Who's your mama, are you Catholic, and can you make a roux?

Hi guys! Yeah, I'm still here. Doing not much so it seems on paper, but in reality, we've been busy surviving stomach flu, working a few weekend days for my sister, putting on concerts (it's that time again) and well, just generally surviving. The garden is doing well, you know it's getting good when it take about 45 minutes each night to water (dear Santa, for Christmas, I would like an underground sprinkling system... I've been a very good girl).

So output has been minimal, but the hamster is still running on the old wheel, and I've got things in my brain. Elio's 3rd (WHAT??!) birthday is coming up, so I'm ruminating on ideas for a Bob the Builder celebration. But I've got another month to stage that one, so for now, I'm getting excited for summer.

We've had a couple of hot and sunny days. It gives me the summer itch. Yesterday we stained the deck and fertilized the lawn, today I invited my sis, her hubby and my Auntie Cathy for dinner. SUMMER BBQ. Yumm.... the menu is nothing fancy, homemade hamburgers, BBQ'd veggies in a Baja Citrus marinade, corn on the cob, and something new to me, Potato Croquettes.



Back in April, Ethan took his band to New Orleans on a trip, and lucky me got to tag along as a chaperone. Honestly, I've never had such a great time on a trip. What a city! The architecture, the music, the weather, and Lord have mercy, THE FOOD. We happened to be there during the French Quarter festival- about 15 stages were set up offering the most fantastic free musical smorgasbord, and countless tents were on the streets with incredible local cuisine to offer. I've never smelled anything quite like it. I ate crocodile po'boy sandwiches (yes I did and hmmm-mmm it was good), and praline creme brulee which still haunts my dreams. I had beignes from Cafe du Monde, got an icing sugar mustache in the process. It's all part of the experience.
The people were fantastic and I would go back in an instant. I cannot wait to go again.













In an effort to bring New Orleans home with me, I bought a cookbook. Hang on, after about an hour of deliberating over which cookbook to buy, I finally purchased one- more for its stories and anecdotes about southern living than for the recipes, but nonetheless I'm enjoying it. The selection?
Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux (Book 1) by Marcelle Bienvenu.



I was thumbing through it, as I'm going through my quarter annual crisis of "I'm sick of our usual!". I came across a recipe for Potato Croquettes that sounded simple and interesting. So I thought I'd give it a whirl. Maybe you'd like to give it a shot too?
Here is Marcelle Bienvenu's recipe for Potato Croquettes

Makes 6 servings
3-4 pounds of red potatoes
1 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of chopped green bell peppers
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
3 eggs beaten
2 1/2 cups of bacon drippings or peanut oil
All purpose flour for dredging

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until fork tender. Remove from the heat and drain. Cool, then peel and put them in a large bowl. Mash the potatoes, leaving some lumps. Add the onions and bell peppers, and season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Fold in the eggs, mix well.
With your hands, shape the potato mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter, or if you prefer, shape into 3 inch pancakes. Heat the oil in a skillet. Dredge the balls in flour and drop them into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and drain on a paper towel.


I almost never leave well enough alone. So I used a mixture of green and red bell pepper, and they're super pretty. I also used chives instead of onion. I added my own seasonings in addition to the tabasco: Slap Ya Mama (a spice I brought back with me from NOLA), some paprika and seasoning salt. We've just finished cooking them (I found my hands were so mucky from rolling the balls that I needed Ethan's help to roll them in the oil). By the way, bacon fat???! Uh-uh. I used veggie oil.

Here they are.... maybe you'll like them too. Happy Trails!