Parsley

Got a AeroGrow for Christmas from Mike
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Got a AeroGrow for Christmas from Mike

Every year we plant our herbs in the garden and on the deck some from seeds, some from seedlings bought and others like the Thyme, oregano, chives etc. just keep coming back . The start of February always bring thoughts of better start so if I want to have plants ready transplant.

It’s not just herbs for me no there was the one year that Lyn lost her dinette area I decided to start Lillies from seed all summer and fall where ever I went I inspected pods to see if they were ready to gift their gift of seeds. I walk a lot – 2 miles every work day at lunch- and  on my journey whether from neighbor’s house, CVS or the local mall I inspected and collected many seeds. I had some great success and now the plants are here and there in the yard across the street…. It was a one year thing but a lot of fun for me. I even tied cross pollination to create my own breed but I think the bees did a better job than I did. Anyway………

Growing fresh food and flowers lifts the spirit and nurtures the soul. But for most people, the nurturing ends when winter begins. AeroGrow founder Michael Bissonnette said, “Wouldn’t it be great to have fresh herbs, flowers and veggies growing in your home, any time of year?”. So he and a group of like-minded innovators married that notion to aeroponics, a highly efficient gardening technology in which plants grow in water, nutrients and air.

Here is our progress so far in about a month – thanks Mikie already and basil on pizza and chives on the baked potato and parsley on the frittata!

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Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days
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Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days

Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days

Seafood and or Chicken

What is New Orleans without a big bowl of Gumbo ?  Here are two recipes one for the seafood lovers and one for those who are not so crazy about seafood. I found these in the Cane River Cuisine cook book which we got when attending a tour of the plantations festival in Natchitoches, LA. TI was published by one of my favorite customers wife group, while I was with 20th Century Fox. We have had many a good meal either taken for directly or tweaked by us.

Natchitoches_Downtown

Mama’s Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:

  • 3 large white onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. Oil
  • 1 package frozen sliced okra
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • 6 tbsp. Oil
  • 6 tbsp. Flour
  • 2 pounds cleaned deveined shrimp
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 ½ cups chopped green onion and tops (scullions)
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 tsps. Thyme
  • Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and onion salt to taste
  • 6 dashes of tabasco
  • 1 can lump crabmeat
  • 1 16 ounce jar oysters

 

How:

Sauté white onions and garlic in 3 Tablespoons oil. Add okra and cover until okra becomes tender. Add tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes. Make a dark roux using 6 tablespoons flour and 6 tablespoons oil. Add 2 quarts water slowly to roux. Stir constantly. Add okra, onion, garlic and tomato mixture. Add chopped green onions and parsley, bay leafs and thyme. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion, salt and tabasco. Let cook on medium heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, add crabmeat and oysters, Allow to cook 3 to 5 minutes longer, Serves 8 to 10

Cane River

Chicken and Okra Gumbo

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 pound) Fryer
  • 2 or 3 cups cut okra
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons oil or bacon drippings
  • Pinch of sweet basil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
  • Green onion tops, chopped fresh parsley or parsley flakes

How:

Cut chicken into pieces and boil in about 1 gallon water. Remove and debone. Cook okra, onions, bell pepper and tomatoes in oil slowly for about 30 minutes or until okra is not slimy. Make a roux with 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons oil. Add roux, vegetables and chicken to hot chicken broth. Add other seasonings and cook slowly for about 2 hours. Before serving add fresh onion tops and parsley chopped fine. Serve over rice. Serves 6.

Cane River Cuisine

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Big Fat Cod potato pancakes

I don’t eat a lot of potatoes these days but every once in a while they hit the spot. Funny we could go weeks without having them and then it seems every night for a week nothing but potatoes with or in the meal. Could there be some sort of vitamin deficiency that causes these potato cravings. I firmly believe that the body will make you crave what it needs to fix an issue.  Yes the rest of the family thinks I’m a little off too.

 

Big Fat Cod Potato Pancakes

Prep 10-15 minutes

Cook 30-35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut in half
  • 1 lbs cod fillets, cubed
  • 1 Tbps.butter
  • 1 Tbpsgrated onion
  • 1 Tbps chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 egg
  • 2-3 Tbps oil for frying (canola, corn, safflower, sunflower, vegetable- all have high smoke point and are good for pan frying)

How

Boil the potatoes in a large pot, remember to start with cold or room temperature water and add potatoes then bring to boil then the outside will not cook faster than the inside. Cook until they are almost tender.

Add the fish to the pot and let the fish and potatoes cook until they are both soft. Drain and transfer into to a large mixing bowl. Add butter, onion, parsley, and egg to the bowl; mash the mixture together. Have some kid fun and mold the patties.

Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat, fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

All you need now is a vegetable broccoli sound good doesn’t it? A quick homemade tartar sauce mix mayo, and relish together maybe a few red pepper flakes cause I like the heat.

I think next time we will try with sweet potatoes.