Friends that are Family and Artichoke Frittata

Jason and I struggled with going back home to Louisiana over Easter a few weeks ago. Easter in Louisiana means crawfish boils with our families and dying eggs with the cousins then hunting them, and me and my sisters acting silly and breaking out to hysterics in Easter mass. But when the busy weekends add up with travels and events, the thought of making one more drive seems more daunting than exciting. So we pulled the plug sadly and did what we knew we had to and that was to tell our family that we would be staying put here in Houston. Thankfully we see them so much more so they understood and let us off the hook!

We knew it was meant to be when we were invited to a crawfish boil here in Houston on Good Friday. See?? God knows our hearts desires!:) Collins loved being on the farm getting dirty and we loved eating crawfish with Houston friends.  We even gave a few crawfish peeling lessons:)

On Saturday we got to play with our sweet friends and let the babies dye Easter eggs together. It was just like we wanted to do in Louisiana! These two were a mess after the dying process was done. All Collins wanted to do was eat the eggs...

On Sunday, we got to attend church service at our home church and then off to Gabe's for Easter brunch, as well as a birthday party to celebrate her precious Ryan's first birthday and an easter egg hunt, too.  It was a perfect way to spend the day.....

 So in the end, we spent Easter weekend doing the things that mean the most on a sacred weekend but with friends that feel like family. Isn't God good like that? And Easter Sunday with a 16 month old was so much fun. While the Easter bunny did not bring much at all, the few things that were there (sand toys and 2 books) were waiting for her and she knew right away that those things were for her. She threw down her little sippy cup of milk and ran right over to her new treats.

For Easter brunch, Gabe told me to bring nothing but I had to bring something. This girl can't show up empty handed:) So knowing we would be in church on Sunday morning, I made an artichoke frittata that was so easy to prep ahead and pop into the oven before we left. And it was delicious!

Artichoke Frittata

2 cans of artichoke hearts, quartered

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup EVOO

12 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 pinch nutmeg

salt and pepper

lemon wedges for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400. In a bowl, toss the artichokes with the flour to coat.

In a skillet, heat the EVOO, over medium high heat. Add the artichokes and fry until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, cheese, parsley and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the artichokes and cook until just set. 

Transfer the fritatta to the oven and bake until set and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, then slice into quarters and serve with lemon wedges 

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Holly Jolly Christmas and Armadillo Eggs!

Over Christmas, we loaded up practically everything we own including tons of presents and headed to Louisiana for Christmas. Our car was packed to the fullest and poor Garcia barely had a spot to ride in but we made it and had everything we needed for our week long jaunt!

First stop was Basile! The Mayeux family celebrated together...

and the babies all woke up in their matching jammies together on Christmas Eve morning.

Us sisters played all day, acted silly the entire time (including making a few of our very own home music videos to Timber by Pitbull) and the men just looked at us like were were nuts and the kids played happily! We went to Christmas mass...decked out to the nines, took a thousand family pictures in the front yard!

Of course there was food and we enjoyed yummy appetizers after church to celebrate before we went on to the in-laws. My contribution was Armadillo Eggs...only fitting with our new Texas culture. So I chose this recipe because my man loves anything jalapenos stuffed with cheese. It is kind of his love language. Well, what I wasn't expecting was the HEAT in the jalepenos that I happened to pick out. I am not even going to lie. My fingers flipping burned for DAYS! But everyone seemed to like them:)

Off to the in-laws we went and we got to wake up on Christmas morning at the Welch house. We headed to Glenmora for Christmas lunch and it was delicious and a wonderful time with our family.

Collins fell in love with Paw Paw's dessert and even entertained us with her dancing skills to "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. She is kind of a natural:) My contribution for lunch was Spinach and Feta Crostini...yummy, delicious, Christmas joy!

We spent the next few days seeing friends and family including our new Louisiana natives Kelly and James,

 making more yummy dishes like Barbecue Chicken Salad in Tortilla Cups (AMAZING!) and then Jason and I ended back in the town of our Alma Mater of Natchitoches, Louisiana at the Christmas Lights for our belated anniversary trip.  It felt so good to be back and did I mention it was just the two of us? 

The grandparents shared custody of our CC and Jason and I were like wild college kids again. Well, not quite but we sure felt wild without having a napping schedule to work around:) Our dear friends, Jessica and Blaine happened to be in Natchitoches too so they joined us for dinner...it was the Fab 4, back in Natchitoches eating at Mama's Oyster House like zero time had passed! 

