and Cheese Pie went together well. I enjoyed the flaky crust of the pie crust. The egg held up well with the ingredients. My Man wondered why I didn’t add meat. (surprise)

He also thought the same dish but with pizza dough in lieu of pie crust would be better. I will have to make another version and do a taste test to see which is better.  The entire slice or pizza that I made this morning is gone by the way.

Breakfast Egg and Cheese Slice or is it a pizza? I guess it depends on who you ask. It’s round and flat like a pizza. It blends dough, cheese and toppings like a pizza. It slices like a pizza. If it looks like a duck and acts like a duck, is it duck?

I guess the pizza saga continues.

Shout out to Alexa for Mumford and Sons. (It’s a repeat but I am in a Mumford mood) Mumford and Sons is an English Rock Folk Band.  I like their music soulful and upbeat. Not to mention, the singer is easy on the eyes. In 2017, they’re playing in Concert with U2.  On their site, it lists the band playing at the Hangout Festival year.

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