Kylan's Lemon Meringue Pie



Gioanna Stevenson holding Kylan's pie



Okay, the favorites are coming in; at the Stevenson's, this was the pie of the Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 lemons, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons butter

4 egg yolks, beaten

1 (9 inches) pie crust, baked

4 egg whites

6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

3.To Make Meringue: In a large glass

4.Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown

 

Levelle's Traditional Favorites

There’s something special about being home for the holidays, and good food is part of every celebration and get-together! I hope you can add to your own traditional favorites. See you in the kitchen!

Levelle’s Fiesta Guacamole Dip 
2 (15 or 16 ounce) can refried beans (boil and season pinto beans, cook until done, mash beans)
1 94-ounce) can chop green chilies, drained (Fresh: remove seeds from jalapeño peppers)
1 (16-oz) container Sour Cream
1 package taco seasoning mix
3 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons ReaLime, Lime Juice from Concentrate or Real Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon seasoned saldt1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped tomatoes (seeded), sliced green onions, sliced ripe olives.

In small bowl, combine re-fried beans and chilies; spread on large serving plate. Combine sour cream and taco seasoning; spoon over bean mixture, spread evenly. In small bowl, mash avocados; stir in ReaLime and salts; spoon evenly over sour cream mixture. Cover; chill several hours. Just before serving, garnish with cheese, tomatoes, green onions and olives. Serve with Tortilla Chips. Refrigerate leftover.

Cream Baked Cheesecake
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
1/3  cup margarine or butter, melted
2, (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not evaporated milk)
3 eggs
¼ cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice from Concentrate
1(8oz) container heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
Almond or Butternut flavor

Preheat oven to 300, Combine crumbs, sugar and butter; press firmly on bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually bat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and ReaLemon mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until center is set; top with whip cream. Make 5 minutes longer. Cool Chill. Top with cherries pie filling.
Fresh Cherries.

Elsie’s Market Home for the Holidays,

Levelle's Thanksgiving Dinner 2010

MENU

Honey Glazed Turkey

  Dressing (Black Olives, Cornbread, Breadcrumbs)

Honey Glazed Ham (layered with pineapple, cherries, and cloves)

Sweet Potato Salad (Italian Dressing)

Mixed Greens (Spinach, Mustard, Collard)

Candied Yams

Dinner Rolls/Croissants

Dessert Bar:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake, 

Crump Cake, Pecan Pie,

Cherry Cheese Cream Cake Swirl 

Granny Smith Apple Pie, 

Sweet Potato Pie,

Sweet Tea

Coffee



Honey Glazed Turkey in Dressing

Pineapple Upside Down cake

 

Cherry Cheese Cream Pie, Apple Pies, and Sweet Potato Pies

Guest: Clayton, Anna, Lynette, Damen, Gerald Jr, Alpha, Heidi, and Host Levelle

Sunday Dinner at Babette's November 21, 2010

Try this Glazed Salmon and Pasta Salad if you want a real treat for a Sunday dinner. I had the leftovers on Monday, and the pasta salad was even better the day after for lunch.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Smucker's Apricot Simply fruit Spreadable

2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
4 (6 ounces) salmon fillets

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the oil and butter, Smuckers Apricot Simply fruit Spreadable, garlic and almonds; set aside half of the mixture for serving. Before starting baking, coat pan with nonstick cooking spray. Bake salmon, uncovered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting frequently with Smuckers Apricot Simply fruit Spreadable mixture. Broil until crisp, remove from oven and serve with Asian Pasta Salad.
Ingredients


1 package of pasta (your choice)
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup butter, melted
Medium tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup green onions
1/2  cup broccoli
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan over low heat boil noodles, almonds, and dried cranberries with melted butter or margarine. Once boiled take off heat, drain and cool.

2. In a small saucepan bring vegetable oil, sugar, and vinegar to boil for 1 minute. Cool. Add soy sauce.

3.In a large bowl , combine  chopped green onions, red peppers, broccoli. Add the noodle and soy sauce mixture. Toss to coat. Serve.

The Power of Chicken Soup

It is flu season in Chicago, and across the U.S. so I thought I'd repost this blog post.

