Author: Emily Gautreaux

Dessert Recipe-Shortcakes with Grilled Peaches

It’s the height of summer. That means more time at cookouts, beach trips and picnics. How do you cool off after a day of fun in the sun? One option is to serve this delightful dessert recipe for grilled peaches shortbread from Louisiana Cookin. This delicious dish features a shortbread topped with grilled peaches, sweet fresh honey, and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, making it a perfect treat for a hot summer afternoon.

Ingredients for Grilled Peaches and Shortcakes

Directions for Grilled Peaches and Shortcakes

  1. You’ll want to start this deliciously sweet recipe by preheating your oven to 400°F and lining a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Then, be sure to take your four medium peaches, peel them carefully, and discard the peels. Next, pit the four peaches, and then use a paring knife or another similarly small knife to cut them into 6 wedges each. Set your peaches aside for later.
  2. Then, in a large mixing bowl, you’ll want to pour your 2 cups of self-rising flour and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Whisk the flour and sugar together carefully. Once they’re combined, you’ll want to add in your cubed butter by either using a pastry blender or by cutting into the butter cubes, flour, and sugar with two forks. Continue to mix until the mixture has a crumbly texture to it.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, you’ll want to whisk together your single large egg, a grated teaspoon of fresh ginger, and ½ cup of whole buttermilk. Whisk these ingredients together, and then gradually add this buttermilk mixture to your dry ingredients in the larger mixing bowl. Stir everything only until everything is lightly moistened.
  4. Nearby, you’ll want to take a clean countertop or raised wooden cutting board in your kitchen and lightly flour itso that it’s ready for the dough. Take your recently-created dough, and gently knead it about 5 or 6 times. Then, roll it to about ½-inch thickness.
  5. You’ll then cut the dough using a 3-inch round cutter and if necessary, reroll the scraps. Place the shortbread dough about 2 inches apart on the parchment paper-lined sheet tray. Take your heavy whipping cream and a sauce brush and then gently brush the tops of each piece of dough with the cream. Then, sprinkle the tops with your turbinado sugar, set them into the oven on the middle rack, and bake them until they’re golden brown in coloration. This should only take about 14 minutes to bake.
  6. While the shortbread bakes in the oven, combine your honey and your 4 slices of peeled fresh ginger together. Once they’re mixed, cook them over low heat until the ingredients are warmed, about 10 minutes. Afterward, discard your ginger.
  7. One of the last stages in cooking this delectable dessert recipe is grilling your peaches, the figurative “cherries on top.” Begin this delicate process by preheating a grill to medium-high heat, which is approximately 350°F to 400°F. Afterward, spray your clean grill rack with nonflammable cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss your peach wedges from earlier with your canola oil and place them onto the grill rack for about 3-4 minutes. You’ll want to grill the peaches until they are just heated through with grill marks formed on their exterior. Be sure to turn them occasionally throughout the grilling.
  8. Afterward, take all of your ingredients and serve them by placing a few grilled peach wedges atop the shortbread slices and topping them with fresh honey and whipped cream.
  9. Enjoy!

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Swimming Holes To Visit in the American South

Are you tired of spending the summer months soaking in salty oceans or over-chlorinated pools? If so, you may want to consider this list of the best swimming holes to be found in the south from Southern Living Magazine.

Sometimes it’s nice to enjoy some cooling water in the summer months that doesn’t involve sand, beach parking, or pool chemicals. If that sounds ideal to you, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to travel too far to enjoy it, because there is an easy-to-reach beauty in your own backyard that you should check out: a natural swimming hole. After a day of hiking, biking, and climbing at nearby state parks like the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or Roan Mountain State Park, you’ll find these places are more than just great for outdoor recreation – they’re also located close to a refreshingly beautiful swimming hole in their own right.

Mississippi’s Black Creek in DeSoto National Forest

A great way to get out of the Mississippi summer heat and cool off is by visiting the swimming hole in DeSoto National Forest known as Black Creek. The Black Creek is a National Scenic River, meaning that this river is so remarkable in terms of scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, or historic value that the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service has designated it and given it our nation’s strongest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams. In addition to this designation, the Black Creek also features multiple sandbars along its expanse that create several natural swimming holes that are perfect for cooling off and relaxing after a day hiking the Black Creek Wilderness found within the DeSoto National Forest.

Tennessee’s North Chick Blue Hole

The North Chick Blue Hole is a beautiful, secluded collection of swimming holes located in the woods along Walden’s Ridge and the Cumberland Plateau near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The river gorge found here has several large boulders along the waters, disrupting the flow and thus creating several swimming holes all along the creek. Better yet, these boulders serve as excellent ledges that are perfect to jump off of into the waters below, making this the perfect spot for any outdoor adventurer seeking to keep cool this summer.

