Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Article first published as Cajun Red Beans & Rice on Blogcritics.

A popular saying at our house is, 'It isn't a meal unless there's rice.' I'm not sure how it came about but because we're such a rice loving family, we're thankful that there's always some kind of rice dish we can incorporate into our meals. For our Low Country Boil, the appropriate rice dish to serve would be this Cajun Red Beans & Rice. Smoked sausage, red beans and the holy 'trinity' of onions, peppers and celery turn plain old rice into a flavorful side dish that can even work well as a main dish too...

Cajun Coleslaw

Article first published as Cajun Coleslaw on Blogcritics.

When it comes to side dishes, I sometimes get a in rut with making the usual standbys. For the recent Low Country Shrimp Boil I hosted over the weekend, I was thankful when my friend Howard brought this lovely Cajun Coleslaw to accompany our meal. It's such a colorful and flavorful dish, I didn't realize how much I liked coleslaw. Well, this specific coleslaw at least! Perhaps the slight kick of heat and how it wasn't too creamy had something to do with it. Shredded onions, red cabbage and green peppers make this slightly spicy coleslaw a fine addition to any picnic meal!

Low Country Shrimp Boil

Article first published as Low Country Shrimp Boil on Blogcritics.

What area of the country or where you live would you like to visit? Is there a type of regional cuisine that draws you in? For me, it's definitely the South. There's something about the hospitable vibe I get from the South and the stick to your ribs cuisine that appeals to me. But it'll be awhile before I get a chance to visit and experience true Southern cuisine. In the meantime, I can only get a taste of the South through food and cooking up Southern recipes. Over the weekend I hosted a Low Country Shrimp Boil, which is a popular past time especially around the Southern coastal regions. Little did I realize how much fun and how easy it was to throw a Low Country Boil and you don't necessarily have to be in the South to enjoy one!...

Sunday Fun Day Giveaway: S'mores Crunch!

Happy Sunday! It's been a wonderful weekend here, yet my thoughts and prayers were for all those on the East coast (including family and friends) dealing with the dangerous conditions of Hurricane Irene. I hope all those affected by the storms are safe and working through any destruction Irene may have caused. Here in Chicago, we've finally had our weather luck turn around so most, if not all of the city was out enjoying the sunshine. Last week, my friends at Eggland's Best eggs sponsored the giveaway with a generous prize pack. A lucky reader will receive a few coupons for free eggs, apron, whisk, spatula, ramekins, egg timer, eco bag and even a plush egg toy! A special thanks to Eggland's Best for sponsoring. Here's a big Congratulations to the winner of this past week's giveaway! Please shoot me an email at itsjoelen@gmail.com to claim your prize...

Eggland's Best Egg Prize Pack

Winner: Comment #60!

http://joelens.blogspot.com/2011/08/egglands-best-brinner-giveaway.html

So it's still summer but in a few weeks, it will officially end. One summer pastime that I have yet to do this season is to make s'mores. There's something special about toasting marshmallows on a stick and sandwiching it between 2 crisp graham crackers with a piece of milk chocolate. Pressing the little sandwich together and enjoying the warm, sweet flavors along with the gooey texture makes me giggle like a little girl again. Earlier this month, National S'mores Day was celebrated and I meant to bake up something inspired by s'mores then. But I figured better late than never, right?! I plan on making a S'mores Texas Sheet Cake this week and will be sharing the recipe next weekend. However this cake will not be including just your regular s'mores ingredients. For this cake, I'm going to use S'mores Crunch, a fun confection that was created in the Chicago suburbs!

S'mores Crunch is the first flavor from Crumble Ons, a local company that takes traditional flavors and turns them into little nuggets of sweetness to jazz up your favorite desserts. From mixing them into cake batter or cookie dough, to topping ice cream or cupcakes, or simply enjoying them as is, S'mores Crunch is fun and tasty! Here's a little story of how it all started...

Graham crackers? Check. Marshmallows? Check. Chocolate? Check. Campfire? No need!

A retired couple from the suburbs of Chicago has invented a way to bring the summertime feel indoors; they call it S’mores Crunch.  One night, after a lakeside bonfire complete with s’mores, Chicagoan Mary Jo Berglund chopped the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mixed them into pancakes for the next morning. They were an instant hit and prompted her to invent S’mores Crunch, which can be used as a confectionary condiment, or as an inclusion.

