Just Out the Oven (Latest Posts)

  • Maque Choux

    Maque Choux

    Maque Choux, pronounced Mock-Shoe, is smothered corn or stewed corn. New Orleans and south Louisiana families used a cooking method called Smothering, where onions, peppers, celery and a liquid (water or broth) are used to braise vegetables and meat (beef, poultry, seafood) to ultimate tenderness. Beef Daube , Smothered Chicken, and Crawfish Etouffee are examples of this method. My recollection of this dish brings me to visits to my paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins in rural Louisiana, about 120 miles west of New Orleans. As we drove to their home, and before we reached my grandparent’s home, relatives…

  • Baked Macaroni

    Baked Macaroni

    New Orleans Macaroni and Cheese Macaroni and Cheese is called ‘Baked Macaroni’ by Creole families. My mother did not use macaroni pasta but used spaghetti pasta for this dish. New Orleans’ rich cuisine was influenced by immigrants in the city including Italians. This dish is made with eggs and milk to create a custard with the cheeses. It is a delicious creamy cheesy side dish. My mom often served it with Smothered Chicken and it always part of the Thanksgiving menu. Baked Macaroni is truly the ultimate comfort food. This recipe is versatile so any type of pasta and a…

  • Banana Pancakes

    Banana Pancakes

    Banana Pancakes are a great twist on regular pancakes. Bananas are put in the pancake batter instead of being used as a topping. The cooked pancakes are sprinkled with granulated sugar. INGREDIENTS PREPARATION Mash peeled bananas and set aside. Place paper towels on a platter for the fried pancakes/fritters and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, slightly beaten eggs, and vanilla. Add the mashed bananas until just combined. The batter will be runny. Add oil to frying pan or skillet and heat on high heat. When the oil is…

  • Beef Daube

    Beef Daube

    Beef Daube (pronounced dohb)  is a roast that is stuffed with garlic, cooked in broth and wine, and slowly braised on the stove top which creates the meat so tender that it falls apart.   The French stuffed the beef with slivers of salt pork, but New Orleans Creoles used garlic. This dish also borrowed from the Italian influence in the city by adding tomato gravy (aka spaghetti sauce) to the dish. There is a question if a roux is required. I do not recall my mother making a roux but that would be on par for the Creole cook to…

  • Peanut Butter Candy

    Peanut Butter Candy

    My great-aunt Julie (pronounced zhoo-LEE) made the most delicious Peanut Butter candy that was not overly sweet and had the perfect crispness to it, which set it apart from fudge. The exact recipe has not been found but has been closely replicated. I have been successful by following the steps used to make Pralines (a decadent sugary pecan candy). Both of these confections are so delicious it is hard to eat just one!  “You want something sweet?” “I could go for something sweet!” No matter how hungry you are there is always room for something sweet in a New Orleans…