2017 New Year's Dinner "UMOJA"

Kwanzaa, the seventh day wouldn't be "Imani" without a Sunday dinner for the beginning of a new year. So even though I didn't have guests, I prepared dinner to share the blessing for 2017.

Menu

Red Moscato Wine

Chicken Shrimp Gumbo

Black-eyed Peas in Sweet Meat

Akara

Plantain

Jollof Rice

Mustard/Collard Mixed Greens

Sweet Potato Pie

Strawberry Caramel Cream Cake

Frances Guichard's place setting for Christmas Dinner.

 The Guichards shared a lovely Christmas dinner for family and friends at the gallery. I asked Frances to BYOB her own bowl to fetch the gumbo I was sharing for the New Year.

Christmas Dinner at Gallery Guichard 2016

I made my Chicken Seafood Gumbo but added sweetmeat (smoked). I used Louisiana Cajun Etouffee Base, browned with a cube of butter and 2 cups of water. I boiled the shrimp shells, added a concentrated seafood base, crab boil, and Old Bay seasoning, and added two cups of broth to the etouffee base.

After boiling sweet meat until it was tender, I chopped and deboned the heart and returned to the pot. Next, I bought a rotisserie chicken from Mariano's instead of a fresh one, boiled it down, and deboned it.

I used the sweetmeat in my black-eyed peas to have a smoky-tasting pot liquor, and with the other half of the black-eyed peas, I made Akara fritters. This year I used dried beans instead of fresh black-eyed peas. I added my onions, garlic, eggs, and a little flour to hold them together and fried them in vegetable oil until brown on both sides.

I just love good plantain. I had one sitting for a week, so it would be nice, sweet, and suitable for browning in butter, oil, and sprinkling brown sugar cinnamon.

Heat peanut oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter begins to sizzle. Gently toss plantain slices with brown sugar, then place into the hot oil. Fry until the plantains turn golden brown, then turn over and continue frying until they have caramelized, about 2 minutes per side.

Uncle Ben's boiled brown rice in a bag came in handy and was suitable for easy clean-up. I added Joloff rice seasoning, which has that west African spice taste.

Jollof rice, also called Benachin, is a one-pot dish popular in many West African countries. It is the progenitor of the Louisianian dish jambalaya. Jollof rice can be served with any kind of meat or chicken.

Christmas 2016 Sunday Brunch

Blood Red Roses, Red Apples, and Christmas Red Berries, Pines, Center Piece

Menu

Espresso Coffee

Turkey Wrap and Rolls

Cranberry Sauce

Giant Purple Grapes

Mimosa

Turkey Wrap and Rolls with Cheddar Cheese and Cranberry Sauce

Andre Campaign and Tangerine Juice, Espresso Coffee

We all have so much to be thankful for, for Jesus is the reason for the season. For those of us with an empty nest, we can still celebrate by making breakfast as if we are entertaining guests. I’ve made a commitment to myself to put a place setting, with napkins, wine glass, candles, and make enough for whoever may drop by. Cheers 

• Wrap and Rolls (Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone Cheese, Herb and Garlic Spread, leaf romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, Spinach, Vegetable, Plain Wraps.)  Cherry tomatoes to garnish.
• Purple Giant Grapes
• Cranberry Sauce

A Mimosa is a cocktail composed of equal parts champagne and chilled citrus juice, usually orange juice unless otherwise specified. Instead of orange juice, I used tangerine juice from Mariano's fresh-squeezed. 

Main alcohol: Champagne

Ingredients: 2 1/2 oz (1 part) Orange juice, 2 1/2 oz (1 part) Champagne

Preparation: Ensure both ingredients are well chilled, then mix into the glass. Serve cold.

Served: Stirred not shaken

Standard garnish: Cherries, Strawberries, Grenadine

Drinkware: Champagne flute