S’mores Crunch is comprised of miniature s’mores, featuring the crunch of toasted marshmallows sandwiched between milk chocolate and crisp graham crackers.  They function in the same way as sprinkles, adding pizzazz to the sweet treats you already love-- glam up pancakes or bedazzle your ice cream!  (And yes, you can have s’more because they have 43% less calories than milk chocolate chips, 50% less fat and 39% less carbs.)

Thanks to my friends at Crumble Ons, they will be sponsoring this week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway! A lucky reader will receive some S'mores Crunch to play with and try out in their favorite recipes. Read on for more details...

Some guidelines:

- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States - my apologies to my non-United States readers!

- You must check back in a week when winners are announced and email me to claim your prize if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering: 

What tasty way would you use S'mores Crunch? Let's hear your ideas!

Deadline: Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 12 midnight CST.

One winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Sunday, September 4, 2011, within next week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. Good luck!

FoodBuzz 24x24: C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil!

Living in Chicago has it's perks... the food scene, the urban vibe, the diversity and culture, etc. But despite all the wonderful things we have here, it would be nice to experience some fun times that other folks around the country do. With that in mind, we wanted to host a special meal that isn't very common up here in the Midwest, yet introduce something fun, different and delicious to our guests! My husband I gathered some of our friends and we brought a taste of the Coastal South to our little urban oasis. So C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil!

My husband is a big fan of shrimp and I wanted to prepare shrimp in a more fun way. Rather than resorting to the usual entertaining themes I've done, I looked to the South for some inspiration. That's when I learned all about Low Country Boils. Low Country Boils are a very casual dining event where a large pot of seasoned water cooks an entire meal of potatoes, corn on the cob, sausage and of course, lots of shrimp. Little did I realize how much fun and how easy it was to throw a Low Country Boil!

To make our event even more special, FoodBuzz is featuring our C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil! Party for their August 24x24 Food Event. The FoodBuzz's 24x24 Food Event showcases food blog posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers of 24 unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period. I was thrilled to be featured this month!

 

We originally wanted to host our Low Country Boil outdoors, but due to the unpredictable weather here in Chicago, we decided it would be best to have the party indoors with air conditioning. I would love to do this again outdoors next time!

For our table setting, I wanted it to be casual yet elegant. Traditional low country boils are served directly on newspaper or in large platters, often on festive red and white checkered tablecloths. Well, I combined the two ideas by lining the end of our dining table with newspapers and the center of our dining table with a neutral tablecloth. I used red plate chargers for each place setting, which gave a pop of color. There wasn't a need for any centerpieces, since the food was the main attraction on the table.

Presented in traditional fashion down the center of the table, we served up our low country boil on large long platters, all mixed up and had garnishes of lemon halves and cocktail sauces nearby.  The side dishes were scattered across the table and everything was served family style. In the background, we even had country music playing to add to the ambiance.

While we waited for all our guests to arrive, the rest of our guests hung out in our living room and enjoyed the stuffed mushroom appetizers I made. We also set up a separate drink station where we had sweetened iced tea and freshly squeezed lemonade available. Having a separate drink station was convenient and worked out well since our dining table was full of so much food!

Finally, all our guests arrived and it was time to eat! After much tweaking, I decided on a few side dishes to accompany our Low Country Boil and serve our party of 8. Technically, a Low Country Boil is a meal in itself but I added a few side dishes including...

Stuffed Mushrooms

 
Cajun Coleslaw

Red Beans & Rice

Apple Slice

So if you have a hankering for a unique meal to serve up for friends and family, try a taste of the Coastal South with a Low Country Boil. It couldn't be any easier with cooking everything in one large pot and having everyone dig in! Stay tuned all this week for recipes from our C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil! Party...

Full Disclosure: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a stipend from FoodBuzz for hosting this event.

Caramel Banana Pie with Shortbread Pecan Crust

Article first published as Caramel Banana Pie on Blogcritics.

What are some of your favorite ingredient combinations? Naturally, there are some ingredients that just go perfectly together such as peanut butter and jelly. Another tasty pairing is chocolate and peanut butter. But for me, almost anything with caramel will have my vote. There's caramel and chocolate, caramel and apples, and even caramel and bananas. No? Not familiar with that combination? Well, I assure you it's an amazing concoction, deliciously displayed in this Caramel Banana Pie with Shortbread Pecan Crust. A buttery pecan crust holds a creamy, smooth filling made with a caramel banana sauce and custard. It's an amazing variation of a banana cream pie that's sure to impress!...

Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites

Article first published as Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites on Blogcritics.

I'm not a fan of uni-taskers. You know what I'm talking about, right? It's those kitchen tools or gadgets that were only created to serve one purpose. But that's not to say I don't own any because I do have a few. (Like  my iced tea maker, for example.) But today I wanted to talk about something that most people would think of as a uni-tasker - the mini muffin pan. Sure, you can use these pans to make mini muffins, even mini cupcakes. But aside from those obvious things, I love using it for bite sized appetizers. One appetizer I made recently using a mini muffin pan includes these Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites. A savory filling of roasted garlic, caramelized leeks and crispy bacon fill mini pie shells for the perfect, tasty bite...

Strawberry Goat Cheese Pizza

Article first published as Strawberry Goat Cheese Pizza on Blogcritics.

If there's a fruit I couldn't live without, it would be strawberries. I've loved strawberries since I was young and now as an adult, I'm finding new ways to enjoy them. Most folks would use strawberries in a sweet application but they're pretty delicious in a savory application as well. One example is this Strawberry Goat Cheese Pizza. Yes... a pizza! Strawberries + balsamic vinegar + goat cheese = deliciousness. So why not put these ingredients on top of a pizza? If you're looking for a unique sweet and savory pizza, look no more!...

Kitchen Playdate: Hello, Cupcake!

 

This month's Kitchen Playdate was a fun one! Fellow Cookin' Mamas and their little ones joined me in the kitchen (er, dining room) for some cupcake decorating. For this event, everyone brought plain baked cupcakes to decorate. I provided everyone with a decorating kit to use/take home (which included a pastry bag and various decorating tips) and also had a spread of 5 different frostings (marshmallow, buttercream, cream cheese, peanut butter, & chocolate), a buffet of sprinkles, color gels and a whole lot of sugar!  To help inspire our creative side, I had a few cake and cupcake decorating books that we flipped through.

But the funny thing is, after we all got started, we really took off and had so many beautiful decorated cupcakes before we knew it. The hardest part wasn't so much decorating but getting the kids to be patient enough before devouring their share of cupcakes - frosted or not!

Here are some of us mamas getting our cupcake decorating groove on...

 

And our delicious little masterpieces when we were all done!...

This was a ton of fun and it's just too bad that Joel knocked out and missed the fun right when we were getting started. It was probably for the best since he was being fussy that morning anyway. If you're looking for a sugar rush with moms and kids alike, hosting a cupcake decorating party will do it!

James Beard’s Tomato Pie

Article first published as James Beard’s Tomato Pie on Blogcritics.

Pies are supposedly the next dessert trend - what do you think? For me, I like a good pie. Fruit pie, cream pie, custard pie, there's so many out there but most would probably think of something sweet first, right? I know I do. However, when my friend Cathy prepared and brought this James Beard’s Tomato Pie to share at a recent get together, I've opened up to savory pies. Sure, there's always savory quiches but this was different. Made with a buttermilk biscuit crust, layers of fresh basil and tomatoes are topped with cheese and mayonnaise before baking to perfection. Stick with me here, especially those who are anti-mayo! This is a savory pie I'm still craving days later. Yes, it's that good!...

Denver Breakfast Strata

Article first published as Denver Breakfast Strata on Blogcritics.

Weekends are the days I really look forward to making breakfasts. It's the time of week where I have some extra time to prepare something more than the usual toasted bagel or bowl of cereal/oatmeal. The most recent weekend breakfast I made was this Denver Breakfast Strata. I guess some folks may call this a breakfast casserole, but because the dish has various layers, it's best known as a strata. As you may have guessed, this strata is layered with ingredients commonly found in a traditional Denver omelet. Sautéed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, diced ham and cheddar cheese fill this strata with tons of flavor for a satisfying breakfast!

Brunch Book Exchange

Why are there only 24 hours a day? Or probably a better question to ask is, why is it that all the things I want and need to do can't be done within a 24 hours period?! So much has happened since my last post (mid-August) so here I am yet again to catch things up (sorry mom & dad!)

