Author: Emily Gautreaux

Fall Sweet Potato Dishes

Sweet potatoes are as unique as vegetables can be due to the fact that they have the dual benefit of being both a filling, savory side dish, and a satisfying, sweetened dessert all at the same time. Naturally, a single ingredient as versatile as this lends itself to a plethora of recipe options, and the fine culinary experts for Food52 have the perfect list of over three dozen sweet potato recipes to make your fall that much sweeter.

After reviewing this list, you’ll be sure to find the ideal recipe for the next time you’d like to incorporate the hearty, colorful vegetables into your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. From yogurt and nachos to frosted cake and hash browns, there’s little that sweet potatoes can’t do.

Sweet Potatoes Roasted In Coconut Oil

If your next dish is in need of a bite-sized, spectacularly simple snack, then this sheet tray recipe for 1-inch pieces of sweet potatoes is the perfect answer! While the original recipe only utilizes coconut oil, salt, and pepper when tossing the sweet potatoes, you’re encouraged to add some herby greatness to the mix. Try out adding some cumin, chili powder, and cayenne if you want it to have some kick or some grated orange zest, cinnamon, and maple syrup if you want to really accentuate the sugary flavor notes of your side dish. Any way you make it, the texture will be pitch-perfect if timed correctly in the 400° F oven.

Brown Butter-Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Arugula And Bacon

The savory trifecta of brown sugar, bacon, and sweet potatoes is on full display in this savory and sweet side dish that is sure to be popular at any autumnal buffet table. Collaborating brilliantly alongside the original flavor profile of the sweet potato’s savoriness is this recipe’s bacon strips, arugula, thyme, and sage. Similarly, the tossing of brown sugar atop the sweet potatoes before they touch a roasting pan is a brilliant move that saves the iconic sweetness that the main ingredient has come to be known for. It all results in a delicious cavalcade of herbs, protein, and sweet flavor that cannot and will not be beaten.

Sweet Potato Waffles, Sweet Or Savory

The brilliance of this recipe is that you get to choose the side of the sweet potato that you’re in the mood for: savory or sweet. These waffles break from the autumnal tradition of pumpkin spiced waffles and allow you to experiment a little bit in the kitchen as you may decide that they’re best served with cranberries, turkey, avocado, runny egg, or sausages instead of your standard maple syrup.

Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies

It’s true that sometimes you just want to give in completely and allow your sweet potato to be a dessert, and there’s nothing wrong with that thanks to this recipe that dives into that arena head first. Sweet potatoes are the base of this brownie recipe alongside cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate chips, espresso powder, and your other standard brownie ingredients, resulting in a delicious assortment of sweetness both from the potato and chocolate at its core.

Whole Grain Sweet Potato Muffins

This is the perfect recipe for anyone wanting to get back to basics and be mindful about their health, as these whole-grain muffins rest on the subtle, flavorful laurels of the sweet potato itself. Accompanied by some aromatic spicessuch as cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, you can rest assured that these muffins will absolutely smell autumnal, and because they’re backed with whole-wheat flour, you’ll be happy to know that they’re not of the “hockey puck” texture consistency.

In the (likely) event that you read this recipe list and rush to buy a large number of sweet potatoes in bulk, be sure that you’re up-to-date on the best-storing practices for keeping these titans of culinary versatility fresher longer thanks to Food52.

For more delicious recipes, click here.

 

Terrebonne Parish Sees Double Garbage and Debris pickup in wake of Hurricane Ida

Exactly a month after Terrebonne Parish suffered historic levels of loss due to Hurricane Ida, it was reported by HoumaToday that more than 7,000 tons of household garbage has been picked up across the parish– nearly double the standard amount during that time frame.

This enormous increase in garbage pickup equates to an extraordinary amount of added workload and man-hours put in by sanitation employees who were also citizens of the parish and thus impacted by Hurricane Ida alongside the citizens whose garbage they picked up. The employees that work for Terrebonne Parish’s sanitation contractor, Pelican Waste, faced various challenges in housing, transportation, and other storm-related issues since the Category 4 storm’s August 29 landfall.

The solid waste director of Terrebonne Parish, Clay Naquin, told Parish Council members at the September 29 council meeting that his department “tried everything they could” to get Pelican Waste employees back into the parish following the storm so that cleanup could begin. The “everything” Naquin referred to included providing power generators, temporary housing, and three square meals a day whenever possible to his workers.

Once they were back in the parish, collection crews from multiple contractors went out across the parish to pick up as much commercial, mixed, and debris garbage that they could, despite delays faced along the way. Naquin urged the public’s adherence to FEMA guidelines that indicate how debris should be stored and stacked at the curbside. Similarly, collection crews follow FEMA protocols when it comes to debris collection, and their garbage trucks are usually followed by teams ensuring that such protocols are being followed.