....Chicken soup is love made visible, it's power may lie in letting a sick person know that matter to someone who cares enough to make them something nourishing and comfortable with their own hands. Soul stirring chicken soup, is Jewish penicillin, from Adeena Sussman who wrote the text for "The Power of Chicken Soup" from Martha Stewart Living.

Chicken soup contains an amino acid chemically similar to those in a drug used for bronchitis and respiratory infections. Betacarotene, potassium, and calcium, as well as antioxidants associated with improved health. Soup is a great way to liquid back into your system."

Basic Chicken Soup

Everyone has a personal spin on the recipe here is mines:  Chicken, 8 cups of water, the chicken is cooked until it is stewed and falling from the bones, skim foam, add salt. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Remove breasts and set aside. Add carrots simmer particle covered for another 40 minutes. Remove remaining chicken, discard back and wings crosswise 1/4 inches thinly sliced to make 1-cup, 3- medium onions, 4-garlic cloves,  2-celery stalks sliced crosswise are added to the pot. All Soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Thanksgiving Dinner- What's Your Plan

The holidays are here already, what are your plans for dinner? Take lots of pictures, set the table, decorate your place, this year share your special dinner with your blogging buddies. What was the funniest story that happened during the day? What is your family's tradition? Going to the movies, watching sports, raking leaves, or just crashing out due to the "I-tish"

Guest Artist Una from Scotland 2008- Set the table with lots of candles, and decorations.

SUNNIN LEBANESE CAFE

Sunday dinners take on all kinds of traditions, lately, mines are going out to dinner with friends. I am on the road traveling for the holidays Sunday dinner will be shared with family, and friends that I am meeting for the first time, and those that I have known for a lifetime.

I had a wonderful surprise dinner at Sunnin, a Lebanese Cafe in Long Beach, with my cousin Cece Antoinette, and her friend from the Temple, Lorenzo.




Tree in the Parking Lot of the Buddhist Temple

MENU

We started the evening with a Jallab, Lebanese Beer, and a palette of appetizers were summoned to the table, we ended the evening with, Baklawa, Mint Tea, and Lebanese Coffee.

CeCe Antionette, Alpha, and Varee- Cousins in Los Angeles 2010

Cousin Varee treated us to an afternoon lunch, all you can eat buffet. We caught up with what the family is doing, where we all are in life, hugged each other, until the next time.

SUNDAY DINNER AT SUSAN'S - BUTTER SQUASH SOUP

Sunday dinner at Susan's was great, I looked so forward to this get-to-gather with girlfriends of the "Urban Explores." Loreal, Claire, Susan, and me. We get together and talk about politics, clothes, shoes, latest shops, boyfriends, guy friends, lovers, you get my drift.  We usually begin the evening with appetizers. Loreal found these perfect pink candles from Wool's worth 10 cents, now these were really vintage. We exchanged gifts, my birthday was on the 4th, and hers is on the 20th.

Tonight we started the evening with an assortment of appetizers:

Cream Cheese, Salmon, Fruit Spread Pear, and Chiles, on Gourmet Crackers.

Loreal, bought Goat Cheese, and a Green Olive Spread

Wines

Chardonnay and Trader Joe's Red wine

Main Course:

Susan's Butter Squash Soup served with French Bread

Dessert:

Claire's Double Chocolate Cake

Loreal's Gingerbread

-----------------------------------------------------------
"Butternut Squash Soup II"
Entered by: pegs kitchen
Squash, sweet potato, celery, and onion cook up quickly into a thick, delicious soup.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour
Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small sweet potato, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
salt and small (pinch) of curry powder to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Put the whole squash in the microwave for about 4 minutes on high to make it easier to peel and split. Cut squash in half, clean out seeds, put cut side down in microwave pan with a small amount of water and microwave for 15 minutes on high. Cut into cubes. Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion and celery until the onion is transparent. Add cubed squash and chopped sweet potato. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Remove some of the vegetables and set aside.

Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in veggies that were set aside and any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and curry powder to taste.



FOOTNOTES:
I did not use celery, but included a chopped carrot, and also an apple. I used two sweet potatoes, one butternut squash, one apple, one white onion, and sauteed curry powder with the onion, apple and carrot.

