Recipes from The Feathered Bone
A Little Lagniappe
In Louisiana we have a saying. When we want to offer “a little something extra,” we use the term Lagniappe . This word is as Louisiana as it gets—an American concoction with both French and Spanish roots that Merriam Webster defines as follows:
Lagniappe – noun \ˈlan ˌyap, lan ˈ\: a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly : something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure.
As a token of appreciation to those who dare to dive into the worlds I build from this wild and tangled mind of mine, I offer a little lagniappe—a one of a kind original collection of our family’s favorite Louisiana recipes. These dishes have been pulled straight from the pages of The Feathered Bone and from the kitchen of yours truly.
Before you get too excited, please be warned: Martha Stewart, I am not. I’ll win no James Beard award for my culinary skills, and I won’t be taking the place of The Pioneer Woman anytime soon. Also, please keep in mind that this is not being written to serve as an official cookbook, so please don’t ask me for nutrition information or alternative vegan/paleo/vegetarian/dairy free/nut free/gluten free/high altitude varieties. That said, these recipes have been tried and tested at the Cantrell table, and I’ll vouch for nothing more than the fact that folks usually leave with full bellies, and they tend to come back for more. So, as my Louisiana friends like to say, “It can’t be all bad.”
Bon Appétit! Livingston Parish, Louisiana
I grew up in Livingston Parish, a rural section of Louisiana that is fondly referred to by locals as LP. One good thing about LP is the location. As one of the eight Florida Parishes, LP was not included in the Louisiana Purchase. Instead, this Northshore region was considered part of West Florida until 1810. Today, LP rests between Baton Rouge to the west, New Orleans to the south, and Hammond to the east, with easy access to Lake Maurepas as well as several rivers and the Gulf of Mexico. Many people live off the land—hunting, fishing, and harvesting food for their families. We were connected to the food we ate long before the “local farm movement” and “sustainable living” became buzz words.
Living in this area throughout my childhood put me at the epicenter of the various cultural influences in my home state. The French Creole dishes from New Orleans merged with the Cajun recipes of Acadiana. This hybrid cuisine was influenced by the more traditional Italian, Scots Irish, Spanish, Hungarian, and Greek rooted recipes of the Florida Parishes. And those were all tied together with flavors from Native American tribes, who adjusted to these waves of immigrants throughout the centuries. In other words, the food we eat in Louisiana is much like the state as a whole—a magical melting pot of delicious wonder. Like any good wine, it’s a blend.
Recipes from The Feathered Bone
Is it Cajun or Creole?
Many people outside of Louisiana assume the terms Cajun and Creole are synonymous. Actually, there’s a big difference between the two cultures, and most Louisiana recipes can be tweaked to fit either.
The Cajuns came from a part of Canada known as Acadia. In the 1700s they migrated (primarily due to forced exile) to the coastal regions, plains, and bayous of central Louisiana. There, they cooked using the plentiful game and seafood in addition to the plants they could harvest. Their food is seasoned with fresh herbs and peppers but is not necessarily spicy because they prefer to taste the natural flavors of the food rather than cover it with fire.
In the meantime, the port city of New Orleans was welcoming a much more diverse population that included French, Spanish, Caribbean islanders, and Africans, just to name a few. This colorful combination of cultures established New Orleans as a Creole city with foods uniquely rich in flavor.
Today some Louisiana residents will argue that Cajun food is better than Creole or vice versa, but because I grew up in a town located between these two regions, LP offered the best of both worlds. It also offered the best of Louisiana music, with both the traditional Cajun music of the Acadians and the rougher Zydeco beats of the Creoles, not to mention some good ol’ NOLA jazz, a powerful dose of Delta blues, and a solid footing of standard country and western.
I grew up in the rural hamlet of Walker, Louisiana, hearing the old time gospel and country tunes that have been played live on stage since the 1960s. As a child, my family took me to the Old South Jamboree the first Saturday of every month. The Jamboree was my most consistent exposure to live musicians outside of church, and I collected autographed photos of the performers, which sometimes included stars such as Merle Haggard or Dolly Parton. Because this show was rooted in neither the Cajun nor Creole culture, the food served was typical festival fare—hot dogs, burgers, pizza, popcorn, and sodas. Unlike most Louisiana events, no one attended this one for the food. It was the music that brought us together, and it’s the music that still soothes my soul today. For that reason, I encourage you to listen to The Feathered Bone playlist while you cook. You can find it under my Spotify profile: “juliecantrell .”
To fully understand my hometown of Walker, Louisiana, don’t picture it as either Cajun or Creole. While those cultures have certainly shaped Walker, especially since Hurricane Katrina brought in residents from the coastal areas, the predominant culture is that of the southern Bible Belt. While people of many faith backgrounds reside in Walker, the vast majority of churches in town are Protestant, with Southern Baptist and Pentecostal serving as the two main dominations. The many Catholics in town travel to an adjacent community for mass each week.
When my family first moved to Walker, it was a rural village with only a few hundred residents. My mother remembers going to the post office and collecting our mail via general delivery. The postmaster knew everyone by name, and there were never any lost packages. Walker got its first traffic light when I was a teenager, and it was almost always set to blink. I grew up swimming
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with alligators in my neighbor’s pond and running wild through the beautiful pinewoods and palmettos.
While Walker was small and rural, it provided a mix of nearly everything that Louisiana had to offer. I spent my childhood soaking it all in. I am grateful for every piece of that Louisiana life and for how it shaped my view of the world.
“After that Georgia disaster, I should probably make my Good Luck Cupcakes. Maybe some divinity? Pralines?” —from The Feathered Bone
At the opening of The Feathered Bone , our protagonist, Amanda Salassi, is planning the next LSU tailgating party with her two best friends, Raelynn and Beth. Raelynn is a sassy country girl who loves nothing more than cooking for the people she loves. During the opening scene of the story, we hear the friends talking about a few of her famous tailgating desserts.
Now you can give these sweets a try.
Good Luck Cupcakes
Ingredients:
• 1½ cups all purpose flour • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1½ teaspoons baking powder • ½ teaspoon table salt • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 full stick), softened (not melted) • ½ cup sour cream • 1 large egg • 2 large egg yolks • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. 3. Add butter, sour cream, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until smooth. 4. Divide evenly into cupcake tins with paper liners. 5. Bake on middle rack of oven for approximately 20 to 24 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). 6. Transfer to wire rack to cool before frosting.
TIP: A good friend of mine bakes wedding cakes. In order to make that picture perfect layer of frosting, she recommends placing fully cooled cupcakes in the freezer for a few hours before frosting. This helps prevent the cake from crumbling while being iced. You can also heat the spreader under hot water before frosting.
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Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
• 1 cup (or 2 full sticks) unsalted butter (softened, not melted) • 3 to 4 cups sifted confectioner’s (powdered) sugar • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (as needed)
Instructions:
1. Beat butter until creamy (just a few minutes with mixer on medium speed). 2. Add 3 cups powdered sugar (on low speed) until blended. 3. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk/cream. Beat on medium speed for approximately 3 minutes.
TIP: If frosting is too soft, add remaining sugar. If too thick, add more milk/cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the consistency suits your taste.
Raelynn would have added purple and gold food coloring or polka dots to support her LSU Tigers.
Pecans
When I was a child, I collected pecans from the trees in my yard. I sorted them into paper bags and sold them by the pound, shelled or unshelled, just as Millie did in my first novel, Into the Free .
Instead of buying clothes or books or records, I saved all the money and donated it to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering that was created to fund global missionaries. At that time in my life, I dreamed of working in foreign missions. I longed to travel the world, and I wanted to put all my resources into helping people. Later I longed to join the Peace Corps for the same reasons. I still do.
While I never became a missionary or joined the Peace Corps, I am grateful that my work today has been said to heal a hurting heart or two. You never know what life will bring, but I think that little girl in bare feet and braids knew more about who she was at age eight than I did in my early adult years.
It’s taken me a while to circle back to my own truth, and I’m glad you’re here with me as I’m finding my way. I hope you’ll enjoy this special pecan dessert that is ironically called Divinity!
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
Divinity (with a modern twist)
Ingredients:
• 1 (7 ounce) container of marshmallow crème • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • 2 cups granulated sugar • ½ cup water • Pinch of salt • ½ cup finely chopped pecans • Pecan halves
Instructions:
1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 2. Place marshmallow crème in a large metal bowl. Mix in vanilla and set aside. 3. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, water, and salt over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Let boil (without stirring) for 2 minutes. (Granny says no more, no less. And it’s best to take her word for it.) Or, use a candy thermometer. Stop boiling when mixture reaches 240°F. 4. Immediately pour entire sugar syrup over marshmallow crème. 5. Using a dry wooden spoon, carefully beat syrup and marshmallow crème. 6. Once mixture becomes thick with a dull, flat finish, add chopped pecans. 7. Drop mixture by the spoonful onto parchment paper. 8. Garnish each drop with a pretty little pecan half. 9. Air dry for several hours before storing.
Note: Divinity is one of the most difficult candies to make and, despite being a traditional Southern dish, it is especially finicky in our high humidity climate. Everyone knows you shouldn’t waste your time making this dish on a humid or rainy day (which is nearly every day), so it’s a big treat for those rare dry days in Louisiana. It’s especially delicious when the pecans are falling fresh from the trees—late fall to early winter.
TIP: While the modern version with marshmallow fluff is much more precise than Granny’s old fashioned version, nothing is fail proof. If your divinity doesn’t “set right” (as Granny would say), try these quick fixes: • If the candy is too stiff, add very hot water (½ tablespoon at a time) until it reaches a fluffy consistency. • If it is too thin, try adding powdered sugar (½ tablespoon at a time) until it thickens.
