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Mississippi - Catfish Allison

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Here is a recipe for a delicious baked catfish called Catfish Allison!

Catfish Allison and mashed potatoes with green onions

Catfish Allison hails from the great southern state of Mississippi. I first read about this dish when I was researching what to cook for our movie night.

Movie Night - O Brother, Where Are Thou?

Sunday evenings we sit down to watch a film. I love to cook a meal on these movie nights that has something to do with the film we are watching.  Usually either the setting of the movie, or food actually eaten or highlighted in the film can inspire the meal.

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Doc Martin's Inspired Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Please read on about this amazing Doc Martin's Inspired Portobello Mushroom Sandwich!

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Taos, New Mexico, has some amaaaazing restaurants. We had the privilege to have lunch at one of these (Doc Martin's) on a recent trip. Doc Martin's restaurant is located in the historic Taos Inn, and is an acclaimed restaurant located in the Taos center. Here we had an incredible Portobello Mushroom Sandwich!

Historic Taos Inn
Taos Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places. Look at this exquisite blue door!

Doc Martin's Restaurant

The restaurant was named after the first doctor in Taos County, Doc Martin. Legend has it that the doctor never worried whether people could pay. He would accept chickens or potatoes in exchange for his services. The restaurant used to be his home, and the alcove in the restaurant was originally his office and delivery room.

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New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about delicious New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice!

Red beans and rice in a white bowl, 2 bottles of Tabasco scorpion sauce, and salad in the background
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Louisiana Creole Cuisine

Creole cuisine is world famous and rightly so! This amazing cuisine combines French, Spanish, African, and Haitian influences.

Louisiana Creole has produced some of the most well known and delicious foods to include jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp creole, and this recipe, Red Beans and Rice.

Red Beans and Rice

Red beans and rice is known as a simple and humble peasant food. The red beans arrived via white French creoles who settled in New Orleans after fleeing a slave uprising in Haiti. The flavors are complex considering the few ingredients needed to prepare this dish.

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Easy and Delicious Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburgers!

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburgers!

Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburger and Pickle

Last October it was privilege a to visit New England for the first time.  Unfortunately we didn't make it to Connecticut (officially the Constitution State), so missed out on exploring New Haven (home to Yale University), world class museums, and some great culinary adventures. 

One iconic food that Connecticut is known for is the Steamed Cheeseburger.  Yes, you read that right!  I never in my life even considered cooking a cheeseburger in this way, however after having done so I am a steamed cheeseburger convert.  Try this recipe and you will be too!

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Cobb Salad (1,000 Foods to Eat Project)

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Cobb Salad

I can't believe it took me so long to try a Cobb salad. This salad is absolutely delicious, colorful, and calorific! In short, it's terrific. 🙂

The Cobb salad is one of foods listed in the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die book by Mimi Sheraton. It is also the #4 item on my quest to try each of the 1,000 foods listed in this incredible book.

I have included in my recipe instructions on how to make this salad "from scratch." However you can buy precooked chicken, eggs, and bacon to save time when assembling this salad.

You can view my recipe for a Californian Inspired Cobb Salad here.

1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die Front Jacket

Enjoy one of the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die foods, and get a taste of California at the same time!

New York Hot Dogs (1000 Foods to Eat Project)

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New York Style Hot Dog Sauerkraut Ketchup and Spicy Brown Mustard
New York Style Hot Dog

Hot dogs! Who doesn't love a hot dog?!

Hot dogs are one of foods listed in the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die book, and #2 item on my quest to try each of the 1,000 foods listed in this incredible book.

Most of us in the US have tried hot dogs, however there may be many of us who have not tried a New York Style Hot Dog. Let me tell you these are delicious!

Your taste buds will thank you when you try this delicious hot dog topped with sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and a cayenne infused ketchup!

You can view my recipe for a New York Style Hot Dog here.

1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die Front Jacket

Enjoy one of the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die foods, and get a taste of New York at the same time!

Easy and Delicious Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken!

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Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken in a cast iron skillet

Christopher Robin Movie Night

On a recent movie night, we watched the 2018 film Christopher Robin, with Ewan McGregor playing Christopher Robin. In this version, Christopher is all grown up. He meets his childhood friend Winnie the Pooh once again, who helps him rediscover fun and the joys of life. If you love the story of Winnie the Pooh, then most likely you will enjoy this film.