I like to also add a dash of Tony Cachere's seasoning to soups to give them a little kick. This is a delicate flavored soup so only add a dash

LETTUCE ENTERTAIN YOU- CHICAGO ARTISTS MONTH LUNCH WITH AN ARTIST

No Sunday Dinner, but I had a great lunch at Big Bowl, 69 E. Ohio with Erik DeBat, and a visiting artist Mario "Zore" Gonzalez Jr. from Oakland California.

What's fresh at Big Bowl? Everything, really. Should the dish be curry, it came together, spice by spice, toasted and ground here. A great curry can't be faked and it's the layer of flavors that make it pop; something a can can't do. Watch out if the dish is deemed spicy. Chiles are blackened for the depth of flavor and those fresh hot Thai chiles mean business.

Then we went over to the Carroll Albany Artist Building for their annual art open, and tour of open studios. Kahil Al ZaBar and his trio performed. This year he made two huge pots of homemade chili, with black beans, and ground turkey, with cornbread. Man! between all the beer and wine from each space, it was a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Yes, we did "Wash Our Hands First."

GRILLED RED SNAPPER AND RAGOUT STEW in Ramstein

I was out and about in Ramstein when I went into Natalie's Beauty Supply Store. Natalie is from Jamaica. Not only does she sell hair products, wigs, imports, shoes, boots, but you guessed it she has one room in her store where she sells imported Ackee food from Jamaica. I got a frozen ten-pound whole red snapper, head, eyes, tail, and all to grill for Friday night dinner.

1 red snapper chart-grill seasoning

Lemon pepper

Garlic powder

Salt & pepper
Soy sauce
Lime slices (optional)






Cut 2 slits across red snapper on both sides. Sprinkle one side liberally with soy sauce, salt, pepper, char-grill seasoning, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. Place 2 or 3 lime slices over fish. Place fish, seasoned side down, on basket for grilling. Season another side of fish the same as the first side. Clamp fish in basket and grill over the charcoal about 15 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. (30 minutes is too tough)

For the ragout: (French- ragu)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 fingerling potatoes or small new potatoes
12 cipollini onions, roasted, peeled and halved
12 artichoke hearts, cooked and quartered
24 green olives, pitted
1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce Vierge:
1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced small
1/2 cup parsley leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
For the Fish on the Stovetop:
Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Pour 3 tablespoons of oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, but not smoking, place fish in pan skin side down, gently pressing on the fish so it does not curl up. From this point turn down the heat to medium and do not touch the fish. The skin will become crispy and release itself from the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on the skin side, and turn the fish over, cooking for 2 more minutes or just until done. Keep warm.

For the Ragout:
In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the potatoes and onions, sauteing them until warmed through and a little color has appeared on the potatoes. Add the artichokes and olives and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. Drizzle remaining1 tablespoon of olive oil into the ragout before plating. Serve warm.

For the Sauce Vierge:
Cut the lemon in half. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from half of the lemon into a bowl, removing any seeds that may fall into the bowl. Slice the other half of the lemon into thin slices, and place them in the bowl. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and parsley to the bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.

Spoon the ragout evenly into 4 warm bowls, or deep plates. Top the ragout with the fish, skin side up. Drizzle the sauce on top of the fish and serve immediately.

Restaurant Recipe

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results. Will, I contest it was great.

Peach Habanero Sauce

Compliments of Caryl Henry my friend in DC, enjoy.

PEACH HABANERO SAUCE 

1 Golden Habanero (or 2 or 3 other Habaneros), seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped peaches (about one 15 oz can drain and chopped)
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 big orange)
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp light brown sugar


Combine ingredients in a blender jar and liquefy. Transfer to a small saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, providing good ventilation. Simmer 5 minutes. Strain into sterilized jars.

Yields about 1 3/4 cup.