Because of the increase in debris pickup this past month, adhering to FEMA guidelines at both the waste management and resident level is of utmost importance, according to Naquin. He told council members, “if we don’t follow the protocol that FEMA puts out there, we have a chance of losing funding. can tell you right now, we’re probably pushing $6 million-plus in our debris collection, and if we don’t follow this, we have a chance of losing everything.”

Outside of the routine garage pickup, many Terrebonne Parish residents have been bringing their garbage and debris to the parish’s designated drop-off sites. Having citizens haul their own debris and garbage to these sites significantly lessens the workload placed on individual garbage collecting crews. As of the September 29 Terrebonne Parish Council meeting, Naquin reported that 121 tons of vegetation, 2,822 tons of mixed debris, and 5,378 tons of commercial mixed debris have been dropped off at these designated locations.

Naquin also emphasized that a parish-hired contractor, DRC, had picked up 674,167 cubic yards of storm debris across a total of 12,140 loads. He then provided a figure that was given by Governor John Bel Edwards in a recent news conference in which he stated that the state picked up 1 million cubic yards of debris on all state roads affected by the hurricane. Naquin compared this to DRC’s average of 35,000 cubic yards of debris picked up daily, saying “I’m giving those numbers just to show you that this crew, DRC is out there, really working.”

In addition to accruing significant amounts of debris in the wake of Hurricane Ida, Terrebonne Parish saw about 85% of its signage become lost or damaged during the storm. Out of these 17,500 signs, about 5% have been restored and reset, and parish public works director David Rome assured the council that the department is prioritizing signs at the top of the restoration list, due to civil and transportation importance. The restoration list of signs to be reset sees stop signs, followed by street name signs, then yield, and speed limit signs in that sequential order.

Little by little, the various departments and agencies across Terrebonne Parish are putting in the man-hours and effort necessary to help the area “bounce back” from a detrimental storm season, thus offering a small glimmer of hope in these turbulent times.

For more Louisiana-related articles, click here.

 

Top US Cities to Book a Food Tour in this Fall

When you live in the same town or city year after year, it’s not uncommon to develop a routine when it comes to going out to restaurants. It starts with that list of places to eat getting progressively smaller and it ends in only a small handful of menu items being considered each time you visit. When this happens, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a vacation to engage in one of the more culinary-inspiring activities possible, the food tour, and thanks to Travel + Leisure’s collection of the country’s Top Food Tours for the 2021 Fall Season, your palette is soon to be deliciously expanded.

The typical food tour brings together the best elements of travel and cuisine because when you’re far away from home, you often are more likely to release your inhibitions and try new dishes that you never would in your hometown or own kitchen. Additionally, food and culture are oftentimes closely related, so when you book a food tour, you allowyour palette to explore new tastes and textures that you might not otherwise experience, and because you’re often being led by a food tour guide, you can safely trust that you’re in the right hands.

So whether you’re looking to book a food tour to discover a new “genre” of restaurant, favorite dish, or an intriguing new recipe to add to your cooking repertoire, be sure to consider the following food tours offered in the American cities below.

Los Angeles, California

The iconic city has attracted its fair share of press, celebrities, and notoriety over the past century, but in that time it’s also drawn in culinary artists from around the world. Experience a sampling of the best international dishes that the LA Farmers’ Market has to offer by booking a “Melting Pot Food Tour,” where you can choose from a wide selection of culinary experiences. Melting Pot offers its customers the chance to choose their own culinary destiny, as they offer experiences that examine Thai Town, East LA’s Latin cuisine, and even the historic Old Pasadena. Though, one of the stand-out experiences of their available tours is booking the opportunity to dine with the Dona Juana family as part of the La Española Meats VIP Tour. On this tour, attendees are heralded by a family that is the first and last name of all Spanish cheeses, charcuterie, small plates, drinks, and imported specialties. The best part of this tour is that it ends with a lunch on a patio where you enjoy paella, tapas, and homemade churros, thus acting as the cherry on top of a perfect culinary experience.

Savannah, Georgia

Two particular food tours do an outstanding job at inundating someone with the lush history and charming spectacle often associated with Savannah. First is “The First Squares” tour offered by Savannah Taste Experience in which participants stop along six different restaurants and food boutiques to enjoy gourmet dishes and learn the history of the city’s relationship to food as you visit an authentic pub, a British Pie Shop, and an award-winning honey store. Additionally, Southern Flavors Savannah offers a three-hour excursion into the world of sweets with “The Dessert Tour.” Be sure not to book this one too close to the previous, as you’ll be swept away with the ambiance and sweetness of downtown Savannah as you collect and savor various southern delicacies ranging from creamy-textured pralines to delightfully simple and rich coffee cake amid an unforgettable setting.

