Eggplant, Creole Cream Cheese and Spinach Rollatini

The tartness of the creole cream cheese in this recipe sends it to a whole other level. It's an easy recipe but (like a lasagna) there are a lot of pots and bowls involved. It's wonderful - especially if you can make it a day or so before baking!

1 eggplant, sliced thinly lengthwise into 12-13 slices
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
2 cups Corn Oil

For the filling:
6 oz. creole cream cheese
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 lb. ground veal, browned and drained
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 Cup Marinara Sauce
Parmesan Cheese

In one large bowl mix the Panko and seasoned bread crumbs together; season with salt and pepper. In another large bowl mix the eggs and milk together. Dip the eggplant slices one at a time first in the egg wash and then in the bread crumbs. Set aside.
Pour ~ 1/4" of the oil into a large cast iron skillet and wait until the oil is hot (~360 degrees). Brown the eggplant slices on both sides. Remove the slices and drain. Add more oil if necessary and repeat.

Mix the all of the filling ingredients together and place 2-3 T. at the top of each eggplant slice. Roll up and place in a 9x13" glass baking dish. Cover with Marinara sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

If you're making this dish more than 24 hours before serving do not put the Marinara sauce or Parmesan cheese on until just before baking. The crust on the eggplant will get soggy.

Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream

When I was 16 years old I met Bubba for the first time. It was love at first sight. The next year he asked me to come with his family to meet his extended family in New Orleans and attend Endymion's Ball at Mardi Gras. I wore one of my prom dresses and borrowed a jacket from my mom. It was thrilling!! That was the same trip that I tasted creole cream cheese ice cream for the first time. It was also thrilling!! I didn't like sour flavors much at the time but I loved this!! If you have an ice cream maker (make sure yours is a stainlees steel one as the cream cheese will react with steel and give you a matalic taste to your ice cream)  you really need to try this!! It's GREAT on the side of fruit pies!!...but it's better all by itself!

12 oz. Creole cream cheese
 2 cups whole milk
1 cup cream
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 T. vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and eggs. Whisk until fluffy and pale yellow.  In a sauce pot, combine the milk and cream and gently warm. Temper the egg mixture and pour it into the milk mixture, whisking all the while. Cook until the cream is thickened. Pour through a sieve into a stainless steel bowl and cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours. When ready to use blend the Creole cream cheese into the ice cream mixture and whisk until all the lumps are removed. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake

12 oz. Creole Cream Cheese
4 (8 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 T. vanilla
3-4 T. cream
1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Preheat the oven to ~330 degrees.

Mix the Creole Cream cheese with the Philadelphia cream cheese in a strong mixer; beat on medium high until light and fluffy pouring the sugar slowly and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Add the eggs in a little at a time, all the while mixing.

Slow the mixer down and add the vanilla, cream and lemon zest. (I like to taste the batter at this point...even with the raw eggs just to see if I need to adjust the flavor.)

Prepare a water bath for the cheese cake by pouring the batter into a 8" springform pan. Wrap the springform pan in foil so that water cannot seep in during the cooking process. In a 12-14" round cake pan pour 4-5 cups of hot water. Place the wrapped springform pan into the larger cake pan and put into the oven. Bake for at least 70 minutes. Check the cheese cake to make sure that it's not browning on top. When the cheese cake comes out it should "jiggle" (like Jello). As it cools it may crack a little but not too much. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before removing the foil.

Take the springform pan out of the hot water and out of the foil. Let it cool for at least an hour. Place in the refrigerator overnight. DO NOT REMOVE THE SIDES OF THE SPRINGFORM PAN UNTIL THE CAKE HAS GOTTEN COLD!!!!

An hour or so before serving remove the sides of the springform pan and top with a glaze if desired.

New Orleans Creole Cream Cheese

New Orleans has a really different type of culture. The people are always looking forward to the next party or gathering. They live for today- work is secondary. It's not called "The Big Easy" for nothing. Hakuna Matata - a problem-free philosophy for the rest of your days. They work for pleasure; and refining that statement further - they don't mind putting a lot of effort and time toward temporary pleasures....like dinner!
Dorignacs Supermarket on Veterans Highway (a family-owned and operated market) actually makes their own cream cheese. It's wonderful! It's tart and much lighter than a regular cream cheese. Folks in NO use it for lots of things but the most highly coveted product in Bubba's family is the Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream! It's like tasting frozen custard with a twang! I'll have to admit I liked it immediately but the more time that past in between tastings the more I wanted it!
When we left NOLA last time we forgot to go by Dorignacs to pick some up...which meant we were on our phones almost to Baton Rouge trying to find some without success. Bubba (who loves making cheese) announced at that point that he would just try to duplicate it!! I had my doubts but WOW!!! He did it!! And it's not that difficult!! You just have to have a little extra time...but trust me- it's worth the effort!!!