Texas’s Barton Springs Pool

One of the outstanding crown jewels of Austin, Texas is the Barton Springs Pool, a 3-acre, water-filled area nestled within the beautiful Zilker Park. This mineral-fed swimming hole is within the channel of Barton Creek and utilizes water from Main Barton Spring, the fourth largest spring in Texas. Open year-round and featuring gorgeous limestone formations that reflect its natural spring waters, this natural swimming hole has been a favorite of locals and visitors alike since its opening  in 1837 shortly after the city of Austin was incorporated. The Barton Springs Pool is incredibly popular due to it being open to the public for year-round swimming and consistently hovering between 68 °F and 74 °F throughout the entire year.

North Carolina’s Cashiers Sliding Rock

If you’re looking for a fun and quirky way to spend a day or weekend in the North Carolina mountains, you have to visit Cashiers Sliding Rock. Located in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of Jackson County, not far from Highlands,Cashiers Sliding Rock is just one of many spectacular natural attractions that draw millions of visitors every year. At the bottom of this 10-foot slide you’ll find yourself in a uniquely beautiful setting. The water is crystal clear and cool, and while you’re sliding down you can enjoy the view of hundreds of babbling brooks that feed into the larger pool of water at the bottom.

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BESE and Board of Regents Announce New Fast Forward Pathways

Soon, students in Louisiana public schools will have 76 new opportunities to receive their high school diploma while also earning an associate degree or participating in a state registered apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship, according to a news release from the Louisiana Department of Education.  The announcement of the 76 new Fast Forward pathways was made by members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) as well as the Board of Regents (Regents) at their biannual joint meeting in which they discuss education policy, share vital information, and vote on issues of mutual interest to both parties. These 76 newly-announced Fast Forward pathways are in addition to the dozens of pre-existing pathways that already exist for students at Louisiana high schools.

Dr. Cade Brumley, the State Superintendent of Education, commented on the 76 additional pathways by saying, “From cybersecurity to carpentry, these new pathways empower our students with opportunities to gain employable skills for the high-wage, high-demand jobs of today and tomorrow.”

Louisiana’s Fast Forward program is an opportunity for students to not only graduate high school but also get a head start on their post-secondary careers by finding out what career fields they enjoy and pair them with further education or state-registered pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship opportunities. The program pairs traditional classroom learning with practical, technical, and career experience.

When enrolled in a Fast Forward program, students spend the majority of their 9th and 10th-grade years earning core graduation credits on their high school campus through traditional classroom teaching. Then, when students enter 11thand 12th-grade, enrolled students will be spending the majority of their time on either a postsecondary campus or at a satellite location while being dually enrolled in a course. The dual enrollment aspect of the program is designed to ensure that students will complete their high school graduation requirements while also earning an associate’s degreeor on-the-job experience in a state-registered pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship.

Before announcing the new Fast Forward pathways or even approving them, they went through a rigorous review process. The pathways were reviewed by the Louisiana Department of Education, BESE, Regents, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and Louisiana Economic Development. Additionally, Career and Technical Educationsupervisors from both larger and smaller-scale school systems throughout the state of Louisiana were a part of the review process, since these pathways would take place within their districts.

The joint meeting between BESE and Regents also were able to brief the state’s two education boards on the progress that has been made in expanding Louisiana’s Dual Enrollment programs. The expansion of Dual Enrollmentin the state is vital to meeting Regents and BESE’s joint goal of all students graduating high school with college credit,a post-secondary credential of value, or both. The joint goal is set to be achieved beginning with the class of 2029.

Alongside the announcement of the new Fast Forward pathways, the state’s education boards also announced the following information at the joint meeting. There was a 3% increase in high school students enrolling in college courses in the 2020-2021 school year as well as an increase in the number of students participating in dual enrollment programs and graduating with either a college credit or an industry credential. In fact, in the 2019-2020 school year, 52% of high school students had graduated with a college credit or an industry credential, which is an improvement from the 51% of students in 2018-2019.

Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, the Commissioner of Higher Education, said the following at the joint meeting, “today we acknowledged the significant work that has been accomplished in Louisiana over the last few years to expand college opportunities for high school students, giving them a clear pathway to prosperity. Our collective success rests on our ability to effectively align policies, resources, and accountability to accelerate access to academic and technical early college options for all high school students in our state. Equity in these opportunities is critical.”

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Peppers Stuffed with Paneer and Spiced Tomato Sauce

If you’re looking for a savory, spicy, and vegetable-rich recipe that’s as lightweight as it is delicious, then look no further than this Paneer-Stuffed Peppers recipe from Epicurious. The sauce is accentuated by a smoky flavor from the seared paneer cheese and a spicy stick from the jalapeño, fresh ginger, ground coriander, and cumin and mustard seeds, making it the perfect summertime dinner staple.

