Stuff I’ve Been Cooking, Reading, Watching, Etc.
Favorite Things , Recipes / May 28, 2020

Hey, I hope everyone is hanging in there. My family is still doing well. Everyone is healthy, and my husband and I are able to work from home. But I feel like the whole “opening up” of things is more stressful than just being forced to stay home. So many decisions about when to wear a mask, whether my kids can have friends over, and on and on. Anyway, I just thought I’d do another quick post about what I’ve been up to. What I’ve Been Cooking: Cheeseburger Quesadilla: I should just buy stock in Iowa Girl Eats. Maybe because she’s a Midwestern gal like me, but her recipes are always a big hit in my house. Quesadillas and cheeseburgers combined! Of course my sons were going to love this. Szechuan Chicken: Another blog that’s a new favorite is The Happier Homemaker. It’s chockfull of easy and budget-friendly recipes. What I’ve Been Reading: Such a Fun Age: This is a quick (but very well-written) novel about a young black woman who is stopped in a grocery store for suspicious behavior while she is babysitting a white toddler. The novel is about the aftermath of that event. While it’s quite entertaining…

Mad Hungry Family: Double-Decker Pork Tacos
Cookbook Overviews , Recipes / May 13, 2020

Previously I reviewed Lucinda Scala Quinn’s cookbook Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys. Now Quinn, who worked for Martha Stewart, has a line of Mad Hungry cookbooks. I picked up Mad Hungry Family from the library (before it closed). This book seems pretty similar to the other Mad Hungry cookbook. It’s full of dishes that are simple and filling, so you can feed your family homecooked meals. Quinn is a big proponent of the family meal and teaching your kids to cook for themselves. She describes great stories of sharing her love of food with her boys. I wouldn’t say these cookbooks are my favorite, but I did find quite a few dishes I would like to try out. I’m always looking for new ideas for Taco Tuesday, but this recipe might move to Sunday night. They were a little more work than my regular do-it-yourself taco setup, and a little heavy for a weeknight meal. But they were delicious, and my family loved them, so I know I will be making them again soon. Makes 1 taco 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 corn tortillas 1 slice mild, melting cheese, such as Monterey Jack, or Mexican melting cheese, such as queso…

Louisiana Real and Rustic: Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

So I already mentioned that i’m a big Emeril fan. The last cookbook of his I reviewed was all about comfort food. This cookbook is really the basics of Cajun cooking. I haven’t used it a lot, because my husband does most of the Cajun cooking in our house. The other day he make this gumbo recipe, but he always likes to tweak recipes, so I will provide info about that below. Six servings 2 pounds small okra 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes 1 cup chopped onions 1 cup chopped celery 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 5 bay leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 quarts water 1 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Wash the okra in cool water. Remove the caps and tips and cut into 1/4-inch rounds. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Fry the okra, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until most of the slime disappears. Add the tomatoes, onions, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the okra and other vegetables are soft and the slime has completely disappeared. Add the salt, cayenne, bay leaves,…

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