"In the South Land there's a city Way down on the river Where the women are very pretty And all the men deliver They got music It's always playin' Start in the day time, go all through the night When you hear that music playin' Hear what I'm saying, it make you feel alright!" - Princess and the Frog, Disney I'm sure it was of no surprise to you that I played this album on repeat the whole flight down to New Orleans. I was beyond excited to finally experience this lively and vibrant city! I wanted to walk through the streets, listen to jazz, explore the sights, and EAT ALL THE FOOD. One thing New Orleans is known for is their cuisine and boy did it deliver. So This week, instead of sharing a recipe with you, I wanted to share some of my favorite things I ate and where you can find them! 1. The Royal Omelet - Oceana Grill Oceana Grill is the GO TO place for breakfast or brunch in the French Quarter. Now, it is well known - so you will want to get there in plenty of time to beat the rush. When I was there I had probably the most delicious omelet I have ever had. The Royal Omelet is filled with New Orleans original alligator sausage, with fresh diced bell peppers & onions, topped with a crawfish mushroom cream sauce. I could eat the cream sauce on EVERYTHING! This perfect blend of traditional New Orleans spices and food is a must-have when you visit! 2. French Truck Coffee Be it a quick breakfast or just midday pick me up, French Truck Coffee is the place to go. Whenever I go somewhere new, I love to try a local coffee shop. They have a huge variety of coffee and teas. They even have a few pastry options if you need a quick breakfast. I tried their Chai Tea Latte and it was DELICIOUS! I highly recommend you stop in if you can! 3. Praline Beignets - Loretta's Authentic Pralines "Loretta's Authentic Pralines has been in business for over 35 years. Loretta was the first African American woman to successfully own and operate her own praline company in New Orleans. Today, Loretta’s Authentic Pralines is a thriving business with two locations. For Loretta, success continues with the recent opening of another business venture HE-brews Coffeehouse in the Fabourg Marigny. Loretta has made appearances on numerous television and radio shows, as well as guest speaker at various business events. In the social arena, Loretta also thrives where she continuously gives back. She has won numerous awards for her contribution to the economic success of New Orleans, service to her community, and her philanthropist spirit. The Harrison firmly believes that if you “put God first, He will grant the wishes of your heart." (Loretta's Authentic Pralines, 2020) When I tell you these are the BEST BEIGNETS EVER, I mean it!! Every order is made fresh and, boy, is it worth the wait. We first tried her Praline Beignet at the French Market while we were on a culinary bike tour. The tour guide told us that she had a hidden gem of a restaurant located in one of the neighborhoods. You can bet that we packed up and immediately headed over there. We tried everything from the bacon and egg beignets to the crab stuffed beignets. I promise you. This is where you MUST go if you want true authentic beignets. 15/10 - first place I am going when I go back one day. 4. Dian Xin - Authentic Chinese Food Okay. I know what you are thinking, "You went to New Orleans and got Chinese food?" Yup. Sure did. I can eat Chinese food all day every day and I was NOT passing up this opportunity that I stumbled upon while walking down the street. First of all the atmosphere of Dian Xian is just amazing, it was so beautiful, rustic, and inviting that I could have sat there with a glass of Plum Wine in my hand for hours. One of the things they are known for is their Xiao Long Boa, a soup-filled pork dumpling. This was my first experience eating Boa and I absolutely failed at the technique used for eating it, but it was oh so good. My favorite thing I ate and what I recommend above all else was the Steamed Pork Bao. The flavor of the delicious pork inside a fluffy bao bun was so comforting and warm. I could have eaten them ALL DAY. Do not walk, RUN to Dian Xin. 5. Café Pierre Lacquered Texas Quail - Commander's Palace While down in New Orleans, Jacob and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. We wanted to go out for a nice dinner and we were told Commander's Palace was the place to go. So we got all dressed up and headed over to the Garden District for an evening of delicious food, drink, and quiet celebration. Though higher priced, the quiet atmosphere, the quality service, and delicious food are worth every penny. Everything we ate that evening was amazing, but my favorite by far was the Café Pierre Lacquered Texas Quail. This smoky Cajun boudin stuffed quail over a nest of tangy bacon braised cabbage with rustic roots, crystal hot sauce pulp, and sticky Grand Marnier & Cognac jus was just perfect. It was truly a harmonious blend of flavors that everyone must have at least once! 6. Frozen Irish Coffee - 13 Monaghan Look, once I had this in my hands, I did not put it down until every last drop was gone. It's just SO GOOD. If you are a lover of coffee ice cream or milkshakes as I am - no seriously, it's my favorite flavor and the best flavor of ice cream, no other opinions are accepted - you will LOVE it. Plus they create a beautiful swirl on top with coffee grinds, which I just thought was fun!
Be warned, this is one of those sneaky drinks that is so tasty you forget there is alcohol in it - so please remember to drink responsibly!! I had an amazing time eating my way through NOLA! I truly hope this list of recommendations helps you out when you take a trip down south for some of the best cuisine there is to offer. Reach and tell me some of your favorite things you have eaten while there! Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo
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As truly wonderful and stress relieving cooking a meal from start to finish is, there is something so nice about dumping it all in the crockpot, setting a timer, and going about your day. How glorious the smell that permeates the air as it cooks is! It's so satisfying and SO DELICIOUS!!!
This Crockpot Tortellini is absolutely the dish that you want to come home to, especially on a chilly fall or winter evening. There are a few substitutions you can make if you cannot find everything above.
