Cat Scratch Fever

We be Moving

to Word Press! yay!

]]> ~wavin at Miss B~

Marinade for Pork Tenderloin

1 � Tbsp. Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. each soy sauce and wine
2 tsp. sugar
1 � tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. each ketchup and salt

Marinate at least one hour.

Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Southern Living Magazine, February, 2006

]]> Makes 8 � 10 servings

1 � c. Oreos (about 18 cookies)
1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Ganache Topping

Press cookie crumbs into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

Microwave chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 � minutes or until melted, stirring at 30 second intervals.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating at low speed just until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until combined after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until combined. Pour cheesecake batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 300� for 1 hour 5 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with oven door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife along outer edge of cheesecake, and cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Remove sides of springform pan, and place cake on a serving plate. Slowly pour and spread warm Ganache Topping over top of cheesecake, letting it run down sides of cheesecake. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Ganache Topping

� c. whipping cream
1 (6 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels (1 c.)
1 (6 oz.) package milk chocolate morsels (1 c.)

Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; quickly remove from heat, and stir in semisweet and milk chocolate morsels until melted and smooth. Let mixture cool (about 30 minutes) until slightly warm before pouring and spreading over cheesecake.

It was gettin kinda lonesome around here....

so I thought I'd post some news.
We're in intense focus on MS CPAS tests at the Tech Center for the next week. This is the test that determines if our programs stay open or not. The kids have been building some great games with some test items to help them review. Sure hope they all do their best on this darn thing. Our motto is "BEAT MOSS POINT," another culinary class that has lots of AP students. I know we can do it!

I've been working with Mississippi State University's Research and Curriculum Unit (RCU) on some online classes and such. Pretty exciting stuff. I sure wish we could move more towards "paperless" classrooms.

We had a "Pig Out" Day at work Friday. Everyone brought a dish. We had SO much food! Boss lady is thinking of making this a monthly event. It sure was fun to get together with the other instructors for good food and fellowship.

RD is exhibiting in a new gallery in NOLA. I'm not sure of all the details of it, except it's Anne Connelly's (Baton Rouge Gallery) sister, Penelope. From what I've heard, it's a great location on Julia street. I wish him well. The art scene in NOLA is one of the things that makes it so charming and unique.

]]> The furpigs are all fine, fat, and sassy. They're a little miffed at this late cold spell, because they can't do the "veranda" thing until the sun hits their favorite lollygaggin spots out there. It won't be long until the temps stay in the triple digits for days on end. I'm enjoying the temperate weather while I can.

That's all for now, folks!

Good ole Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr....

woo hoo...another holiday...boy, do I need it! Friday, one of my students stole my wallet

]]> out of my purse, took the money my aunt had given RD for Christmas, and threw my wallet in the garbage can.
Luckily, I retrieved the wallet merely by accident.
I'll have to punish the whole class for one student's thieving ways. ~sigh~

Summer Institutes Level Three

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Summer Institutes were held at Johnson & Wales University, Florida this year. See a photo journal inside...

]]>

Sunday evening reception

Day 1 Hot Kitchen

Chef Adrian Barber

Chef Michael Angnardo, World-Class Pastry Chef

Chef Angnardo's Cake Demo

Our cake (and it only took 4 hours to make ~L~)

Garde Manger with Chef Chris Wagner

Charcuterie ~ Stuffing the Sausage

Garde Manger ~ Our Citrus Shrimp Salad

Field Trip to Buca De Beppo

Our Italian Buffet

Field Trip ~ Westin Diplomat

Final Day ~ Mystery Basket and our Chinese Buffet Presentation with Mr. Yves Payraudeau

It's Exit Project Time Again...

Here's Yolanda's strawberry pie that she photographed for a food stylist's career. I made a magazine cover from the photo for her.

RD's Mural

Open the link in a new window to see the whole mural.

Streusel Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 egg
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
11 oz Fruit Preserves, and flavor

Preheat oven to 350�. Combine butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well blended.

