Friday Favorites

Super Bowl Sunday is a big deal in our house, but we've decided to skip the fanfare this year and have a low key "home-gating" party. We're not having a ton of food or a ton of people over--just nachos and some sort of dessert for my husband, our babies, and myself. I'm going to miss the noise of a big party, but sometimes it's nice to have my loves all to myself. Do you have plans for Super Bowl? Whatever you're up to this weekend, have fun and be safe. God bless!

The sweetest heart barrette.

Bianca Jagger's most glamorous looks.

This image of a shooting star in Sweden that reminds me of how small I am in this universe.

Cute tea sandwiches my daughters will love.

Sweet words to share with my little girls.

Wordsmith Wednesday: Intransigent

Here's where I share my favorite words with you. Because savvy girls have impressive vocabularies.

Holy Trinity and Other Cajun Cooking Terms

Mardi Gras is next Tuesday, and if you're planning to do any cooking for the festivities--whether it's a traditional  étouffée, jambalaya, or gumbo, or you want to give your favorite burgers, pastas, or casseroles a Cajun kick--it helps to know a few key terms in Cajun cuisine. 

Holy Trinity: a combination of chopped onion, celery, and bell peppers that is used as a base for tons of Creole recipes; the Cajun Holy Trinity is typically 3 parts onion, 2 parts celery, and 1 part bell peppers

Filé (pronounced fee-lay): a spicy herb made from dried sassafras leaves that have been ground to a fine powder; typically used in gumbo

Maque Choux (pronounced mock shoe):  a mixture of corn, bell pepper, onion, garlic, celery, and tomato braised together and served as an accompaniment

Roux (pronounced rue): flour and fat (i.e. butter, oil, lard, etc) cooked together and used as a thickening agent for sauces, soups, and other dishes; often used in gumbo

Remoulade: a condiment used in Creole dishes, especially seafood; typically has a mayonnaise base or an oil base, along with Creole mustard and the addition of spices, herbs, and sometimes finely chopped vegetables.

Blackening: a cooking technique, typically for fish, shrimp, or poultry, in which the meat is coated in melted butter and a specific mix of herbs and spices, then cooked on a very high heat. 

Andouille: a type of smoked sausage, often spicy, used in many Creole dishes

Sauce piquante: a spicy tomato sauce, usually contains the Holy Trinity cooked into it

Brochette (or en brochette): food--typically meat and veggies--cooked on (and sometimes served on) skewers

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Valentine's Donut Skewers

Valentine's Day is supposed to be for lovers, but my husband and I try to include our little girls as much as we can. My husband has started the tradition of getting gifts for each of us girls, and I get our day started with an extra special breakfast. These donut skewers are not only adorable and perfect for Valentine's Day (as well as the other 364 days of the year), they're also a breeze to make. I simply took foam heart stickers and pressed them back to back onto paper straws, then I pushed the other end of the straws through the donut holes. 

Monday

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