I promise you will be making this recipe over and over again! It truly is a one-pot wonder! Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments. Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo *original recipe found at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/25966135340452487/ Every year, my in-laws grow a beautiful garden, and with this comes a massive batch of tomatoes! The last time we visited, I left with a HUGE bag full. One thing I've always wanted to try was making tomato sauce from scratch. So with my hands full, the time was NIGH! The above recipe is one for everyone. It's simple, easy, and delicious! One of the best parts of making it from scratch is its all an experiment. You can add and delete ingredients according to your taste. I used more garlic then needed because, as we know, the amount of garlic is decided from the heart!
So follow your heart and MAKE THAT SAUCE!! Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments!! Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo *original recipe found at: https://thefreerangelife.com/how-to-make-roasted-tomato-sauce/ Who loves breakfast?! We love breakfast and we seriously LOVE this Egg and Bacon Crescent Pastry! My mouth was watering just from the smell alone. Not to mention its incredibly quick and easy to make. The piece that REALLY makes this dish is the seasoning you use. You can use whatever seasoning you like and brings your heart happy, BUT I would highly recommend you order yourself some Happy Salt from the Shipshewana Spice Company! Trust me, once you use this you will be running to buy more of their spice collection. It is DELICIOUS! I hope you just love this dish as much as I do! Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo Look...I know its only September...it's just...sometimes I miss the holidays and this Holiday Iced Latte allows me to reminisce until the joyful time of year returns! Plus, now I do not have to wait for coffee stories to release specialty coffee drinks. The smell alone, from the cinnamon and allspice, will have you right back into your home on Christmas morning. Now, I know some of the above ingredients may be a LITTLE vague on what exactly to use, but that's because the possibilities are endless!! When it comes to vanilla creamer, the original recipe suggests french vanilla. I did not have that at the time of trying it out. I did, however, have International Delight's Vanilla Cannoli Crème Latte creamer. It is DELICIOUS! I highly recommend you try it, especially with this drink. When it comes to the coffee, I would recommend using a holiday blend, preferably either a hazelnut or caramel cookie blend! If you do not have those, DO NOT WORRY. Make whatever coffee makes your heart smile. I hope this latte brings you a little Christmas spirit all year long!
Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo *original recipe found at: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJS8wAUm/ I've said it before and I'll say it again - one step dinners are the BEST! This Sweet Hawaiian Chicken is probably the EASIEST recipe I have ever posted. This recipe has a deliciously sweet flavor that will have your mouth watering for seconds. One thing to note for this recipe, the chicken can quickly overcook and dry out. So cook start with 6 hours on low then check it. If there is no pink and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then you are good to go. If not, continue cooking in 30-minute increments until ready. One taste and this chicken will have you dancing with joy! Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments!
Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo Three words: Simple, Easy, Quick. That's all I need to describe this amazing Easy Baked Spaghetti! I am always on the hunt for delicious recipes that take no time at all to make. I love just being able to throw it all in and go about my evening. Plus, who doesn't love spaghetti! It's always delicious and heart fulfilling! With this recipe, you can use any type of noodle, pasta sauce, and cheese you wish or have on hand. I will say the thick noodles really elevated the dish, in my personal opinion. I truly cannot wait to hear what you all think of this delicious dish. It's perfect for everyone to enjoy! Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments! And always remember: Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust!! Katie, xoxo *original recipe found at: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/easy-baked-spaghetti/#wprm-recipe-container-8804 I am a firm believer that EVERYTHING is better bite-sized. It's just so small, cute, and delicious! Also dangerous...you eat so many...so worth it... So when I stumbled across these mini corn dog muffins I knew I had to make them. This has to be one of the EASIEST recipes I have ever made and not to mention I had everything in my cupboard already! Seriously...there is NOTHING like when you find a recipe online and you already have the ingredients! It just feels like... There are two key things to making this dish delicious!
One reason I love these Corn Dog Bites is that you can use them for so many different occasions: pot lucks, party appetizers, kids lunch boxes, secret snacks, and so much MORE! I hope these corn dog bites bring out the little kid in you as it did for me! Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments. Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Katie, xoxo *original recipe found at: https://www.theanthonykitchen.com/corn-dog-muffins-recipe/ Nothing brings me back to my childhood more than coming home to the cozy smell of cooking meatloaf. My mom makes the BEST meatloaf ever and I am convinced its because of her magical meatloaf dish - a vintage 1980's 1 1/2 quart Pyrex dish. I've wanted one of my own for YEARS, so when my mom and I stumbled across one recently, you can bet we snatched it up. I immediately went home and made this Turkey & Bell Pepper Meatloaf! I mean seriously...look how amazing this dish is...so vintage...so amazing...so AWE INSPIRING! Meatloaf can be tricky. It can become either come out too juicy or too dry in a matter of minutes. Here are a few tips to help you make it perfect!
My recipe was inspired by a recipe I recently found in Weight Watchers, Healthy Kitchen: 100 Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Recipes (Mintchef 70). I guess you could say its not a traditional meatloaf, but I can promise you its absolutely delicious! So go out there, get that vintage Pyrex dish, and make some meatloaf!! Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments!
Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust!! Katie, xoxo Mintcheff, Deborah. Weight Watchers, Healthy Kitchen: 100 Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Recipes. Edited by Amy Grippo et al., WW International, Inc., 2019. Scarves, sweaters, bonfires, pumpkin spice lattes, colorful leaves, corn mazes, a slight nip to the air...Oh fall, how I love you so, and yet you are still so far away! As fall draws closer, I feel myself yearning for it more and more. So last night I decided to give myself a little fall gift and bake these Pumpkin Blondies! Now I am not joking when I say this was one of the BEST desserts I've had. So simple, yet SO GOOD! Here are a few different pointers to help make this recipe as easy as possible for you!
I hope this recipe helps you survive until fall finally arrives, until then just keep dreaming. I know I will... Leave me your thoughts and pictures in the comments!! Sending you all a little Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust!! Katie, xoxo |