THE BEST Red Beans and Rice Recipe EVER!

     "Red Beans n' Rice tastes SO nice"

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm obsessed with cajun/creole cuisine. New Orleans is my foodie heaven. I belong there. 

Mondays in New Orleans, are made for red beans and rice. 

It's a simple dish, but all the recipes I have tried have missed something. I decided to give it a try, without a guide, channeling some of my favorite NOLA eateries, on Fat Tuesday. 

No pressure. Lol 

But thankfully, I nailed it... Here we go y'all!

1 pound bag red beans ( I use Camilla brand)

1 very large or 2 small ham hocks (when in doubt, use 2)

2 onions; chopped

2 stalks celery; chopped 

2 bell peppers; chopped 

6 cloves of garlic minced

1 (or 2) jalapeño; minced (deviened and deseeded)

2 bay leaves 

8-10 shakes of your favorite Louisana hot sauce ( or 5 if your a weenie;)

( I also add 4 shakes Tabasco)

Creole seasoning of your choice 

A couple dashes of white pepper

And my secret ingredient- 1 tablespoon bacon grease (optional of course)

Added at the end-

1 package andouille sausage (I use Holmes smokehouse) sliced 

Salt and WHITE pepper to taste 

Soak beans overnight in the fridge. 

Rinse and double check beans for any bad beans or rocks, rinse again, and add to crock pot. 

Add all ingredients except the sausage. Cover with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Cook on high 4-6 hours (adding sausage in the last hour) or low 8-10 hours (adding sausage in the last 2 hours), depending on the heat of your crockpot. 

*make sure to check your beans and make sure there is enough water to cover.  

When beans are done, take out the ham hock and bay leaves. Check seasonings. Adjust if needed. 

Grab a potato masher and mash some of the beans to create a creamy consistency. 

I serve mine in a bowl with a scoop of steamed rice, and freshly sliced green onions... and always a bottle of your favorite lousiana hot sauce!

Let the good times roll!!!

Put a Little "PEP" In Your Step!

It's busy BUSY times over here in Texas 

Dinner Belles land!

   Our private chef business is booming, and I haven't had a weekend off from cooking since before the new year. 

I'm not complaining.....

          

             I'm bursting with food joy!  

               

             

It's been party central, so I thought I would post an easy recipe to add some WOW to your next shindig. 

  My Texas Dinner Belles stuffed peppadew peppers with a whipped goat cheese mousse, balsamic glaze, and crushed pistachios, were a huge hit! The peppers are the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. 

 I plated this batch with a balsamic reduction and rolled the top with crushed pistachios, for a nice "crunch". 

They are the perfect little 2 bite wonders....

"Chef Julie's Stuffed Peppadews"

20 peppadew peppers (you can find them in jars or in the antipasti sections at HEB or Central Market)

1 small log of goat cheese. ( I use plain but feel free to experiment with different flavors 

2 packages cream cheese 

Salt to taste ( a pinch will do)

1 tablespoon fresh herbs ( I love chives, thyme, or Italian flat-leaf parsley)-experiment away

2 tablespoons milk or cream (whatever you have) 

Crushed toasted nuts ( pistachios and pecans are my fav)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients, EXCEPT peppers and nuts, in a food processor and whip until fluffy. 

2. Pipe mixture into your peppers, roll the tops in the nuts. 

3. Drizzle with your best balsamic (the sweeter, the thicker, the better;)

Super fast, super easy, and super wowza...

Enjoy!

Keep it peppy peeps,

Julie  

The Diet Starts Tomorrow Macaroni and Cheese

 

                                                               "Return Of The Mac"

When you think of the ultimate comfort food, what comes to mind? I have around 1,000 things that sound great to me, I have a never ending appetite. Never. Ending. Appetite.

     

My beautiful niece, Miss Isabella Jane, is a macaroni and cheese connoisseur! Our Aunt Lydia always makes mac for every family event, at Izzy's request. Lydia makes the most amazing mac and cheese, so I haven't had made it in years….until….

My beautiful friend Tiffany asked our little private chef business, "The Texas Dinner Belles", to cater her baby shower. Tiffany is an amazing person, and she was a mentor to me all throughout culinary school. For her shower, she requested one specific dish, you guessed it, MACARONI AND CHEESE. I knew I was on a mission! I had to perfect, to the best of my ability, the perfect version. I channeled my inner Paula Deen, I traveled far and wide, I had a motto- WWLD. (what would Lydia do) 

I wanted it to be perfect for her. 

After several (7 or 9- I lost count) attempts, I nailed it!