A couple days after my last post, I hosted a Brunch Book Exchange with fellow moms. It's an ongoing event where moms and kids come over to enjoy breakfast/brunch, followed by a book exchange. This first event of this series was great because it was with moms I've already met before and live nearby. There were 4 of us moms and a total of 6 kids. The amount of folks was perfect for the sit down brunch I hosted. We had a little buffet of various egg benedict fillings, allowing everyone to create their own. I recreated it after a "brinner" event I hosted because it works perfectly for a brunch date too.

After our brunch, we enjoyed each other's company while watching our kids play. Then it was time to exchange books! I loved this aspect of our get together because it's new books to read - both for our little ones and myself. I asked fellow moms to bring a children's book and a cookbook they'd like to swap. In doing this, moms were able to check out some cookbooks while the kids got new children's books. It was a win win for everyone!

I'll be hosting these breakfast book exchanges monthly and already for September there's a waiting list. I initially wanted up to 10 moms along with their kids, but after having 4 moms and 6 kids at our first event, it's a better idea to keep it small and manageable. Since August's brunch book exchange highlighted eggs benedict, for September, I'll be providing a doughnut bar. Guests will be able to help themselves to a variety of homemade doughnuts which they can frost and top with a smattering of fun ingredients (different frostings/glazes, sprinkles, nuts, etc.) I'm excited to make doughnuts for the event so it should be fun!

I wish I had taken more pics during this event aside from the food/table, but with 6 kiddies around me, it was quite a challenge. I'll have to practice taking more pics during our little foodie events so I can share them!

Sunday Fun Day Giveaway: Eggland's Best Egg Prize Pack!

Happy Sunday! This week has been ridiculously busy and it seems like this upcoming week is no exception. I'm so ready for a day when I have nothing planned the whole entire day... which will be sometime next week. However, the upcoming Labor Day weekend is just around the corner so that's definitely something to look forward to! How has your week been? Anything fun planned for the week ahead? Last week,my friends of Mandarano Balsamic sponsored the giveaway for their Mandarano Balsamic Glaze. A lucky reader will receive a bottle to enjoy with their favorite dishes. A special thanks to Mandarano Balsamic for sponsoring. Here's a big Congratulations to the winner of this past week's giveaway! Please shoot me an email at itsjoelen@gmail.com to claim your prize...

Mandarano Balsamic Glaze

Winner: Comment #17!

And if you've noticed, this week's giveaway was announced a day early! Please check out the details of the giveaway goodies sponsored by Eggland's Best this week here...

Eggland's Best Brinner & Giveaway!

If there's one thing I love, it's meal planning. I really enjoy putting together meal plans and menus for the week and especially when I entertain. Often times, I look to ethnic cuisines for inspiration on a menu theme. Other times I look towards a specific main dish to help me come up with accompanying dishes to complete the meal. But when Eggland's reached out to me to host a dinner featuring breakfast foods, I thought it was a genius idea! As a result, I hosted a delicious Eggland's Best Brinner, breakfast + dinner. It was such a fun theme and a delicious one at that. In fact, the meal plan I came up with for this special brinner is perfect any time of day including for breakfast, lunch and of course, dinner.

When it comes to eggs, one of my favorite egg dishes is eggs benedict. It's a dish that involves gently poaching eggs, which are traditionally served up on toasted english muffins with Canadian bacon and topped with a rich egg sauce, also known as a Hollandaise sauce. Preparing this involves a lot of eggs so I thought it was the perfect dish to highlight Eggland's Best eggs for my brinner. To take it a step further, eggs benedict can be served up with different variations. The traditional Canadian bacon can be substituted with other meats such as bacon, sausage, deli ham, turkey, salmon, crab cakes, etc. The possibilities are endless! There are also other condiments and sauces that can be used aside from Hollandaise, including guacamole, sour cream, Mornay sauces, etc.

In the spirit of highlighting eggs, I decided to feature an eggs benedict bar where guests could create their own eggs benedict with assorted meats. Everything was served separately for folks to help themselves. Poached eggs, toasted english muffins, and assortment of deli ham, deli turkey and pork sausage was available for our guests. And to top our benedicts, I made the traditional Hollandaise sauce. To accompany our eggs benedict bar, I also served up...