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
Pralines
Pralines are another favorite Louisiana dessert. The Ursuline nuns in New Orleans originally made this French delicacy using European hazelnuts, but their recipe was quickly adapted to use local pecans.
Who are the Ursuline Nuns?
In the early 1700s King Louis XV of France asked a group of nuns to relocate to New Orleans, instructing them to establish a hospital for the poor and to provide education for young girls. Fourteen nuns accepted the challenge. Their voyage lasted five months by sea, and their work continues to make a significant impact in New Orleans today, where an established group of Ursuline nuns still serves the Louisiana community.
Louisiana Pralines
Ingredients:
• 2½ cups granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 cup buttermilk • ¼ teaspoon salt • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2⅓ cups pecan halves • ⅔ cup pecan halves (pretty ones for garnish)
Instructions:
1. Mix sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt in large saucepan. 2. Cook over high heat approximately 5 minutes or until candy thermometer reads 210°F. (Stir constantly, scraping bottom). 3. Add butter and 2⅓ cups pecan halves. Stir and scrape approximately 5 minutes or to 230°F (or until a little mixture dropped into cold water forms a very soft ball). 4. Remove from heat and allow to cool for approximately 2 minutes. 5. Beat with spoon until mixture becomes thick and creamy. 6. Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper. 7. Garnish with pretty pecan halves.
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Louisiana Staples: Jambalaya, Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice
“We did gumbo last time, right? Red beans and rice before that?” —from The Feathered Bone
Raelynn usually brings dessert to the tailgate parties, but Amanda is known for providing the main meal, specifically Jambalaya, Gumbo, or Red Beans and Rice. These three dishes are common supper meals for Louisiana families, and they are typically served with French bread and a green salad. Sometimes Gumbo is served with a hot (mustard based) potato salad (which I find delicious!) Just for fun, I’ll throw that recipe in for y’all, too.
Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish with both Spanish and French influences. It consists of meat, vegetables, and rice, forming a complete one pot meal. Some say the Atakapa Tribe had a phrase: “Sham, pal ha! Ya!” which means “Be full, not skinny! Eat Up!” Supposedly the Spanish carried a tweaked version of this phrase into Louisiana and voilà! Jambalaya was named! Of course, there are as many legends about the etymology as there are recipes for the dish, but all you really need to know is “Be full, not skinny. Eat up!” (And yes, that is now my personal mantra. Can I get an Amen?)
In our family, we kind of ‘wing it’ when it comes to making Jambalaya and Gumbo. But it all begins with Emeril Lagasse’s foundational recipe. Emeril is known worldwide for his culinary talents and for his famous “Bam!” when he adds a dash of spice to the pot. You can find incredible recipes on his website www.emerils.com, and you can dine at one of many his restaurants, but you may want to start by reserving a seat at the legendary New Orleans restaurant, Commander’s Palace, where he was executive chef for more than seven years.
Ingredients:
• ½ cup canola or vegetable oil • 2 small yellow onions, diced • 1 large bell pepper, chopped • 4 stalks celery, chopped • 6 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 pound andouille sausage, browned and sliced • 1 whole chicken, cooked, skinned, and deboned ( TIP: Short on time? Grab a rotisserie chicken from your local grocer!) • 1½ pounds Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined • 2 to 3 tablespoons Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole seasoning (or see his recipe below to make your own) • 3 bay leaves
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
• 3 cups long grain white rice (I substitute black rice) • 1 small can diced tomatoes (or fresh) • 6 cups stock • ½ cup tomatoes, chopped • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco) • 1 cup green onions, chopped
Instructions:
1. Fill a large stockpot with water (adding generous shakes of salt and pepper). Boil the whole chicken (with entrails removed and discarded) completely covered in water for approximately 1 hour or until tender. 2. While chicken boils, slice one pound andouille sausage into ¼ inch slices and brown in a large cast iron pot over medium heat while stirring for consistency. ( TIP: Once browned on each side, remove sausage onto paper towel–lined plate (or brown paper bag) to absorb excess grease. Most Louisianans prefer to cook with cast iron pots because it adds richness to the dish. For this recipe, use a large cast iron Dutch oven.) 3. After removing sausage, add oil if needed and heat in the same pot over medium heat. 4. Add peppers, celery, and garlic, stirring often until caramelized and dark brown. 5. Scrape the bottom of the pot as you cook, to loosen particles (the good stuff). 6. Return cooked sausage to the pot and add bay leaves. Stir together. 7. Add raw rice, and stir to coat evenly. 8. Add tomatoes and stir. 9. Once chicken is completely cooked, debone and reserve stock. 10. Add stock, raw shrimp, cooked chicken, and browned sausage. 11. Add Worcestershire and Cajun seasoning. Stir well. Cover. 12. Cook covered over medium heat until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. (20 to 25 minutes) 13. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for approximately 10 minutes. 14. Remove bay leaves. Stir in green onions. Serve hot!
Gumbo
When we expect a crowd at our house, we either make jambalaya or gumbo. Gumbo is a dish commonly served in Louisiana kitchens, where we scoop it up straight from the stove, saying “Help yourselves!”
With gumbo it’s easy to add more water or broth to make it “stretch” for a crowd, and leftovers can be reheated and served the following day.
The history of gumbo is as colorful as Louisiana, and stories vary. The bottom line is that many different cultures have combined to create my childhood state, and those cultures have influenced the food we serve.
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
The word gumbo may have come from the Bantu word for okra ( ki ngombo ) or the Choctaw word for filé ( kombo ). While okra is often found in gumbo, our family prefers our gumbo sans (without) okra. As for filé (or ground sassafras leaves), we keep a fresh stash on the table, and folks can add as desired. (If you don’t have your own sassafras tree, you can find filé powder in the spice section of many grocery stores.)
That’s the magic of gumbo. There’s no right or wrong way to prepare this hearty stew. Just toss everything into a pot, add spice, and serve over warm Louisiana rice. Delish!
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken • 1 pound andouille sausage • 2 bell peppers • 4 stalks celery • 1 onion • 4 cloves garlic • 2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper • 2 bay leaves • Chicken broth (reserved from boiling chicken) • 1 teaspoon filé powder • 1½ teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon pepper • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme • Roux: equal parts oil and flour (¼ cup oil and ¼ cup all purpose flour)
Instructions:
(Note: You’ll already see some similarities in Louisiana dishes, as the first two steps are repeated from the Jambalaya recipe. This is not a misprint.)
1. Fill a large stockpot with water (adding generous shakes of salt and pepper). Boil the whole chicken (entrails removed and discarded) completely covered in water for approximately 1 hour or until tender. 2. While chicken boils, slice one pound andouille sausage into ¼ inch slices and brown in a large cast iron pot over medium heat while stirring for consistency. Once browned on each side, remove sausage onto paper towel–lined plate (or brown paper bag) to absorb excess grease. 3. After removing the sausage, use the same cast iron pot to make the roux. Mix equal parts oil and flour over medium heat. Stir constantly until it reaches the color of a penny, but do not burn. (If the roux burns, toss that batch and start anew.)
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
4. Meanwhile, dice vegetables (garlic, onions, bell peppers, celery). Once the roux is brown, add vegetables to the pot. Let it all cook down, stirring frequently, until this mixture reaches a mushy consistency. This should take approximately 30 minutes. 5. Once chicken is tender, remove from broth and let cool. 6. Use a separator to skim oil from broth, reserving broth and discarding oil. Debone chicken and discard skin. 7. Slowly add de greased broth to roux vegetable mixture while stirring. 8. Add cooked chicken and sausage, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and filé powder. Let simmer until ready to serve. The longer it cooks together, the more flavor it will have. 9. Serve over cooked rice with a dash of tabasco and filé powder to taste. Serve with French bread, crackers, or potato salad.
Warm Mustard Potato Salad
Ingredients:
• 3 pounds red new potatoes, unpeeled • Approximately 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • Approximately 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar • Approximately 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon local honey (optional) • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper • Added salt and pepper as needed, to taste • Optional: paprika, green onions (diced), parsley (chopped) to taste
Instructions:
1. Cover potatoes with water in a large pot. Bring to a boil with 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, then drain. 2. Whisk together mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. 3. Halve potatoes and add to vinaigrette, tossing to combine. Serve warm either in the gumbo bowl or as a side.
Red Beans and Rice
When I think of red beans and rice, I immediately hear Marcia Ball singing “I got my red beans cookin’” This is a warm, hearty dish that’s perfect for cooking while you dance, so what are you waiting for? Crank up the music and hit that kitchen!
This Louisiana staple is said to have originated in the 1790s, when plantation owners fled Haiti during the slave revolt. They landed in New Orleans, as people tend to do, and they brought this delicious recipe with them.
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
In the past, Monday was the traditional laundry (or wash) day. Women would leave this simple dish to simmer on the stove while they scrubbed the clothes. Today it’s still common for many Louisiana restaurants and families to serve Red Beans and Rice on Mondays.
In the past, Sunday suppers would often include a large family gathering. Many families would serve pork, and the hambone would be used on Monday to add flavor to the Red Beans. Some folks still add hambones to their pots today, and there are still many extended families who gather together every Sunday around the matriarch’s table.
Ingredients:
• 1 (1 pound) package red kidney beans • 1 bell pepper • 1 medium sweet onion • 2 to 4 celery ribs • 1 teaspoon salt 1 • 4 teaspoon pepper • 1 teaspoon thyme 1 • 1 2 tablespoons Creole or Cajun seasoning • 3 garlic cloves • Approximately 8 cups water • 1 pound andouille sausage • 3 cups cooked rice
Instructions:
1. Soak kidney beans overnight in refrigerator. 2. The next day, drain and add 8 cups fresh water to the pot. 3. Slice the sausage into ¼ inch pieces and sauté until browned on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towel–lined plate (or brown paper bag). 4. Chop onion, bell pepper, celery. Mince garlic. Sauté in the pot used for sausage. 5. Add sautéed vegetables to pot of beans and water. 6. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and Creole/Cajun seasoning. 7. Cover and bring to a boil. 8. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook 2½ hours, stirring occasionally. ( TIP: When you stir, mash the beans against the pot to create a thick, creamy texture.) 9. Return cooked sausage to the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes. 10. Serve red beans and sausage over steaming Louisiana rice.