Grilled Orange-Coriander Steaks

Ground coriander flavors marinade.
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
¾-cup orange juice
1-small onion, chopped
3-garlic pressed or minced
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoon ground coriander
1-teaspoon cracked black pepper
1-teaspoon dry basil leaves

4- Tender beefsteaks such as New York strip or loin (each about 8 oz, and about 1” thick)

Watercress sprigs
Salt

Mix orange peel, juice, onion, garlic, vinegar, coriander, pepper, and basil. Cover and chill ½ cup of the; mixture until serving. In a 9- inch pan, coat steaks with remaining marinade. Cover and chill, turning meat once, 4 hours or up to overnight.

Lift steaks from marinade and place on a grill, 4 inches from heat, over a solid bed of hot coals (you can hold your hand at grill level for only 2 to 3 seconds) Cook, turning once, until browned on outside and pink inside (cut to test), 14 to 18 minutes total. Place steaks on warm plates. Garnish with watercress. Offer reserved marinade to spoon over each piece. Sprinkle with salt to taste. 
Makes 4 servings. Kazuko Nakane, Seattle. May 1987 Sunset.

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAKE & Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Happy Birthday Cake

(Bolo Espera Marido) Brazil

German products I used to make the cake:

Haltbare Schlagsahne (whipping cream)

Kokosnuss geraspelt- (coconut)

Feinaucker - (sugar)

Weizen Mehi (flour)

Feine Speisestarke- (cornstarch)

Original Back in- (baking powder)

Apricot Jam-

"I think I will stick with American products that I know for the next time I make this cake. The problem here was not that the cake wasn’t made right, it was a very heavy cake, heavier than a pound cake, and very rich. Substituting sea salt, for table salt made the cake a little salty. But the icing compensated for it, and the cake was able to hold more of the orange liqueur. I also think that the spirit of which the cake was made will be a conversation piece for years to come."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" SUNDAY DINNER IN RAMSTEIN GERMANY 2010

August 8, 2010, at 8:35am, Herbert E. Raney Jr, (TARRI) was born. Today thirty-two years later we are celebrating another year. I took my vacation this year so I could come home and cook a Sunday dinner for him. He is inviting some of his close friends over to help with the celebration. Everything was prepared to form scratch, no box, or store made stuff for this cookout.

MENU:

Grilled Pork Ribs

Grilled Chicken

Grilled Hot Links, and Hot Dogs

Potatoe Salad

Baked Beans

Cole Slaw

Avocado/Mango Salsa

Banana Pudding

(Bolo Espera Marido) Brazil

Sweet Tea

BYOB

The theme, we hid everything downstairs in my space, like the yard tiki lamps, paperhangers, and the tea candles we are using to light around his cake, 32 of them. No ballons, just candles on the patio for when we bring out the cake. It gets dark here around 10pm, so I don't know how that is going to work out but we shall see.

German products I used to make the cake:
Haltbare Schlagsahne (whippng cream)
Kokosnuss geraspelt- coconut
Feinaucker - sugar
Weizen Mehi (flour)
Feine Speisestarke- (cornstrach)
Original Backin- (baking powder)

Alpha's Potatoe Salad:
1 pound of small/medium potatoes
1/2 onions
1- medium green pepper
1- medium red pepper
6- garlic cloves, minced
6- celery stalks
1/2 can black olives pitted
6 small pickles
6- brown hard-boiled eggs
Mayo, mustard, onion salt, season salt to taste

MANGO SALSA OVER SALMON

I made mango salsa tonight, oven-baked salmon. With a little help from Natalie who prepared the salmon. She used olive oil, and lemon juice seasoned the salmon and baked under the foil until it was nice and pink.

Mango Salsa: 1 medium ripe mango, peeled and diced, 1 cup diced cucumber, 1 medium onion diced, 1 medium tomato, seeds removed, diced, 2 small habanero peppers, seeded and finely minced, 6 clove garlic, finely chopped, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, season salt.

To make the mango salsa, combine everything in a medium bowl, stirring gently to combine. Add the salt, to taste. Cover and set aside. If not using the salsa right away, chill in the refrigerator.

Tomorrow I'm adding avocado, and a little more salt, another tomato to make salsa for perhaps tocos.

