Mardi Gras at the Market Sunday February 10th

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 10th, as we again celebrate Mardi Gras at the Market on the south side of the market house along Essen Strasse. Plan to spend the day at this FREE family-friendly event, enjoying four of the best bands in town and sampling a traditional lowland seafood boil.  The OTR Biergarten will be open, selling Christian Moerlein beers, and Market Wines will host a special winetasting.
Merchants will decorate their stands for Mardi Gras and compete for prizes in the annual Merchant Spirit contest!
The Friends of Findlay Market will hand out lots of colorful beads to make you feel like you're in New Orleans and the Mardi Gras King and Queen, Steve Hampton and Joy Pierson, will be crowned before leading a parade around the Market to the music of Lagniappe.

The schedule of Mardi Gras Activities on Essen Strasse include:

10:30 – 11: am      Lagnaippe

11:15am                 Announce winner of Merchant Spirit Contest

11:30am                Crown King and Queen of Mardi Gras

11:45am                 Mardi Gras Parade through Findlay Market

12:30  – 1:30pm   Robin Lacy & DeZydeco

1:45  – 2:45pm      Ricky Nye Inc.

3:00 – 4:00pm      The Medicine Men

Market grillers who will be set up with plenty of sandwiches and other tasty specialites.

10:00am  Celebrate Mardi Gras with S &J Bakery and Cafe and enjoy some of their fresh brewed chicory coffee, fresh fried beignets or a steaming cup of gumbo.  Looking for a King Cake?  S&Jwill have them as well!
 
12:30 til it’s gone!   Free Lowland Seafood Boil Sampling, prepared by Chef /Owners Josh Campbell of Mayberrys and Matt Bueschle of Virgil's Cafe!

We also thank our Sponsors - Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, Arts Wave, and CityBeat!

http://www.findlaymarket.org/blog/index.php?newsId=249



Mardi Gras King and Queen Announced


On Sunday, February 10th Findlay Market presents its 9th annual Mardi Gras at the Market.  We are please to announce the 2013 Mardi Gras King and Queen.
They are Steven Hampton and Joy Pierson.  They will be crowned just before the Parade, which they will then lead around the Market square, accompanied by the music of Lagniappe, and shoppers who want to join the fun.
Steven Hampton  is the Executive Director of the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. This neighborhood group focuses on preserving and promoting Over-the-Rhine's unique brewing history and historic architecture, as well as working to sustainably redevelop it.  Mr. Hampton has been instrumental in bringing tens of thousands of people to the Brewery District for events such as Bockfest, brewery tours, and many other unique events showcasing the neighborhood.  He is a trustee for the Over-the-Rhine Community Council among much other community involvement.  Mr. Hampton is a LEED Accredited architect with his own practice in Over-the-Rhine, where he works with clients to sustainably renovate the historic architecture in Cincinnati.

Joy Pierson is an avid fan of Findlay Market and published a cookbook with a Findlay Market focus.  Cincinnati’s Cookin! includes 135 recipes from family, friends and Market vendors, as well as tips on shopping at the Market.
Joy grew up on the west side of Cincinnati in a large Catholic family of 14 children.  She left Cincinnati for 16 years and explored local farmers’ markets throughout the country - but Findlay Market is by far her favorite! Joy shops at the Market at least once weekly and often brings newcomers to experience the Market.
Joy works for the City of Cincinnati, but people frequently assume she works at the Market.  Her daughters Grace and Emma Cunningham actually do work at Findlay Market at Bouchard’s.
Cincinnati’s Cookin! has a great variety of recipes including breads and coffee cakes, main dishes, starters, soups, salads, sides, sweets, and miscellaneous recipes, too.  You’ll find local favorites like Goetta, Cincinnati Style Chili and Hanky Pankies, as well as a twist on old favorites like Skyline Chili Lasagna, Oktoberfest Goetta “Rueben” Dip and Vegan Cincinnati Chili.
Over 600 copies of Cincinnati’s Cookin! have been sold.  It is sold at Bouchard’s inside the Market House and at Joseph Beth Booksellers.
We can't wait to see them in the purple robes and golden crowns of our Mardi Gras King and Queen.

http://www.findlaymarket.org/blog/index.php?newsId=365

Kitchen Hint(s) of the Day!