Other notable entries on Travel + Leisure’s list are the “Taste of New Orleans Food Tour, Tours By Locals” in New Orleans, Louisiana; “Best of New York Food Tour by Sarah Funky” in New York City, and “Little Havana Food Tours” in Miami, Florida.

For more travel-related news and information, click here.

Best Colorado Small Towns to Visit

There is one state in the United States of America that is beautiful year-round, so while many make sure to visit in the winter for its ski slopes or the summer for its hiking trails, the “Centennial State” is still worth the trip in Autumn and Spring, especially if you’re visiting a small town. These lesser-known towns of Colorado are becoming more popular (by word of mouth) due to the lack of crowds at the hot springs, top-of-the-line ski lodges, and hiking trails that are off the beaten path. So check out Travel + Leisure’s article detailing the “10 Best Small Towns in Colorado” for the next time you’re looking to reconnect with peace, quiet, and quaint experiences.

Before diving into the article, it should be advised that due to local regulations, travel restrictions, and COVID-19 surges, it is suggested that travelers properly research all local guidelines and CDC recommendations in order to keep themselves and those they care about as safe and responsible as possible in these unprecedented times.

Silverton, Colorado

Located along a rather remote portion of Colorado’s western San Juan Mountains lies the statutory town of Silverton. The town originated from mining claims made during the final years of Colorado’s Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, and ever since then, Silverton has attracted its fair share of animals, citizens, and adventures. One of the stand-out experiences to take advantage of in Silverton can be enjoyed year-round, as it’s the reason the town is a National Historic Landmark. Silverton is home to the scenic byway US 550, which has also been known as the “Million Dollar Highway” for over a century due to its breath-taking views of the San Juan Mountains that can only be seen from its roads. The Highway is a part of the larger San Juan Skyway, which is a 236-mile road that winds through the San Juan portion of the Rocky Mountains allowing visitors to connect with diverse mountain towns and major landmark attractions along the way.

Outside of the gorgeous views that can be seen from the road, Silverton offers those in the town to participate in canoeing, wildlife watching, paragliding, river rafting, touring gold mines, stargazing, mushroom hunting, and an unforgettable adventure called the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Train, and those are just the summer events! In the winter months, the town can be the perfect place to engage in snowmobiling, snowkiting, hockey, snowshoeing, ice skating, and all sorts of sledding. Consider staying in Silverton the next time you’re feeling adventurous because there are few other places in the United States where you can visit an actual 19th-century ghost town.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

With a name as charmingly warm as Steamboat Springs, you’ll feel comforted and right-at-home in the authentic mountain town that’s brimming with western hospitality. This town offers its residents and visitors authentic experiences such as relaxing in hot springs, fishing for flies or trout along the Yampa River or at Steamboat Lake, and seeing gorgeous nature sights by way of the town’s famous hiking, biking, and walking trails. There’s plenty of engaging activities to take advantage of whether you find yourself visiting in the summer or winter, but don’t rule out the fall visit, as the changing colors of the fall foliage are quite beautiful in this town, and you can view them from the best perspective of all by booking an ariel “foliage flight” from the Zephyr Helicopter Company or a hot-air-balloon ride from Wild West Balloon Adventures.

The other towns can be further explored via Travel + Leisure’s full list, which includes the following stand-outs:

  • Pagosa Springs, Colorado
  • Carbondale, Colorado
  • Estes Park, Colorado
  • Snowmass Village, Colorado
  • Manitou Springs, Colorado
  • Crested Butte, Colorado
  • Paonia, Colorado
  • Salida, Colorado

For more travel-related news and information, click here.

Lafourche Levee Systems Withheld Most Water from Ida

For all the damage left behind by Hurricane Ida, matters could have been made much worse if the levee system of South Lafourche had failed, but the levees held strong when it mattered most, according to an article from HoumaToday that details the strength of Lafourche’s levees.

On August 30, 2021, it was reported by the Associated Press that Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards examined a preliminary survey of the state’s levees, and he reached the conclusion that the levee systems, thankfully, had done “exactly as they intended and held the water out during Hurricane Ida.”

Hurricane Ida initially made its landfall on the shores of Port Fourchon on August 29, 2021. When it touched land, it was a vigorously strong Category 4 storm with winds of 150 mph. These finds blew down countless trees and decimated many homes in its path, but they were not able to penetrate the South Lafourche Levee system despite facing a particularly high storm surge of 12 to 15 feet.

Windell Curole is the executive director of the South Lafourche Levee District, and after he had spent hours looking over the Lafourche levee system in late September, he had said, “it’s still amazing looking at what took place and the power of that storm. This levee was originally designed for a strong Category 2 or a weak 3. It was a close call. There were no guarantees.”