Crispy Hashbrowns

Tossed Green Salad
with grape tomatoes, toasted pecans and crumbled feta cheese


Pancake Puffs


Fresh Fruit Salad


Coffee & Assorted Teas

So if you're looking for some tasty meal ideas for your next dinner, it can be just as easy as preparing breakfast favorites for a fun Brinner!  To make it easy for you, one lucky reader will receive a special Eggland's Best Prize Pack which includes the following:

• 2 Free EB Dozen coupons (Any variety- classic, cage-free, or organic)
• 1 Free EB Hard Cooked and Peeled variety coupon
• 4 EB ramekins
• 1 EB apron
• 1 EB whisk
• 1 EB spatula
• 1 EB egg timer
• 1 EB eco bag
• 1 EB plush egg
  

Some guidelines:

- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States - my apologies to my non-United States readers!

- You must check back in a week when winners are announced and email me to claim your prize if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering: 

What's your favorite way to enjoy eggs?

Deadline: Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 12 midnight CST.

One winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Sunday, August 28, 2011, within next week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. Good luck!

Full disclosure: Eggland’s Best provided me with VIP coupons, a gift card, information and sponsored a prize pack to giveaway to my readers.

Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Article first published as Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies on Blogcritics.

Have you ever traveled somewhere previously and then wish you could travel to the same place knowing what you know now? This is how I feel about New York City. I've been there a few times in my younger years. The last time was when I was in my senior year of college. I went to NYC to experience the theatre district and took in all the plays and Broadway shows I could in a week. It was a wonderful time, yet I wish I could go back. I have such a different focus now in my mid-thirties than I did in my early twenties. Visiting NYC now would mean I'd spend most of time exploring the culinary scene and checking out the plethora of great food spots the city has to offer. One place I'd love to visit is the Levain Bakery. I've heard such  raves about their cookies and it's gotten to the point of me attempting to make a clone of a cookie I've never even tasted. These Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies are pretty amazing so I can only imagine how much more the real mccoy would be! These cookies have a butterscotch caramel dough that's studded with chocolate chips and walnuts. If that's not enough to tempt you, I don't know what will!...

Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken

Article first published as Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken on Blogcritics.

Every now and then my husband will bring up a random ingredient, asking how I would use it. It's kind of like a fun game we play... like a verbal Iron Chef battle of sorts. The other night, he brought up the ingredient, capers. We got to talking about capers and the dishes I've made incorporating them. And as usual, when an ingredient is stuck in my head, the only way to get past it is to physically play in the kitchen with it! As a result, I made this Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken for dinner. The creamy lemon caper sauce livens up a plain chicken dish with a boost of flavor...

My Kodak Photobook Experience

Growing up, my mom made several photo albums capturing my youth. They are suck keepsake albums that I love looking through and sharing with my 1+ year old son, Joel. These days, photos are often shared electronically online, making it a much different experience viewing and sharing photos with others. When my son was born, I didn't take pictures to put into a photo album like my mom did. Instead, I kept the pictures in an online album and in my computer to make it easier to share with loved ones electronically. I've always wanted to create some kind of physical album that could showcase some pictures of Joel's first year. I know it would be a wonderful keepsake for him when he's older and an item we'd treasure as new parents.

When I was asked to participate in making a Kodak Photobook through FoodBuzz's TasteMaker Program, I was excited! Now was my chance to create a photobook of Joel's pictures! Although it was great to be chosen among other food bloggers to participate, the hardest part is selecting the pictures you want to be highlighted in the photobook. I took so many of Joel during his first year that it's made it a challenge to select the ones I want. As a result, I'm still working on my photobook... and I started working on it in late July! Here are some pictures I have chosen and I can't wait to see it all in a photobook when I'm done...

As for making the Kodak Photobook, it's extremely easy to use. Once you've downloaded pictures you want in the photobook, you're able to play around with them to design the album the way you want. There are quite a few customizeable options including several various backgrounds and layouts to choose from. And as hard as it is to believe the holidays are a few months away, these Kodak Photobooks make a wonderful gift for the holidays and special occassions like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Kodak also provided me with a special offer for you! You can receive 40% off any Medium Hardcover or Large Photobook using this link only: www.kodakgallery.com/creativity Offer valid until 8/31/11. So if you want to get a head start on Christmas gifts, this would be the time!

* This post is part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with KODAK Gallery. In exchange for this post, I received a free photobook with KODAK Gallery through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.