Note: Red Beans and Rice is sometimes served with hot, buttered cornbread ( TIP: For quick cornbread, use Jiffy cornbread mix. Add 1 stick of butter and an extra egg to the recipe to make it taste more homemade.)
BONUS: I can’t talk about cornbread and NOT give you my new favorite cornbread recipe. This one is from the kitchen of Jessica Maher, otherwise known as food blogger, Kitchen
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Recipes from The Feathered Bone
Belleicious. You can learn more about this recipe and plenty more by visiting her blog (http://kitchenbelleicious.com/) Trust me, it’s delicious!
Crawfish Étouffée Cornbread Bites with Honey Mustard Sauce
Ingredients:
• 1 cup buttermilk • ¼ cup whole milk • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 pound crawfish tails • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (may also use Gluten Free cornmeal) • 1 cup flour • ½ cup sugar • 1 tablespoon baking powder • ¾ teaspoon salt • 1½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning • ½ teaspoon oregano • ½ teaspoon thyme • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard • ¼ cup each of diced onions, celery, and bell peppers • Dash of hot sauce
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
• ½ cup mayonnaise • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard • 1 teaspoon horseradish • 3 tablespoons honey • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder • ½ lemon juiced
Instructions:
1. Sauté the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium to high heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add in the crawfish tails and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool completely. 2. Meanwhile, combine both milks with the butter, then the egg, hot sauce, and mustard. 3. Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, seasonings, and cornmeal), and pour in the milk mixture. 4. Mix well, then add crawfish and veggie mixture. 5. Combine until just blended and pour batter into a greased muffin tin (filling each one ⅔ full).
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6. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. 7. Remove and enjoy while they are hot! (Note: Wait at least 5 minutes before trying to transfer from pan to a plate). 8. For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and chill for at least an hour. Then serve.
The Holy Trinity
“The smells of sautéed bell peppers, onions, and celery fill my home. It’s a combination folks here call the Holy Trinity. When mixed with just the right pop of seasonings, it really can bring a soul straight to heaven.” —from The Feathered Bone
You may have noticed by now that many Louisiana recipes include similar ingredients, particularly the Holy Trinity: onion, celery, and bell pepper.
These three vegetables serve as the base of most Louisiana dishes, particularly Cajun entrées. The Holy Trinity is usually added to roux in order to make stews, soups, sauces, jambalaya, sauce piquant, etc.
Of course, the religious name refers to the faith based belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So once again you can see the Christian culture influencing not only our holidays and celebrations, but also our cooking.
Sometimes garlic is added to the sauté pot, and chopped green onions or parsley might be sprinkled on the finished dish. (filé if it’s gumbo.)
These five vegetables (onion, celery, bell peppers, garlic, and green onions) are included in nearly every Cajun meal. Of course, it’s common to include white, black, and cayenne pepper, as well as bay leaves. We also incorporate fresh herbs such as thyme, basil, and oregano.
What makes Cajun cooking particularly unique is that the Holy Trinity vegetables are broken down during the long, slow cooking process. They are meant to add flavor. In other words, they are used as seasoning rather than just as vegetables.
Proportions
This is tricky. In our family, we harvest the vegetables seasonally from our gardens and chop as much as we want. I’ve researched online and found a few official measurements, so let’s go with a combination of what I’ve found.
To make your own Holy Trinity, combine 2 cups chopped onion, 1 ½ cups chopped celery, and 1 ¼ cups chopped green bell pepper. (This should be about 2 small onions or 1 large onion, 2 stalks celery, and 1 large green pepper.)
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As you’ve already learned, these vegetables are typically sautéed in oil or added to a roux that has already been cooked to desired color.
In Louisiana, cooking with the Holy Trinity is so common, you can buy pre chopped Trinity vegetables already combined and prepared in the produce section of most grocery stores.
Many Louisianans keep extras prepared in the refrigerator or freezer. These chopped onions, celery, and bell peppers tend to be used quickly, serving as the base of nearly everything we cook. And yes, we use fresh garlic, green onions, and herbs from our garden too. Can’t you smell it cooking? YUM!
Beignets and Café Au Lait
“Sensing the possibility of a tip, he offers Raelynn a flirtatious gaze, pumping his tunes for the travelers who sip café au lait and spill powdered sugar from heaping piles of beignets.” —from The Feathered Bone
In the beginning of The Feathered Bone , Sarah and Ellie venture with their class to Café du Monde, a tourist highlight located in old New Orleans. This trademark café is famous for serving piping hot beignets with mounds of powdered sugar, a treat that folks usually partner with a mug of café au lait (coffee with steamed milk).
If you visit Baton Rouge, the capital city my parents and siblings now call home, my favorite beignet stop is Coffee Call. Do yourself a favor and swing by this local hot spot. You might just meet a few of my friends!
You can find simple recipes online for beignet dough, but we usually cheat and buy the mix from Café du Monde or Coffee Call. If you do decide to order online from the masters, grab some of their coffee, too, or try Louisiana’s own Community Coffee, and enjoy a freshly brewed cup prepared with plenty of milk and sugar as you bake.
There is absolutely nothing healthy about beignets, but they’ll start your morning with a smile. Then you can hit the trails to work off the sugar high. At least you’ll be in a good mood by the time you get there.
Beignets
Ingredients:
• 1 (¼ ounce) envelope of active dry yeast • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus ½ cup granulated sugar • 1 cup evaporated milk • 2 large eggs (slightly beaten) • 1 teaspoon of salt • 1 cup water • ¼ cup of shortening • 4 cups flour, plus 2 ½ to 3 cups more flour 14
Recipes from The Feathered Bone
• Oil for deep frying
Instructions:
1. Combine, ½ cup warm water (105ºF to 115ºF) and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. 2. Add evaporated milk, eggs (slightly beaten), salt, and ½ cup sugar. 3. Microwave 1 cup water until hot (about 115°); stir in ¼ cup of shortening until melted. Add to yeast mixture. 4. Beat all ingredients together at low speed, gradually adding 4 cups flour, until smooth. 5. Gradually add 2 ½ to 3 cups more flour, beating until a sticky dough forms. 6. Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, and cover both sides. 7. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. 8. Turn dough out onto a floured surface; roll to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into 2½ inch squares. 9. Pour oil to depth of 2 to 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 360°F. 10. Fry dough, in small batches (single layer) 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until puffy and lightly golden brown. 11. Drain on a wire rack. Dust immediately with powdered sugar.
A Dry Parish
“Time Flies When You’re Having RUM!” Isn’t that a fabulous quote? When you think of rum, do you think of pirates? Or Hunter S. Thompson? Or both? It makes me think of Johnny Depp. And that makes me smile!
But I also think of Louisiana. Which also makes me smile.
The history of rum making in Louisiana is a fascinating one, stemming back to the mid eighteenth century when early Jesuits turned their sugar cane into Tafia (the French word for rum). But it wasn’t until 2013 when an official Louisiana distillery was opened. Today Bayou Rum celebrates Louisiana culture and the agricultural staple of sugar cane by distilling bottles of pure Louisiana Rum. You can find lots of recipes on their website www.bayourum.com and even visit the facility for a tour.
Sazeracs
Some claim that the Sazerac is the oldest American cocktail, dating back to pre–Civil War New Orleans. It reportedly all started in 1838, when Antoine Amedie Peychaud, a New Orleans apothecary, whipped up his own brandy drinks for friends. He turned to a secret family recipe for “Peychaud’s Bitters” and measured the potent ingredients using a coquetier , a French word that is pronounced “ko k tay.” Eventually that pronunciation morphed into the modern term, “cocktail.”
By the mid nineteen hundreds, the Sazerac cocktail had become a hit. Eventually American Rye whiskey replaced the French brandy. Then some daredevil decided to add a dash of absinthe.
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Today the Sazerac still stands as a classic New Orleans drink. What Mint Juleps are to the Carolinas, Sazeracs are to NOLA. So if you want to throw a Feathered Bone book party with pizazz, pull out a few old fashioned glasses and pour up the happy.
Ingredients:
• 1 cube sugar • 1½ ounces Rye Whiskey or Bourbon • ¼ ounce Herbsaint (Absinthe) • 2 to 3 dashes bitters (you can purchase Peychaud's bitters through the Sazerac Gift Shop, www.thesazeracgiftshop.com) • Lemon peel
Since I’ve never been a bartender, my “drink making” skills are crude, at best. For that reason, I’ve tweaked the official instructions pulled from www.Sazerac.com. Enjoy!
Instructions:
1. Pack an old fashioned glass with ice cubes to chill. 2. In a second old fashioned glass, place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud's bitters. 3. Crush the sugar cube in with the bitters. 4. Add Whiskey (or Bourbon) to the bitters and sugar. 5. Empty the ice from the first glass and coat it with Herbsaint, discarding the excess. 6. Empty the whiskey bitters sugar mixture from the second glass into the first and garnish with lemon peel.
Iced Mint Juleps
I mentioned juleps above, and many people will tell you that no Southern party is complete without this fabulous minty cocktail, even if they are more commonly associated with Kentucky Bourbon and traditional horse races. I also mention them in The Feathered Bone , so I’ll add a recipe here for you.