Beware, once you prepare this dish you will never look at mac and cheese the same way again. You will long for it, you will block out the fact that you use a stick and a half (or more, who cares) of Butter. Beautiful, creamy, yellowy, blissful butter. I love butter. My dog's name is Butter. You get the picture.

So don't judge me, because this recipe will NOT help you get back into your skinny jeans. 

This is a stage 6 cheese alert!

"The Diet Starts Tomorrow Macaroni and Cheese"

1 pound farfelle pasta (the tuxedo bowtie -I did it for a baby boy baby shower theme) or pasta of your choice

2 cups half and half

1 1/2 sticks of butter ( plus some extra pats for the top before you bake, if you wanna)

8 or 9 ounces Velveeta cheese - cut in tiny cubes

1/8 tsp Lawry's Seasoning mix 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup of the following cheeses;

FRESHLY GRATED, NOT THE ALREADY SHREDDED IN THE BAG! PLEASE! I BEG!

Monterrey Jack

Mild Cheddar

Medium Cheddar

Sharp Cheddar

Muenster- (this sends it to the moon!)

and, if you want, but I didn't, you can add 1 whisked egg to the end of Step 4.

*this recipe is SO easy if you prep everything, and have it sitting on the counter waiting for you- or as we learned in culinary school "mise in place". You will feel like you deserve your own cooking show when you realize how easy it becomes..

Directions:

1.Cook your pasta in boiling salted water until it's al dente. (or take a minute or 2 off of the box directions)

2. Mix all of the grated cheese together in a large bowl. (no velveeta yet…)

3. When your pasta is ready, drain into a colander and turn the burner off. Toss your pasta with the tablespoon of oil. (this is very easy to forget) Give your empty pot a minute or so to cool and return your pasta pan to the stove and throw in your butter. 

4. Throw your drained pasta back in the pan with the butter that is slowly melting. Add the Velveeta cubes, half and half, Lawry's seasoning,  and 2 cups of the reserved shredded cheese into the pasta, and turn the burner on warm. Stir until the cheese gets all melted together. (This is like a cheese romance) Add salt and pepper to taste, a little at a time. You will have to taste, taste, and taste. 

5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

6. Butter or spray nonstick cooking spray on your casserole dish, then pour in your cheesy mac and cheese. Top with remaining cheese. (And those couple of pats of butter if you are feeling naughty)

7. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until your beautiful creation is golden and bubbling. 

Disclaimer:  Just in case I get any "haters" because I technically used farfelle pasta, instead of traditional macaroni, I am sorry. Farfelle and cheese doesn't have the same "ring" to it. 

Peace, Cheese, and yes please, 

Julie

"Fifty Shades of Sante Fe"

                              

                                   "Fifty Shades of Sante Fe"

November is finally here!!  With an overdue cool breeze blowing in, us "Texans" can at last do something we haven't been able to do in months......USE OUR OVENS! The cool fall breeze has not only whet my appetite for cooking, but also put my holiday themed mind on full blast. Instead of making the usual Ghoul-ash , Tricken-Boo-sghetti, orMummy-dogs, I got in the kitchen to see what I could find to whip up in a flash.


The key player....
Leftover smoked pork shoulder, thank you Uncle Ron;), quickly turned it into pork carnitas - with fresh roasted poblano peppers, sauted onion, and a couple canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

I wanted to make a blog with a recipe without specific amount or quantaties, so I grabbed a few key kitchen staples and was on my way to making one of the best dishes I have ever created! (I was in the mood for Sante Fe style stacked cheese and onion enchildas, so I kicked it up a notch)

*and yes, I took a shortcut.. I used my 2 favorite store-bought enchilda sauces. I happen to LOVE them, and they are great in a pinch! (but of course I love homemade). T minus 30 minutes utnil showtime people!

                                
                                "My Sante Fe Stacked Enchildas"

                         Read the entire recipe first, so you can create your own enchilada masterpiece!!


1 or 2 pounds of meat (depending on how many your making)
I used my leftover pork carnita creation, but I already have plans for beef, chicken, turkey, or roasted fall veggies. Do stacked cheese and onion if you like. Keep the creative juices flowing!

1 small onion, chopped and sauteed in a little oil or butter

4 cups or 10 ;) grated cheese- I used a mix of colby jack, muenster, and some Deli Deluxe sliced American cheese

1 can green enchilda sauce
1 can red enchildada sauce- Old El Paso Medium is my favorite  (I wanted New Mexico "Christmas Style" red and green enchildas) I also liked to warm the sauce on the stovetop or micowave first, just because.

Corn Tortillas- softened ( I dredge mine in hot oil for a few seconds until soft)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees...Grab a baking sheet, covered with foil  ( <-- trust me), grab your assembly line of ingredients and start stacking...

