HAPPY JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH Jazz music is a sweet sultry mixture of the best parts of music all in one. Kind of like a recipe where the best combinations come from various instruments (cooking utensils) and ingredients. Today we're mixing some Seafood Stew, frying some Cajun Turkey Wings, mixing in lots of Bourbon into a sweet Praline Cheesecake and dranking plenty of them Hurricanes! Don't plan on going anywhere after this meal, just relax and enjoy.
Y’all know I love a party with delicious food, jazzy music and family and friends to join the celebration. April is Jazz appreciation month, so today we’re celebrating one of my favorite music genres and cities, New Orleans, the home of my alma mater HBCU Xavier University and Jazz music. We’re turning up the heat, sweet and love with these recipes that’ll create your own Bourbon Street in the kitchen.
So turn on the jazz music, get the pots hot and here we go!
We’re starting off with a toast with a NOLA favorite! The classic Hurricane can be found all along the French Quarter and soon in a glass near you!
Hurricane Cocktail
1/4 cup dark rum (2 oz)
1/4 cup light rum (2 oz)
3 tablespoons pineapple juice or passion fruit juice (1 1/2 oz)
2 tablespoons orange juice (1 oz)
2 tablespoons lime juice (1 oz)
1 teaspoon grenadine syrup
1 pineapple or orange slice
1maraschino cherry
Quick tip: If you can't find passion fruit juice, use pineapple juice instead. With all that rum, you won't mind the difference.
When I think about my time in New Orleans, two things come to mind, The great people and delicious cajun recipes. Show your turkey wings a little love by spicing them up and deep frying them for the perfectly cooked wing. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, my Deep Fried Cajun Turkey Wings are jazzy and delicious for any gathering.
Now over the years, I’ve become known for my soups and stews so I have to give y'all the secret for my Seafood and Sausage Stew. Why you'll love it, you don’t need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen making this delicious combination. You will be done in under 30 minutes.
This restaurant worthy meal is very similar to New Orleans style seafood gumbo but made in a fraction of the time. Prepare this beautiful dish using budget friendly seafood, or you can get even more extravagant by adding your favorite high-end seafood selections. This stew is great served over rice or with toasted garlic bread. Stew-pendous for any day of the week!
Cheesecake can sometimes be intimidating! With the water bath, the top sometimes cracks and so many things can go wrong...BUT the great thing about this is that everything gets covered in this amazing sauce so no worries. It's just simply delicious!
I spent five fun-filled years living in New Orleans – and I let the good times roll! It was an exciting time in my life full of wonderful firsts, including having my first praline! Pralines are sumptuously smooth and creamy cooked sugar pecan candies. Blend them with some bourbon and cream and there is no better sauce to top my light and airy New Orleans Bourbon Praline Cheesecake. Want to really bring a little NOLA to your kitchen? Try this recipe! It is easy for all baking levels and it’ll taste so good! But make sure you pronounce it correctly to make it authentic! PRAW-leen..
Enjoy your party!
Continue the Party with Me!
Nothing makes me smile more than hearing from you!