Ingredients:
• 2 cups sugar • 2 cups water • 8 sprigs of fresh mint (per serving) • Crushed ice • Bourbon or whiskey • Traditional Silver Julep Cups (or just use a highball glass)
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Instructions:
First, make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Once the syrup cools completely, add approximately 8 sprigs of fresh mint leaves, crushed a bit to release the flavor. Store this mixture in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
The day of your party, you can make one julep at a time by following these steps:
1. Fill a silver Julep cup with crushed ice. 2. Add 1 tablespoon of your homemade mint syrup and 2 ounces bourbon. 3. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. 4. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Hurricanes
“Hurricane Katrina . . . Devastating damage expected . . . Unprecedented strength . . . Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks . . . All gabled roofs will fail . . . All windows will blow out . . . Livestock exposed to the winds will be killed . . . Power outages for weeks . . . Water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards . . .” —The Feathered Bone
In Louisiana we like to hold what we call Hurricane Parties. When a storm is brewing and the electricity goes out, we gather all our friends, family, and neighbors, toss in whatever food and drinks we each have to offer, and call it a good time.
Pat O’Brien’s restaurant in New Orleans was the first to name a cocktail after our storms. The “Hurricane” was created during WWII when a bartender concocted the drink using an oddly shaped glass that looked a bit like a hurricane lamp. The name took hold, and today tourists line the sidewalks for a chance to buy a Hurricane, carting the oversize glass home with them on planes, trains, and automobiles around the world.
You don’t have to use a hurricane glass to enjoy the drink, but if you want to order your own, as well as the packaged mix to whip up the exact Pat O’s concoction, you can find those products on their website.
Ingredients:
• 2 ounces light rum • 2 ounces dark rum • 2 ounces passion fruit juice • Juice from half of a lime • 1 ounce orange juice (optional) • ½ tablespoon simple syrup (optional, and can be made at home by boiling equal parts water and sugar) • ½ tablespoon grenadine (optional) • 1 orange slice and 1 cherry for garnish
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Instructions:
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. 2. Add the rum, passion fruit, and lime juice. 3. Add optional ingredients, if desired. 4. Shake until chilled. 5. Strain over ice into a stemmed glass. 6. Bottoms up!
Frozen Daiquiris
When I was a teenager, I worked at Oasis Snowball Stand in Walker. I’ve often considered frozen daiquiris to be “snow cones for adults.” In fact, Louisiana is famous for both snow cones (aka snowballs) and daiquiris. We even have drive thru daiquiri stores so you can “fill up your tank” on the way home from work. Crazy, I know.
If you’ve ever been to a snowball stand, you already know the menu is enormous. There are about as many different flavors and combinations as a brain can create. The same goes for daiquiris. Basically, all you need to do is find your favorite fruit, add rum, and invite Johnny Depp to stir. Okay, I couldn’t help myself. I already told you, when I think rum, I think of Johnny. And that brings my brain to beautiful places.
Ahhh . . .
Let’s get back on track. Shall we?
When making daiquiris, some people like to add frozen lemonade or limeade concentrates to balance the sweetness with a dose of tart. Or you can simply add a bit of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. You can also add simple syrup (homemade as described previously), agave, or honey if you accidentally make it too tart. You can even use pineapples and coconut milk to whip up a Pina Colada flavored daiquiri. Enjoy experimenting with the chemistry and allow yourself to go wild! Not hog wild, mind you. Just Louisiana wild. Which is darn sure wild enough.
Not only are frozen daiquiris a fun twist for a Louisiana themed party, they can be served with or without alcohol to accommodate both Protestant and Catholic friends on your guest list (as well as guests from every other faith background or lack thereof). However, you may not want to spend the entire party at the blender, missing all the good conversations over the noise. In that case, you can plan ahead. All you need is a little extra space in your freezer and a set of glasses that can handle the freeze. ( TIP: Mason jars work great and add a downhome Southern feel to the party.)
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Ingredients:
• 6 ounces (¾ cup) frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate • 6 ounces (¾ cup) light rum (or same amount of water for Virgin daiquiris) • 4 cups fruit, chopped into small pieces ( TIP: frozen peaches, blueberries, mangos, or pineapples are best. May also use strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries if you don’t mind the grittier texture from the seeds. Frozen fruit tends to work better than fresh fruit.) • 2 cups ice cubes • Dash of sweetener (optional), as needed to taste, if desired (homemade simple syrup, chilled, agave syrup, or honey) • Coconut milk (optional as desired, and only if you want to mix with pineapple to make a Pina Colada flavor)
Instructions:
1. In a blender, combine lemonade or limeade concentrate, rum, and frozen fruit. 2. Blend until smooth. 3. Add ice. 4. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Now, here’s where the taste buds come in. Take a sample taste and adjust as needed: • Too tart? Add sweetener. • Too intense? Add ice cubes. • Too mild? Add more fruit.
Then blend and sample again. By the time guests arrive, you already have the party started, one “sample taste” at a time.
If you want to make the drinks before the party, pour your blended daiquiris into 1 cup Mason jars, leaving at least ½ inch of space at the top. Attach lids and freeze. To serve: • Remove from freezer and set out for 5 to 15 minutes. • Use a fork and stir the semi frozen daiquiris into a slushy consistency. • Good to Know: These will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer.
TIP: Alcohol will prevent the rum daiquiris from freezing completely, but if you’re trying to freeze the Virgin (non alcoholic) version, beware. They will need more time to thaw than your loaded counterparts.
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Y’all Come on in!
“Gator serves us heaping helpings of the fried catfish, hush puppies, and corn maque choux he’s been keeping warm on the stove.” —The Feathered Bone
When Amanda, Ellie, and Jay visit Gator’s place, he welcomes them inside with an offering of food. This is typical of Louisiana folks. We’re always going to invite you to join us at the table, and we’ll likely already have something on the stove just waiting for hungry guests to find their way to the kitchen. Gator offers them a batch of fried catfish, fresh from his own pond and sides it with hushpuppies and corn maque choux.
Today you can buy farm raised catfish, but many Louisiana folks still fish for their supper. Catfish is common, but with access to the Gulf of Mexico and seafood rich lakes and rivers, we are also treated to delicious crabs, crawfish, oysters, shrimp, and alligators. Some of my favorite types of fish include Tuna, Snapper, and Redfish—just to name a few!
I’m the first to admit, fish fry is messy stuff. So my family considers fish fries to be an “outside” event, similar to crawfish boils and bar be ques. But if you’re interested in frying fish Louisiana style, here’s how it’s done back home.
First, you need to know how to filet a fish. I’ve turned to the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board for help with that tutorial. Here’s a link to show you step by step: http://www.louisianaseafood.com/public/documents/HowToFilet_Fish.pdf
Now that you’ve got your filets, let’s get cookin’!
Fried Catfish
Ingredients:
• Boneless, skinless catfish fillets (approximately 3 inches long and 1½ inches wide), sliced as thinly as possible • Salt to taste • Crab boil seasoning powder (or substitute with black and cayenne pepper, to taste) • 1 cup buttermilk • 4 cups all purpose flour plus 1 cup finely ground cornmeal (OR substitute with Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish Fry Mix and reduce amount of seasoning on the fish) • Canola or vegetable oil, for frying (some people use peanut oil)
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Instructions:
1. Filet fish and submerge in fresh, cold water. 2. Heat a deep cast iron pot, halfway filled with oil, to 325 to 350°F. 3. When ready to fry, remove fish, shake off water, and sprinkle each fillet with salt and crab boil seasoning (on both sides). 4. Combine flour and cornmeal in separate bowl (or substitute with Zatarain’s fish fry mix and reduce seasoning in previous step). 5. Dip each fillet in buttermilk and dredge the fish in the mixture to coat lightly. Shake off excess and fry immediately by placing a few strips of battered fish into hot oil. 6. Deep fry for approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the pieces float and turn a golden brown. (Do not crowd the pot.) 7. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bag.
TIP: To keep fried fish fillets warm while cooking the rest, place the fried fish on a cookie sheet in an oven that has been pre warmed at the lowest temperature. Be sure to keep the heat turned off once you add the fish. Otherwise, they’ll become too dry.
Hushpuppies
The origins of hushpuppies can be disputed, but legend has it that leftover pieces of cornmeal were rolled into balls, fried, and tossed to the dogs to quiet their barking. In other words, they were thrown into the field with the command: “Hush puppies!” Today we call this dog food a delicious side dish, and we frequently serve it with fried seafood.
Ingredients:
In one bowl, place dry mix: • 2½ cups fine ground cornmeal (white or yellow) • ½ cup all purpose flour • 1 tablespoon baking powder • ½ tablespoon sugar • ½ tablespoon ground black pepper • ½ tablespoon salt • ¾ teaspoon baking soda • ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
In another bowl, place wet mix: • 3 eggs (lightly beaten) • 1½ cups buttermilk • ½ cup chopped scallions
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Instructions:
1. Whisk wet and dry mixes together. 2. Let batter rest for at least 10 minutes. 3. In a deep black iron pot, heat oil to 350ºF. 4. Form the batter into small round balls using a mini scoop or tablespoon. 5. Drop small scoops or rounded tablespoons of the batter into the oil in small batches (only one layer). 6. As soon as the hush puppies start to float (approximately 1 minute), use tongs to rotate so they cook evenly on all sides to create a crisp, golden brown exterior. 7. Use a slotted spoon to remove. Drain on clean brown bag or paper towels. 8. Serve either plain or sliced and buttered.
Corn Maque Choux
When the Acadians were exiled from Nova Scotia in the 1700s, many of them found their way to southern Louisiana. Corn had not been a part of their diet until they established a “New Acadia” in Louisiana where they learned from native tribes how to cultivate and serve this local food. Of course, they added their own flair, and delicious meals like Corn Maque Choux (the words are said to be of Choctaw/Chickasaw origins) became common on Louisiana tables.
