SNOW !!! (Means Comfort Food)

Jon, do you have a favorite red bean and rice recipe you wouldn't mind sharing?

Jon, do you have a favorite red bean and rice recipe you wouldn't mind sharing?

Happy to send you the recipe I use. Since my Grandma never wrote any recipe down, I looked a long time for one that came close. I know it all sounds so simple - some red kidney beans, onion, bay leaf, a soup bone - but there are red beans served over rice and there is Red Beans and Rice!
Anyway, this recipe is very unique in that all of the ingredients go in the pot while the beans are soaking overnight. And as always, use Camellia brand beans if you can get them.
http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2008/07/red_beans_and_rice_1.html

Damn, I just wrote myself into a hell of an appetite!

Thanks Jon! I read the ingredients and my jaw just dropped. There are correlations in there I never in a million years would have dreamed of. Now all I have to do is figure out how to reduce the recipe.
Thanks again.

Thanks Jon! I read the ingredients and my jaw just dropped. There are correlations in there I never in a million years would have dreamed of. Now all I have to do is figure out how to reduce the recipe.
Thanks again.

Carla, I just cut it in half. That actually makes two dinners for four and it freezes really well. I don't know where they got the feeds 25 to 35 - certainly not in Louisiana. I never have known a Louisiana cook that uses Kitchen Bouquet, but I follow the recipe to the letter and it turns out really well.

With some big rain coming instead of snow, I may need to go towards my New Orleans roots.

(On edit: keeping the list updated)

Love Abita Amber!

Temporarily (11 months so far) living in Lakeview and working in Metairie. Jon, i'm looking for recommendations for restaurants and bars. Here's where I've been, so please help me with others you like...

Fausto's (meh)
Andrea's (Italian)
El Gato Negro
Robert (that's "Row BEAR" for the uninitiated.) excellent grocery ala local Fresh Market
Martin's Wine Cellar ( Think Old Town Wine, Lotsa Pasta and Stevens & Stevens rolled into one place - great)
Doringnac's (local grocery, think Burger/Doll's super-sized with wine)
Bucktown Burger and Seafood
Deanie's (Bucktown)
New Orleans Food and Spirits (Bucktown) excellent
R & O's (Bucktown)
Acme (both of them)
Coquette (most excellent brunch, must return for dinner)
Mr. B's (can't throw a rock around here and not hit a restaurant owned by a Brennan) excellent
Cafe B (very good)
Mondo (Susan Spicer) very good
Luke (can't throw a rock around here and not hit a restaurant owned by John Besh) meh
SoBou (that's short for "south of Bourbon") see Brennan. Meh
NOLA (Emeril's place) meh
Court of Two Sisters (brunch natch)
Cafe Equator for thai
Tableau (see Brennan). Very good
Mannings (great place to watch a game - a shrine to Peyton, Eli and Archie)
Merchant (they knew what a Cortado is!)
Central Grocery for a muffaletta (natch)
La Boulangerie (Uptown. A very authentic French Bakery - why can't Louisville have one of these?)
Drago's (Metairie. Was Mr. Drago's 80+ birthday one night when I was in)
Impastata's (Italian in Metairie)
Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt (classic)
Carousel Bar at the Monteleone (classic II)
Galatoire's (before a Saints home game - crazy, but I met Imre (see below))
Mr. Ed's (solid Metairie/Lakeview neighborhood place -loyal following)
Irene's (italian -very good, excellent service)
Jacques Imo (the locals call it "Jockamo's" - very New Orleans)
Clancy's (think Jack Fry's - very good, excellent wine list, Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg 2010)
Lilette (on Magazine) - really good.
Felix's
Ole Saint Kitchen and Tap (for Super Bowl - maybe not showing its best)
Russell's Marina Grill (excellent breakfast diner, packed on weekends when I've been)
Phil's Grill on Severn
Knuckleheads (dive bar - sorta)
Austin's (same owner as Mr. Ed's, more upscale)
The Blue Crab (on the Lake, well prepared seafood, casual)
The Velvet Cactus (Lakeview)

I'm sure I missed some. Thanks for your help.

Jay, I'd say you are doing really well without any advice from anyone
Still, I'd steer you towards Gautreau's and I think you really haven't lived in New Orleans until you've had lunch at Galatoire's on Friday. See if Imre is working that day and ask for one of his tables. He is a wonderful man.

Jay, I'd say you are doing really well without any advice from anyone
Still, I'd steer you towards Gautreau's and I think you really haven't lived in New Orleans until you've had lunch at Galatoire's on Friday. See if Imre is working that day and ask for one of his tables. He is a wonderful man.

Gautreau's looks great and I'll check it out - thanks.

I went to Galatoire's on an earlier visit and was the size 44L goober in the size 52 portly loaner jacket embarrassed but enjoying my dinner.

This is a hospitality town and I've run across exceptional servers and service - sounds like Imre has made quite an impression on you!

Jay, as we've veered a bit off topic (snow comfort food as I recall) I sent you a PM in response. Meanwhile here's a picture of Imre Szalai, the finest waiter I've met in all my eating. My goodness, he appears to be bringing a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet to my table.

The ole Crock Pot has been getting a pretty good workout in my home kitchen lately. In the past week I've made Chicken & Dumplings, Beef Barley Soup and a hybrid Cinci-Texas Style Chili .With the dusting of snow on the ground this morning I thought some good old White Bean and Ham Soup sounded good for supper with some Cheddar Corn Muffins!

I hear you on the soup front, Dan. I made Thai Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup last week and tonight's menu is Loaded Potato soup with Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread.

I keep feeling spinach lasagna in the future, too. And cabbage rolls. Looks like I need to whip up some basic marinara for both of those (then split the batch and season differently).

Sauerkraut, Country Ribs, some caraway seeds, an apple and some little potatoes in the big black iron pot cooking in the oven right now

Tuscan lentil soup last night. Leftovers Friday night when it will be even better. Love cold weather food.

Hot dog with Kraft mac and cheese. MMMM good

Comfort food just like Mom fixed.

Steve - you mom and my mom used the same playbook!

For me, the ultimate winter comfort food is Kimchi Jjigae!

(most Googled recipes should do)