Southern Living is full of “Bests” in the south for 2017 and Louisiana happens to be featured in a lot of them. Best Restaurants in the South in 2017 had Commanders Palace in New Orleans come in at number 1. If you haven’t been to Commander’s Palace yet you’ll definitely want to give it a try. Built in 1893, this Big Easy Icon in the Garden District is one of a kind.
For more information on the Best Southern Restaurants in 2017 according to Southern Living, click here.
Bayou Gardens is a beautiful 25 acres of preserved and enhanced land found in Lacombe, Louisiana. The land features a variety of stunning colors from camellias, azaleas, and several other vibrant shrubs. Not only is this landscaping, which was founded by Louisiana Governor Richard Leche, but it is also a beautiful view for the eyes. The story behind it is intriguing as well.
“The gardens are a hidden gem inside the Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge’s Complex at 61389 Highway 434 in Lacombe, with paths bordered by numerous varieties of camellias, as well as native azaleas”, as stated in the article written by nola.com. The article goes on to describe the history of the gardens by saying, “most of Bayou Gardens’ camellias were brought there by Leche. But the property’s history stretches back much further that his ownership. The land along the banks of Bayou Lacombe was once part of a Choctaw village. In the 1700s, it became a Spanish land grant with various owners.”
To read more detail on the history of this fascinating piece of land in Louisiana that dates back many owners and many years, click here.
Southern Living recently featured this article that discusses all their best barbeque side dishes which just so happens to go along perfectly with this spring time weather that we have been experiencing here in Louisiana over the past few days. So, make sure to take a look at all the side dish recipes they have to offer and pick out which one you are going to cook this Sunday with your BBQ.
Step 1
Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Place potatoes in a single layer in center of a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring up foil sides over potatoes; double fold top and side edges to seal, making 1 large packet.
Step 2
Grill potatoes, in foil packet, covered with grill lid, 15 minutes on each side. Remove packet from grill. Carefully open packet, using tongs, and let potatoes cool 5 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Stir in onion, blue cheese, and bacon.
Step 4
*Balsamic vinegar may be substituted but will darken the color of the dressing.
Benny Cenac, Houma Philanthropist and CEO of Cenac Marine Services, has always been dedicated in his endeavor to providing the absolute best for children and young adults when it comes to education. It has become a natural part of his practice to donate time and funds to several different schools, charities and programs. When he came across the opportunity to assist the Stella Learning Center in Houma, Louisiana, this was no different.
Stella Learning Center (SLC) is made up of highly skilled teachers in a positive teaching environment prepared with scientifically tested tactics that are used for instructional decision-making. SLC’s highly qualified staff works with individuals with Autism and related disorders. This school provides a program that Benny Cenac, Houma Philanthropist, feels is important to the Houma area.
When describing the growth and changes of Stella Learning Center over the years, Lead Teacher, Daisy Alviar says, “When we originally opened the center, it was the first Autism and Related Disorders Learning Center in the tri-parish area. We started out by accepting children ages 10 years and older. Our goal was to reach a population that so easily got lost in the public school system once they entered their Junior High School years. As time went on, we expanded by adding two daycare classrooms that we could use as a way of mainstreaming children and doing our best to get them ready for their elementary school years. All the while, we continued to work with young teenagers. Since, our young teenagers are now young men and women. They have begun transitioning into group homes, high school, and adult programs. We continue to offer services for families of children with Autism and Related Disorders as a public service. However, the demographics have changed from older children to a younger population. Yet, the mission remains the same: To improve the lives of individuals with autism and related disabilities through the provision of high quality, accessible educational programs designed to enhance the individuals’ opportunities to achieve their full potential.”
Some of the many donations Mr. Cenac made to Stella Learning center included two scholarships for older students, the purchase of a curriculum for Stella Learning Center’s Pre-School classroom, much needed mulch in their playground, 2 computers that will be used both for book keeping and classroom lessons as well as assistance with operational costs that help SLC continue to stay open.
Schools like SLC are few and far between although the need is great. The current protocol in most school districts is to integrate children with disabilities into mainstream classrooms. Separating kids based on ability—the old model of the special-ed classroom—is now seen as discriminatory and stigmatizing. Advocates for integration say it helps children with special needs build social skills and it develops compassion among non-disabled ones. But like so many ideas that are terrific in theory, integration is often disastrous in practice. Because of this, many children with special needs fall between the cracks once they hit junior high.
Here’s the problem: Teachers in mainstream classrooms rarely have the education or expertise to work with complex disabilities that include difficulties with behaviour. Rates of diagnoses of autism, for instance, are growing exponentially, and kids with conditions like this require very particular accommodation, including high teacher-to-student ratios, educators with extensive and specialized training, additional therapists and mental health workers, and environments designed to reduce stress.
Typically, though, integration involves simply sticking children with special needs in a regular classroom and providing them with limited and inconsistent support. Managing a busy classroom with ever-dwindling resources is demanding, and teachers are already overextended. Now imagine adding a child (or several children) who are hyper-sensitive to sound and touch, or who require one-on-one attention to decode a paragraph of text, or who are prone to explosive fits.
What’s more, research indicates that a teacher’s attitude toward integration is a huge factor in whether it will succeed or fail. Not surprisingly, a lot of teachers begrudge being assigned children with special needs—especially when they know they won’t get the resources to support those kids properly. All of this results in the exact opposite of what integration is supposed to achieve. Instead of making children with special needs feel included, they wind up feeling unwelcome and resented by both their teachers and their classmates. And instead of non-disabled children learning compassion, they end up afraid or disdainful of disabled kids.
The overuse of suspensions, expulsions and exclusions suggests that schools don’t have the funding or proficiency to meet their obligations to children with special needs. Integration—however noble the original intent—is failing both children with disabilities and their non-disabled classmates.
SLC is highly trained and knowledgeable and they know exactly what accommodations students need to succeed so that they don’t fall through the cracks. Daisy Alviar replied to the donation with gratitude by stating, “Mr. Cenac has provided us with the funds needed to continue working toward our mission.” Mr. Benny Cenac and the Cenac Team are so happy and proud to assist this amazing educational organization that has the best vision in mind for our local youth. We look forward to seeing the growth of Stella Learning Center over the years to come.
To learn more about Benny Cenac, Houma Philanthropist, and his community efforts please visit us here.
There are no words to describe these amazing lasagna rolls. Although, they do take some time to prepare and cook. It is all worth the wait once you sit down and enjoy them. Not to mention this is something everyone can enjoy- even though its filled with spinach, the melted ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese make it as though you can’t even taste the greens. Be sure to give this hearty recipe a try and let us know what sides you added- you could try anything from salad, to garlic bread or cucumbers and tomatoes tossed in vinegar.
For more information on cooking time, nutritional information and to watch a video on how to cook the meal click here.
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread a large spoonful (about 3 tablespoons worth) of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.
Southern Living has name the top hotels in every state throughout the United States. The article, that you can find here, features some of the most high profile hotels in the US as well as some of the most hidden gems. Some of these hotels are even family friendly, while others are perfect just for 2. The Rosewood in Washington DC may be one of the names you recognize from afar, while The No. 77 Hotel in the Warehouse district of New Orleans may be one that you recognize a little closer to home if you are from the Louisiana area. Either way, this guide of fantastic hotels is perfect to get a little insight if you plan on traveling anywhere in the US in the months to come.