Pesto Pasta with Green Beans and Potatoes

Sunday April 18th, 2010

Recipe pesto-pasta-with-green-beans-and-potatoes


Susan Fox the point person for Urban Explores hosted Sunday dinner this month. She prepared appetizers, main course, followed by a salad to cleanse the palate. Here is her recipe for presto pasta:  A blend of fresh garlic, green beans, and red potatoes, yellow potatoes, onions, elbows pasta, mixed together and placed in a serving bowl. Served with dinner rolls, with olive oil dipping sauce, and tossed romaine salad.

Sunday dinners are how the host takes the time to have special little things for the guest. Like a platter of crackers, goat cheese, topped with while we watched Susan cook away. The appetizers were so good that several times I know I dropped the cracker before I got it to my lips. No, it was not the wine.

Laurel brought Korbel Champaign to toast the day; we saved the red wine for the pasta. Now the conversation was lively of course we chatted about new relationships, our daughters, and transitions they are going through, while the meal is being prepared. Do you not just love to get together with girlfriends, for an afternoon of chit-chat, wine, and food?

For dessert we went all out, I had picked up the fixing’s for ice-cream sundaes, those little one server ice-cream cups are a hit, with M&M chocolate coated candies, chopped nuts, fresh blue berries, raspberries, cut bananas, in small bowls, sat on a serving platter, and whip cream to top it all.

Creole Chicken Side Bar-- for the Holidays

MENU:

Creole Chicken

Red Beans & Neckbones

Uncle Ben's Rice

Tossed Roman Salad

Avocado

Peanuts

Coconuts shredded

Golden Raisins

Tomatoes

Bell Peppers

Peppers

BYOB: Assorted Red and White Wines

 Cultivating community is what we do, and we celebrate by showing our friends the art of sharing, good food, music, and conversation.

A Melting Pot of Culinary Heritage Chicken Creole is a testament to New Orleans cuisine's rich cultural tapestry.

Born in the heart of the French Quarter, this dish reflects the historical convergence of diverse culinary traditions that shaped the region. The French contributed their culinary refinement, the Spanish added a touch of spice, and the African and Caribbean influences infused the dish with an array of exotic flavors. Over time, these elements came together to create the unique symphony of taste that defines 

Chicken Creole today.

The Flavorful Ensemble of Ingredients

At the heart of Chicken Creole lies a medley of ingredients that harmonize to create an unforgettable taste experience:

Chicken: Traditionally, bone-in chicken pieces are used for Chicken Creole. In our recipe, we use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This reduces the amount of fat in your recipe and makes it a little more kid-friendly. Feel free to use bone-in chicken if you prefer that!

Holy Trinity: This triumvirate of onions, bell peppers, and celery is the backbone of Creole cuisine, lending a robust and aromatic base. Plus – check out these excellent health benefits you get when you include the "holy trinity" in your meal:

Onions:

Antioxidant-rich, especially quercetin.

Supports heart health and healthy cholesterol levels.

Contains prebiotic fibers for gut health.

It may aid in blood sugar management.

Bell Peppers:

High in vitamin C for immune support.

Rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A) for eye health.

Good source of dietary fiber for digestion.

High water content contributes to hydration and skin health.

Celery:

Rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin K and potassium.

Contains antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation.

Provides dietary fiber for improved digestion.

It may contribute to hydration due to its high water content.

Tomatoes: A key ingredient in the dish's sauce, tomatoes provide acidity and sweetness that balance the spices.

Spices: Creole cuisine is known for its bold use of spices. A blend that often includes paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, and bay leaves contributes to the dish's distinctive flavor profile. Our recipe includes bay leaf, thyme, garlic, and hot pepper.

Rice: Chicken Creole is commonly served over a bed of fluffy rice, soaking up the luscious sauce and completing the meal. Our recipe calls for brown rice. This adds a whole grain to your meal, giving it more nutrients!

Chicken Creole Recipe

Ingredients: 

1 cup uncooked brown rice 

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes 

1 cup tomato juice 

1 onion, chopped 

1 cup celery, chopped 

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 bay leaf 

1/2 teaspoon thyme 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 pinch hot pepper 

Directions to make Chicken Creole:

Start by cooking your rice according to the instructions on the package.