On movie nights, I cook a meal for that evening that has something to do with the film we are watching. The inspiration for the meal is usually the setting of the movie, or food actually eaten or highlighted in the film.

In the case of Christopher Robin, it was pretty easy to decide to cook with Pooh bear's favorite - honey!!

Jar of honey with a honey dipper poised above it
Photo by Art Rachen on Unsplash

Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

Spicy honey mustard garlic chicken ended up on our plates that evening, served with a side of mashed potatoes.

These ingredients are all you will need to make this delicious dish:

  • Chicken thighs
  • Garlic cloves (minced)
  • Thai chilies (if you don't like spicy food I have got you covered! just reduce the number of chilies or omit entirely)
  • Honey
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • Green onions (optional garnish)

You will devour this moist chicken, rich with the sweet flavor of the honey, and the wonderful punch of Dijon spice! The Thai chilies give this a fruity flavor with heat which I know you will absolutely love.

It's Super Duper Easy To Make This Dish!

It takes around 20 minutes to make Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken. All you have to do is:

Pan fry some chicken thighs which have been seasoned in some olive oil until browned.

Chicken thighs browning in oil in a cast iron pan

Remove the browned chicken (keep warm in a low oven) and then stir fry the chilies and garlic.

Garlic and Chilies in oil in a cast iron pan with a wooden spoon

Then add honey and Dijon mustard, and whisk away until all the ingredients are well combined, adjusting for seasoning if needed.

Sauce including garlic, chilies, honey, and dijon mustard in a cast iron skillet with a whisk

Then add the chicken back to the skillet and coat with the incredibly delicious sauce that you must whipped up!

Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken in a cast iron skillet

What To Serve With Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken garnished with green onions

My favorite way to serve this dish is with heaps of mashed potatoes! Rice or crusty bread to mop up all the juices are some other wonderful alternatives to accompany this dish.

You also can't go wrong with adding sliced green onions as a garnish. So good!

June Barrera's Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken
June Barrera's Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

I hope you will enjoy this Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken!

Here Are Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

The BEST Tomato Basil Chicken

Tomato Basil Chicken

Belizean Stewed Chicken

Belizean Stewed Chicken

Russian Ground Chicken Cutlet

Russian ground chicken cutlets pan frying

If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here. 🙂

Cheers!

Grace

Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken in a cast iron skillet

Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

Grace
Try this delicious honey mustard garlic chicken, spiced up with Thai chilies!  So quick and easy to make, and full of incredible flavor!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 22 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet is preferable (or large skillet)

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 chicken thighs approximately 1 lb
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 Thai chili minced (leave out for a milder dish or add more if you LOVE spice!)
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 4 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 green onions sliced (garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Add salt and pepper to both sides of the chicken thighs
    Chicken thighs with coarse ground pepper on a white plate
  • Turn your burner on to med-high, and heat up 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken thighs (without crowding the pan) each side for approximately 4-6 minutes, or until done.  It should look brown and somewhat crispy on the outside.  Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm in a low oven.
    Chicken thighs browning in oil in a cast iron pan
  • Turn down your burner to med-low.  Add the minced garlic and chilies, and stir for  1 minute.  Then add honey, followed by the dijon mustard, and use your whisk to whisk all the ingredients. Season this sauce to taste with salt and pepper. 
    Sauce including garlic, chilies, honey, and dijon mustard in a cast iron skillet with a whisk
  • Add the chicken back in to the skillet, and turn the chicken so that is completely covered by the delicious spicy honey mustard garlic sauce 
    Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken in a cast iron skillet
  • Garnish with green onions and enjoy!
    Spicy Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken garnished with green onions

Notes

I'm sure Pooh bear would approve of this spicy honey mustard garlic chicken!  If you prefer a mild dish, then leave out the chilies.  Alternatively add more chilies if you love spicy food!
Enjoy garnished with green onions, and serve with a side of mashed potatoes or rice for a deliciously hearty meal!
Keyword asian chicken wrap, honey mustard, spicy chicken
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

California - Hangtown Fry (1000 Foods To Eat Project)

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Hangtown Fry

The Hangtown Fry is one of the dishes in my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project.

