Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 15 Aug 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion - serious and funny cartoons, recipes, science news, health news, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.





From Denny: These are all the posts I managed to get out this week while suffering through all this crazy summer heat and humidity. This summer Louisiana didn't have the usual whiners' bragging rights about the summer heat. The rest of America got to "share" - and a lot of the world too! :)

One bit of good news: Prez Obama is thinking of lifting the oil moratorium here on the Gulf coast. Uh, yeah, put 300,000 people back to work would be helpful for this economy - not to mention the rest of America would appreciate not having their fuel prices skyrocket this winter from a low supply.

Earth to White House: It sure would be great if you would lift this moratorium immediately - and gift it to Congressman Charlie Melancon to announce it. Lifting the moratorium would help Melancon win in November against Whore House Vitter, a complete embarrassment as a senator from Louisiana. Louisiana is all a twitter and excited about getting back to work - so make it happen, Mr. Prez, and it would be much appreciated.

And to my StumbleUpon friends: Now isn't one silly email a whole lot less annoying than a bunch of "shares"? :)


The Social Poets:


Obama Blasted for Saying Religious Tolerance OK in America - Republicans try to turn the Constitution into an issue for the November elections - now they are against religious freedom for anyone not Christian.

America and World Politics Cartoons - 14 Aug 2010 - Check out the latest opinions on the economy, the November elections, the building of a mosque on Ground Zero in New York City and education in America now that budget cuts have arrived.

Obama Sends Thousands More Jobs Out of America: Mexico - Prez Obama tricked by GM to send thousands of jobs out of America and to Mexico.

Doctor Says Kids Suffer More From Gulf Oil Spill - Check out the long term impact this BP oil spill has on America's children in the Gulf region.

How Male Journalists Fight: Whiz All Over Each Other - American male journalists in the Democratic Party and the White House fuss and fight each other while the public is frustrated about the economy.

Earth to White House: Why You Are Getting Criticized - The White House is complaining it is not appreciated enough for what it has done. Here's why fellow Democrats are angry with the President.

Funny Video: Colbert Reveals Master Plan to Ruin Gay Marriage

Funny Video: Jon Stewart Comments on Gay Marriage - Californigaytion

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 8 Aug 2010 - Check out news, political opinion - serious and funny cartoons, recipes, science news, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.





The Soul Calendar:


BP Oil Spill and Global Warming Cartoons - 14 Aug 2010 - The BP oil spill continues in the news as they try to squirm out of paying for the error of their arrogant ways.

Check Out Spectacular August Perseid Meteor Showers - Look up in the middle of the night to see as many as 100 shooting stars above your head for a spectacular show brought to you by the Universe!





Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


How Is Your Aim In Life? - How high - or how limited - are your goals in Life?

Friendship Quote: When Friends First Meet and Connect - How friendships begin and can last a life time.





The Healing Waters:


Want Others To Think You Sexy? Wear Red - How the color of red figures into our sexual preferences.

How Funny: Your Belly Button Key to Athletic Success - Check out your body type to know which sport is easier for you to excel.






Dennys Funny Quotes:


Hunh?! Cartoons - 14 Aug 2010 - Check out this week's great cartoonists and how funny everyday life can be.

Palin Memory Fails, Writes on Her Hand: Again - Strange Sarah Palin does it again and again: writes on her hand like it's an 8th grade math test for answers to cheat the test.

Weird News: Oregon Authorities Shut Down Girls Lemonade Stand - Local Oregon government looked like jerks shutting down the all American lemonade stand because the little girl didn't own a food handler's license that only adults can purchase.

Weird News: Woman Smashes McDonalds For Not Having Her Order - Check out this weird news of the day - what happens when McDonald's doesn't have what an enraged customer wants on the breakfast menu.

Funny News: 100 Year Old Scotch Whiskey Thaws Out to Drink - Strange but true: check out this funny news of the day.






Dennys People Watching:


Meet New Baby Elephant at Vienna Zoo: Big Ears - The naming process is in full swing for this one week old baby elephant born to a Vienna, Austria zoo. Vote online for your choice.






Dennys Food and Recipes:


Chef Recipe: Seared Grouper with Crawfish, Bacon Risotto, Softshell Crab - Louisiana chefs celebrate fabulous new recipes in local food and wine competition.

Easy Slow Cooker Recipe: Macaroni Chili Cheese Casserole - For back to school busy try this simple recipe for a slow cooker the whole family is sure to enjoy.

Cake Tuesday: Buttermilk Fudge Cake With Chocolate Gloss Icing - Make a stunning tasty chocolate cake to entertain your sweet tooth.