1 gallon of 1% milk
1/2 cup of buttermilk
8 drops Rennet (found online or stores selling home cheese-making kits like Whole Foods)

Slowly heat the milk to 110 degrees; remove from heat. Add the buttermilk and stir. Place in a large bowl and stir in the Rennet. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit out at room temperature for 24 hours.

Spoon the cheese into a cheescloth-lined collander and let it drain for 1 hour.
Wrap in plastic wrap or air-tight container. It will last for 2 weeks.

...and the reason I'm giving this to you is to encourage you to make the cream cheese a few days in advance of making- a) Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream or b) (My NEW favorite!) Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake!!! or c) Eggplant and Creole Cream Cheese Spinach Rollatini!! Recipes to follow!

Coconut Cream Pie

This is Bubba's favorite pie! I have been making it for years. The custard is the extact same as for a banana pie. It's perfect!

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
4 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag of shredded coconut
1 cup whipping cream that has been whipped with a 1/4 cup sugar

Pour the cream, half and half and whole milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisk in the sugar and cornstarch and stir over medium heat until the pudding begins to thicken. Temper the egg yolks with a little of the milk mixture and then pour back into the milk mixture, whisking constantly. After the pudding is thickened, turn off the heat and remove from the burner; stir in the butter and vanilla and stir until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Fold in the coconut. Pour into a baked pie shell and top with whipped cream. Serve cold.

Peanut Butter Frosting

To Jenn:
Here are the proportions of the peanut butter frosting:

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar

Cream the butter and peanut butter together. Mix in the sugar stirring well to incorporate. (You can sift the confectioners sugar for a better blend.)

Molten Lava Cookies

Molten Lava Cakes have been around for ages...I had always wanted, but never seen a Molten Lava Cookie recipe. I knew the basic premise behind anything "molten" would be less flour and more chocolate so I developed these cookies. They are very delicate and moist. Most cookies only need 2 minutes to cool before they are taken off a cookie sheet and placed onto a wire cooling rack; these need ~5! They are gooey and wonderful...and I LOVE nuts with my chocolate so I added lots of pecans but you can substitute walnuts just as easily! I have served these at the end of dinner parties- 3 per plate with a raspberry glaze on the plate with EVEN MORE chocolate, melted on the top of each cookie. They are almost always completely eaten!
I will have only one post today, but this is a good one!

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bar (I use Ghirardelli)
3 oz. bitter chocolate bar (Ghirardelli)
6 T. butter
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bars cut into 1/4" chunks (Ghirardelli)
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces (larger cuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate and 3 oz. of bitter chocolate with the butter on top of a double boiler. Stir until just melted. Cool. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until fluffy- about 4 minutes (Use a Kitchen Aide or powerful mixer for this. You want the eggs to change color to a pale yellow.) In a third bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the chocolate into the egg mixture and stir until completely blended. Add the flour mixture and fold in. Add the 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chunks and pecans and fold.
Drop by tablespoon amounts onto a silacone mat-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cookies are puffed and a crackled top appears.
Keep the cookies on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes. They are very delicate and will break easily so carefully lift each one and place it on a wire cooling rack.

The cookies are best served warm but can be re-heated in a microwave for a few seconds just before serving or you can eat them at room temperture.

Pineapple Chicken

Here is another look at the pineapple chicken. I made it with chicken strips today instead of the whole breasts for Jac! My last picture of this dish did not include the pineapples so I thought u might like to see them!

New Requests



Gluten-free Noodles

 I have a good friend who is riding his bike 4,000 from the University of Texas in Austin to Anchorage, Alaska next summer. He asked if I would look into some gluten-free recipes. Hopefully we can come up with some great tasting dishes for his training in the next few months. If you are interested in gluten-free please keep checking back!