I may or may not have taken FOUR bubble baths in the huge tub at our B&B while indulging in my latest book..all in the same day...just because I could. It was a busy and blessed week! So much to be thankful for and I am deciding to forget the bad part of having Collins get so sick that we almost went back to Houston mid-week ready to forget about our deposit at the Bed and Breakfast. But we didn't and prayers were answered for our baby to improve enough that we could get away and celebrate our belated anniversary...7 years and going strong! 

Armadillo Eggs

15 fresh medium jalapeno chilis

4 oz. monterey jack cheese, slivered

8 oz. breakfast sausage

8 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups biscuit mix

2 envelopes shake and bake mix

2 eggs, beaten

Cut the jalapeno chilies lengthwise into halves. Discard the seeds and veins. Soak in cold water in a bowl for a milder flavor if desired. Stuff each jalapeno chili half with the cheese slivers and press the halves together.

Combine the sausage, shredded cheese and biscuit mix in a bowl.

The dough will be stiff so knead with hands to mix. Pat the dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds large enough to enclose the jalapeno chilis. Shape 1 round around each jalapeno chili and roll between hands into the shape of an egg. 

Roll each jalapeno chili in shake and bake, dip in beaten eggs, and coat again with shake and bake. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown, turning several times. Cut each crosswise into 5 slices. Serve with salsa. 

Spinach and Feta Crostini

 1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup mayonnaise and sour cream

1 garlic clove, minced

pepper to taste

1 loaf French bread, cut into slices

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl. Spread on 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Barbeque Chicken Salad in Cups

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

3/4 cups drained black beans

3/4 cups drained whole kernel yellow corn with red and green bell peppers

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup barbeque sauce

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup light sour cream

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Bowl shaped tortilla chips (Can use baked!)

Fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, black beans, corn and onion. 

In a separate bowl, combine bbq sauce, mayo, sour cream, salt and pepper; stir to mix well. Combine chicken mixture and bbq sauce mixture, stirring to mix well. Cover and refrigerate.

To serve , spoon chicken salad into tortilla chips, and garnish with fresh cilantro, as desired. 

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Giving Thanks and the Perfect "Tipsy" Desserts!

This past year Jason and I were supposed to host Thanksgiving and had all our family on board. Until we remembered that we had a 3 bedroom house with two of those already occupied. So we had to pump our breaks and beg and plead that IF we went back to La for Thanksgiving this year that everyone would promise to come to us next year in hopefully a larger home. After making a phone call to all involved and getting their promise practically in a contract I gave over my hostessing dreams.
But time home in Louisiana is always fun and always busy. We love being with our families. We started our trip with seeing one of my favorite aunts (one of Momou's daughters) and cousins.

This was Collins first Thanksgiving and she loved it...the dressing, the turkey, the desserts....such a Mayeux girl;) And it was a good thing that she loved Thanksgiving because we had TWO in one day.

 We had Thanksgiving lunch with Jason's family and Thanksgiving dinner with mine and we certainly didn't complain.

And Jason and I started a new tradition of the "Turkey Trot" and went running that morning before we consumed enough food for a small country. We may have been the only participants in our Turkey Trot but we plan to expand next year when we are in Houston. Any takers? We promise food, folks and fun!

We finished off our trip seeing the infamous and wonderful Momou who was so glad to see us and us to see her.

And even a trip to see some of our very best friends who recently made the move from Tennessee to Louisiana...how amazing is that?!?

Only God could orchestrate something like that...

My mom requested one thing from me and one thing only. My Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. Oh sweet Maria. It is heavenly and who doesn't need a little extra liquor around the holidays? And my mother in law told me that I could make a dessert for her house but she was in charge of the pumpkin pie. Woo hoo! That meant I got to make a chocolate recipe. And that I did...my Mocha Kahlua Cake. Now both of these were recipes submitted by others to Southern Living many moons ago. (I have been subscribing since my sophomore year in college...seriously.) So I actually have the names to thank and I take zero credit but I have made them many times and are at the top of my favorites list.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

1/2  (15 oz) package refrigerated pie crusts

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup (6oz) semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup bourbon or water

4 large eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons cornmeal

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fit piecrust into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.

 Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust; set aside.

Combine corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk about one fourth hot mixture into egg mixture; add to streaming hot mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour (keep an eye on it!!) or until set; cool on wire rack. 

       

Mocha Cake
2 cups sour cream

2 large eggs

1 pkg chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup coffee liqueur 

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (12 oz) pkg semisweet chocolate morsels

1/2 cup cinnamon chips

powdered sugar

Garnish:

whipped cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; blend well. Stir in morsels and cinnamon chips. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10 inch Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

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