Mine went a little something like this....

tortilla
cheese and sauteed onion
tortilla
Meat layer- pork and muenster cheese
tortilla
cheese and onion
tortilla
spoon of red on one side, spoon of green sauce on the other side

I hear sleigh bells already....

Top with cheese. This is where I get carried away....

Pop the stack in the oven until they are hot and bubbly and serve with your favorite toppings!

Hello Lover...

 my favorite topping just happened to be a drizzle of sour cream on the bottom and a beautiful fried egg on the top.

                                                                Hang your STACKings by the chimney with care!!

                      "Put A Little South In Your Mouth"

Hi, my name is Julie Morris, and I am a big, fat, blog neglector.

I have actually had TOO much to blog about, and I am feeling overwhelmed with inspiration and I have no clue where to start.

So April, without doubt, is always the busiest time for me. The highlight being the Texas State Championship Fiddler's Frolics in Hallettsville, Texas. It is more than a fiddle contest for me. It is a family reunion.
This year, My Dad, Kenneth Morris, and cousin,
 Dale Morris Jr, were inducted into the Hall of Fame. I gave a speech, I have no clue what I said,  I cried, and I played my guitar. Words cannot express how awesome it is for me to have the honor of having BOTH parents in the Hall of Fame now. I am one proud daughter.

My Cousin Jen (Shish) and I in Hallettsville

So the day I returned from Hallettsville, I came home, worked, gave my cocker spaniels and Salma as much attention as possible, and left the next morning for Savannah ,Georgia with Lydia, my partner in crime. First stop, PAULA DEEN'S Restaurant, The Lady and Sons. It was amazing. It wasn't fancy, it wasn't trendy. It was my Grandma's cooking. If anyone has a bad thing to say about the Queen, Miss Paula Deen, they can answer to me. Thank God for women like her who keep "Grandma's cooking alive". Trendy cooking doesn't impress me. Sorry. If you don't like it, you can kiss my grits.

A sample of the buffet items at the amazing "Lady and Sons"

Onto South Carolina. My big sis invited us to stay with her in a SWEET rental house right on the beach on Hilton Head Island. We had the best time!!! I got to be personal chef for everyone, including my 4 perfect nieces and nephews. It was my dream job. Life is good....

Lydia and I rented a Mustang convertible to cruise the beach in style!

My sis is the best!!!

Cousin Sarah and I tore up Hilton Head!

So spending time and savoring the South has been good for me. It brought me back to basics. The good stuff. A good pot of beans, fried chicken, banana pudding, sweet tea, fried catfish, shrimp and grits, pecan pie, sweet potatoes, GRAVY, pickled Green tomatoes, turnip greens, BBQ, baked spaghetti, baked chicken, She crab soup, cornbread...
So put a little "South" in your mouth and feed that soul, because like Paula says, "Grandma's cooking never goes out of style".

My Grandma, Phern Ryals. She is my culinary inspiration, and my favorite person. Home is where Grandma is.

                                   Sally Goodin's Banana Pudding

2 cups cold milk (whole)

1 8-ounce  package cream cheese, softened

1  12 ounce Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream (if you want to get fancy.  If you make your own, make sure it's sweetened)

1 14 ounce can Eagle Brand Milk

1  5 ounce box instant FRENCH VANILLA pudding mix

8 bananas, sliced

1 box Nilla Wafers OR 2 bags Pepperidge farm Chessman cookies (if you want to get fancy)

1. Set aside 2 large bowls, a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid mixer, if you have one, and a 13x9 pan; along with a garbage bowl to put your trash in. ( if you line up all of your ingredients before you start, it will be a breeze)

2. Grab your 13x9 pan and line the bottom with cookies and layer bananas on top.

3. Add your cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and mix until well blended. ( I use a whisk here to get a fluffy and airy texture)

4. In a bowl, combine the cold milk and vanilla pudding mix, and blend using a hand mixer or Kitchen aid mixer.

5. In another bow, mix Eagle Brand Milk, and SOFTENED cream cheese together, and mix until smooth and lump free. Fold in the cool whip

6. Pour mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.

7. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Welcome Summer!!

CHEERS Y'ALL!

The Lost Art of the Cheese Taco....

  
 The Lost Art of the Cheese Taco…..

Okay, I admit. Mexican food is a big part of my life. Correction, Tex-Mex (but I still say Mexican) is a big part of my life. When it comes to Mexican food, I didn't realize that growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, was a luxury until my first trip to Colorado to see my Uncle perform at the Bar D.

Tomato Sauce only and Mozzarella cheese on an enchilada, “these taste like ketchup”?!!  My little 8 year old palate was so confused. (Heck, at the time I didn’t know what a palate was, but I knew something was wrong) Mom, Dad, Jenni, HELP!

