Baked Étouffée

When I first glanced at this recipe, I was rather skeptical.  Cream of whatever soup?  Canned French Onion soup?  Cheese?

Well, my doubting was decidedly unjust.  This recipe is fabulous, with an added bonus of easy preparation, dinner party appropriateness, and freezable.

Adapted from here

Ingredients

• 1 lb crawfish tail
• 1 can French onion soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 heaping cup chopped bell pepper ( I used a mix of red, green and yellow)
• 1  cup chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 and 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a casserole dish or dutch oven.

Mix everything but the cheese together, and pour into your baking dish

Cover and bake for an hour and a half.

Remove from over, top with cheese, and bake another 15 minutes uncovered.

Now this recipe allegedly serves eight.  There were five of us eating tonight, and nary a grain of rice remained at the end of the meal.  I served it with good bread, and a simple green salad.

Perfect for having guests, because there is a nice hour and a half to clean up your house, or as Mama suggested, take a disco nap before your company arrives.  Or if you have a mane of hair like myself, blow dry your hair, and dab on some lipstick.  We would have continued in this vein for a good while, if the boys hadn't of cut this line of brainstorming hour and half activities to a halt.

Sometimes an old fashioned recipe featuring can of whatever soup is not Paula Deen glop, but a delicious not-too-bad for you (since I tripled the veggies and made it with brown rice) concoction.  Lesson learned. Although I am maintaining that healthy fear of canned biscuits.  Those just aren't right.

So Many Firsts

All dressed up to attend Miss Priss' first birthday party- her best little buddies, Audrey, Elizabeth, and Claire turned one on Sunday.  Miss Priss was too excited to nap all day in anticipation, then fell asleep on the way to the party.  Promptly on arrival, she woke up wailing, with an extreme diaper issue.  After a quick change and cuddle she was ready to enjoy the party, although quite embarrassed.  Hee.

After getting home, I immediately got in my pjs, and tried feeding Dell Harper some rice cereal.  Her doctor has recommended we try some rice cereal (in addition to her prevaicd and zantac, sigh) in the evenings to help with her reflux.

I don't know if it helped, but I was quite entertained!

I think she was a bit disappointed that it was not this ice cream business she has heard so much about from her Granddaddy.  When I was about Dell Harper's age, Mama came home to my Mama Faye (her mother), feeding me butter pecan ice cream!  Mama was completely nonplussed, but had company so she had to keep her mouth shut.  Now her and Daddy think it is hilarious to threaten to do the same with Dell Harper.  It did take a rather lengthy explanation of infants' digestive systems to convince Daddy that a little melted ice cream would be a bad thing.  I completely understood his confusion, as I have trouble convincing my trying-to-reduce-my-waistline self that a little ice cream would be a bad thing every night after dinner.

Fantasy Land

Source: bourbonandpearls.tumblr.com via Samma on Pinterest

I'm perusing a stack of cooking mags and catalogs and pinterest, and planning my next cocktail party.  Some entertaining is long overdue, and I am longing to celebrate (i.e. show off) my renovations once they are complete.

The party won't be until later this summer, so cool drinks and zinnias will be in order.

Source: familystylefood.com via Samma on Interest

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Italian Greyhounds whipped up on my adorable gold bar cart?  Yes, I think that will be lovely!

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This red number will do quite nicely.

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Or perhaps a floaty hostess gown, to entertain in ease.

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Cheese and wine are essential to any party.

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Of course in reality, the pin I most need will be this one-

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Forty ways to entertain your baby while lying down.  You know, if you are sick, or pregnant, or injured. . .or had a lovely evening the previous night?  Ahem.