Diet Ideas for a Picky Eater?
I am 24 years old and at my highest weight ever. I am 5′ 7" and currently weigh 192 pounds. I recently quit smoking and have taken up eating in its place. I have an exercise program in place, but can’t seem to find a diet to go along with it. I am extremely picky. I basically eat chicken, most fruits and vegetables, bread, dairy products, and pasta. I live in Southern Louisiana (where we are known for our amazing cajun food) but I don’t like any type of seafood, including fish, I don’t care for any type of bean or peas, not big on red meat, and can’t eat pork because it gives me migraines. Help!! Any ideas are appreciated. I would like to get back down between 145-160. I know it will take a while, but I am willing to give it a try!
Here is a suggestion: (If you liked it or if it worked for you, you can replace the items with your own preferences)
1-Breakfast – Do not skip this one, EVER
– 150 ml of %3.5 ORGANIC milk or 250 ml of %1 ORGANIC milk
[You can save some of it for your morning coffee with 2 cubes of sugar]
Total calories: 150 to 200
2- Lunch (350 cal, max)
- Chicken noodle soup + Small bun
3- afternoon break
-1 Cup of coffee with soy milk and 1-2 sugar (Max, 100 calories)
4 – Dinner (800 Calories)
- Rice or Potato: 100 – 120 gr + 150gr Chicken breast: Grilled and seasoned with lemon and herbs + Baked or grilled tomatoes (Salted)
5- Before sleep
-Tea with 2 whole grain cookies (70 Calories)
______________________________________________
All calories together: 1550 (Max)
Add 150 cal fruits, whenever you desire.
You’ll loose 2 lb a week (avg)
Supplements: If you like, 1 multivitamin a day, 5 days a week
Good Luck
Destination Haitian Cuisine
Haitian food is similar to the rest of the Latin-Caribbean (the French and the Spanish-speaking countries of the Antilles) however it differs in several ways from its regional counterparts. Its primary influence derive from French, and African cuisine, with notable derivatives from native Taíno and Spanish culinary technique. Though similar to other cooking styles in the region, it carries a uniqueness native only to the country and an appeal to many visitors to the island. Haitians use vegetables and meats extensively and peppers and similar herbs are often used for strengthening flavor. Dishes tend to be seasoned liberally and consequently Haitian cuisine tends to be moderately spicy, not mild and not too hot. In the country, however, many businesses of foreign origin have been established introducing several foreign cuisines into the mainstream culture. Years of adaptation have led to these cuisines (ie: Levantine from Arab migration to Haiti) to merge into Haitian cuisine.
Rice and beans in several differing ways are eaten throughout the country regardless of location, becoming a sort of national dish. They form the staple diet, which consists of a lot of starch and is high in carbohydrates. In the more rural areas, however, at great distances from the major cities, other foods are eaten to a larger degree such as mais moulu (mayi moulen), a dish comparable to cornmeal that can be eaten with sauce pois (sos pwa) [a bean sauce made from one of many types of beans such as kidney, pinto, or garbanzo beans, or pigeon peas]. Mais moulu can be eaten with fish (often red snapper), or alone, depending on personal preference. Tomato, oregano, cabbage, avocado, and red and green peppers are several of the many types of vegetables and fruits that are used in Haitian dishes. Banane Pésée (Bannan Pézé), flattened plantain slices that are fried in oil (known as tostones in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico), are eaten frequently in Haiti as both a snack food and as part of a meal. They are frequently eaten with tassot and/or griot, deep-fried goat and pork respectively.
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I have a big garden and lots of product. What kind of soups can I make with all this stuff?
I have zuccini, squash, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, bean sprouts, snap peas, onions, green peppers, cilantro, red cabbage, lettuce, jala peppers, banana peppers, baby corn, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, steak, chicken, lamb, rotini, linguini, mahi, tilapia, sausage, ginger, black pepper, chick and beef soup bases, lemon pepper, seafood seasoning, sesame seed, curry, cumin, chili powder, red pepper, oregano, herbs de province, cajun, I can get a couple more spices if needed, I am not very experienced with soup making.