Combine all other ingredients in a heavy pot and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat, cover it, and simmer it for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Remove the chicken and cut it into bite-size pieces. 

Add chicken back to the pot and reheat.

Remove the bay leaf and discard it. 

Serve chicken over rice. Consider adding fruit and a cup of milk for a full MyPlate meal. 

What is Creole cuisine?

Creole cuisine ( French: cuisine créole; Portuguese: culinária crioula; Spanish: cocina criolla) is a cuisine style born in colonial times from the fusion of European, African, and pre-Columbian American traditions. Creole is a term that refers to those of European origin who were born in the New World and have adapted to it ( melting pot ).

Creole cuisine is found in regions of the world that were previously European colonies. Creole food can be found in Louisiana (USA), Cuba, Brazil, Peru, the French Antilles, French Guiana, La Reunion (France), Jamaica, Annobón (Equatorial Guinea), Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cape Verde, Dominican Republic, etc. In each region, Creole cuisine has been adapting to local products (so there is no "single" Creole cuisine). [3] However, they share certain features in common:

By region

• Argentinian Creole cuisine[7]
• Brazilian Creole cuisine
• Guianan Creole cuisine
• Louisiana Creole cuisine
• La Réunion Creole cuisine
• Mauritius Creole cuisine
• Caribbean Creole cuisine[8]
• Mexican Creole cuisine[1]
• Peruvian Creole cuisine[9]

The Origin & History Of The Humble Indian Curry

Vatsala Devki Vats

Updated on Sep 14, 2019, 11:34 IST

The history of the Indian curry as we know it dates back to 1498, a time when the Portuguese first came to India's southern shores in search of cardamom, cloves, and black pepper, which were considered to be among the world's most valuable commodities. These rare spices were grown only in India at the time.

Unable to come up with an apt word to describe the spicy stew, sometimes served with or without coconut cooked there, the Portuguese were forced to make one up: 'carel.' The word was taken from the Tamil word 'kari.' 

Then came the East India Company, which overthrew the Portuguese and seized control of India. Since the British believed they improved everything about India, they changed the word 'carel' into 'curry'. They used curry to describe the wide range of thick stews made from the most fundamental ingredients like tomatoes and spices, served alongside rice or bread (roti). 

And that's not the only thing Britishers did to our curry. It's believed that Britishers would learn how to cook curry in India only to go home and serve "Indian curries" at home in an attempt to come across as authentic and native. By the mid-19th century, you needed a curry recipe or a chemist's shop that didn't carry curry powder to find a British cookbook. 

Levelle's New Years African American Mexican Style Dinner

This dinner was simply unbelievable. Levelle is my younger brother, who loves to cook and cater holiday dinners for the family. This Christmas, he outdid himself with his special holiday cookies. He made two batches: one was an oatmeal, raisin, apple cinnamon cookie, and the other was a cranberry, almond oatmeal, which was huge, like a breakfast bar.

He also made his fabulous Cherry Cheese Cream Pie from scratch, and sweat potato pie, he has always been a baker.

But, what he really cooked for after New Year's dinner was his famous:

"Enchilada"

Spanish Rice

Chili Beans and Salsa dip

The salsa is the key. He cuts up his tomatoes and de-veins his jalapeno peppers and bell pepper, cilantro, green onion, white onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, and chili powder, with a twist of lime juice and vinegar. He adds this salsa to the meat and to the Spanish rice. He adds his cheeses (whatever is in the fridge), wraps them in corn tortilla shells, and tops them with more black olives. I waited all day long for this dinner because he got up early to get everything together and took his time to really chop the vegetables and cook his meat, make his sauce, and grate his cheeses before backing over two dozen enchilada for family and friends that may stopover.

He made dozens of cookies and passed them out to family and friends, a tradition he has done every year, forever.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats Quick or old-fashioned, uncooked
1 cup raisins
Add chopped apples
Family and friends in Fresno, California, love to go to Levelle's house for the holidays; he has made this a tradition for our nieces and nephews. They drive up to his house to experience a light show, which each year wins praise from the neighbors for the Christmas lights and reindeer themes. He has entertainment for the kids and movies for the adults going all day and night.