1,000 Foods to Eat Project

Last year, I purchased the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. The back of the book jacket states that the book contains "the tastes, ingredients, restaurants, dishes, and recipes (more than 70) that every food lover should experience or dream about." As I am a food lover, I certainly didn't want to miss out on anything, so I purchased this book and began my project.

My project is to try out each of the 1,000 foods. I will write more about this amazing book another time. In the meantime, I will say this book has a wealth of information about world cuisines. I find it an absolute joy and challenge to take on this project, and my hope is that you'll come along with me on this journey and try out these foods as well.

California - Hangtown Fry

So on to the Hangtown Fry.

Did you know that the state motto of California is "Eureka!"?  Eureka is Greek for "I have found it" and most likely refers to the discovery of gold in the state.  The California Gold Rush started in 1848 and ended around 1855.  From this rich history comes our dish which originated in California, called the Hangtown Fry.

Legend has it that a prospector who struck it rich walked into the Cary House hotel, and demanded the most expensive dish that the kitchen could cook up.  The Wikipedia entry states:  "The most expensive ingredients available were eggs, which were delicate and had to be carefully brought to the mining town; bacon, which was shipped from the East Coast, and oysters, which had to be brought on ice from San Francisco, over 100 miles away."

"Oysters for breakfast?!  Well, I wasn't a fan of that, so I cooked up the Hangtown Fry for dinner instead.  Even so, I believe this is a dish that you either love or hate... but it's worth trying if you have even a small amount of fondness for oysters just to say you've given it a go.  I used canned oysters to keep the cost of the dish down, but fresh oysters are best.

I love the history behind the Hangtown Fry, but I confess I am not the biggest fan. However, I am glad I tried it and knocked off my first food of the 1000 Foods Project. Only 999 to go. 🙂

Hangtown Fry

California Hangtown Fry

Grace
If you love oysters, give the famous Hangtown Fry a try!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 5 eggs lightly whisked with ½ ts black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter split
  • 8 oz canned oysters (I used ½ can of Bumble Bee - ½ can was leftover and can be used for snacks!)
  • ½ cup flour
  • 3 strips bacon fried and crumbled
  • 1 green onion sliced

Instructions
 

  • Fry the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside. Keep the bacon fat.
  • Drain and pat dry the oysters. Dip the oysters into the flour to coat and set aside.Fry the oysters in the bacon fat (med high heat), until golden brown. It may take 5-7 minutes. Drain excess bacon fat on paper towels. 
  • Heat up ½ tablespoon of butter in a nonstick pan (omelette sized - stove set on med high heat) Pour ½ of your whisked eggs into the pan. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, lift up a small portion of the edge of the eggs so that the runny and uncooked egg slides into the open space in the pan. Continue doing this a couple of times, and then turn your heat down to medium.
  • Sprinkle ½ of your crumbled bacon and ½ of your fried oysters over the egg. Continue cooking (lifting up sides and letting the runny egg slide into the open space continue cooking as necessary) until most of the egg has set.
  • Lift up one side of the omelette and turn it over ¾ (see picture). Keep warm in the oven, and repeat for your second omelette.

Notes

Sprinkle with green onions and a bit of cayenne if you like.  Great with Tabasco!!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Utah Inspired Potato Tots - Tatchos

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Drafts Inspired Tatchos

It seems that potato (tater) tots are to Utah, what nachos are to Mexico. Utah loves its tots! And a great tot meal is Tatchos Potato Tots!

For one of our Sunday movie nights, we watched a film called Hereditary. This film is a tense and dark thriller with quite a surprise ending. On movie nights, I cook a meal for that evening that has something to do with the film we are watching. The inspiration for the meal is usually the setting of the movie, or food actually eaten or highlighted in the film.

The beautiful state of Utah is the setting for Hereditary, and is where it was filmed. Therefore, I decided to make my own version of Tatchos when I discovered that Utah was the setting. Tatchos are a featured item at Drafts Burger Bar, located in Park City, Utah. Their menu lists Tatchos as comprised of tater tots, smoked gouda cheese sauce, bacon, tomato, green onions, and sour cream.

Cheese and Tots!!!