Minestrone Soup:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 celery stalk, cut into large dice
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2 moon shapes
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup boiled ham chunks or end of prosciutto, large dice
4 medium tomatoes, fresh or canned, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian parsley leaves
6 cups hot vegetable stock or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 small zucchini, medium dice
3/4 cup arborio rice
2 yellow, red, or orange bell peppers, roasted, cored, skinned, seeded and cut into strips
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 fresh chopped basil leaves
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Lower the heat to low, and add the celery, carrots and garlic. Allow to simmer over low heat until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the ham pieces and cook 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and the parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes so that the flavors meld.
Add the hot water or stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, and add the zucchini and the rice. Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat so that the liquid is simmering. Let simmer gently until the rice is cooked, about 40 minutes. Remember to stir the soup occasionally. Add more water or stock, if necessary. When the rice is cooked, add the roasted peppers and remove the soup from the heat. Stir in Parmesan, to taste, and top each serving with some chopped basil.
Cianfotta:
2 medium-sized bell peppers
1/2 pound ripe tomatoes
1 bunch (about 5-6) zucchini flowers
1/2 pound (about 4 small) small green hot chili peppers
1 medium-sized eggplant
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 baking potatoes, cut into cubes
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste
Clean and cut all the "verdura" (including the bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini blossoms, chili peppers) into 1/2-inch dice. Make sure to do the chili peppers last and clean your knife and cutting board thoroughly after chopping them.
In a 12 to 14-inch saucepan with 3-inch sides, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and onion and cool until a light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the potato cubes and cook until light golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes more. Add the rest of the vegetables and let cook until soft, about 15 minutes more.
Begin adding the stock, bit by bit. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the soup in 4 warmed soup bowls, garnished with basil. Add some Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste, if desired.
Simple Veggie Soup:
2 small leeks, white part only
1 large potato, peeled
1 small onion
2 stalks celery
1 medium zucchini
12 green beans
2 medium carrots, peeled
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons water
1/2 gallon chicken stock (or 1/2 gallon water, 4 bouillon cubes, a pinch of thyme, and 1/2 bay leaf)
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
4 medium garlic cloves
30 fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cut the leeks, potato, onion, celery, zucchini, green beans, and carrots into 1/4-inch dice.
In a 6-quart stockpot, combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the water. Add the vegetables and saute over medium-low heat until all the water evaporates. Do not brown the vegetables.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook at a gentle boil for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, put the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Pulse until pureed. Stir the puree into the cooked soup. Do not let the soup return to a boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve the soup hot or cold from a tureen or in individual bowls.
Chicken Veg Soup:
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup of peas
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces uncooked egg noodles
1 cup zuccini or squash
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add leeks, carrots, garlic, and celery and saute 4 minutes, until soft. Add bay leaves, thyme, salt, and black pepper and stir to mix well. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Return mixture to a boil and add egg noodles. Cook 10 minutes, until egg noodles are just tender. Stir in peas and cook until peas are just heated through, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat, discard bay leaves and stir in parsley.
Chicken Cacciatore Stoup:
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 to 1 1/3 pounds, diced
Coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch squares
4 portobello mushroom caps or 16 cremini mushrooms, sliced or chopped
4 ribs celery hearts, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup dry Italian red wine, eyeball it
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 3 or 4 sprigs
1 cup basil, arugula or baby spinach leaves, shredded or torn
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, to pass at table
Crusty bread, to pass at the table
Heat a deep skillet or a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, and the chicken. Season it with coarse salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.
While the chicken cooks, chop up the veggies.
When the chicken is evenly and lightly browned all over, 3 or 4 minutes, remove it to a plate and reserve. Add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 more turn of the pan. Add the potatoes to the pan. Cook a couple of minutes, then add in the mushrooms, celery, and onion and cook another couple of minutes. Add in the peppers and garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Add chicken back to the pan. Toss it with the vegetables. Add red wine to the pan and deglaze it, picking up drippings. Add tomatoes and stock to the stoup and stir to combine. Stir in rosemary and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 8 to10 minutes.
