Frozen Yogurt and Jam

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen around Memorial Day.  Might be because I love the smells and tastes that come with warm weather cooking.  Grill smoke.  Fresh corn.  Sweet berries.

I made another batch of this mixed berry jam. This time I added a chopped Granny Smith apple instead of xanthan gum to thicken the mix.  I also churned out a fresh batch of lemon frozen yogurt and used the jam as a topping.  A perfect dessert for a sweat-inducing weekend.

Spicy Molasses Baked Beans

The baked bean craving hit me hard and fast this year. I cooked vegetarian baked beans for the first time two years ago for Memorial Day.  The beans were good but too tangy.  This time I went for traditional with smoke and spice.

My latest version is pretty great.  Sweet, spicy, and thick.  They could use a little more smokiness but definitely the best non-premade baked beans I've ever had.  And they're right good with some coleslaw.

An All Green Dinner

There is no shortage of duck, deep fried seafood, or fresh local butter in New Orleans.  If you want a rich and decadent meal, I have a list of least 20 restaurants that will do the job.  Try Stella or La Provence to start. 

Four days of crawfish bread and Bloody Mary's left me craving green vegetables and needing an I.V. full of water. Here's the former.

I like to believe that eating a plateful of greens will undo the damage of Jazzfest but that's probably not true. J cooked the kale with onion and grilled asparagus while I did the Brussels sprouts.

ingredients

olive oil
1 bag Brussels sprouts, shredded
2 cups of mushroom caps, chopped
1 shallot, sliced
1 rosemary sprig, leaves chopped finely
salt to taste
red chili flakes to taste (optional)
splash of tamari or soy sauce (optional)

to make

1. Saute shallots in olive oil over medium until lightly brown
2. Raise heat to medium high and add mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt.  Cook until soft.
3. Add shredded Brussels sprouts, rosemary and chili flakes, cook until wilted.
4. Turn off heat, add tamari if using.  Mix everything together.
5. Enjoy with other greens.