Author: Emily Gautreaux

Houma-Thibodaux Live Entertainment Pivots Amidst Pandemic

One cultural casualty of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is the loss of live entertainment, specifically the silencing of live music in the Houma-Thibodaux area.  Yet despite limited crowd sizes and venue restrictions, some have been able to host live acts again, as reported by Houma Today.

Since the pandemic struck in early 2020, many musicians and those that depend on regular occasions of live entertainment have had to endure long stretches off-stage and get reactive with how to supplement or replace the subsequently decreased income.

One such pivot-er is Casie Thibodeaux who makes up half of the popular husband-and-wife acoustic duo Casie and Jonny. The lively, loving pair has found success in their niche performances on Facebook Live where they use the online payment tool Venmo to allow viewers to pay whatever they want when viewing the show.

Thibodeaux said of the virtual concert series, “we tried it out one afternoon in the backyard. We live-streamed a four-hour show, and people tipped us, and we thought, OK, we can still make money. We picked up people from Canada, from Texas, from Arkansas, people who didn’t know us but were looking for live music streams.”

While Casie and Jonny are just starting to perform live again, they have continued their online performances on Wednesdays and Saturdays, weekly. Thibodeaux commented on the hesitation in getting back to performing live by saying, “I didn’t get back out into the public myself, since August. Slowly but surely, some of the smaller restaurants found ways to have patios, so we could play to people on the patio.”

That hesitation in the name of safety isn’t at all misplaced, as bars and restaurants are concerned about the possibility of virus transmission occurring at live music shows, even with the reduced patron capacities due to COVID-19. Such restrictions make it difficult for restaurants to host live entertainment, as bars and restaurants are restricted under the modified Phase 2 order of Gov. John Bel Edwards.

It’s all taken on a parish-by-parish basis with the indoor sales and consumption in bars that are located in parisheswith a positivity rate exceeding 5% being restricted. Though, they are able to open for outdoor consumption at tables only, as long as they are also at 25% capacity. All restaurants are thus limited to 50% of their indoor capacity and are encouraged to move as much dining as they are able outdoors. Recently, bars in neither Terrebonne or Lafourchecould open for indoor business, so the few places hosting live music were restaurants with suitable outdoor spaces.

Frank Ball, the famed Houma blues and rock guitarist, said that he had a bout of COVID-19 himself, which he suspects was passed to him while playing a private Christmas party. He uses this experience to inform his practices and be extra careful when he takes the stage.

He said of the learning opportunity, “I wasn’t too anxious to get back into clubs, given that we’re in a pandemic, but most of the gigs that I’m playing have outdoor stages; you’re not in an enclosed area. I played with a band the other day, and we were separated from the people, but I don’t feel they were social-distancing the way they should be. They just looked like nothing was going on, most of them weren’t wearing masks. I wouldn’t want to be down there mingling with the crowd like that.”

Not all hope is lost during such uncertain times as a new local 3-piece house band, the Supersoakers, have gained a safe foothold in the local music scene, thus giving a semblance of hope in these haze times.

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Delicious Skillet Turkey Chili

Besides baking bread, quarantine cookies, and tacos becoming popular, habitual dishes to make and bake this past spring, many found comfort in perfecting the art of the hearty chili. One chef over at the Smitten Kitchen shared their experience with this skillet turkey chili recipe that will have your mouth watering and your table delighted.

This recipe is described as having “a more fitting yield for a weeknight” than it did in a previous incarnation. It also “adds ingredients in what” the chef considers to be “a better order, [and] only uses turkey and beans, the spices are more balanced, and by balanced, [they] mean, we no longer use 1/3 cup chili powder, thank heavens.” This chili recipe is perfect for that late February cold front, a quick weekday meal, or a hearty sunday afternoon slow-cook.

Ingredients for Skillet Chili

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped finely
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons of ground chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pound of ground turkey
  • 1 15-ounce can of black or small red beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 lime

To Serve:

Skillet Chili Recipe

  • Begin by taking your large skillet (ideally one that is 11 to 12 inches in diameter) and heat it over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in your olive oil, and let it warm up. Then, add your onion and cook it until it’s somewhat softened, about 4 minutes total. Add your garlic, salt, your first teaspoon of chile powder (maybe more, to taste), oregano, and cumin- cooking it all for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add your turkey next, and use your spatula to break it up and work the onion mixture through it. Cook until it’s all lightly brown at the edges and no pink remains, which is about 5 minutes total. Then, add your beans and tomatoes, refilling your empty tomato can with water, and set the can aside.
  • Bring the whole chili mixture to a simmer, and cook it for 25 to 30 minutes while stirring it regularly. Add the reserved can of water 1/3rd at a time whenever the mixture looks dry. Taste it for salt and spice, adjusting as needed and in accordance to your particular preference. The chef adds up to 2 additional teaspoons of a mild chili powder. If possible, allow your chilli to rest for 5 minutes off of the heat before serving, as it sets up the texture nicely. Finish it all off with juice of half a lime and any fixings you’d like.