Turn off stoup and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with basil (for a sweet finish and balance to the spice in the soup) or arugula (for a peppery finish) or with spinach (for a woodsy finish). At the table, pass grated cheese for sprinkling on top of the stoup and bread for mopping up the bowl.
Broccoli Stoup:
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, 1 large bunch, trimmed and cut into large bite-sized pieces
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, 1 minced, 3 chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can white beans, cannellini
Black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups beef or vegetable stock
1/3 pound orecchiette, little ear shaped pasta, or ditalini
1 pound ground veal
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a generous handful, plus some to pass at table
2 to 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Crusty bread, for mopping
Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a medium skillet. Add salt to boiling water and the broccoli rabe and cook 7 to 8 minutes. Drain rabe and reserve.
While rabe cooks, heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, carrots and onions. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, add white beans and heat through, a minute. Season veggies and beans with salt and pepper. Add drained rabe and the stocks and cover pot to bring to a quick boil. Add orecchiette and stir. Reduce heat and simmer soup to a low-roll, uncovered.
Mix veal with egg, remaining clove minced garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, sage and salt and pepper. Roll into 1-inch balls and drop into stoup. Cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve stoup in shallow bowls with crusty bread.
Does anyone know a wonderful Cajun recipe?
I would even appriciate a good mexican recipe as well.
10 pnts. best answer.
Shrimp Creole
(Enchilado de camarones)
Serving Size: 4 – 6
1 1/2 lbs jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
3 garlic gloves (minced)
1 cup large onion (chopped)
1 cup green bell pepper (chopped)
2 large tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 T tomato paste
1/2 t salt and black pepper
1/2 t sugar
1 T cilantro (minced)
In a large pan, add the olive oil and melt the butter until it begins to foam over low-medium heat.
Add the onion, and green bell pepper and sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic cloves and sauté an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomato, tomato paste, water, wine, cayenne pepper, cumin, sugar, salt and pepper and stir until all the ingredients are mixed well.
Cover, raise the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the shrimp; make sure they have been peeled, deveined, and unfrozen.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the shrimp to shrink and change color.
This also serves to allow the shrimp to soak in all the ingredients.
Remove from heat, and serve over white rice.
Sprinkle the cilantro over the shrimp.
If want to add more seasoning:
Creole Seasoning Blend
1 T salt
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t onion powder
1 1/2 t paprika
1 1/4 t dried thyme
1 t red pepper
3/4 t black pepper
3/4 t dried oregano
1/2 t ground bay leaves
1/4 t chili powder
Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.
Use with seafood, chicken, beef, or vegetables.
Yield: 1/4 cup.
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Southwestern Egg Rolls
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half
2 tablespoons minced green onion
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1/3 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 quart oil for deep frying
Rub 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over chicken breast. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken approximately 5 minutes per side, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
Dice chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack cheese so that it melts.
Wrap tortillas with a clean, lightly moist cloth. Microwave on high approximately 1 minute, or until hot and pliable.
Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. Secure with toothpicks. Arrange in a medium dish, cover with plastic, and place in the freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours.
In a large, deep skillet, heat oil for deep frying to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry frozen, stuffed tortillas 10 minutes each, or until dark golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.
Note:
I have made this recipe before, and it is very good, but I tried frying them frozen like it says, and they burned on the outside and were still frozen inside.
I ended up thawing them in the microwave and then frying them. Good luck!!
When I make these, I just fry up the whole batch, then freeze. To serve again, I just bake on a cookie sheet, 350 for about 15 minutes.. they will come out crunchy again..
Here’s a really good sauce to serve with them:
Dipping Sauce for Southwest Eggrolls
1 ripe avocado
1 bottle ranch dressing
Mash the avocado up very well and mix it with the ranch.
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Arroz con pollo (Chicken and Rice)
6 chicken pieces (legs and breasts), skinned
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 cups water
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 medium carrot, grated
1/4 cup corn, frozen
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 ounces Spanish olives
1/4 cup raisins
In a large pot, brown chicken pieces in oil.