Pronounce this dish as if you are saying “corn mock shoe” with a Cajun accent, and you’ll almost have it right. As with all Cajun dishes, the variations are endless because we use what we have on hand. Feel free to toss in shrimp or other meats to make a meal out of this recipe, or just use it as a zesty side to another entrée.
Ingredients:
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (or bacon grease) • ¼ cup finely diced Tasso (see note below for substitutes) • 3 to 4 ears of sweet corn • ¼ cup finely diced celery • ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves • 1 clove Garlic, minced (optional) • 1 to 2 diced tomatoes • ½ cup finely sliced green onions • Salt, black pepper, and Cayenne to taste (or Cajun seasoning to taste)
Instructions:
1. Cut the corn from cobs using a very sharp knife. ( TIP: try to slice about half way through the kernels, then scrape the cob with your knife to reserve the “corn milk” in a bowl. 2. Melt the butter in a two quart sauce pan (or heat bacon grease). 3. Add the Tasso and cook on medium high heat until slightly brown. (This step is optional; Tasso can be substituted with shrimp, crawfish, andouille, chicken, etc.)
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4. Add corn, onion, celery, bell pepper, thyme, and a pinch of salt. 5. Reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently and sauté for approximately 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 6. Add the garlic, tomatoes, reserved corn milk, and another pinch of salt. 7. Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently. 8. Add green onions, black pepper, and cayenne to taste (and another shake of salt as needed.)
Thanksgiving
“Plus, it is Thanksgiving and I refuse to drown in despair, so I turn off the television and sweep away my grief, grabbing a notepad from the end table. I uncap a pen, scribbling to draw ink to the tip, and force myself to list all the blessings in my life.” —The Feathered Bone
Nearly every culture has a ceremony during which they set aside time to give thanks for the blessings in their lives. In America the roots of our nation’s traditional Thanksgiving holiday are disputed. Some say the holiday stems from Spanish settlers in the 1500s. Others say Native Americans were celebrating similar harvest ceremonies long before the Spanish ever arrived. Some claim the Puritans and Pilgrims brought the tradition over from England in the 1600s. Others say it doesn’t matter at all, as long as we take at least one day a year to gather together and express our gratitude.
I say we should live in constant Thanksgiving. One day a year is never enough time to feel grateful. But one day a year is what our first president, George Washington, could offer when he proclaimed the first nationwide Thanksgiving celebration in America on November 26, 1789, as a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.”
It wasn’t until 1867 that President Andrew Johnson established the last Thursday in November as the official Thanksgiving Day. In 1924 the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was conducted in New York City, with giant helium balloons added in 1927. This is the parade mentioned in The Feathered Bone , a televised event that many Americans watch as young children while adults prepare the holiday meal.
Today the Thanksgiving holiday is a time for American families to gather together to serve a traditional meal, one that usually includes a turkey. Many families watch football or even play in their own backyard games, while those in Louisiana may add a hunting or fishing trip to the day. And, of course, since it’s also the beginning of the Christmas season, many families use this day off work to begin setting out holiday decorations and hanging Christmas lights.
In Louisiana we usually roast a traditional turkey for Thanksgiving. The next day, we use the leftovers to make gumbo or jambalaya. Others opt for a deep fried turkey, using an outdoor fryer and lots of peanut oil.
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My family has always roasted our turkey, and my job as a child was to dot the turkey with cloves in my granny’s kitchen. She would give me a china bowl filled with cloves, and I’d take my time to create a symmetrical pattern across the turkey. She never rushed me, and I usually ended up crisscrossing elaborate diamonds all around the bird. It was kind of like adding sequins or glitter to a piece of art—just a final dose of “bling” to make it shine. And it tasted delicious! I loved the way the cloves smelled unlike any other fragrance I’d ever known—and still do!
Traditional Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients:
• 1 (14 pound) frozen whole turkey*, thawed completely, or one fresh turkey • ¼ cup butter, softened and divided • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper • ¼ cup sage leaves, chopped • 4 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped • 1 pear or apple, halved • 2 celery ribs, halved • 1 large onion, halved • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
*Note: If you purchase a frozen turkey, be sure to buy it in plenty of time for it to thaw fully before cooking.
Instructions:
1. Remove and discard the turkey giblets and neck. 2. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. 3. Loosen skin from turkey breast (but do not remove) so that seasoning can be rubbed beneath the skin. 4. Stir 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper until creamy. Spread this mixture evenly under the turkey’s skin to coat the bird, especially the breasts (or the “white meat” portions). 5. Add sage leaves and thyme sprigs evenly on each side of breast under skin. Pull the skin back into place. 6. Place pear or apple, celery ribs, onion halves, and garlic cloves inside the open chest cavity. 7. Rub entire turkey evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and dot with cloves.
TIP: Another option is to use a baking bag (such as Reynolds’ Oven Bags®) following the instructions provided with the bag. This is a super easy way to ensure the turkey stays moist and tender. If opting for the bag method, place (bagged) turkey in a roasting pan. Bake at 325°F for 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours and 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°F, basting turkey every 30 minutes with pan drippings. (Prevent overcooking turkey by checking for doneness after 2 hours.) Remove turkey from roasting pan, and let stand 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish, if desired.
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We often serve this turkey with stuffing or dressing, and/or rice . . . all of which can be drenched in turkey gravy.
Turkey Gravy
• Reserve 2 cups broth/juices from bottom of turkey pan (fully cooked) • Pour broth mixture through wire mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids
Then gather the following ingredients:
• ⅓ cup butter • ⅓ cup all purpose flour • ½ teaspoon black pepper • A few shakes of salt
Optional seasonings:
• ½ teaspoon ground thyme • ¼ teaspoon rubbed sage • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
1. Melt butter in cast iron pot over medium heat. 2. Whisk in flour and cook, continuing to whisk 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is golden and smooth (no lumps) 3. Gradually whisk in broth mixture, increasing heat to medium high until mixture reaches a low boil. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer. 4. Add salt and pepper, stirring occasionally while mixture simmers for approximately 15 minutes until desired thickness is achieved. 5. Finally, stir in remaining optional ingredients. 6. Serve gravy over rice or stuffing.
Many Americans serve turkey and stuffing for Thanksgiving, but in the South we tend to call it “dressin’” instead. Oyster dressing is popular in New Orleans, but since my family usually sticks with cornbread dressing, that’s the recipe I’ll share here with y’all. It’s one of my favorite items on our table each holiday season, and I hope you’ll enjoy it too.
Southern Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients:
• 2 (8½ ounce) packages Jiffy cornbread mix (Yes, you can make your own, but no guilt allowed in using the pre mixed stuff. It makes sense.)
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• 1 (16 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained, or approximately 3 to 4 corn cobs with kernels removed • 2 tablespoon butter • 2 medium onions, chopped • 4 medium bell peppers, chopped (I like to use red, yellow, and green to add color to the dish) • ½ cup turkey or chicken broth (reserve this from your turkey or use pre packaged if needed) • 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper • 1 egg • ¾ cup buttermilk or evaporated skim milk
Instructions:
1. In large bowl, combine cornbread mixes and prepare batter according to package directions. Add corn to the batter. 2. Bake cornbread (with corn) according to package directions. Cool completely. 3. Crumble cornbread into large bowl and set aside. 4. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. 5. Add onions and peppers, sautéing for approximately 5 minutes. 6. Add broth to the skillet and cook covered for approximately another 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. 7. Add vegetable/broth mixture to cornbread mixture. 8. Add sage, salt, and pepper. Mix well. 9. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes in a covered casserole dish.
TIP: We do not stuff our turkey, but if you choose to do so, stuff the turkey lightly with the raw dressing and bake your turkey accordingly. You can reserve extra stuffing for the casserole dish and serve it both ways.
Pies
Traditionally, families may serve pumpkin, pecan, or apple pie for Thanksgiving. I’ll give you a recipe for all three because . . . why not? My grandmother taught me lots of kitchen tips. For example, baking is fun, cleaning is not. For easy clean up, be sure to spray or butter your pie pans before adding crust to the dish. Also, place an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet on the lower rack of the oven to catch any spill over from your pie plates. Who wants to waste time scrubbing melted pecan pie from the bottom of an oven? Not me!
You should also know that I’m not above buying a refrigerated pie crust. Pillsbury has certainly saved me when I’m short on time. That said, making the crust from scratch is as easy as pie! Get it? Yes, I’m too corny for my own good. But it’s true. There’s absolutely nothing difficult about it, and you’ve probably already got all the ingredients on hand. Give it a try.
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Pie Crust
Ingredients:
• 2 cups all purpose flour • 1 teaspoon salt • ⅔ cup cold butter • 5 to 7 tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions:
1. Add flour and butter into a mixing bowl. 2. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour. 3. Add salt and water. 4. Mix until dough is formed. 5. Roll out onto flat surface. 6. Bake at 375°F until brown.
Pecan Pie
Ingredients:
• 1 cup corn syrup (Light or dark works fine, but the dark will have a richer, sweeter taste.) • 3 eggs • 1 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons butter, melted • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1½ cups (approximately 6 ounces) pecans • 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. 3. Stir in pecans. 4. Butter a pie dish and add crust. 5. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust. 6. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until center reaches 200°F. 7. Be sure to protect pie crust with foil or edge protector as needed. 8. Cool on wire rack for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Best served warm, especially with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream.
TIP: To test for doneness, the center surface should “spring back” when tapped lightly.