Note: Chili Powder is a spice blend that’s intended for Tex-Mex chili, being made from ground chiles and dried hot peppers. Chili powders range a lot in heat, so anyone cooking ought to use their preferred level of heat when choosing a powder. Alternatively, or in addition (depending on preference) you can add 1 tablespoon puree from a can of chipotles en adobo to provide a powerful, flavorful kick when preparing this chile. For the turkey, the chef prefers a blend of both dark and light meat. Lastly, for the red pickled onions, a quick way to prepare it is to cut half of a small red onion into thin wedges, toss with juice from half a lime, two good pinches of salt, one pinch of sugar, and set it all aside while cooking the chili.

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Nicholls Farm Gets Donation For Coastal Restoration Efforts

For the fifth year in a row, the Nicholls Farm has received a sizable donation in order to advance their research into coastal restoration, as per a feature from the University’s press department.

Recently, The Port of South Louisiana once again displayed their support of Nicholls State University and their efforts towards coastal restoration by way of an $18,000 donation. The fund will reportedly be used to produce native coastal plant materials for restoration projects, to support student coastal research projects, and to help with all that is involved with actively maintaining and upkeep the Nicholls Farm.

Nicholls Farm is an educational research center located on a 277-acre farm three miles south of Nicholls’ campus. In addition to serving as an environmental research center, the property also serves as an education center for Nicholls and other partners. Labs, classrooms, greenhouses, shade houses, storage barns, and a 7.5 acre-pond for wetland plant production are all housed at the farm.

Coastal restoration efforts are spearheaded by Nicholls biology students and faculty, and together they have grown, harvested, and planted over 35,000 plants in coastal habitats in recent years.

Dr. Allyse Ferrara, a distinguished service professor and Jerry Ledet Endowed Professor of Environmental Biologysaid of the donations to the farm, “Support from organizations like the Port of South Louisiana is absolutely critical for our native coastal plant materials program. Without support from the Port, we would not have the ability to hire students to maintain the farm and produce plants for restoration projects, and we would lose an important source of supply funds for the farm. We very much appreciate the support we have received from the Port and look forward to continuing this valuable relationship.”

The Nicolls Farm will continue to play an important, key role in the University’s growing commitment to restoring coastal Louisiana. The university is helped in these efforts by public-private partnerships. One such effort is to rebuild a bridge that will expand faculty access to farmland which can be used to plant rare and native Louisiana plants; additionally there are plans to expand research as well as educational capabilities at the farm. There are also plans for the site to partner with the planned Nicholls Coastal Center for conducting coastal research.

These donations are greatly needed and thus appreciated, as they show support for the restoration to one of the most vital aspects of Southern Louisiana’s culture and environmental landscape. The Port of South Louisiana is the premier sea gateway for U.S. export and import traffic, and it stands within American’s largest tonnage Port district.

The Port of South Louisiana has its headquarters located in LaPlace, Louisiana, and it stretches 54 miles along theMississippi River, making it the largest tonnage port in the entire Western Hemisphere. This single stretch of river contains 67 industries, thus supporting over 30,000 jobs.

With these statistics, the need for coastal restoration cannot be understated, so it is imperative that institutions take direction from Nicholls State University’s Nicholls Farm in order to rebuild the Louisiana Coast. Thus, with donations annually coming in from The Port of South Louisiana, strides are appreciated made in these efforts.

Paul Sucoin, the executive director of the Port commented on such importance by saying, “it’s important for everyone to get involved in coastal protection and coastal restoration. Our future depends on it, and this contribution is our small way of contributing to that effort. I we don’t do this, we will lose our coast. We will lose Thibodaux. We will lose Louisiana,” Aucoin said. “We are not in the business of coastal restoration. So we help by contributing to programs like Nicholls State University that are.”

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Smartly Booking a Home Rental in 2021

Ever since last spring, many have been looking for an escape from their all-too-familiar environment, and as a result, the market for private home rentals and lodging has predictably increased. Luckily Travel and Leisure offers the following advice so that your next vacation can be booked at a satisfying price and location.

