Author: Emily Gautreaux

Cajun-Brined Fried Chicken Recipe

If you’re looking for a delicious, easy-to-make recipe that’s guaranteed to get you in the summertime mood, then look no further than this impressive recipe for cajun-brined fried chicken from Louisiana Cookin’.

Fried chicken is a staple of American cooking, and it’s sound reasoning to expect that every  Cajun chef should have a recipe for a spicy fried chicken dinner in their back pocket. Now, while frying chicken might appear to be deceptively easy to make, it can also be extremely easy to screw up, as using the wrong brine can leave your fried chicken found wanting.

Luckily, this recipe’s reliance on cajun-brining your chicken for at least 8 hours but preferably overnight is a sure-fire way to assure that your fried chicken dinner is delicious, delectable, and always on the menu.

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon of tap water
  • 1¼ cups of kosher salt, divided
  • 1⅓ cups of Cajun seasoning, divided
  • 2 3-4 pound chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
  • 12 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
  • 2 quarts of whole buttermilk
  • ½ cup of hot sauce
  • 1 gallon of peanut oil

Directions

  1. You’ll want to begin this recipe by brining your chicken in a large nonreactive container. To begin brining chicken, combine 1 cup salt, 1 cup Cajun seasoning, and 1 gallon of water. Stir the contents of the container until your salt dissolves and then add your 8 pieces of your 3-4 pound chickens to the water mixture. Cover it, and refrigerate your container for a minimum of 8 hours, but it’s usually best to leave it brining overnight.
  2. The next step is to preheat your oven to 350°F. Take a broiler pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray and then place this rack in a pan. Set this aside for later.
  3. Then, you’ll begin whisking your remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together your remaining 1/4 cup of salt and 1/3 cup of Cajun seasoning with your black pepper, flour, and cayenne pepper. Then, In another large bowl, combine your buttermilk and hot sauce.
  4. When ready to dredge and begin cooking, remove your chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Then, using one of your 8 chicken pieces at a time, dredge your chicken in the flour mixture while shaking off any excess flour, dip the floured piece into the buttermilk mixture, allowing for the excess to drip off into the pan, and then dredge it in the flour mixture once more. Shake off any excess, and place the pieces onto your prepared pan.
  5. Once finished dredging your 8 pieces, take a large Dutch oven and heat a gallon of peanut oil over medium-high heat until either a candy thermometer or a deep-fry thermometer reads a temperature of 350 °F.
  6. Cook the chicken in batches, turning it occasionally, until each piece is golden brown on all sides. This takes about 5 to 8 minutes in total. Throughout the frying process, you might need to adjust the Dutch oven’s heat as necessary to maintain 350 °F.
  7. After frying each piece of chicken, place it onto your prepared pan. Then, bake all pieces for about 10-12 minutes, just until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the pieces reads at a temperature of 165 °F.

Consider serving your Cajun-Brined Fried Chicken with some delicious Apple Slaw and creamy Four-Potato Salad.These dishes will make for the perfect accompaniments, as all three feature flavorful new takes on basic, but reliable recipes.

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A Summer in Annapolis, Maryland is a Summer Done Right

Located on the Chesapeake Bay, the seaside city of Annapolis, Maryland is a destination that truly has enough entertainment, history, and features to be enjoyed by everyone, and with this handy guide to making the most out of your trip to Annapolis from Southern Living, you’re sure to make a trip to Maryland a regular feature of your summers.

Annapolis, Maryland is a gorgeous city that holds many enriching experiences in its coastline, waterfront, museums, and historic buildings, and simply put, it’s all the more enjoyable as a summer getaway. Whether you are looking to learn by visiting the city’s historic district, exploring the vibrant collection of entertainment and shops found on the waterfront, or enjoying the freshly-caught seafood at the town’s many heralded restaurants, there is something in store for everyone.

First off, if you’re looking to experience and learn about some serious American history, then look no further than Annapolis, as the streets hold more than 350 years of American history. Venture down Main Street for an obvious example of this as many of the street’s currently-operating shops and restaurants are found inside storefronts madewith 18th-century brick and mortar. Consider visiting locations with an enormous, long-storied history behind its features such as the once-thriving colonial shipping hub City Dock or the Maryland State House, which provides visitors with a self-guided understanding of Maryland’s rich and historic past.

One of the most notable locations in Annapolis is the Yard, or The United States Naval Academy campus, which sits only a short stroll away from Main Street along the junction of the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay. Designed in the Beaux-Arts style, the Yard is a wonder to simply behold as it’s an architectural sibling to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Paris’s Grand Palais. Be sure to visit this important United States Military institution to pass by pass by rare historic treasures such as recovered Japanese torpedoes from World War II or the legendary “Don’t Give Up the Ship” battle flag, but most importantly, seek out The United States Naval Academy to feel the grand, significant momentum of naval history.