4 Easy Summer Dishes When Its Just Too Hot to Cook - Try some easy and quick summer recipes to beat the crazy heat - and avoiding cooking with any heat.






Visual Insights:


Tea Party, Republican, Gay Marriage Cartoons - 14 Aug 2010 - Check out the usual amusing rantings from the far-right-gone-over-the-edge-crazy.



*** Coffee photo by Quoquo @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Video: Louisiana Chef Makes Crawfish Etouffee

From Denny: This video is great for demonstrating how to make a roux fast and furious on the stove. If you are unfamiliar with how to make a roux then this video will prove useful. Making a roux to the desired color of choice is all about preference. New Orleans uses a very dark roux the color of milk chocolate, sometimes darker. In Baton Rouge we go for a lighter roux about the color of caramel candy.

The traditional roux most people know is what you use for a cream sauce - but you don't take it to the darker stages before adding water, milk or cream. A traditional roux is where you heat a pan, add butter or oil, then add flour until well dissolved, then adding the liquid quickly. The key to a good roux in Louisiana cooking, besides the color which adds a richer roasted flavor since you are basically pan roasting the flour, is to cook the roux and liquid for at least 30 minutes to cook out the flour flavor and glue like texture. That's when the dish gets to shine as awesome flavor, playing up the spices.

Since this is a local food video, and the local media doesn't usually keep embedded videos available past one year, I've included some recipes for crawfish etouffee and smothered crawfish (about the same thing).

Smothering your food sounds a bit psychopath to people outside the American South but it's a favorite of the slow food mindset in country Cajun cooking. What are some of the essentials for this smothering technique? You have to bring on board The Holy Trinity of diced onions, bell pepper and celery - along with some salt, pepper and garlic powder.

The smothering technique is also used for meat dishes like pan fried pork chops that are then covered and cooked with a small amount of liquid and veggies, creating a gravy. Basically, it's a kind of braising. First you sear the meat, then add the onions, bell pepper and celery, then the flour. When you add the flour this way you get a lighter brown roux. Add your liquid of choice and you don't have to worry about getting lumps in your gravy. Just cover and slow cook for a while until desired tenderness. Easy as can be!

It's one of those low maintenance dishes you can ignore for 30 minutes to an hour or keep on low heat until ready to serve. These kinds of slow food smothered dishes work well for busy households where everyone is on the go with different schedules but want a home cooked meal ready and waiting with ease. In the South we even smother potatoes and other vegetables besides meat dishes.

Chef Joe Caton, of Louisiana Lagniappe restaurant in Baton Rouge, serves up a classic Louisiana crawfish etouffee. He only offers this dish when the crawfish are in season and fresh. Be sure to visit Louisiana during crawfish season which lasts through May! The rest of the year you will only find the crawfish tails frozen.

If you don't have access to crawfish in your area then consider using shrimp, oysters or a meaty fish as any of those choices are equally wonderful!











Smothered Crawfish

From: The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Crawfish cookbook by Jerald and Glenda Horst

Serves: 4-6


Smothered Crawfish

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 small bell peppers, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbls. flour
2 lbs. crawfish tails
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Cooked rice

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a cast-iron Dutch oven over low heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté over heat until the onions are transparent.

2. Add the flour and stir until blended.

3. Add the crawfish, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over cooked rice.

Tip: Smothering works best in a cast-iron pot over low heat. Take your time and do not rush this dish.





More recipes for Crawfish Etouffee from this blog:

Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee From Lafittes Landing - Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse

New Orleans Recipes: Crawfish Etouffee, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Jambalaya, Sazerac Cocktail


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Awesome Cajun Barbecued Shrimp — New Orleans Style

Another version of delicious BBQ shrimp by scaredy_kat @ flickr

From Denny: Here's a seafood recipe that is quick, easy, incredibly delicious, a crowd pleaser and quite popular! What more could you ask for in a recipe? There are as many variations of this dish as there are "Down on the Bayou" cooks from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Of course, you will want to use Louisiana shrimp. They are far superior to shrimp from the toxic heavy metal waters of China. They are also fresh.

This particular recipe came from a local person whose son has a delightful blog where he recounts his new food experiences. He is a nine year old food critic! Every kid is a food critic as any parent will know. This one writes about it and it's a good blog. I thought it would be fun to help promote his writing and his family's recipe he enjoys.





Barbecued Shrimp — New Orleans Style

From: Sean Prados whose 9 year old son, Michael, writes Junior Food Critic, a blog where he writes about his food discoveries and kid friendly restaurants.