Add flour and egg. Beat until mixture is crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in pecans. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased 9-inch square baking dish. Spread preserves to within 1/2" of edge of crust.

Crumble reserved crumb mixture over preserves. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Ridin' on the City of New Orleans

RD rode Amtrak to visit this Christmas...we had a nice long visit...

Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake
From Southern Living

The women of Huffman United Methodist Church in Birmingham used this recipe for the church's 125th anniversary celebration. Of the 100 cakes made, there wasn't any left over.

]]> 1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (if you can get it, Valrhona cocoa is THE best)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake at 350� for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Note: 2 (19.5-ounce) packages brownie mix, prepared according to package directions, may be substituted for first 7 ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Bake at 350� for 30 minutes. Proceed with marshmallows and frosting as directed.

VP and bubbette get a li'l snugglin time

Recently visited New Orleans...

for a seminar on restaurant purchasing, accounting and cost control. I really learned a lot and the materials will help me teach my students.
Also had a little mini-family reunion. My ex-huzzband and his wife had spent the week in New Orleans celebrating their 30th anniversary. It was nice to visit with them.
RD had an audition for a Red Cross commercial while I was there and he called last nite to tell me he got a call-back!
Here's a picture of the "merge." (moi, RD, and Peter)

Photos from Alan's Fresh Market and Deli

Me making Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Latanga making Rueben Sandwiches

Here's Robert slicing some Boar's Head meat...the best I've ever tasted.

Here's Cristy, one of the grocery cashiers.

Here's camera-shy Spensia, one of the deli cashiers.

Michael, the night kitchen supervisor.

Robert, Alan (himself), and Boo prepare sandwiches.

Boo, who makes some dynamite avocado salad, too.

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

This is Chef John Folse's recipe...easy to prepare...scrumptious!

]]> PREP TIME: 1 Hour
SERVES: 10

COMMENT:
Jambalaya has become the best known rice dish in America. The origin of this dish cannot be disputed. When the early Spanish settlers came to New Orleans, in the early 1700's, they brought with them the recipe for their famous paella. Since the ingredients for paella were not to be found in South Louisiana, their recipe was quickly adapted to the products at hand. Oysters and crawfish replaced clams and mussels in the recipe. Andouille took the place of ham and the new dish emerged from the paella pans of the Spanish. Since the main ingredient in the dish was rice, the dish was named "Jambon a la yaya." Yaya is the African word for rice and there is no argument that the "black hand in the pot" had a tremendous influence on our jambalaya. Today, the dish is made with many variations and with whatever is available. The most popular combination, however, is pork, chicken and andouille.

INGREDIENTS:

* 3 pounds cubed chicken
* 2 pounds sliced smoked sausage
* 1/4 cup Crisco or bacon drippings
* 2 cups chopped onions
* 2 cups chopped celery
* 1 cup chopped bell pepper
* � cup diced garlic
* 8 cups beef or chicken stock
* 2 cups sliced mushrooms
* 1 cup sliced green onions
* � cup chopped parsley
* salt and cayenne pepper
* Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce
* 5 cups Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice, uncooked

METHOD:
In a seven quart cast iron dutch oven, heat Crisco or bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Saut� cubed chicken until dark brown on all sides and some pieces are sticking to the bottom of the pot, approximately thirty minutes. This is very important as the brown color of jambalaya is derived from the color of the meat. Add smoked sausage and stir fry an additional ten to fifteen minutes. Tilt the pot to one side and ladle out all oil, except for one large cooking spoon. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Continue cooking until all vegetables are well caramelized, however, be very careful as vegetables will tend to scorch since the pot is so hot. Add stock, bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook all ingredients in stock approximately fifteen minutes for flavors to develop. Add mushrooms, green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold. I suggest that you slightly over-season since the rice tends to require a little extra seasoning. Add rice, reduce heat to very low, cover and cook thirty to forty-five minutes, stirring at fifteen minute intervals. Do not uncover except to stir.