If you want to truly experience some of what makes Annapolis so special, then be sure to head down to the nearly 17 miles of waterfront where you can take part in sailing lessons through Annapolis Waterfront & Sailing Center or take advantage of Annapolis’ many festivals throughout the year like Annapolis Crab Feast, US Boat Shows, Bay Bridge Run, or the Spring Sailboat Show.

If you’ve never eaten a certified Maryland crab cake, you simply haven’t enjoyed great seafood, as the first time you sit down to a fresh-from-the-sea crab cake, you’ll begin to regret ever giving the time of day to the poor imitators of the dish that are out there. Annapolis summers are often synonymous with gigantic platters of steamed hard-shell crabs served with loads of Old Bay Seasoning or J.O. spice. Some of the best restaurants in Annapolis that are sure to do right by you with their delicious offerings and preparations of seafood are  Boatyard Bar & Grill, Carrol’s Creek Cafe, Cantler’s Riverside Inn, Dock Street Bar & Grill,,and O’Learys Seafood Restaurant. However, if you’re looking for seafood for breakfast, then look no further than starting your mornings off right at the Iron Rooster or Miss Shirley’s Café.

For all of its long-storied history, seafood cuisine, waterfront experiences, and small-town charm, Annapolis is simply a destination that demands to be visited. No matter the reason for your trip, you’ll find plenty of reasons to salute this picturesque city on the Chesapeake Bay.

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DREAMS Foundation Meat Pie Food Truck Expands to City of Lafayette

The DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana, a nonprofit that helps people with special needs, has recently expanded their previously private meat pie food truck business, the DREAMS Xpress Truck, so that the citizens of Lafayette can order delicious meat pies all over the city, according to this article for The Advocate.

The nonprofit, the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana, was founded by Donielle Watkins and Brian Watkins in 2008, and it has a name indicative of what they stand for. DREAMS stands for  Disability, Resources, Education, Activities, Management, and Services. Donielle Watkins and Brian Watkins founded the nonprofit organization in honor of their son, who has spina bifida and who had expressed interest in playing sports. Upon researching active organizations in the region for their son, the Watkinses noticed that the region was lacking offerings for their son, so they took it upon themselves to provide sports and activities for people with special needs and resources for their family members.

As the years progressed, the Watkinses launched their pie business, DREAMS Manufacturing Co., as a way to create jobs for people with special needs. Donielle Watkins commented on their ability to offer jobs to those with special needs: “we trained them from day one. We figured out what they could do based on their ability and had them do that. Whatever they could do, we use that ability and have them make them successful.”

The Acadiana Advocate, who covered the grand opening of the DREAMS Xpress Truck, spoke to several employees about their experience with the organization. Reporters noticed Logan Watkins, who usually made the meat pies or worked the ordering system on the truck, offering drinks to customers as they waited for their orders. He revealed that he enjoys the social aspect of working on the truck.

Additionally, Lex Goulas is another employee of the Food Truck who was seeking a job after graduating from high school, and after finding DREAMS in 2018, he has worked for them ever since. He spoke of this sense of duty by saying, “because DREAMS has done so much for me, it’s been an opportunity for me, and I loved it ever since then.”

One of the main jobs offered by the DREAMS Foundation is to work on the highly-popular DREAMS Xpress Truck, a food truck that has spent the past three years selling meat pies for nursing homes, jails, and local businesses. But as the popularity of the truck has risen over the past three years, the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana and its workers are ready to expand their business to the city of Lafayette as a whole by making their pies publicly available.

The expansion of offering the food truck’s menu to the wider public of Acadiana began in mid-June with a grand opening held on Johnston Street near Burger Tyme, which is a highly popular spot for food truck patrons. Within the first hour of opening for business, the food truck was completely sold out of all of their available pies, which included popular flavors such as Chicken Alfredo and Pulled Pork. In speaking on the turnout of the grand opening, Watkins said, “it was awesome. Yes, we had to turn around and make more after the first. The Lafayette community (is) so supportive! I am exhausted, though!”

The DREAMS Xpress Food Truck specializes in baking and selling stuffed meat pies that come in a variety of flavors. As the truck expands to the public, Donielle Watkins revealed to The Advocate that they hope to sell upwards of 120-150 pies, as they offer a deal of purchasing two pies and a bag of chips for only $10. The truck is located at 3302 Johnston St., the central location of the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana, and it will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on various days of the week.