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Dixie Girl Lands in Pumpkin Town
Did you know? This Louisiana girl left the South for a while before landing back in Dixie Land. One of the places I lived was Morton, Illinois, where I spent nearly two years as a young mother. Our home was near the Libby Pumpkin Plant, of all things!
At harvest time, I’d take my toddler and infant to the facility to watch the big trucks lift their trailer beds high into the air. The full loads of pumpkins would roll into the containers on site, thrilling my children and eliciting tons of happy giggles and squeals.
From there the pumpkins were sent through the production line. By the end of the process, the pulp had become a squishy, gooey, yummy consistency to be canned and shipped off to grocery stores around the world.
I’m not sure what anyone ever does with those canned pumpkins other than bake a pie. So, for those of you who have never had the pleasure of tasting canned pumpkin, I’ve included a recipe using Libby’s canned pumpkin, in honor of our days in the Midwest. While many American families do still grow pumpkins in their own gardens, most settle for buying the cans. Either works great.
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust • ¾ cup sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon ground ginger • Dash of nutmeg • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves • 2 eggs • 1 (15 ounce) can Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin • 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Bake pie shell for approximately 5 to 10 minutes until golden. 3. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in small bowl. 4. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. 5. Stir in pumpkin and sugar spice mixture with eggs. 6. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. 7. Pour into warm pie shell and cover pie shell edges with aluminum foil or edge protector. 8. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425°F.
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9. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake for another 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. 10. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours or until settled. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold. 11. Optional: top off the pie with either a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream and a sprinkling of roasted pecans.
French Apple Pie
Ingredients:
• ⅓ cup sugar • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • Dash of nutmeg • 4 to 7 apples (depending on size), peeled and sliced • 1½ tablespoons butter • 1 deep dish unbaked pie shell
Crumb Topping:
• ½ cup butter • ½ cup brown sugar • 1 cup flour
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F. 2. Mix sugar and cinnamon. 3. Peel and slice apples into small, thin pieces. 4. Mix apples in sugar and cinnamon until all pieces of fruit are completely coated with the mixture. 5. Spread the pie crust into a buttered deep dish pie pan. 6. Add cinnamon sugar apple mixture to the pastry lined dish. 7. Dot fruit mixture with thin slices of butter. 8. Combine topping ingredients until crumbly. Then sprinkle evenly to form a top layer. 9. Bake at 400°F for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden. 10. Serve warm, topped with homemade vanilla ice cream.
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“Mom would still be alive, walking in with deviled eggs and green bean casserole, the kind using cream of mushroom soup and dried onions. She’d joke about her gourmet cooking skills, and we’d all give her grief for it. With love.” —The Feathered Bone
Other recipes mentioned in The Feathered Bone Thanksgiving meal include deviled eggs, green beans, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. In the book, I mention casseroles with these items, which are usually prepared for meals where food may need to be ready at different times. You can find lots of casserole recipes online, but since we don’t typically prepare our Thanksgiving meal with casseroles, I’ll give you our family recipes instead. Ready? Let’s do this!
Deviled Eggs
For years my family operated Valley House Farm in Oxford, Mississippi, where we collected more than two dozen eggs a day and always had eggs at the ready.
Maybe that’s why deviled eggs are one of my children’s favorite recipes. Mine too!
This is an old fashioned dish that dates all the way back to the Roman Empire. I suppose humans have been eating eggs since the beginning of time, so there’s no end to the variations for this recipe. Some more conservative church potluck events have been known to change the name to Angel Eggs, but I see no sin in spicing things up a bit. Pick your poison!
Here is our traditional recipe for Southern deviled eggs, although I personally prefer mine without mayonnaise.
Ingredients:
• 6 large eggs • Approximately 1 tablespoon mayonnaise • Approximately 1 tablespoon mustard • Approximately 1½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish • Salt and pepper, to taste • Dash of paprika added to each half as garnish
Instructions:
1. Place single layer of eggs in a saucepan. 2. Add water to saucepan, approximately 3 inches deep. 3. Bring to a rolling boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. 4. Drain immediately and fill the saucepan with cold water and ice. 5. Tap each egg firmly on the counter until cracks form all over the shell. Peel under cold running water. 6. Slice eggs in half, lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks. 7. Mash yolks with mayonnaise and mustard. 8. Add relish, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
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9. Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites. 10. Garnish with paprika, if desired.
TIP: There is really no set measurement for this dish. Just wing it by adjusting to your taste. Also, farming taught me that fresh eggs are HARD to peel if you boil them straight from the coop. It’s better to let them age a few days before using them in recipes like these. Who knew?
Green Beans
Ingredients:
• 4 cups fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces • 2 bacon strips, diced • 1 medium onion, sliced thinly • ½ cup white wine or apple juice • 3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or cider vinegar • ¼ teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons cornstarch • 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions:
1. Place beans in a large pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. 2. Cook, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp and tender. 3. While beans boil, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. 4. Place cooked bacon on paper towels to drain, reserving 1 teaspoon bacon drippings. 5. In the 1 teaspoon of drippings, sauté onion until tender and translucent. 6. Add wine or apple juice, sugar, vinegar, and salt. 7. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; add to the pan. 8. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring for approximately 2 minutes until thick. 9. Drain beans and top with onion mixture. 10. Sprinkle with bacon. Toss to coat. Serve warm.
Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil • ¼ cup honey • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. Arrange chopped sweet potatoes in a single layer on roasting pan. 3. Drizzle oil and honey over the potatoes. 4. Add cinnamon, salt, and pepper, stirring to coat evenly. 5. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.
Asparagus
Ingredients:
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed • ½ pound fresh mushrooms, quartered • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced • 2 teaspoons olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 2. Spray a cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray. 3. Combine asparagus and mushrooms in a bowl. 4. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss well. 5. Arrange the asparagus and mushrooms in an even layer on prepared cookie sheet. 6. Roast approximately 15 minutes or until tender 7. Optional: Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Santa Cookies
“You have to understand. In the span of one week, I had learned my mom and dad weren’t my real parents. And that Santa didn’t exist. Took me a long time to learn to trust again. And right when I was beginning to do so, my father left us. That was that.” —The Feathered Bone
Before Christmas Amanda is seen in the kitchen making Santa cookies with her daughter, Ellie. They discuss important issues of trust and honesty while measuring the ingredients. As a mother, I’ve discovered that children might be more likely to open up if we’re engaged in a mutual task. For my family, that could be farm work, yard work, or cooking. I carried this strategy into the book as Amanda tries again and again to reach her beloved daughter.
Ingredients:
• 12 tablespoons butter, softened • ¾ cup brown sugar
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• ¼ cup sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 egg • 2 cups flour • 1 small box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix (dry, not prepared) • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips • 1 cup white chocolate chips • 1 cup red and green M&M candies
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy. 2. Add vanilla and egg. Mix well. 3. In another bowl whisk together flour, vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. 4. Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until incorporated. 5. Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms, reserving a few for later. 6. Cover dough with saran wrap or aluminum foil and chill for at least one hour. 7. Preheat oven to 350°F. 8. Lightly cover baking sheet with cooking spray, removing excess with paper towel. 9. Roll cookie dough into balls (size of a golf ball) and place on prepared baking sheet. 10. Gently press remaining chocolate chips and M&Ms into the cookie dough balls to show green, red, white, and brown on each cookie. 11. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until cookies are set but still slightly gooey. 12. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet. 13. Transfer to a cooling rack until cooled completely. 14. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
TIP: Set these out on Christmas Eve with an ice cold glass of milk for Santa and his reindeer. In the morning, you’ll find only crumbs. Magic!
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
“It’s as American as Apple Pie” is a common phrase, but I think we should update that to say, “It’s as American as Chocolate Chip Cookies!”
In The Feathered Bone , Amanda tells Ellie about the time she first heard the truth about Santa. She was coaxed from the teacher’s restroom by the lure of chocolate chip cookies. I’d be willing to bet there isn’t an American alive who has never eaten chocolate chip cookies, and I’d bet most of us have made them from scratch at least once in our lives.
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There are TONS of variations for this recipe, and of course you can use the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag, which is always a safe bet. But I’m going to give you a tweaked Betty Crocker version, which is about as American as it gets.
Ingredients:
• ½ cup granulated sugar • ½ cup packed brown sugar • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 egg • 2¼ cups all purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional) • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º F. 2. Beat sugars, butter, and egg in large bowl for at least 3 minutes. 3. Add vanilla. Beat for 1 minute more. 4. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt just until mixed. Dough will be stiff. 5. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. 6. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. 7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). 8. Cool slightly before moving from cookie sheet to cool on wire rack.
New Year’s
“I bet Mom is cooking black-eyed peas and cabbage. She says they make us healthy and wealthy. They really just make the whole house stink. She’s probably making cabbage rolls. I always hold my nose while I eat those. But now I miss Mom so much, I’d eat all her cabbage rolls and never complain.” —The Feathered Bone
In The Feathered Bone , Sarah writes about family traditions. The memories give her a foundation to cling to when she is removed from those familiar routines and experiences.
As in many parts of the world, people in Louisiana often ring in the New Year with a traditional meal. In our home, we cook black eyed peas and cabbage. The peas are supposed to bring us good luck; the cabbage, good health. Or, as Sarah says, we eat them to make us “healthy and wealthy.”
Each year my mom would look around our humble home, serve us a fresh plate of black eyed peas and cabbage, and smile, saying, “Just imagine if we didn’t eat them!” This was typical of
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my mother’s optimistic attitude. No matter how hard things got for her as a single mom rearing two children on a school teacher’s salary, she always managed to find the good. She taught me that it could always be worse.
If there’s anything I’m grateful for in my life, it’s my mother’s ability to instill in me a positive attitude. I have learned that gratitude is everything. And it’s also what has gotten me through many a storm in this journey we call life. Gratitude and faith. That’s what enables me to love. And love, well . . . love is everything.
