Weekly Favorites 12/09/18 to 12/15/18

Time for a new batch of weekly favorites! I'm excited about this week's finds, and I've got another

new post to share with you later on in the week!

20 Black Eyed Peas Recipes for New Years - via Penney Lane

It is said to be good luck to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day! My wife make's Hoppin' John and cornbread every year for New Year's! What traditions do you have? If you don't have any black eye pea traditions, here are 20 ideas to get you started!

Is it your tradition to eat black eyed peas for #NewYearsDay Here’s 20 creative ways to eat your peas for prosperity: #recipes #foodblogger https://t.co/Qp42qvNtfr pic.twitter.com/kpGAP3qpwz

— Kathy Penney (@KathPenney) December 15, 2018

Braised Beef Burgundy Stew - via La Vida Dulce

Braised beef always just screams my name and reminds of the OG celebrity chef, Julia Child. This Beef Burgundy looks perfect for a cold winter day!

Braised Beef Burgundy Stew anyone? https://t.co/aZznnemtdL #recipe #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/N1WFVuQHC4

— Gold Hair Dont Care (@YoSoyYayaR) December 13, 2018

What to Drink in New Orleans, LA - via Natasha Liun

If you've been following along, you may have noticed that I love coffee! It's a constant companion. Combine that with New Orleans, and you've got a good thing going!

New post on my blog. Check it out: https://t.co/VEYaOPMLRl
When in @VisitNewOrleans, you've got to try out @pjscoffee. #Foodies #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/dlPBbnhFcL

— Natasha L. (@natashaliun) December 15, 2018

Giant Chocolate Chip Sharing Cookie - via Treasure Every Moment

So, I love sweets. Maybe a little bit too much! And this giant chocolate chip cookie looks nothing short of spectacular. I know that the description says it is shareable, but let's go ahead and be honest with ourselves!

RECIPE: Giant Chocolate Chip Sharing Cookie - you'll need all your willpower to not eat it all! https://t.co/05FUcM6J6C #foodblogger #recipeoftheday pic.twitter.com/SqDnf9Iz5N

— Helen (@Treasure_E_M) December 15, 2018

Homemade Juicy Chicken Shawarma Sandwich - via Cooking with Anadi

What's not to love about these Shawarmas? First of all, they're Mediterranean, which in my experience, all but guarantees that it will be good. Then, you combine grilled chicken and veggies with a yogurt sauce

Shawarmas make for a convenient snack when you're out and about! But you can definitely make them a special sit-down dinner from home! Grilled Mediterranean chicken, veggies, and a yogurt sauce!

RECIPE >> https://t.co/FBuWvpmgQt#recipeblog #RecipeOfTheDay #Cooking #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/J6lcpUrVaX

— Anadi Misra (@_anadizzle) December 16, 2018

Weekly Favorites 04/22/18 to 04/28/18

Halfway through the week, but better late than never! This week, I went back to an old standby, Garden & Gun, as well as a few of my fellow bloggers!

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde
Photo Credit Garden & Gun

The Crescent City's Classic Eats - via Garden & Gun

I've always loved New Orleans, especially the food! This city has so much to offer from Po-Boys to gumbo to beignets! Take a tour of some of New Orleans' classic, must visit restaurants!


Chilaquiles with Marinated Skirt Steak - via A Spicy Perspective

Chilaquiles
Photo Credit A Spicy Perspective

What's not to like about chilaquiles? I used to love to go to a taco place around the corner from my office. Before it was turned in to a parking lot, they had the best chilaquiles! This recipe is going to be a must try for me!

Blueberry Croissant Puffs
Photo Credit The Girl Who Ate Everything

Blueberry Croissant Puffs - via The Girl Who Ate Everything

I'm not sure what's not to love here. This sounds like the perfect Sunday morning breakfast! Nothing goes better on a Sunday morning than fresh baked pastries and nice cup of coffee

Weekly Favorites 4/1/2018 through 4/7/2018

Well the week's almost over, and there's only one, but here is my favorite food and restaurant article for the week! Better late than never I suppose!






Navigating the New Orleans Po'Boy - via Garden & Gun

Fried Oyster Po'Boy
Photo Credit Garden & Gun

One of my favorite things, is a classic Po'Boy! Whether it's some fried oysters, stewed meat, or an Italian variation with some meatballs, you can't beat a good Po'Boy! And don't forget the Zapp's!

Family Reunion in New Orleans

As a family, we've always gathered around food. There have always been the holidays where we have dinner, but that's just what you do. And for the last 20 years or so it has just been the Houston crew. It has been too difficult to get the New Orleans bunch together as our lives have taken us all in different directions.

The house number on the front porch

So last weekend, we did just that. It was a trip we had been talking about taking, but never could get the momentum going. The timing was never right or schedules would never allow. But we all knew there was one thing keeping us from making the trip. It was a request from the last member of older generation in the family and we knew we had to honor it. It wasn't that he didn't want to see us, he didn't want us to see him. That sounds worse than it actually is, or was in this case. My great-uncle, Emmett, had been in the throes of illness and it was his wish that we not see him for fear that we would remember him in his weakened state. The reality is that we will always remember him as loving, kind, funny Uncle Emmett we knew growing up. The Uncle Emmett who used to pull quarters from my ears when I was a child. The time had finally come to make the trip to visit our family. We needed to pay our respects.

Magazine Pizza

So we all loaded up and drove east. So we could all be together and have room to visit, we found a double shotgun house in the Garden District. We had all of the New Orleans family and celebrated the best way we know how. We ate. 

First there was pizza, the best way to satisfy the hunger cravings of a road-weary group of travelers. Magazine Pizza did the trick. Of course we went to the old standby of cheese pizza, but also indulged our cravings with the Margherita pizza and the Mediterranean pizza. We stood around and ate our pizza and learned about what everyone has been up to since we last saw everyone. 

Delicious French Market Coffee

Creole House Restaurant and Oyster Bar

The next day, after several pots of coffee, we made it over to the New Orleans Aquarium as another tribute to our family's fallen. Emmett and his wife Louise had helped raise money for the aquarium and Louise had even volunteered there when she was able. On the way to the aquarium, we stopped for lunch, and considering we were in New Orleans, it had to somewhere authentic. We arrived the Creole House and had our fill of gumbo, poboys, local brews, and of course oysters. With full stomachs, we were ready to head over to the aquarium. It was a treat to watch all of our kids react to the fish and make memories just as we had with our cousins growing up. 

After a rest back at the house, it was time for all of us to gather in a room and have a meal together. After, it's the best way we know to honor our relatives who have gone to soon before us. We reserved the private room at Pascal's Manale and shared stories and memories of Emmett. As we talked, the food and drink came and went until it was time to be on our way. We all gathered just a little longer at the house to wind down and catch up just a little more, until soon it was time to say our goodbyes. 

Morning Call Beignets

Me and the little one taking in New Orleans

Sunday morning we hit the road, but not without making one last stop. We couldn't leave New Orleans without a proper breakfast. We stopped off at Morning Call for beignets, cafe au laits, and some live music. My youngest couldn't get enough of the street performer just a stones throw away from us. After we had our fill and let the kids run around City Park, it was time to head west.