Travelers searching for stand-alone villas, condos, and cabins that allow for social distancing, CDC compliance and ample space for relaxation may need to change up their vacation-booking rulebook in 2021. The normal rules for choosing the right vacation location won’t apply as they have in the past, so keep in mind the following new rules.

When you Should Travel

This year peak seasons will most likely not follow the conventional calendar, and in fact, peak seasons may not even occur at all. This is due to the fact that so many people are now willing to work from home in order to supervise and be near their children enrolled in hybrid or virtual classes.

Alison Kwong, who is a spokesperson for Vrbo, a company that specializes in making informed decisions when booking vacations, said that this year “travel won’t be as closely tied to the school calendar, and many families now have the freedom to start their long weekends early.” Kwong recommended to start any preliminary search for a destination with only a destination, omitting any specific dates. This way, the number of results shown will be absolutely maximized, thus giving you more options.

Being supplied with this unique sense of flexibility when booking will also result in certain destinations offering deals in place of their typical expensive price tags. CEO of Overseas Leisure Group, offers similar predictions, and he is keeping a watchful eye on the coast of Southern California from October to February, Palm Springs from November to January, and Arizona in May.

Where you Should Travel

This year data suggests that more and more people are opting to stay closer to home rather than book a far-away trip. Last year, Airbnb’s top cities for Americans to travel to included London, Rome, and Paris, but this year it’s homes that are near United States National Parks, ski towns, and beaches that are most popular. Specific popularized locations include rentals in the Great Smoky Mountains; Breckenridge, Colorado; Davenport, Florida; and Palm Springs, California.

Additionally, Airbnb reported an increase in searches for lodgings that are private home rentals that are one-of-a-kind , such as their collections oftree houses, geodesic domes, yurts, and tiny houses.  Also, while rentals in Europe are often searched for on similar sites, fewer and fewer have thus far been booked, as hesitation to travel particularly far from home is still quite strong.

How Far Ahead you Should Book

In a “normal year,” guests would book a vacation an average of 142 days ahead of a trip, according to Vacasa’s Josh Viner. However, in fall 2020, that window had shrunken to an average of just 40 days due to travel restrictions often changing and the spur-of-the-moment flexibility that working from home can provide.

That being said, you’re always more likely to find the best selection of rental properties and prices the further ahead you plan. The real trick is to double-check all cancellation policies on any property you consider. Companies like Airbnb and Vrbo allow users to filter their search results by which listings are fully refundable. Kwong remarked on these benefits by saying, “booking early gives you peace of mind, but this way you’ll have the freedom to cancel penalty-free if your travel plans end up changing.” In 2021, make a commitment to travel smart and safely whenever you can.

 For more travel related news and information, click here.

Jump Start Convention Brings Together Economic and Education Leaders

Over one thousand Louisiana educators and industry leaders gathered virtually at the seventh annual Jump Start Convention, as reported by a Louisiana Believes press release. The convention is held annually by the Louisiana Department of Education in an effort to reflect on the progress of Louisiana’s premier CTE program, (career and technical education). This year’s theme was “Inspire. Innovate. Impact,” and though held virtually the spirit of cooperation was alive and well.

Jump Start is a career and technical training program that prepares Louisiana students to lead productive lives as adults where they are capable of continuing their education after high school while earning certificates in high-wage career sectors. Students participating in the Jump Start diploma pathway while in high school are required to earn credentials that are well-known and well-valued in the industry.

If done successfully, the graduate earns a Career Diploma, and the school in which they attended receives the same accountability grade for preparing them for careers in job sectors with high demand. This “reward” of sorts earned by the school is similar to the type they receive for students achieving top academic honors.

Louisiana’s Superintendent of Education, Dr. Cade Brumley said of the program, ““Louisiana’s graduates must be ready for a career or college when their time in high school is done. The success of our Jump Start program and of events like this convention demonstrate our commitment to ensuring every student is on track to a professional career, college degree or service.”

The convention featured a wide array of events conducted by top Louisiana Education Leaders, including a welcome from the Louisiana Department of Education Director of Quality Diplomas Jessica Vallelungo and an address titled, “State of CTE in Louisiana” by Dr. Brumley.

Additionally, the convention featured an anticipated announcement of the continuation of the impactful Jump Start Construction Connect Scholarship by Louisiana Community and Technical College System Chief Public Affairs Officer Quintin Taylor and TJC Group’s Nicholas Johnson.

Attendees of the convention participated in over 25 events that all uniquely complemented the event’s theme. One such event was the heavily-attended “Strong Start 2020 Career and Technical Education Instruction Panel,” moderated by Vallelungo. The panel included Ascension Public Schools Supervisor of Career and Technical education Rhonda Matthews, St. Landry Parish School Board Supervisor of STEAM Dr. Therese Ellender and Desoto Parish Schools Director of Student Services Dr. Darrell Hampton.

