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New Orleans and Baton Rouge were both featured in National Geographic Traveler magazine’s list of the 30 best small cities in the United States. This comes as no surprise to those of us have lived in our near either of these cities.
According to a recent article, which you can find here, written by nola.com, “National Geographic Traveler magazine partnered with global destination branding company Resonance Consultancy to identify the country’s top small cities based on some “unconventional metrics,” that apparently influence a community’s happiness.”
To read more about why these cities were ranked and what the rankings were based on, click here.
Last week, Southern Living featured a stovetop crawfish recipe. This week, the New Orleans theme continues as they feature 31 more classic Mardi Gras recipes from this article. These 31 recipes range from Shrimp Malacca with Rice to Chicken Andouille Gumbo (all favorites of any Louisianan) but our personal favorite we wanted to share this week is a delicious seafood gumbo recipe, which you can also find here.
This recipe is perfect for the chilly weather we have coming in and it is also easy to make for a large group of people who you may be celebrating Mardi Gras with over the next few weeks. Whoever you choose to make it for, let us know how yours came out and if you decided to add anything extra to it!
Ingredients
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
3 pounds medium-size raw shrimp (with heads)
Pinch of kosher salt
6 tablespoons oil, divided
2 pounds frozen sliced okra, thawed*
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped green onions, divided
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (14.5-oz.) can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped, liquid reserved
1 pt. oysters (between 2 dozen and 3 dozen)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Hot cooked long-grain rice
How to Make It
Step 1
Pick crabmeat, removing any bits of shell.
Step 2
Remove shrimp shells and heads. Cover and refrigerate shrimp, and place shells and heads in a large stockpot. Add 8 cups water and a generous pinch of salt, and bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 1 hour. Cool 30 minutes; pour stock through a fine wire-mesh strainer, and reserve for use in Step Discard shells and heads.
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, and add okra. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt, and sauté 10 minutes. Set aside okra, and wipe out skillet. Heat another tablespoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté andouille about 8 minutes or until brown. Set aside.
Step 4
Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add flour, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes or until roux is a medium-to-dark brown. Add yellow onions, celery, and bell pepper, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and 1/2 cup green onions, and cook 3 more minutes. Stir in tomato paste and next 7 ingredients. Stir in tomatoes and 1/3 cup of their liquid; gradually stir in shrimp stock. Add reserved sausage and okra. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes.
Step 5
Stir in shrimp and remaining green onions, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in crabmeat, oysters, and parsley, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Taste and add salt, if desired. Serve over rice.
Purple, green, and gold are the colors you will start to see more and more of this time of year. From front door wreaths to interior decorations there is a wealth of ideas and different way you can decorate for Mardi Gras. In this article written by Southern Living, actor and author Bryan Batt “sets the scene for a lush Bacchus Sunday supper in his New Orleans dining room”, Mardi Gras style. He holds a special place in his heart for Mardi Gras and says, “There is something magical about the masked balls and parades—the pageantry, the design, the beauty, the humor, the music, the food, and especially the fun!”
So if you’re looking for some fun new ideas on how to decorate your dining room table this year, look no further and check out this article.
Southern Living has released the top 10 best places to travel in the south in 2018 and can you guess who is at number one? If you were think New Orleans, then ding! Ding! Ding! You are correct! As stated in the Southern Living article which you can find here, “It’s New Orleans’ 300th anniversary and the whole city is rolling out the red carpet and inviting visitors to let the good times roll.” So if you’re interested in finding out more about what New Orleans has to offer this year, as well as the other nine best places to travel in the south, be sure to check out the article for some great ideas!
The Louisiana Department of Education has stated in this press release that The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education had a vote this past Wednesday to award nearly $12 million in grant funding to support 56 school systems across the state as they create and implement initiatives to improve the reading and writing skills of struggling students.
As stated in the article, “The subgrants draw from a three-year, $55.5 million Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) grant Louisiana received from the federal government in October 2017. The SRCL grant aims to advance the pre-literacy, reading and writing skills of disadvantaged youth, birth through grade 12, including English learners and students with disabilities. Louisiana was one of 11 states selected to benefit from the federal grant, and the only state to receive the award three consecutive times.”
Crawfish season is upon us here in South Louisiana and we have been on the prowl to find the best crawfish recipe. Southern living has this amazing recipe that is easy as pie and doesn’t require all the fancy equipment… All you need is a sink, stove and a big pot! Give this recipe a try and let us know if you have any secrets when it comes to cooking the best crawfish.
Ingredients
4 1/2 gal. water
2 (4-oz.) pkg. seafood boil, such as Zatarain’s Crawfish, Shrimp, and Crab Boil
2 cups kosher salt
1/4 cup Creole seasoning
4 bay leaves
5 lemons, halved
2 garlic heads, halved crosswise
4 small yellow onions, halved
2 pounds small red potatoes, halved
2 large fresh artichokes
10 pound live fresh crawfish, purged (ask your vendor)
4 ears corn, husks removed
How to Make It
Step 1
Bring 4 1/2 gallons water to a rolling boil in a 7- to 8-gallon stockpot over high. (Start early! This could take 30 to 40 minutes.) Add seafood boil, salt, Creole seasoning, bay leaves, lemons, garlic, and onions. Stir until spices are dissolved. Add potatoes and artichokes; return to a boil. Boil 20 minutes. Add crawfish, and simmer 5 minutes.
Step 2
Cut each ear of corn into 4 pieces, and add to pot. Simmer 5 minutes. (If you lose your boil at any point, cover with a lid to return it to a simmer.)
Step 3
Line a large sheet pan with newspaper or parchment paper. Pour mixture through a large colander, or remove crawfish and vegetables from water, using a slotted spoon. Place crawfish and vegetables on pan. Serve with Creole Mayo for dipping.
Step 4
Tip: You’ll know the water is seasoned perfectly when it makes your eyes water.