Also, pray for Jeremy as he rides!

Here is the link to the website if you want to read more about his journey to Alaska, and a donation link if it interests you to be a part of this adventure. http://www.texas4000.org/user/profile/10510




Zucchini Enchiladas

This is a low-fat recipe that can be a low-carb or vegetarian recipe just as easily!

Bubba has a garden in our back yard- he has a green thumb. He grows fruits, vegetables and herbs. He has a little orchard growing out there with a fig tree, peach trees, plum trees (the peaches and plumbs grow 3 varieties of each), an apple tree, 4 lime trees that give us different limes at different times of the year, 2 lemon trees and one orange tree! Since we live in the southern U.S. we can grow a lot of citrus but it usually doesn't ripen until late November or early December so I look forward to the herbs and summer vegetables this time of year.
Yesterday, after cooking the green chili enchiladas I had a lot of flour tortillas left over so this morning I decided to cook a healthy Zucchini Enchilada Casserole. It's low in fat and could have been lower in carbs had I used corn tortillas instead of flour. AND I got to use the last of my zucchini, red bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapenos and tomatoes!

4 zucchini, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped
1 banana pepper, chopped (optional)
3 jalapenos, minced (you can use less if you don't like spicy enchiladas)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2-2 cups chicken both (or vegetable, if you're wanting this to be totally vegetarian)
1 cup Greek yogurt
3-4 whole green chilies
3 T. coconut oil + ~ 1 tsp. or so for saute
3 T. brown rice flour
10-12 "corn" (or flour) tortillas (you can also use a small vegetable wrap for this!)
You can use 1 cup of the vegan cheese, grated for the top of this casserole or a few sprinkles of low-fat Montery Jack.

For the vegetable mixture:
Saute one onion, garlic, banana pepper, red pepper and jalapenos in a little coconut oil until the onion is clear. Add the zucchini and cook until it is soft and tender. Drain and cool; set aside. (I keep the zucchini in a strainer which is inside of a bowl as it's cooling to allow any fluid to drain through.)

For the sauce:
Heat the oil and add the other onion. Cook until clear and tender; add the flour and stir until the flour is no longer "gritty". (~2-3 min.) Pour in 1 cup of the broth and stir until the sauce is blended and thickened. Add the Greek yogurt and stir again. The sauce should be very thick at this point; pour in just enough of the rest of the broth to make a nicely thickened sauce; stir in the green chilies.

To assemble:
Put 3-4 T. of the zucchini mixture into each of the tortillas and roll. Place in a 9x13" casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the top of the tortillas and then sprinkle with cheese if desired. Top with the chopped tomatoes.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until slightly brown and bubbly. Take the casserole out of the oven and let it set for ~10 minutes or so. Serve.

Grandma Edith's Stewed Chicken

As my children were growing up each time we visited Grandma Edith in New Orleans we would ask her to make "stewed chicken" for us. It's really just a simpler, shorter version of chicken gumbo without all the spices...and that may seem a bit boring to you, but my kids LOVED IT!! I have taken over the tradition and now my grandchildren eat it almost every time they come over...and my parents, children and friends ask ME to make it for them! It's a wonderful dish! 

1 whole fresh chicken, cut into pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oil
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Brown the pieces in a Dutch oven on all sides; drain and set aside. Make sure there is ~1/2 cup oil in the bottom of the pot. Also make sure the oil is still hot before pouring the flour into the pot; whisk together and allow the flour to simmer in the pot until it begins to brown. Stir with a wooden spoon. Wait for the roux to brown a little more and stir again. (You should be stirring about every 2-3 min.) Do not allow the roux to burn. Stir the roux until it turns a dark golden brown - usually about 30 min. Add the onion and garlic into the roux and stir together. The onion and garlic will "ball-up" in the roux but continue to cook and stir for another 10-15 min. Carefully add the chicken stock, whisking quickly to incorporate the roux. The "gravy" should be brown and thickened.
Add the chicken back into the pot and allow it to cook uncovered for at least an hour. After the chicken is completely cooked take the meat off the bones and return to the pot. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. Serve over rice.
That's it!!  If you have children you really need to try this and begin a new tradition in your family!!



Green Chili Enchiladas

Roasting green chilies is not difficult. Hold the chilies over an open flame or place them in the oven on broil until they blacken. Wrap in some foil foe ~10 minutes then remove the skin and seeds. Chop the peppers into 1/2" pieces then continue with the recipe.