Events and panels like the “Strong Start 2020 CTE Instruction Panel” allow for regional economic leaders to gather, discuss, and share occupational forecasting for high wage, high demand careers in their economic region. In addition to this, a panel of STEM industry leaders also gather to discuss the future of the state’s workforce.

For a diploma pathway like Jumpstart, which is so highly-attained in Louisiana, it is incredibly beneficial for education leaders to hear such economic forecasts in order to ensure not only the validity of the credits and experience earned by their students. It also allows for the educational directors to ensure that graduates will leave the Jumpstart Program ready for a career in a field that is in high demand.

The annual convention also signified the inaugural class of The Louisiana DOE honored and celebrated the inaugural STEM Pathway graduating class. The Class of 2020 was the first cohort of students to successfully complete rigorous coursework designed to train them to succeed in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM),  and to mark the achievement, the 23 students received a special endorsement for their diploma. Also, BESE approved additions to the JumpStart 2.0 initiative, thus expanding career courses, pathways, and industry-based certifications available to students.

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Easy and Delicious Chicken Stir Fry

A reliable crowd-pleaser, a skillet of chicken stir fry is sure to quickly become your easy go-to dinner, and along with this easy-to-follow, yet meticulously planned recipe from Louisiana’s own Cast Iron Chef, you’re sure to wow your tastebuds and dinner guests.

Simply stated, ordering stir fry for take-out is a crave-worthy indulgence, yet it’s completely avoidable with the following chicken veggie stir fry recipe that allows you to expertly recreate the magic of a Chinese takeout right in your very own kitchen.

This recipe, courtesy of the Cast Iron Chef, Emily Johnson, yields 4 delicious servings of chicken stir fry that reheat particularly well, if packaged evenly and correctly. The intricate and easy-to-follow recipe asks you to divide your total ingredients into two batches for this particular sauté. You’ll cook your first batch as instructed, dividing them into the first two of four total meal-prep containers, and then start again with the final batch.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp of Grape Seed Oil

1.5 lbs Chicken Breast

Curry-flavor Seasoning, to taste

1 Red onion, sliced ¼”, divided

1 Red bell pepper, sliced ¼”, divided

1 Yellow squash, ¼” half-moons, divided

1 Zucchini, ¼” half-moons, divided

1 lbs of Mushrooms, sliced, divided

2 Tbsp Sesame oil

All-purpose seasoning salt, to taste

2 Tbsp of Kikkoman Stir-Fry Sauce

Recipe:

  1. Begin by heating your grape seed oil over medium-high heat in a large, non-stick skillet or wok. Season your chicken pieces “aggressively,” and divide them in half once completed. Sauteé your chicken until it’s just cooked through. And then remove from the pan and place it aside.
  2. Slice your onion and bell pepper in the style, size, and shape as sauteéd fajita-pepper. Then, mix together your sliced onions and peppers and divide the combined veg in half, placing them aside. Then, slice your yellow squash and zucchini into half-moon shapes. Mix them together and divide them in half.
  3. Your sauteéing will begin with you placing your first divided batch of onion and bell pepper into the pan, sauteéing them until they just begin the browning process. Afterwards, take out the combined and slightly-browned onions and peppers, and then repeat the process with your squash and zucchini, combining them with the onion and peppers once slightly browned.
  4. Afterwards, mix together your sliced mushrooms and green onions, divide them in half, and add them to your vegetables, sauteéing it all until browning begins to form. If at this point your vegetables start to look too dry, it’s suggested that you sprinkle some sesame oil atop it all. Season your pan or wok to taste, and then add your cooked chicken back into the skillet along with your pre-measured stir fry sauce.
  5. Continue sauteéing it all, and once every ingredient is completely combined, you’ll divide this first batch into two separate meal prep containers. After which, you can begin the second batch repeating the steps above.

While the Cast Iron Chef offers conveniently curated seasoning packs, the substitutions can be made: “Swine-N-Dine”can be substituted here for a curry or Chinese Five Spice blend, and “French Fry ‘Til I Die” can be substituted here for Tony Chachere’s or salt.

Remember, the key to a successful stir fry is to prep all of your ingredients before you start cooking. Once you start adding ingredients to your hot skillet or wok, the recipe moves very quickly and you won’t have time to chop ingredients or make the stir fry sauce. Also, consider serving it over  fluffy rice, stovetop brown rice, Instant Pot white rice or Instant Pot brown rice. The rice will soak up any extra sauce, making a truly delicious meal!

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