Add water, tomatoes, green and red peppers, celery, carrots, corn, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done.
Remove chicken from the pot and place in the refrigerator. Add rice, peas, and olives to the pot Cover pot and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes until rice is cooked.
Add chicken and raisins and cook for another 8 minutes.
Merrick Turducken – Dry

Merrick Turducken lets your dog experience a taste of Bourbon Street, giving them a cajun-inspired meal of organic chicken along with choice ingredients for incomparable taste and texture. Its chicken, turkey meal and duck meat supply the high protein your dog needs for muscular strength and endurance, while its oatmeal, barley, and brown rice provide the carbs for energy all day long. Best of all, Turducken uses carrots, peas, potatoes, garlic, blueberries, and other fruits and vegetables for complete balanced nutrition, allowing you to buy with confidence.
What’s the difference between cajun and creole food?
Creoles are descended from the French Aristocrats & Spanish who settled into early New Orleans/LA. Later they intermarried and breed with the African Americans and Native Americans in the area. A blend of French, Spanish, Native American, and African American (cooking wise)
Cajuns came along later. Cajuns were FRENCH peasant farmers and fishermen who origianlly settled in the "new world" in Acadie (now known as Nova Scotia) and were later expelled be the british and were eventually given lands by above said Creoles in New Orleans. These were swamplands in a general area of the southwest of LA – which has now become know as Acadiana. In Nova Scotia and in "Acadiana" the Acadians (or ‘cadiens – Cajuns) had to live off the lands to survive hence the more peasant like foods. They too melded with the exisisting locals and Cajuns foods have a touch of African American And native influences too.
by the way – Cajuns have very very few food dishes with Tomatoes in them I hate seeing restaurants around the world call something Cajun and it is full of tomatoes- yuck Shrimp Gumbo with a bunch tomatoes
Has anyone ever made REAL cajun/ creole food?
Can you give me an awesome recipe for a theme luncheon we have coming up… I need a really good recipe – preferably one that you have tried and liked before…
I am from New Orleans and these are some of the easier creole recipes you can make. Enjoy them.
CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
4 pounds chicken
10 cups chicken broth
1 cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon thyme
1 cup flour
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pint drained oysters (optional)
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 Tablespoons green onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
Season the chicken with garlic salt and red pepper. Set aside. In a large pot, make a dark roux by combining flour and oil, stirring constantly. Add bell pepper, onion and celery to the roux and cook until soft (5-6 minutes). Add chicken broth and chicken pieces. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, stir in thyme and cook for 1 hour. Add sausage and cook for another hour until chicken tender. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add green onion and parsley. Stir well. Add oysters if you choose to add them (Actually, I usually don’t!)
CREAM OF CRAWFISH SOUP
1 stick butter
½ cup grated onion
½ cup flour
1 pound crawfish tails
½ bunch green onions
2 cups Half and Half
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon red pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in onion and sauté for five minutes. Stir in flour. Cook about 2 minutes until mixture thickens. Add hot chicken stock and stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes stirring constantly.
In a food processor, grind crawfish and green onions. Add to soup base. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Add Half and Half and cream and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in seasonings and remove pot from heat.
SHRIMP REMOULADE
The Old Roosevelt Hotel’s recipe
2 egg yolks
1 cup Creole mustard
¼ cup vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups salad oil
1 bunch minced green onions
½ stalk celery, minced
4 pounds boiled shrimp, peeled, deveined
Blend the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slowly add oil, beating constantly. Once thickened, add green onions and celery. Mix sauce with shrimp and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
BLACK EYED PEAS
Fresh will be out of season, so look for dried or look in your freeezer section and you may find them frozen by Pic’d Sweet.
2 quarts. water (or chicken broth)
1 # hickory bacon, cut in pieces
1 # smoked sausage, chunked
1 smoked ham hock
2 cups diced onions
¾ cup diced celery
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon thyme
1 Tablespoon sweet basil
4 bay leaves
1 # black eyed peas
3 Tablespoons bacon drippings
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 cups cooked long-grain rice
Rinse the peas well under cold running water and set them aside to drain. In a 5-quart heavy aluminum Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid bring the two quarts of water or broth to a rapid boil. Drop into the water the bacon, smoked sausage and ham hock.