Ingredients

  • 4 red or yellow bell peppers (with ribs and seeds removed), halved through the stem end
  • 2 6-ounce packages of paneer cheese
  • 1 15-ounce can of crushed red tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 11-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ jalapeño (with seeds removed), finely chopped
  • 1 bunch of cilantro (chopped), for serving
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 1¼ teaspoon of Morton kosher salt

Directions

  1. You’ll begin this recipe by making the savory, spiced tomato sauce. Start by heating your vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or another heavy pot. Place your Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Once it’s properly heated, cook the paneer cheese in a single layer, undisturbed, until it’s golden brown underneath. This should only take approximately 2 minutes. After it’s golden brown, transfer the paneer to a medium bowl, let it cool slightly, and then crumble the paneer into bite-size pieces. Then, set this aside for later.
  2. Next, take your Dutch oven or heavy pot and add in your jalapeño, ginger, cumin seeds, onion, garlic, and mustard seeds. Cook them over a medium-heat while stirring often, and continue to cook them until the onion is softened and translucent, which should take only 5 minutes. At which point, add your turmeric, coriander, and cayenne pepper to the pot and continue to cook while stirring occasionally. Continue to cook these ingredients until they’re quite fragrant, which should take about 3 minutes. Still over medium heat, stir in your crushed red tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring the oven or pot to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and stir in your reserved paneer cheese from earlier. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the sauce until it’s slightly thickened. Cook the sauce for about 15-20 minutes and stir occasionally throughout the cooking process.
  3. For your pepper assembly, place a rack in the middle of your oven, and preheat it to 400°F. While the oven is heating up, coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and place your peppers, which have been halved through the stem send, with the cut side facing up onto the baking sheet. Spoon about ⅓ cup of your spiced tomato sauce into each pepper half and place them into the oven to bake. Bake them in the oven until the peppers are tender and their tops are lightly browned. This should take about 25-30 minutes.
  4. Once cooked, transfer the stuffed peppers from the baking sheet to plates, and top them with sprinklings of chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

  • This recipe works great as a main staple of a vegetarian-based dinner, but it also serves as an excellent side dish to a protein-rich entree. Additionally, you can add in some lentils or another legume to add starch and protein to this dish.
  • Alternatively, this recipe uses the same sauce as the Epicurious recipe for Toasted Tomato-Paneer Sandwiches. Simply double your ingredients for the spiced tomato sauce, and spread ½ cup of the sauce over a slice of bread. Top the bread with red onion, cheddar, cilantro, and another slice of bread. Then, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 sandwiches at a time while pressing down on them with a spatula until the underside of each piece is golden brown and crisp, which takes about 3 minutes. Then, turn the sandwiches over and cook until the other side is golden brown with the cheese melted.

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Footage of the 1898 Rex Parade is Believed to be Oldest Existing Footage

Recently, a two-minute film clip of the 1898 Rex parade was discovered and screened in New Orleans, and according to this article from Nola.com, it’s believed to be the oldest existing movie footage shot in New Orleans.

The film clip, which was discovered in a Dutch museum in March, was also screened at the Presbytère overlooking Jackson Square in June 2022 and followed by a lively discussion. After the event, the film was incorporated into the Presbytère museum’s show that celebrates the Rex organization’s 150th birthday, an exhibit that will be able to be viewed through December 11th. Wayne Phillips, the Louisiana State Museum’s curator of Carnival collections, revealed that the film might become part of the Presbytère’s permanent Mardi Gras exhibit. Wayne Phillips said, “it’s just too important to lay aside and not share with our visitors.”

The film footage of the 1898 Rex parade included 6 total floats, including one with a live ox, and the reported theme was “Harvest Queens.” The film itself was a project of American Mutoscope Co., an entity that sent crews across America to make movies about working-class people. For the film, Frank Armitage, one of the best cameramen for American Mutoscope, was sent to New Orleans to document the Rex parade, two Navy ships that were docked at the port, a crew loading a steamboat, a project called “Way Down South,” and archival footage of the New Orleans City Hall, then Gallier Hall. Armitage and his film crew left New Orleans to document the aftermath of the sinking of the USS Maine, which had blown up in the harbor of Havana, Cuba on February 15, 1898, a week before that year’s Mardi Gras.

According to Will French, the Rex organization’s historian and archivist, Frank Armitage was located at Gallier Hall during the filming. He had looked down St. Charles Avenue toward Poydras Street for the footage. The Dutch Museum exported the film into a crisp, digitized, high-definition version, which (according to French) is so rich with detail that it’s like an active hunt for “100 little Easter eggs,” as each new viewing reveals a new aspect of not only the city of New Orleans but Mardi Gras traditions.