Donielle Watkins invited the citizens of Acadiana and the city of Lafayette to try out the pies by saying, “come out, have a good time talking to our employees and have some great food!” Those interested in purchasing pies or booking the truck for private events are being asked to check out the organization’s official Facebook Page.

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Festival Acadiens et Créoles Creating New Series

In an effort to expand the cultural and educational aspects of the Festival Acadiens et Créoles year-round, festival organizers and supporters have introduced a free monthly series of Cajun music, culture, and history, according to this feature from The Acadiana Advocate.

The Founder of Festival Acadiens et Créoles, Barry Ancelet, wanted to create a monthly community event that honors the historical, contemporary, and future cultural traditions of Cajun and Creole culture. In conjunction with the Festival Acadiens et Créoles, Anaclet and festival supporters have organized Legacy Series, a monthly offering of lectures and musical performances that are designed to explore the art, music, and cuisine of Acadiana.

Barry Ancelet, also a professor and longtime folklorist, spoke about this new way for the local community to come together to not only be entertained by Cajun and Creole traditions but also be educated by them. Ancelot said, “the presentations will be entertaining but will also matter. We will explore the legacy from those who inspired us. We will consider what they gave us and how it continues to inspire us. The Festival team has been considering ways to have ongoing activity and presence throughout the year.”

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles launched its first event in the first Legacy Series on Thursday, July 7th at the Feed & Seed in Lafayette. The inaugural event featured “The Legacy of Dewy Balfa,” a Cajun musician and music ambassador from Mamou. Balfa’s musical legacy, recordings, and live performances all helped to shape and popularize Cajun Music far outside of his Acadiana homeland. The legacy of this prominent figure in Cajun music was told with performances from Dewy Balfa’s daughter, Christine Balfa of Balfa Toujours, as well as Grammy Award winner Steve Riley and fiddler David Greeley. Riley and Greely were both nominated for four Grammys as members of Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and Christine Balfa was nominated for a Grammy with Bonsoir Catin.

The event, according to Barry Ancelet, sought to not only hear, celebrate, and consider the musical legacy of Dewey Balfa, but to also “preserve the tradition” that he revered. In fact, the Balfa Brothers had played at the first informal Festival Acadiens et Créoles event on March 26, 1974. The event was then called “A Tribute to Cajun Music,” and it saw crowds of local music enthusiasts gathering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to listen to musical legends of the craft. Performers included the Balfa band, Dennis McGee and Sady Courville, Clifton Chenier, Nathan Abshire, Marc Savoy, and many others, all of whom performed the concert for the benefit of French Journalists as well as the local community.

When starting the planning and conception of the event, Barry Ancelet and Pat Mould, the organizer and promoter of the Festival Acadiens et Créoles, were always very cognizant to imbue an educational aspect to their Legacy Series, through what Ancelet affectionately refers to as “guerrilla education.”

He spoke about the Legacy Series’s connection to the Festival Acadiens et Créoles by saying, “like the festival itself, this series is designed to honor those who have left us so much of what we celebrate today. It is focused not only on their past contributions but also on the ongoing impact of their legacies, as contemporary musicians continue to use the past to create the future. The series will give us the opportunity to produce and present informed entertainment throughout the year.”

Ancelet revealed that the next performance in the ongoing free monthly series will feature the music of Joseph and Cléoma Falcon and that he already has a list of over 60 programs to present in the Legacy Series, making for many more educational and entertaining performances for the Acadiana community.

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Political Science Online Program Named Best in South at Nicholls

It was recently announced via a press release from the school that the Best Online Political Science Degree in the American South is Nicholls State University’s Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, as determined by Intelligent.com, a highly-valued online educational resource that assesses collegiate programs across the country.

The reputable online educational resource Intelligent.com assessed over 325 programs from approximately 200 colleges and universities across the United States. Intelligent.com assessors sought out programs at these institutions of higher learning that taught strong analytical and decision-making skills and evaluated each program on several factors. Programs were evaluated on their flexibility in the delivery of their courses, their return on investment, the cost of attendance, their national rankings, overall student engagement, and the quantity and quality of resources available to students. Ultimately, each collegiate program was scored on a 100-point scale.

The Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Nicholls State University received an impressive score of 86.73, and thus it was named as being the “Best in the South.” This program was also the 28th best political science program out of all post-secondary institutions assessed by Intelligent.com.

Dr. David Whitney, associate professor and Department Head of Political Science at Nicholls reflected on this honor by saying, “we use our full-time faculty to teach all of the core classes, which is fairly upcoming for online programs. Another thing that sets us apart is the approach we take toward students in the online program. We do not distinguish between online and traditional students in terms of the investment and time we make towards their success.  Nicholls Online isn’t a side job or an afterthought but is an integral part of our degree program.”