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

2 lbs. (8 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 large onion, very finely minced
3 ribs celery, finely minced
5 to 10 cloves garlic, finely minced (roasted garlic best)
3 to 4 tbls. chopped parsley
2 tbls. chopped rosemary leaves
4 to 5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (12-oz.) Abita Amber Beer (full-bodied or dark beer if this is not available in your area)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 lbs. shrimp, heads and shells on
Salt, pepper and Creole seasoning, to taste
1 lemon, cut in wedges
2 green onions, chopped


Directions:

1. Over medium-high heat, melt 2 sticks butter in large skillet or paella pan. Sauté onion and celery 3 to 4 minutes. Then add garlic.

2. Stir in parsley, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Melt remaining butter and add to pan with beer and Worcestershire sauce.

4. Submerge shrimp in sauce and add seasonings to taste. You may need to do this in batches. Over-seasoning works since shells prevent some absorption.

5. Squeeze lemon juice over shrimp after cooking. Garnish with green onions. Serve with French bread for dipping.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee From Lafittes Landing

Boiled crawfish photo by adie reed @ flickr


From Denny: Crawfish are coming into season and besides the first crawfish boil of the season my tummy goes to thinking about crawfish etoufee, a savory stew served over rice. Traditionally, this is a Creole dish but is now found all throughout Cajun country. It's served in the most upscale restaurants which makes a lot of old timers chuckle. To them it's just a good ol' country dish that tastes good and not expensive to make when you live off the land.

"Etoufee" is a word that means to stew, smother (a favorite technique throughout the entire American South for everything from pork chops to crawfish) or braise. My Cajun father-in-law always talked about smothering his Mississippi Pork Chops. And, oh, were they good too! Anyway, call it smothering, stewing or braising, this method of easy slow cooking is used for shrimp, crab, crawfish, meats and game.

This is an easy version of etoufee for the beginner cook as it is made with the simple light colored roux, sometimes called white roux. You don't have to master the darker roux.

Lafitte's Landing is about 40 minutes outside of Baton Rouge, the capital city. Baton Rouge is an hour plus 15 minutes west of New Orleans. If you come to visit, come long enough to traipse across southern Louisiana, going from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and farther west to Lafayette in a horizontal bee line. Lafayette usually has an International Music Festival around Easter or early April which is great fun.

If you have never visited Lafitte's Landing at Bittersweet Plantation - the brain child and huge success and a bed and breakfast too - of Louisiana native Chef John Folse, then hike on over and pay them a visit! The food is top notch; bring your wallet too. It's worth the time and money every time. Take a look at their B & B Suites as they are in the process of adding new ones, go here. Call them for availability and pricing as they may not have updated their website.

This chef is quite enterprising. He has developed his products as frozen entrees and more, ready to ship from his website in case you get a craving for good Louisiana food. For the crawfish etoufee, check it out here.




Cajun sampler platter with crawfish etoufee (front right), photo by Wyscan @ flickr


Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee

From: Chef John Folse, Lafitte's Landing Restaurant in Donaldsonville, Louisiana

Yield: enough for your hungry friends and relatives

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds cleaned crawfish tails (you can purchase these frozen)
1/4 pound butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup flour
2 quarts crawfish stock (by boiling the shells in water to extract the seasonings and seafood flavor)
1 ounce sherry
1 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Louisiana Gold Pepper sauce


DIRECTIONS:

In a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.

Add onions, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves. Saute 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.

Add half of the crawfish tails and tomato sauce and blend well into mixture.

Using a cooking spoon, blend flour into the vegetable mixture to form a white roux.

Slowly add crawfish stock or water, a little at a time, until all is incorporated. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining crawfish tails, sherry, green onions, parsley, basil and thyme. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Season to taste using salt and pepper. Serve over steamed white rice or pasta, adding a few dashes of Louisiana Gold pepper sauce.


*** To purchase any of Chef John Folse's products, check out his extensive offerings at his online store, go here.

*** For more recipes like this, please visit Comfort Food From Louisiana!


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Valentines Day: Awesome Romantic Meal

Romance by Or Hiltch @ flickr

From Denny: The New York City Scottos chefs are quite popular on The Today Show, visiting regularly to offer up simple meals for special days. This is their idea of the perfect Valentine meal for your special someone.