Black eyed peas have been around nearly as long as love has. I’ve read that they reach back to the earliest days of African agriculture. With time, they found their way to America via Virginia, and today, many heirloom varieties are grown in gardens all across the South. One very popular variety is known locally as Purple Hull Peas, and these are our family’s favorite.
I have fond memories as a child, sitting on the porch of my best friend’s home, shelling Purple Hull Peas. Adults would commonly give such chores to the children, but they would also join us on the porch, grabbing a bowl of their own and shelling alongside us as we shared stories and songs. Maybe this is where I learned the power of storytelling. It runs with the blood in me, and I am grateful for the narratives that have shaped my soul.
Southern Black-Eyed Peas
Ingredients:
• Approximately 4 cups fresh or frozen black eyed peas • 4 to 5 slices bacon • 1 large onion, chopped • 1 stalk celery, diced • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth • Salt and pepper and a dash of Louisiana hot sauce, to taste
Instructions:
1. In a large cast iron pot, cook bacon until crisp. Then, place bacon on paper towels to dry. 2. Sauté onion, celery, and garlic in bacon drippings until tender. 3. Add broth, salt, pepper, and peas. Bring to a boil. 4. Lower heat to simmer; add crumbled bacon to peas. 5. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cover and simmer until peas are tender (approximately 1½ to 2 hours).
TIP: Serve with hot, buttered cornbread and, when in season, add a side of garden fresh tomato slices. Can also top with a dash of Louisiana hot sauce and green onions.
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Cabbage rolls
Sauce Ingredients:
• 2 teaspoons butter • 1 cup chopped yellow onions • 1 teaspoon minced garlic • 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes, including juice • ¾ to 1 cup cream • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar • 1 tablespoon sugar
Roll Ingredients:
• 1 head cabbage, cored and scalded in hot water until tender and easy to separate • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter • 1 cup chopped yellow onions • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic • ½ pound ground beef • ½ pound ground pork • 1 cup cooked long grain white rice (I substitute black rice) • 2 teaspoons Essence (recipe provided with Jambalaya previously) • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. 2. Add onions and stir until soft. 3. Add garlic and stir another minute, careful to avoid burning the garlic. 4. Add the tomatoes and cream. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 5 minutes. 5. Add the vinegar and sugar. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens for approximately 5 to 10 minutes. 6. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning to taste. 7. Separate the cabbage leaves and, with a sharp knife, remove the hard spine from each leaf. 8. Spread these spineless cabbage leaves on paper towels and pat dry. Let sit. 9. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. 10. Add onions and stir until they begin to caramelize for approximately 5 minutes. 11. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. 12. Add ground sausage and beef. Stir until cooked. 13. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. 14. Lay the cabbage leaves, rib side down, on a flat work surface. 15. Spread a thin layer of the sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
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16. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, Essence seasoning, salt, pepper, and cooked onions. Mix well. 17. One at a time, spoon the filling into the center of the cabbage leaves. 18. Roll each into a neat cylinder (think eggrolls) and place in a layer of the sauce in the baking dish. 19. Repeat with remaining ingredients. 20. Pour remaining sauce over the rolls, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake about 2 hours until the meat is cooked through and the rolls are tender. 21. Remove from the oven and serve the rolls with the sauce spooned over the top.
Crawfish
“On each side, crawfish chimneys dot the yards, puffy white towers of mud where they’ve burrowed into the wet soil.” —The Feathered Bone
In Louisiana we love to host a Crawfish Boil. This is very common in the spring as families, friends, neighbors, and co workers gather around the table. Traditionally, we keep it informal, with newspaper spread across outdoor tables for easy clean up. Today you can purchase large serving trays marketed specifically for crawfish boils, but folks in Louisiana won’t mind one bit if you eat right off the table.
You do need a pot large enough to boil approximately 25 pounds of crawfish at a time. And I’ve never been to a crawfish boil that didn’t include ice cold bottles of beer (or icy cans of Coke for the abstainers). It’s tradition to “suck the heads” (which means exactly what it sounds like) in an effort to gather all the delicious juices that are lost in that uneaten part of the crawfish. I confess, I prefer NOT to suck the heads. But who am I to judge?
Did you know? The USDA reports that Louisiana produces nearly 95 percent of the nation’s crawfish. They naturally thrive in the bayous, creeks, and rivers, but farmers also harvest crawfish, especially from the watery rice fields. These rice fed crawfish from Louisiana are known to be the best you can find, and many companies now ship right to your door.
Boiled Crawfish
You will need a large outdoor boiling pot (at least 10 gallons) and a propane gas burner. Purchase a 40 to 50 pound sack of LIVE crawfish.
Ingredients:
1st Batch: • Approximately 25 pound sack of crawfish • 6 lemons, halved • 6 (3 ounce) boxes crab boil • 1½ (1½ ounce) bottles cayenne pepper
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• 1 (8 ounce) bottle liquid crab boil • 2½ boxes salt • 5 pounds red potatoes • 10 ears fresh corn (cut into halves or thirds)
2nd Batch: • Approximately 25 pound sack of crawfish • 6 halved lemons • 2 (3 ounce) boxes crab boil • ½ (1½ ounce) bottle cayenne pepper • ½ (8 ounce) bottle liquid crab boil • ¾ box salt • 5 pounds red potatoes • 10 ears fresh corn (cut into halves or thirds)
Instructions:
1st Batch 1. Rinse (live) crawfish thoroughly and drain. ( TIP: Put crawfish into a large, empty ice chest. Purge them of mud by filling the ice chest with water, then drain. Repeat until water runs clear. Some people add salt to the final rinse cycle to purify the taste, but others prefer the “natural” or “wild” taste of these “mudbugs.”) 2. Fill half the seafood boiling pot with water. 3. Add all ingredients except crawfish, potatoes, and corn. 4. Cover and bring to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes. 5. Add potatoes and crawfish (live and rinsed) 6. Return to boil for five more minutes. 7. Using a large wooden paddle, stir the crawfish and add corn. Boil 5 more minutes. 8. Turn off heat and soak crawfish and seasonings for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain but keep water for second batch. 9. Serve first batch while hot.
2nd Batch 1. Return water level to half full. 2. Re season water with all ingredients except crawfish, potatoes, and corn. 3. Follow above procedure for second batch.
Add some Cajun or Zydeco music, start a game of horseshoes or Bourré, and celebrate your loved ones. Ain’t life good?
Crawfish Étouffée
“Raelynn accepts the challenge, making her way toward the back while I fill our bowls with scoops of rice and then smother them with her rich, roux-based crawfish sauce.” —The Feathered Bone
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Ingredients:
• ¼ cup butter • 2 tablespoons olive oil • ⅓ cup all purpose flour • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 celery ribs, chopped • 1 medium size green bell pepper, chopped • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 1 large shallot, chopped • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning • ½ teaspoon ground red pepper • 14 ounces chicken broth • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley • ¼ cup chopped fresh chives • 2 pounds cooked, peeled crawfish tails ( TIP: you can substitute fresh for frozen crawfish tails, thawed, rinsed, and drained) • Hot, cooked rice
Instructions:
1. First, make a roux by melting butter with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat 2. Stir in flour and stir continuously for 5 minutes or until caramel colored. 3. Add onion and next 6 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 4. Add chicken broth, parsley, and chives and stir continuously for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and bubbly. 5. Stir in crawfish for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 6. Serve with hot cooked rice.
Dirty Rice
“From the living room, the weatherman’s voice delivers stern warnings, reaching me in the kitchen as I chop vegetables, brown the meats, and boil water for rice.” —The Feathered Bone
Dirty rice is a Cajun and Creole dish made from white rice which traditionally turned a “dirty” color while being cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets. This dish is still common in the Creole regions of southern Louisiana. However, many families no longer add liver or giblets to the recipe; instead, they cook it with eggplant and call it rice dressing. Here’s a modern rendition of “dirty rice” that we sometimes serve at our table.
Ingredients:
• ½ pound ground pork
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• ½ pound ground chuck • 1 cup yellow onions, chopped • ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped • ½ cup celery, chopped • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced • ¼ cup dark roux ( TIP: If you don’t want to make your own roux, as previously described in Gumbo recipe, use a modern cheat by purchasing pre made jarred roux at: http://www.cajungrocer.com/) • ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning • ½ teaspoon salt • 3 cups beef stock • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce • 1 bay leaf • ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme) • ½ teaspoon hot sauce • ½ teaspoon black pepper • ⅛ cup parsley, chopped • ¼ cup green onion, chopped • 7 packed cups cooked rice
Instructions:
1. Heat large pot over medium heat. Add pork and beef. Cook until meat is browned. 2. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. 3. Add dark roux and cook for additional 5 minutes. 4. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce and pepper. 5. Bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 6. Add remaining onion, celery, and bell pepper. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. 7. Stir in green onions and parsley. 8. Stir in cooked rice until completely incorporated.
The Secret Ingredient of Cake: Happy Memories!
Her candles light the dining room, lining the wall with shadows as she leans over the heart- shaped cake and blows. One by one the tiny lights give way and darkness descends.” —The Feathered Bone
My favorite cake is a simple one my mother bakes for my birthdays that always brings a smile. Because this recipe has been served to me throughout my life, at an annual milestone, every bite brings a surge of memories and emotions. I love how a single taste of a particular food can transport us through time and make us feel loved. Just like a song, or a fragrance, or a scene. Only this one includes chocolate, so . . . win!