2 lbs. ground meat 

4 large yellow onions, chopped

6-7 cloves of garlic minced

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

10-12 hatch green chilies, roasted and chopped as per instructions

2 jalapeños, minced

2 cups chicken broth

12-15 flour tortillas

2 cups shredded Montery Jack cheese

Brown beef; add onions, jalapeños and garlic and cook down until onions are soft and clear. Drain. Season with salt and pepper and add the green chilies and broth. Cook for another hour. Cool before making the enchiladas. 

Green chili sauce:

1 onion, chopped

3 pods garlic,minced

2 T. Oil

3 T. Flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

5-6 hatch chilies, roasted and chopped as per instructions

Sauté onion and garlic in 3 T. of oil; add 3 T. of flour. Stir until the flour is smooth- 2-3 min. Add the broth and whisk until smooth; add sour cream and whisk until thickened. Add chilies and stir until combined. 

To make enchiladas:

Place 3-4 T. of the green chili into a flour tortilla; roll-up and place n a 9x13" casserole dish. Fill the dish w the enchiladas and por the sauce over the top. Sprinkle w cheese and bake in a 350 degree 

oven for 30-35 minutes or until brown and bubbly. 

Thank Uncle Barry for the great memories! 

Bubba, Buck and the Oysters

If you haven't seen the recipe for Drago's Oysters be sure to look it up! It's a fantastic recipe....but I need to add a warning: Please wear protective gloves when you're shucking the oysters. Bubba didn't listen to his own advice and landed in the emergency room just before we had our friends Buck and Lynn over for dinner last night. Buck finished shucking the oysters and we had a GREAT meal. Bubba will have the stitches out in 7-10 days!



Bubba's Hand with the rogue oyster



Buck with twin oysters!



Jessy's Sugar Cookies

Ainsley and Nana making Steven's
sugar cookies.



When Jessy was in high school she was already becoming a great cook. She loved sugar cookies and was determined to make them well before she graduated...her sugar cookies are still better than mine BUT I have stolen her recipe!! And it works really well! The trick to any sugar cookie recipe is to chill the dough for at least an hour before you roll it out. I believe in using butter in sugar cookies instead of Crisco- it gives them a much richer flavor, but Crisco stabilizes the dough better. It's up to you! 

Jessy and me

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda     

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 extra large eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

Sift the flour and soda together. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together; add the eggs and mix until well blended. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. On a lightly floured smooth surface roll out the dough. Cut the cookies into desired shapes. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 min. Cool on a wire rack and paint with a powdered sugar/milk glaze.

My youngest daughter, Jackie went to Dallas on Friday to greet her boyfriend, Steven after his summer-long mission trip to China. Ainsley thought it would be fun to make Steven a sugar cookie that looks like Jackie...we thought it was a GREAT idea!



Aunt Jackie with Ainsley and Ky



Sandy's Challah with Herbs

My Sista's sister-in-law gave her this recipe. It is one of the best (easiest) bread recipes that I've ever made. Bubba is a much better bread baker than I am - it does not come easy to me, but Sandy has tweaked this recipe for many years making it very easy. It's just fun to play with! The basic recipe is below but for this one I added 2 T. of fresh rosemary minced, 1 tsp. Kosher salt (in addition to the 1/4 tsp. regular salt) and 5 Basil leaves minced. It was a perfect addition to our meal!

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
5/8 cup warm water (100-110 degrees
2 1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. honey
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. oil
3 1/2 c. flour
Set oven to 325 degrees.
Combine yeast, sugar and water and allow to proof ~10 min. Add salt, honey 2 eggs and oil and blend with fork. Measure flour into a bowl; pour in liquid ingredients and mix well. Turn out onto a counter or wooden board and knead, adding a little flour as needed until dough is elastic and no longer sticky. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hrs. Divide into 3 balls and roll each ball into a rope; braid the ropes and all to rise for 1 more hour. Baste with on beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 min. in a 325 degree oven.
Sista's notes:
Make sure all wet ingredients are warmed to 120-130 degree if using Rapid Rise yeast and 100-110 degrees if using regular active, dry yeast.
My notes:
Yeast doughs always work better if they are a little more wet than dry (stiff). Don't add too much flour!