Bring the water to a slow boil and cook the meats for 15 minutes (covered) until they form a rich flavored stock. Stir in the onions, celery, garlic powder, thyme, sweet basil, and bay leaves, cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables soften —about 15 minutes.
Stir in the black eyed peas and the bacon drippings well, making sure the mixture is uniformly blended. Bring the peas to a boil, but immediately reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until rich and creamy, stirring so they don’t stick. (dried peas take about two hours on a very low fire).
About 20 minutes before serving, sprinkle in the salt and pepper and season the peas to taste. Remember—you already have salt in the bacon as well as in the smoked sausage, so you may not need to add much more.
“Fresh” blackeyed peas, unlike the dried variety, need to be cooked for only 20 to 30 minutes before they are ready to serve.
Serve over rice
JAMBALAYA
This is a great short cut version of jambalaya that uses canned broths and is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make. It is great for pot luck lunches/dinners because it is not expensive to make and serves a lot of people. Just don’t tell my grandma I am taking short cuts!
1 pound sausage
2 pounds peeled shrimp or 3-4 cooked, chopped chicken
1 can Campbell’s beef bouillon
1 can Campbell’s french onion soup
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 stick butter
1 ¼ cups chopped bell pepper
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 pound (orange box) Uncle Ben’s
season to taste
Mix cubed chicken and sliced sausage and all other ingredients in baking pan, bake covered 350 for 1 hour and 15 min. Stir every 15-20 min.
SHRIMP CREOLE
2 pounds peeled/deveined shrimp
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
2 Tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 Tablespoon flour
8 ounces tomato sauce
12- 16 ounces of water
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
thyme
salt and pepper
Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and green pepper, sauté two minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Stir in tomato sauce. Simmer for five minutes. Stir in water, thyme, salt, pepper, parsley and shrimp. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.
And if you want an authentic creole dessert:
Pralines
2 1/4 c sugar
1 c whole milk
3/4 can evap milk
1 heaping c pecans
1 tea vanilla
2 Table butter
Cook sugar, milk, evaporated milk and butter, stirring constantly, over medium heat to soft ball stage. Add vanilla. Slowly add pecans stirring constantly. Cool 15 minutes. Pour 2" apart on waxed paper and cool.
or
Buttered Pecan Pie
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup light corn syrup
¾ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups toasted pecans
9” pie shell
Preheat oven to 375. In a medium saucepan, heat butter over low heat until it turns golden-amber; do not burn. Immediately pour in cream to stop cooking and pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Blend in brown sugar, salt, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat in eggs by hand until well blended. Stir in pecans.
Pour into shell (crimp edges as high as possible) and cover edges with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is set and pastry golden. Cool at least 2 hours before serving.
To toast pecans: spread pecans on cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
What is your local cuisine? The style of cooking indigenous to your area where you are living…?
I am blessed and fortunate enough to live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and so creole/cajun Southern style cookery is what we do here…we are 90 miles from New Orleans and a lot of our restaurant owners were trained in New Orleans…
Used to be just southern fried and cooked to death. Now we have the local Mexican flavor, not Tex-Mex. Just about everyone here grows a garden every spring. There is nothing to compare with a juicy homegrown, vine ripened tomato. We eat lots of purple hull peas, okra, potatoes, fish, watermelon, corn on the cob, squash and of course it is all cooked to death. I guess that’s just southern cooking.
Dirty rice is one of my favorites.
Can someone tell me the difference between Cajun and creole cooking?
In broad terms, Creole cooking is city cooking, based on French traditions, but with influences from Spain, Africa, Germany, Italy, the West Indies, etc. Cajun cooking is peasant food, the cooking the Acadians (later Cajuns) developed as they learned to live in the south Louisiana swamps. Creole food is more refined and subtler. Cajun food is pungent and more highly spiced.
nfd♥
with chowder peas n smoked sausage