I decided to top the tots with a cheddar cheese sauce instead of the gouda cheese sauce, so cheddar cheese fans rejoice! However, you may also like to use your favorite queso which is perfectly acceptable and delicious!

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Californian Inspired Cobb Salad

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Cobb Salad on a white place with vinaigrette and slices of rye bread in the background

I will always remember Feb 4, 2019 as the day that I had my first Cobb salad. It will be the first of many and I can't wait to have this delicious salad again!

Read on for a great Cobb Salad recipe!

The Origin of The Cobb Salad

This delicious and indulgent salad came to be in the 1930s at the Brown Derby restaurant, in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Robert Cobb owned the Brown Derby Restaurant, and the salad is named after him.

There are several stories about how the salad came to be. One version is that one evening a very hungry Mr. Cobb gathered leftovers that he found in the restaurant's kitchen. Once put together, he topped it with a vinaigrette, and so the Cobb salad was born. Another version says that Mr. Cobb put the salad together for a friend (Sid Grauman, founder of Grauman's Chinese Theater). His friend had dental work so everything had to be chopped fine.

Eggs, cheese, avocado, green onion, cherry tomatoes
Bacon Chicken and Eggs

The Connection to I Love Lucy 🙂

One I Love Lucy episode famously featured The Brown Derby Restaurant. In this episode, Lucille Ball has a hilarious run-in with William Holden. Mr. Holden orders a Cobb salad at the Brown Derby by the way. 🙂 This episode is called "LA at Last" or "Hollywood at Last." Please watch Lucy's ridiculous antics on CBS All Access if you have it! It is Season 4, Episode 17. It is a hoot!!

I Love Lucy episode with Lucille Ball and William Holden
Lucy sneaking a peek at William Holden LOL

Treat yourself to this salad when you want to indulge. It definitely is not for those who are on a diet or watching their weight! But it is definitely delicious.

I hope you'll take the time to make this dish, and enjoy a bit of I Love Lucy whilst dining on the Cobb salad. Enjoy!

Cobb Salad on a white plate

Here Are Some Other Dishes You May Enjoy!

Thai Cucumber Salad

Thai Cucumber Salad

Beautiful Roasted Beets and Spinach Salad

Roasted Beets and Spinach Salad

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Cheers!

Grace

Cobb Salad on a white place with vinaigrette and slices of rye bread in the background

Californian Inspired Cobb Salad

This delicious Cobb salad is seriously indulgent!  Enjoy with a glass of Chardonnay and some nice crusty bread!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

For the salad

  • 6 slices bacon crumbled into bite sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breast chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 10 oz romaine lettuce cut up into bite sized pieces for your salad
  • 3 eggs hardboiled, peeled, and chopped
  • 3 green onions sliced thinly
  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 avocado chopped into small pieces
  • Roquefort cheese crumbled into small pieces

For the vinaigrette

  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ½ ts Worcestershire sauce
  • squeeze lemon
  • ¼ ts salt
  • ¼ ts pepper

Instructions
 

For the vinaigrette

  • Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a bowl or salad dressing shaker, and either whisk or shake until well combined. 
    Red Wine Vinegar Vinaigrette

For the salad

  • Place your eggs in a saucepan, and place just enough cold water to cover them.  Place on your stove on high, until water is boiling and large bubbles are breaking over their surface.  Remove from the heat and leave covered for 15 minutes.  Plunge into ice cold water to cool down, and then peel.  
  • Fry your bacon (cut into bite sized pieces) until crisp and browned, and drain on paper towels.
    Bacon Chicken and Eggs
  • Season both sides of your chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil on med high heat, then cook both sides of the chicken until browned and cooked through.  Cut into bite sized pieces. 
  • Assemble each salad by laying down ⅓ of the romaine lettuce as your salad bed.  Top with ⅓ of all of your ingredients:  chicken, bacon, sliced avocado, halved tomatoes, chopped eggs, sliced green onion, and Roquefort cheese.  
    Eggs, cheese, avocado, green onion, cherry tomatoes
  • Top with your red wine vinegar vinaigrette and enjoy!

Notes

To save time, buy chicken and bacon that are already cooked, and eggs that have already been hardboiled.  The Cobb salad is high in calories so beware!  Enjoy this as as a luxurious indulgence!
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