Ingredients

• 4 large onions, thinly sliced
  
• 150ml/5fl oz of your favourite beer or ale
  
• 1 tbsp sugar
  
• 1 tbsp mustard
  
• large pat of butter
  
• 1 large sprig of thyme
  
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 8 links good-quality hot dogs or smoked sausages
  
• 8 bread rolls, or pieces of good French bread
  

Preparation method

1. Mix together the beer, sugar and mustard, then pour over sliced onions. Add the butter and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Heat mixture in saucepan on burner or grill until onions are tender (apx 25-30 mins). 
2. Place the sausages on a medium-hot barbecue and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning every so often. Check they're cooked through before serving. Put the cooked sausages in the rolls or French bread and dollop the onions on the top.
   

Ingredients

• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz belly of pork
  
• 3 tbsp sea salt
  
• 2 star anise, ground
  
• 1 large orange, zest only
  
• 2 fresh bay leaves
  
• 8 garlic cloves
  
• 1 tbsp Szechwan peppercorns
  
• ½ tsp Chinese five spice
  
• 200ml/7fl oz olive oil
  
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
  
  

Preparation method

1. Make sure you or your butcher score the pork skin well.  This will make better crackling. Mix the salt, ground star anise and the orange zest together and rub well into the skin, making sure the salt goes into all the cuts of the pork rind.
   
2. Use a blender to pulp your bay leaves, garlic, Szechuan peppercorns, five spice to a paste; slowly adding the olive oil while mixing.
   
3. Leave the pork to dry overnight in the fridge; do not cover as you want it to dry.
   
4. Heat a barbeque or griddle and slice the pork into thin slices. Place the pork slices onto the hot griddle or barbeque and brush with the marinade. Cook each side for a few minutes, or until cooked through and the skin is crisp.
   
   

By: Angela Frances - MSTv Food Correspondent

This layered quasi-coffee cakes is usually eaten with some coffee.  But, between the delicious sweet flavor and mess it'll make when eating, it makes a perfect game-day finger snack. Or, an even better buddy food fight weapon if they're rooting for the other team!

Ingredients For the berry filling

• 200g/7oz frozen berries (raspberries, blackberries, cherries, blueberries all work, or mix them up)
  
• 50g/2oz sugar
  
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
  
  

For the crumble topping

• 110g/4oz plain flour
  
• 70g/2½oz cold unsalted butter
  
• 30g/1oz sugar
  
  

For the cake

• 220g/8oz plain flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
  
• ½ tsp cinnamon
  
• 50g/2oz ground almonds
  
• 200g/7oz sugar
  
• 80g/3oz butter, melted
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 40g/1½oz yoghurt thinned with 2 tbsp milk
  

Ingredients:

2  6-oz chicken breasts
2 Bunches of spinach/baby spinach (Washed, dried, and cut if needed.)
3 Cups sliced strawberries
1 Cup sliced peaches
1/2 Cup walnuts
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 Tsp. dry mustard
1/4 Tsp. black pepper powder
Pinch of sea salt & paprika

Preparation:

Whisk the lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, dry mustard, poppy seeds,  pinch of salt & paprika until all ingredients are dissolved. Place in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts & almonds on a metal baking tray for 8-10 minutes.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips and grill until done. (10-15 minutes.)

Toss chicken with torn spinach leaves, strawberries, and peaches in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over it & add walnuts. Serve immediately!!

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. savory
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. mace
1 tsp. thyme

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds of jumbo lump crabmeat
2 teaspoons chives chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoons flat leaf parsley choped fine
1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
5 ounces peeled cooked and put through a potato ricer
1 1/2 egg whites
panko bread crumbs as needed
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine
1 teaspoon chives chopped fine
1/2 egg white
Vegetable cooking spray

Further downriver on Magazine, Tay and his business partners in Byblos and Salu restaurants, Gaby Saliba and Hicham Khodr, had plans to add to the boom, but lately have slowed their approach. In November, they revamped Byblos, moving it into the space formerly occupied by Nacho Mama’s at 3242 Magazine. In the old Byblos location, they’re considering creating a new Mexican taqueria.

In the same block as Salu, there’s also a new player moving in. The owners of Baru Bistro & Tapas recently leased the former Rocky’s Pizza space at 3222 Magazine St. and are planning to open Basin Seafood and Spirits, a new casual restaurant focused on Louisiana’s fresh catch.

Hoppin' John Bake

Black-Eyed pea casserole.

Half a 16-ounce bag black-eyed peas (1 cup)


6 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup uncooked rice or more slices bacon
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded

Put black-eyed peas in cold water overnight. Drain and rinse well.

Add peas to pot with 4 cups broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until tender but not falling apart. Drain.

In heavy, medium saucepan, stir rice with remaining 2 cups broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer 18 to 22 minutes until rice is tender. Fluff with fork, cover.

In heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon. To drippings, add bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 8 minutes, until tender. Transfer to large bowl; stir in salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish.

Add black-eyed peas, rice, bacon and 1 cup shredded cheese to vegetables. Combine, top with remaining cheese and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese has melted. Serve hot.

Helen Evans Brown's Corn Chili Bread

Mr. Beard writes: "The late Helen Evans Brown was a specialist in California's traditional foods. This recipe is extremely moist" -- yes, delightfully so. ... "It is one of my oldest bread recipes, and one of my very favorites. I have often served it for large parties, doubling the recipe, which is very simple."

3 ears corn, husks and silk removed (I used 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup sour cream
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup very finely diced Gruyere or Monterrey Jack cheese
4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 9-by-9-inch glass baking dish or 21/2-quart soufflé dish.

If using fresh corn, scrape kernels from cobs. Put (fresh or frozen) corn in large bowl. Add cornmeal, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, baking powder and salt; stir to mix. Fold in cheese and chiles.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake about 45 minutes, until lightly browned and firm. Serve warm. "With melted butter," wrote Mr. Beard.

Makes 9 to 10 servings.

Candy Cane Cooler By: intoxicology.net

1 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce peppermint schnapps

1/2 ounce B&B (Benedictine and brandy)

1/2 ounce half-and-half

Peppermint stick for garnish

Mint sprig for garnish

Ice

Add vodka, peppermint schnapps, B&B, and half-and-half into a shaker with ice. Shake lightly to chill and strain into old-fashioned glass full of ice and stir. Garnish with a peppermint stick and mint sprig.

Mulled Wine

Makes 8 servings  

4 cups apple cider

1 (750-ml) bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon (or red wine of preference)
1/4 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, zested and juiced

4 whole cloves

3 star anise

Peel of one orange, cut into wide strips, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

Poinsettia cocktail

1/2 ounce Cointreau

2 ounces cranberry juice

4 ounces champagne

3 whole cranberries for garnish

Chill liquid ingredients ahead of time. Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute. Stir well, and top with champagne. Float the cranberries on top for garnish.

Christmas Spirit Shooter

• 1/2 ounce sour apple schnapps
• 1/2 teaspoon grenadine
• 3/4 ounce cinnamon schnapps with gold flakes (preferably Gold Strike brand)

Directions Pour the sour apple schnapps into a 1 1/2-ounce shot glass.

Gently pour in the grenadine. (It will sink to the bottom to make the red layer.)

Shake the bottle of cinnamon schnapps, then turn the bottle upside down to bring the gold flakes to the top. Measure out 3/4 ounce. Hold a small spoon upside down inside the glass, directly over the apple schnapps layer. Gently pour the cinnamon schnapps over the back of the spoon to make the third layer.