In order to better justify their classification of the “Best Online Degrees of 2022,”  the editors of Intelligent.com accompanied their award listing by saying the following: “Online learning has become quite popular — 37.2% of college students have taken at least one online course, and 17.6% take online courses exclusively. The flexibility of distance learning has made it an especially attractive option for students who have other responsibilities in addition to their education, such as children or a full-time job. To help you find the best option for your specific situation, we’ve reviewed the top colleges for dozens of different online degree programs.”

As defined by Intelligent for their assessment purposes, political science is the study of the history of political systems, the analysis of how these political systems operate, and how political scientists can provide suggestions on how to shape public policy. In addition to this, political scientists develop strong analytical decision-making skills that can be applied to an array of occupations, including careers in public administration, market analysis, and many more.

Research that was conducted by Intelligent through the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the median salary for political scientists is $122,220 per year, making it three times as high as the median salary for all other United Stated occupations, which stands at $39,810. Additionally, they determined an estimated increase of 6%for this field in terms of job outlook, specifically indicating an increase in demand for market research analysts which was cited at a growth rate of 18%. The data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the economy is expected to need 400 more political scientists by 2029 in order to manage regulatory issues, research political theory, and analyze public policy.

As per Nicholls State University, their Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Program is designed in such a way that it prepares students and gives them a complete, “comprehensive understanding of the essential aspects of politics” and “the analytical and critical tools necessary to evaluate political events and more importantly, to become actively engaged citizens.”

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Shell Awards LSU Gift for Energy Institute and New Campus District

Recently, Louisiana State University received a $27.5 million gift from long-time partner Shell USA, Inc., and according to this news release from the school, the investment will be utilized to not only establish a new Institute for Energy Innovation but to also begin construction on a new district of LSU’s campus devoted to interdisciplinary scientific discovery.

The $27.5 million gift from the Shell Corporation is reportedly being recognized as the university’s largest gift ever received from a for-profit corporation. Additionally, it’s simultaneously the largest gift ever received by the school in focused support of energy-related initiatives.

In speaking on LSU deserving the gift, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, “as a legacy energy state on the front lines of climate change, Louisiana is uniquely positioned to forge meaningful solutions for a clean energy future. This partnership between Shell and Louisiana’s flagship university supports the continued vitality of our state’s energy industry as well as Louisiana’s emerging role as a national leader in carbon management. I look forward to the contributions LSU and Shell will continue to make here in Louisiana to global energy innovation.”

Of their total donation gift, Shell will be dedicating $25 million to launch and establish the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, an institution that will aim to advance affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible energy for all. The creation of the Institute for Energy Innovation will set the stage to allow for leaders in energy-thought, talent, and industrial impact to have the opportunity to invest in a collaborative pursuit of a shared vision for the future of energy.

Shell’s gift will provide funding for a five-year vision for the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, which will be rooted in five work streams: talent, research and development, policy and economics, social and environmental justice, and technology transfer and commercialization. Furthermore, about $6.4 million of Shell’s total gift will be directed toward initiatives centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion. These initiatives will be focused on both faculty and student support as well as workforce development within the energy industry.

The remaining $2.5 million will be used to construct the LSU Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building, and upon the completion of this new building, LSU will be able to close reportedly more than 50% of the LSU College of Science’s current gap in lab space and educational needs within its five disciplines: Biological Sciences, Chemistry,Geology and Geophysics, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy.

Over the past four years, there has been an increase in demand for educational and lab space for LSU’s College of Science. For the past four consecutive years, the college has reported years of enrollment growth while also teaching one-quarter of all student credit hours at LSU and roughly one-third of the total instruction for freshmen and sophomore students. Therefore, this continual growing reliance on LSU’s College of Science will be greatly benefited by the construction of the LSU Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building.

LSU President William F. Tate IV also commented on the monumental gift, saying: “energy represents a central driver of Louisiana’s economy, and Louisiana buttresses the nation’s energy supply, putting LSU in the unique position to partner with industry to discover innovative methods to fuel our nation. Together with Shell, we invite fellow industry leaders to join us in pioneering the research and development pathways forward to protect and preserve Louisiana’s energy economy, while meeting the nation’s future energy needs.”

Shell’s announcement of their $27.5 million gift is the latest transformative investment in LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda, a dedicated effort to focus on creating solutions considered to be essential to the future of agriculture, biotechnology, the coast, defense, and energy within Louisiana and throughout the nation. With the Scholarship First Agenda, LSU seeks to “ascend to its potential to lead the nation in these five key areas through a combination of private, state and federal support.” Additionally, Shell’s gift is only a part of LSU’s $1.5 billion Fierce for the Future Campaign, which is the largest campaign for higher education in the history of the state of Louisiana.

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