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Butter Cake with Chocolate Marshmallow Icing
Ingredients:
• 1 box Butter Golden yellow cake mix • 1 small jar marshmallow cream • 1 box powdered sugar • 4 tablespoons powdered cocoa • 6 to 8 tablespoons evaporated milk • 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions:
1. Prepare cake according to box directions. (Yes, you can make these from scratch, but why not keep things simple?) 2. Bake in 13 x 9 cake pan as directed. 3. While still warm, spread an even layer of marshmallow cream on top. Let cool completely. 4. Once cooled, combine powdered sugar, powdered cocoa, evaporated milk, and melted butter until smooth and creamy. Then, frost the cake with a smooth layer of the chocolate icing.
Pancakes
“I move to the kitchen and pull canisters from the pantry, trying to maintain a normal life for my daughter. ‘Pancakes?’” —The Feathered Bone
Pancakes are a staple in our family, and everyone has their own way of serving them. Some like them thick and fluffy, while I prefer mine very thin like crêpes. I start by making a thick batter for the fluffier pancakes and gradually add milk for subsequent batches. I try to serve each family member the consistency of their liking, until I get to the bottom of the bowl where the batter contains a lot of extra milk. And that’s the part I call mine. Maybe that’s why I’ve come to prefer thin, crêpe like pancakes. I’m the one who gets what’s left. And you know what? I like it that way. I’m so darn grateful to have a family to make pancakes for, that I wouldn’t trade my thin pancakes for the fluffiest ones in the world.
Each family member also has a preferred topping. My son prefers thick, dark molasses and no butter. My daughter likes a little butter and maple syrup. I prefer no butter and, because my sweet tooth rules my world, I like to add sliced strawberries and powdered sugar. Now that’s what I call a good way to start the day!
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Ingredients:
• 1 cup all purpose flour • 2 tablespoons sugar • 2 teaspoons baking powder • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 cup milk (or buttermilk) • 2 tablespoons butter, melted • 1 large egg • Oil to coat the skillet
Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, and egg. 3. Add dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk. (Some people like to keep their batter lumpy, so air bubbles can develop and make them fluffier. I prefer a smooth batter with no lumps. Whisk as desired.) 4. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. (Brush it with oil to prevent batter from sticking.) 5. Test skillet heat by sprinkling water onto surface. If it sizzles, the pan should be hot enough to begin cooking. 6. For each pancake, spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the hot skillet. 7. Cook until bubbles begin to appear and open up on the pancake’s surface. (This should only take a minute or two, so don’t start daydreaming like I do or you’ll end up with burned pancakes). 8. Flip each cake carefully with a thin spatula, and cook another minute or two until golden on the underside. 9. Serve warm, with desired toppings.
(TIP: For extra fun, feel free to drop a few chocolate chips, blueberries, or sprinkles into your batter. There is no end to the madness. Go crazy!)
Shepherd’s Pie
“I pull shepherd’s pie from the oven just as the Parmesan begins to turn gold atop the mashed potatoes. ‘My favorite,’ Carl says, pouring himself a glass of iced tea as if he still calls this house his home.” —The Feathered Bone
In the book, Amanda bakes a shepherd’s pie for Carl, knowing it is his favorite dish. It’s a simple gesture of love and kindness, despite all he has done to hurt her and their daughter. Once again, food has a way of bringing people together, even in the toughest situations.
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This dish (also known as Cottage Pie) seems to have originated among the working poor of England and Ireland. Many Scots Irish immigrants migrated down to the Southeastern part of the U.S., including Louisiana, and married Native Americans. My own family has Scots Irish roots as well as ancestors from the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee tribes.
There are many ways to make this dish, because it was basically a way to combine whatever meats, potatoes, and herbs the peasants had on hand. A few years back, I came across a bit of a short cut recipe that included a “jar of gravy”—something I had never before purchased. The very idea of buying it was a bit offsetting to me, and I remember feeling embarrassed to carry it to the check out line. I felt lazy, as if my ancestors would be appalled that this Southern girl wasn’t making her own gravy from scratch, and I struggle with the guilt every time I make this dish. But truth be told, it works. And I need to learn to live with a little less guilt in my life, so I’m going to celebrate the convenience of pre packaged foods and share my Shepherd’s pie cheat sheet for you here. At least I don’t use frozen mashed potatoes. But hey, now that I think about it . . .
Ingredients:
• 6 medium potatoes • 1 pound carrots, cut into ¼ inch slices • ½ pound lean ground beef • ½ pound ground sausage (Note: You can use whatever combination of meat you prefer. Just use 1 to 1½ pounds of ground meat. Ground venison works well too.) • ½ pound ground lamb (again, whatever works for you) • 1 large onion, chopped • 1 jar (12 ounces) fat free beef gravy • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon sage • ½ teaspoon rosemary • ¼ teaspoon black pepper • ⅓ cup milk • 1 tablespoon butter • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese • Extra salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Potatoes: Peel and cube the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan and fill with water. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and cook approximately 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 2. Carrots: Add about 1 inch of water to a second saucepan and add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until crisp tender (approximately 7 to 8 minutes). Drain. 3. Meat: In a large skillet, cook ground meats and onion until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain well and pat any remaining grease away with paper towels.
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4. Combine to form base layer: Stir in carrots, gravy, salt, sage, thyme, rosemary, and pepper into the meat mixture. Transfer to a 3 quart baking dish (coated with nonstick cooking spray). 5. Form top layer: Drain and mash the potatoes, adding milk, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread mashed potatoes over the base layer to form an even top layer. 6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 7. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 45 minutes or until heated through and golden.
Banana Pudding
“I scrub banana pudding from the aging mint-green Tupperware. The label crinkles and curls beneath my sudsy sponge, but no matter how hard I wash, the damage has soaked too deep.” —The Feathered Bone
While food can trigger happy memories, it can also evoke negative emotions. In The Feathered Bone , a well meaning neighbor delivers banana pudding with a sting. I’m betting Amanda never wants to see another serving of this classic Southern dessert.
But for me, banana pudding means nothing but good things. My grandmother and mom have always served delicious banana pudding. There are many delicious, modern ways to make this dish that include instant pudding mixes and sweetened condensed milk, but something deep within me won’t let me cheat when it comes to banana pudding. Maybe it has something to do with the time I was in college, and I called my grandmother for advice. I had been whipping a bowl of egg whites for more than an hour. My arms were sore and no matter how hard I stirred, I could not turn the egg whites into meringue.
Granny asked me what kind of attachment I was using for my mixer. Electric mixer? I was a poor college kid. I sure didn’t have a mixer! I had been trying to make meringue with a spoon and my own muscle power. Needless to say I failed, and my Granny erupted in kind hearted laughter. She had never heard of anyone making meringue without a mixer!
The next week, I received a package in the mail. It was a hand held electric mixer and my Granny’s recipe for Banana Pudding. Now tell me I’m not a lucky girl. That’s love, folks. That’s love.
Ingredients:
• 4 large eggs • ¾ cup sugar • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour • ½ teaspoon • 2 cups whole milk • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract • 30 to 40 vanilla wafers • 3 to 4 medium ripe bananas
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Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 2. Using three of your four eggs, separate the yolks from the whites. Set the whites aside for later and make sure you don’t get water in them (use a dry bowl). Add the fourth egg (both white and yolk) to the three yolks. 3. Whisk flour, salt, and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan. 4. Stir in the whole egg and 3 yolks and milk. 5. Cook uncovered, stirring often, until the mixture thickens (approximately 10 minutes). 6. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. (This is your pudding). 7. Spread a thin layer of the pudding into a 1½ quart casserole dish. 8. Arrange a layer of vanilla wafers on top of the pudding. 9. Thinly slice the bananas and arrange a layer of banana slices over the wafers. 10. Spread a third of the remaining pudding over the bananas and continue layering wafers and bananas and pudding, until you end with pudding as your top layer.
Instructions for the Meringue:
1. Beat the reserved egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. 2. Gradually beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and continue beating until the meringue forms “stiff peaks” and does not slide against the bowl. 3. Spread the meringue over the pudding with a spatula, making a few decorative peaks on top, and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.
King Cake
“Ellie takes a bite, dusting her lips with green sugar sparkles, just as Nate cheers, ‘I got the baby!’ ‘Figures,’ Sarah says, eyeing the small plastic token in Nate’s hands. ‘He wins everything.’”
In the beginning of The Feathered Bone , we learn a little bit about the traditions of Mardi Gras, including the symbolic meaning of the king cake. The cake’s round shape represents a crown, reminding revelers of the Three Kings or Three Wise Men who visited Jesus at his birth. Then, a plastic baby is inserted into one of the pieces to represent the Christ child. It is decorated using traditional Carnival colors: green for faith; purple for justice; and gold for power.
In Louisiana, when someone “gets the baby,” that person is responsible for hosting the next party. This can be as simple as bringing another cake to the office, or it can involve hosting the next backyard cookout. In some groups, big decisions can be made by “getting the baby” as if drawing straws.
We always make at least one king cake during carnival season, and there’s nothing better than the first warm slice, fresh from the oven, topped with an oozing glaze of sugar and crystals. We usually use Mam Papaul’s King Cake Mix, which is only a half step away from being
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completely from scratch and includes the baby, sprinkles, and yummy scrummy praline filling. You can order that kit online: http://www.amazon.com/Mam Papauls Orleans Praline Filling.
Bon Appetit!
Now that you’ve got all the recipes, you need to feast your way through The Feathered Bone or host a fabulous Feathered Bone book party, serving these Louisiana favorites. I hope you’ll welcome all your friends and family to the table and serve up a good time!
Thanks again to each of you for giving my stories a chance. I hope this “lagniappe” will serve as a heaping helping of love and gratitude from my heart to yours.
Merci beaucoup!
References:
“Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation,” accessed February 16, 2016, http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/first principles/primary sources/washingtons thanksgiving proclamation
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