Some of these details include that all the attendants and bystanders of the Rex parade are standing still, which is much different from the jubilant, chaotic crowds of present-day Mardi Gras parades. Additionally, there is no visible police presence in the clip as well as no beads, objects, or anything else being thrown from the floats. According to Wayne Phillips, “we think that Rex started throwing in 1920, in the first parade after World War I. We know there were occasional opportunities during parades when trinkets might be tossed from one person to another, but it wasn’t anything that people expected.”

The rumor of the film’s existence had long-plagued Mardi Gras fans and specifically the Rex organization and its historian and archivist Will French. French was the person who formally requested the film’s footage be found by Mackenzie Roberts Beasley, an audiovisual researcher. French is a corporate lawyer who is involved in financing film production, and he revealed that wanted to find the footage so that he could build the krewe’s video holdings. Mackenzie Roberts Beasley was able to track down the film, which was located at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.

Charles A. Farwell had reigned 124 years ago as Rex, the king of Carnival, and he is present in Armitage’s footage of the 1898 parade. Because of the retrieval and screening of the footage, Farwell’s granddaughter, Lynne Farwell White was able to see one-of-a-kind footage of her grandfather, who had passed away 26 years before she was born, in 1917. After donating a sword that had been a part of Farwell’s Rex costume to the krewe’s archive, White commented on the discovery by saying, “I got a chance for the first time in my life to see my grandfather alive and as a real person. That is very special!”

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Stops to Make When Visiting Cape Cod

For many Americans, Cape Cod is the single-best destination to visit during the summer months, as it is a vibrant treasure-trove of activity and adventure. With this article of the best towns to visit whenever you’re on Cape Cod from Travel + Leisure, you’ll be making the most of your vacation the next time you’re in New England. From whale watching to lighthouse exploring, you’re sure to find a new experience on this unforgettable peninsula that stretches some 500 miles along the coast of Massachusetts and 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean.

Sandwich, MA

Located along the shore of Cape Cod Bay is the quaint coastal town of Sandwich, Massachusetts, and it’s a perfect destination to visit to get the ideal Cape Cod experience. If you’re looking to add some scenic, picturesque landscapes to your summer beach vacation, then look no further than the quaint and memorable town of Sandwich. Specifically if you want to explore 15 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, be sure to check out and visit the Shawme-Crowell State Forest and its 700-acre expanse of oak trees, rolling hills, mountain vistas, and picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Alternatively, if you can check out the Heritage Museums and Gardens, as it offers a diverse array of unique and exciting exhibits sure to amaze visitors of all ages and interests. One exhibit of the Heritage Museum that is much sought-after is the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, which features 21 classic American automobiles and teaches visitors about the origin and rise in popularity of the American automobile across the 21st Century. The Heritage Gardens is also where you’ll find over 100 acres of precisely manicured gardens, including the recently expanded North American Hydrangea Test Garden, which showcases some of the newest hydrangea cultivars on the market.

Truro, MA

If you’re looking for a destination in Cape Cod that you could swear you’ve seen captured on a postcard before, then look no farther than the town of Truro. A visit to Truro is advisable for those who prefer the quieter side of Cape Cod, and it’s only located one hour away from Boston by car or train on the Outer Cape. Not only is the Turro community scattered with a typical, rugged shoreline that’s beside expanding forests, it’s also home to the famous Highland Lighthouse and Ballston Beach in North Truro. This is an active lighthouse that’s located on the Cape Cod National Seashore, and it stands proudly as the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod.

Truro is also an excellent town to peruse while in motion as you traverse the Pamet Cranberry Bog Trail, which extends down the Cape Cod National Seashore in an easy, 1.9-mile out-and-back-loop. Pamer Cranberry is just one of 11 trails that is operated by the Cape Cod National Seashore, but if you’re looking to be engaged by more of a challenge, then be sure to consider the Ryder Beach Loop. This loop is a 3.2-mile trail that offers a moderate hikealongside unforgettable beach views and inland trails.

Brewster, MA

Located in the Lower Cape and famous for its stunning views and unforgettable sunsets, the town of Brewster is the ultimate vacation destination for anyone seeking a friendly community and a relaxed atmosphere. This town is well-known for stunning views and memorable sunsets that you’ll be able to appreciate while spending an afternoon or entire day at one of Brewster’s many beaches such as Breakwater Beach, Crosby Landing Beach, or Robbins Hill Beach. Alternatively, you can stroll through historic downtown’s offering of history by visiting the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History or The Captain Freeman Inn, a charming former sea captain’s home.

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