Curole continued to detail how essential the levee system’s foundation was throughout the roughest parts of the storm by saying, “ We knew the winds were extremely strong for an extremely long time. We didn’t get a chance to get to the pump station and the floodgates for 18 hours. I’ve never seen South Lafourche look so bad. That wind came in and just tore it up. If we would’ve had a levee breach, we think people would have died. You can’t move when the wind is blowing like it was. There would have been 5 or 6 feet of water in some of those houses. We are very fortunate that didn’t happen.”

The news of Lafourche’s successful levees was well-received being that the United States Corps of Army Engineers had decertified south Lafourche’s hurricane-protection system after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They had attributed the decertification to the levees lying too low to be able to provide adequate protection.

At one time, the ring levee in South Lafourche was only 13 feet high in the south and nearly 8 feet high in the north, but after residents passed a 1-cent sales tax in 2015, the system was appropriately elevated. A new building program was created in the district to raise the levee to at least 16 feet and 13 feet above sea level on the south and north ends, respectively.

Additionally, praise came in from Washington to celebrate the Lafourche levee’s strength, as it was reported that United States Representative Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, praised Curole and the entire district for taking the time necessary and putting in additional effort to improve the levee system. He said, “Curole and the Levee District worked with the citizens of Lafourche Parish and the State of Louisiana to help invest in better hurricane-protection projects for our community. Despite the headwinds of cease-and-desist letters, legal threats, and government red tape, they succeeded. They knew that if they could get the Larose to Golden Meadow system elevated, lives, homes, businesses, and communities could be spared from future storms. The levees held, and their effort saved a lot of lives and prevented severe destruction.”

It’s certainly affirming to learn that despite experiencing some of the toughest storm conditions South Louisiana has seen in some time, that our vital levee systems are maintaining the peace by doing what they’re built to do: protect and withhold.

For more Louisiana-related articles, click here.

Fall Recipe: Chicken Braised with Cider

With the fall season upon us, it’s time to fire up the oven to cook up your more vegetable-based dishes and savory meals that prioritize flavor above all. Thankfully, this cider braised chicken fall recipe from Food52 hits all of those points and tastes great while doing it. It’s all thanks to the autumnal collection of chicken thighs, apples, and onions residing in a bubbling cider sauce with savory-sweet thyme infusing the flavor of the chicken throughout the cooking process. You’ll top the whole meal off by serving it atop some crust-laden bread or mashed potatoes so that your side dish can soak up the savory sauce in all its goodness.

Fall Recipe Ingredients:

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs with chicken skin still attached
  • 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
  • A pinch of Kosher Salt (to taste)
  • 4 small yellow onions (halved & peeled)
  • 2-3 small Fuji, Mutsu, or Stayman Winesap apples (cored & halved)
  • 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 cup of chicken (or vegetable) stock
  • 1 cup of dry hard cider (can substitute non-alcoholic)
  • Brad, noodles, or potatoes for serving

Directions:

  1. You’ll want to begin this recipe by preheating your oven to 400°F. While it’s busy heating up, you’ll prep your chicken thighs by first patting them dry with a paper towel to remove the excess oil, water, and juices.
  2. Next, take a large, ovenproof skillet of at least 10 inches in diameter and heat it over medium-high heat until it’s properly hot. Once it is, add oil and swirl the skillet to coat the entire bottom with oil. You’ll then add your chicken thighs to the skillet with the skin side of the thighs facing down. Sprinkle the thighs with a pinch of kosher salt, and sear them for three minutes. Afterward, add your onion halves (cut side down), and sear the thighs for another five minutes. Feel free to rotate the pan as needed in order to brown the chicken evenly, but don’t disturb the chicken or onions when doing this.
  3. At this point, you will use some kitchen tongs to flip the onions to their reverse side and check the bottom of the chicken thighs to ensure that they’re golden. If they are, flip the thighs as well; if they’re not browned yet, wait another minute or so. Once the onions and chicken are flipped you may add your apple pieces to the pan with the cut side facing down. Scoot the chicken and onions to the side of the skillet as needed so that you can ensure the apples are receiving enough heat.
  4. Throw in your thyme sprigs to the pan and season everything with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook the apples for 4-7 minutes or until they’re evenly browned and then flip them over.
  5. Now you can carefully pour in your cider. Note: once added to the heating element, the cider will bubble vigorously. You’ll let the contents of the skillet simmer for 4-8 minutes or until the cider you poured in is reduced by half. Add your chicken or vegetable stock, and bring it all to a boil.
  6. After it’s boiling, use a potholder and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast it for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  7. Additionally, you can pierce the thighs with a knife to determine if they’re fully cooked. If the emitting juices have a clear coloration, you can consider them cooked. Though, it’s always nice to have peace of mind by double-checking with a digital instant thermometer.
  8. Take the skillet from the oven, and serve the chicken, onions, and thyme atop a starch base such as crusty bread, noodles, or roasted potatoes. You’ll do this so that the base can soak up all the sauces from the chicken.
  9. Enjoy!

For more delicious fall recipes, click here.