* I have grown to love Colorado cuisine by the way, so please no hate emails. I fantasize about the Green Chili dishes I have eaten in Durango with my cousins, Velvet and Tawni. Even after a couple trips to Denver, I realized that the Green Chile Beer I had last year in Denver is my happy place. After all, anything with green chiles rocks my world! One of the best dishes I have ever eaten was in Denver at Biker Jim's.( Thank you Anthony Bourdain for the recommendation. ) A burger at the Cherry Cricket? Hello Lover!                                                                                    I want to move to Colorado someday.

My green chile beer drinking face. I miss you Denver!

Denver 2011,  in front of Jax Seafood House for Happy Hour

So, back to Mexican food, going to eat at our favorite restaurant was quite a production. My sister and I…brace yourselves for laughter…would dress up in MEXICAN DRESSES every time we would go eat Tex-Mex.  (sorry Jenni, the secret is out) Yep, you heard me, bright yellow and bright pink dresses with embroidered flowers all over them.  You know, we rocked that look with pride! (too bad we aren't really Mexican, we looked the part:)

Replica of my Mexican dress

 Who would like to meet me at Joe T’s sometime wearing Mexican dresses? I say we bring the “dressing up for food” idea back! Boots Jeans and BBQ anyone? Toga’s at our favorite Greek restaurant? Crawfish costumes for a crawfish boil; you know I have no fear of that!

Last year at Julie A's Birthday Party at the Crawfish Boil. I am dying to wear this costume again. 

So I thought I would begin with a dish that has confused me all my life, and still does. What exactly is a cheese taco? I feel freaky even ordering one. So it’s a cheese enchilada with queso?  Why do I mainly see these on the menu in North Texas?  Onions or no onions, that is the question!

----Culinary School Tips

* read through your entire recipe several times until you know exactly what you are doing, this can save so much time in the kitchen.

* get all ingredients out at the beginning of your recipe. This can save you from losing your mind if you are halfway through a recipe and are missing a key ingredient.

 *knife cuts are very important, everything will cook even and look better when you apply your ninja knife skills
**If you are new to cayenne, be VERY CAREFUL! Cayenne is the Chuck Norris of spices, go easy if you aren’t used to using cayenne.

 So here is my Cheese taco journey…

                                         Grab this crew of ingredients to make the queso

1 block (16 oz) American cheese grated

1 onion; small diced (RESERVE ½ for enchiladas)

1 or 2 jalapenos deveined, deseeded, and minced

1 Serrano chile deveined, deseeded, and minced (omit this if you like medium spicy, versus hot)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tomatoes; small diced

1 cup chicken broth (vegetable broth, or beer if you want extra cool points)

 2 tablespoons Butter (I only use unsalted)

** 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less to taste)

½ teaspoon cumin (or less to taste)

Salt

¼ cup milk

( speaking of green chiles, I have a tendency to swirl in few tablespoons of my roasted green chiles to queso)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, on medium heat sauté onions, and chiles with cumin, salt, and cayenne, in butter until the onions are soft (but not mushy, they should still have a bit of crisp).

Add Garlic, sauté for another minute, add tomatoes and cook for another minute or two, until you see this delicious scenery………..

TURN DOWN YOUR HEAT TO LOW, Stir in chicken broth, and then add American cheese ( I added around 4 cups, and a small…maybe ¼ cup of some extra cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese for some extra pizazz) Simmer and stir on very low temp and watch the cheesy  melting  magic. Charge admission fees for others to watch this amazing queso happening. When cheese is melted, add your milk.

Everybody get your roll on…

For the enchiladas

1 16 ounce block Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I added a tiny bit of cheddar, for fun)

Other half of onion, sautéed in butter until translucent (okay fine, maybe true cheese tacos don’t have onions, but I’m adding them)

12 corn tortillas (could be more or less depending on how big you like to roll your enchiladas)

*tip* I either stack them up and cover them in damp paper towels and microwave them for 90 seconds OR soften them in a skillet one at a time with a little bit of butter or oil (don’t use olive or any other strong flavored oil)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grab your favorite enchilada pan (9x13) and cover the bottom with queso sauce.

Place a tablespoon or two of cheese and a few onions to taste, roll and place seam side down in pan. (Try not to crowd the enchiladas too close to each other, give them their own personal space). Cover with remaining cheese sauce, and sprinkle a line of Monterey Jack over the middle of the pan, this shows your diners you really care.

Pop it in the oven and bake until bubbly and sexy.

I’m warning you, this recipe is pretty killer. I topped my enchiladas with some finely minced jalapeno to give some color and crunch.

Love, Kisses, and Cheesy Dishes,

Julie