The video that went with this was messed up. Will try back later to see if it's working. They didn't feature any photos either. That's OK, I'm good at using my food imagination. :)

Recipes Featured:

Risotto with lobster and asparagus
Dover sole with poached oysters, leeks, champagne, chives and Osetra caviar
Soft bittersweet chocolate biscotti with toasted almonds, sun-dried cherries and caramel gelato


From The Today Show: Want to do something special for your partner? Why not make them a delicious meal? The Scottos are here to help: Below, the family from the New York restaurant Fresco by Scotto shares their mouthwatering recipes for risotto with lobster and asparagus, Dover sole with poached oysters, leeks, champagne, chives and Osetra caviar and a soft bittersweet chocolate biscotti with toasted almonds, sun-dried cherries and caramel gelato.




Risotto with lobster and asparagus

From: The Scottos

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For Lobsters

• 3 1-pound lobsters, cooked and meat shelled, and set aside for finished risotto

Lobster brodo

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Lobster bodies chopped into large pieces, tail meat and claw meat reserved for risotto
• 2 shallots
• 1 sprig thyme
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 carrot, medium-size rough chop
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 7 cups water

Risotto

• 3 1-pound cooked lobsters, shelled, tail and knuckle meat cut into 1-inch pieces and claws either left whole or split in half
• 1 bunch pencil asparagus with 2-inches of base trimmed off and discarded, and remainder of asparagus cut into 1-inch bias lengths, blanched and shocked in cold water, drained and set aside
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) sweet unsalted butter
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 5 to 6 cups lobster stock

DIRECTIONS

Lobster

1. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in 4- to 5-quart stockpot over medium-low heat.

2. Add chopped lobster bodies and sauté in oil for 5 minutes.

3. Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add thyme, pepper, bay leaf, carrot, and garlic cloves; mix and stir for additional 5 minutes.

4. Lastly add tomato paste, sauté, and mix well with lobster shells for about 5 minutes.

5. Deglaze with white wine, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cook wine for 5 minutes and reduce by half, then add 7 cups of water. Stir well, bring to a boil, then simmer stock for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

6. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and discard all ingredients. Should be left with approximately 5 cups lobster stock.

Risotto

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce the heat and keep at a bare simmer. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until every grain is coated with butter and oil. Then add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add 1 cup of the stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and making sure all the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock. Cook until the rice is just tender and creamy but still al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes. You may have leftover stock.

2. Remove risotto pan from heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the shelled lobster meat that has been cut into 1-inch pieces, and the claws, either left whole or split in half. Add the pencil asparagus, toss well and serve immediately so as not to overcook the lobster but just to heat it through.





Dover sole with poached oysters, leeks, champagne, chives and Osetra caviar

From: The Scottos

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Sole

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons sweet unsalted butter
• 6 filets Dover sole or Lemon sole filets
• Salt and pepper to season filets
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Poached oysters in champagne

• 1/2 cup chiffonade of heart of leek (inside yellow part)
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1/2 cup dry champagne
• 2 tablespoons butter (1/4-inch stick)
• 3 tablespoons oyster liquor (the liquid inside the shell)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 18 shucked oysters, either East coast or West coast
• 3 tablespoons chives, sliced thin
• Salt and pepper
• 2 ounces Osetra caviar for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare sole: Heat oil and butter in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Sprinkle filets with salt and pepper, and dust both sides lightly with flour. Add to skillet and cook until golden brown and just opaque in center; about 2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a serving platter, cover and keep warm.

3. To prepare poached oysters in champagne: To the same skillet, add leeks, shallot, and butter and sauté briefly over medium-low heat until just soft. Deglaze pan with champagne and bring to a boil. Reduce by 1/3, add oyster liquor and cream. Simmer sauce for 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken, lightly coating a spoon, then just before serving, add oysters, and continue to simmer for 1 minute; add chives. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble: Spoon oysters and champagne sauce over sole filets and top each filet with small spoonful of Osetra caviar.





Soft bittersweet chocolate biscotti with toasted almonds, sun-dried cherries and caramel gelato

From: The Scottos

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup Valrhona cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for dipping
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sun-dried cherries, chopped
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons melted butter, in a small bowl
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 quart caramel gelato or 1 quart Dulce de Leche ice cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt together in a bowl, then stir in dried cherries and chocolate.

2. Add the cream and stir until mixture comes together to form a somewhat stiff dough.

3. Turn out on work surface and press the dough together with your hands into 6 x 2-inch square. Using a heart-shaped cutter or knife, cut out biscotti biscuits.

4. Dip biscotti into melted butter and top with sliced almonds and sugar.

5. Place biscotti two inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until biscotti spring back when pressed lightly. Set aside at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

6. To serve, preheat oven to 350°, split biscotti in half and put in oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until warmed through. Top with caramel gelato and serve.



*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to leave comments, a huge shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!