Hint #1

If your grilling or broiling thick fish steaks, marinate them for 15 minutes in lemon or lime juice before cooking. The acid from the juice "cooks" the flesh a bit, cutting down on time it needs to stay on the heat - so you fish is less likely to dry out.


Hint #2

For added crunch with fewer calories, use cornflakes instead of breadcrumbs to coat fish fillets. Not only do cornflakes contain fewer calories than breadcrumbs, they are less absorbent and give a lighter covering, so the fish will absorb less oil.

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise w/ Three Bean Salad,...

Dinner Tonight: Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise w/ Three Bean Salad, and Baked Fingerling Parm Potato Wedges

Wow they said it was going to be frigid and they got that one right! I went out to get the morning papers this morning a bit before 7:00 AM and the outside thermometer read -1, below zero!! The wind chill they said was making it -9. A good day to stay in and cook and try some new recipes like, Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise w/ Three Bean Salad, and Baked Fingerling Potato Wedges.


Both the Blackened Tilapia and 3 Bean Salad were based on recipes from Paula Deen Shows once again, that I adjusted to make them lighter and easier to prepare. To make the Blackened Rub for the Tilapia I mixed a 1/4 cup paprika, 2 tablespoons ground thyme, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the 6 ingredients. Wash the fillets off with water and pat dry with a paper towel and coat with seasoning mixture. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with arugula, and cover with top half of bun (I used Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Buns) . This makes one fine fish sandwich! The Blackened Seasoning gives the heat and the Cilantro Mayo gives a cool and creamy taste. I've left the recipe for both the Blackened Tilapia and Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise at the end of the post. If you make the Blackened Tilapia you have to make the Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, their a perfect pair!


For side dishes I prepared a 3 Bean Salad and Baked Pa rm Fingerling Potato Wedges. Both were very easy to prepare, which I love, and both delicious! First time I had fixed the 3 Bean Salad and it was another one that was inspired from a Paula Deen. I was prepared to make it exactly from her recipe but while at Walmart picking up a few items I came across a can of Read 3 Bean Salad. It came seasoned and ready to serve, I did add 1 Tbsp of Dijon Mustard. I love this 3 Bean Salad, what a great side dish is for any meal or just having it for a lunch! Then I also had Baked Fingerling Parm Potato Wedges. I quartered 5 Fingerling Potatoes, put them in a large bowl and added Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Parsley, and Kraft Parmesan Shredded Cheese. Mixed them until the Potatoes were well coated and baked them at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until fork tender. Needless to say there was nothing left to save or throw away! Everyone loved the meal. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.



 


Read Salads - 3 Bean Salad

READ products are delicious, nutritious, ready-to-eat side dishes or versatile ingredients in salads, sandwiches and other favorites. A great way to get the "five-a-day" vegetable/fruit servings recommended in the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid.

At Seneca, we combine premium vegetables with a blend of spicy seasonings to create delicious 3-bean and 4-bean salads. READ Southwestern Bean Salad is packed with nutrition and is a great-tasting product that saves time and creates all kinds of delicious dishes. For something different try our German Potato Salad - a tasty, time-saving version of one of America's most popular salad varieties.
Not only do READ Salads taste fresher than other prepared salads, but they also come hassle free. No refrigeration is needed until opened, product has a longer shelf life than other prepared salads, and are less expensive than other prepared salads.

http://www.senecafoods.com/OurBrands/READSalads.shtml

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise

Ingredients
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets
4 Whole Grain Buns
Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows


Directions

In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.

Rinse fish off and pat dry with a paper towel and coat with seasoning mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with arugula, and cover with top half of bun.

Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise:

1 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

Kitchen Hint(s) of the Day!

Hint #1

Before handling fish, rub your hands with lemon juice, and you won't smell of fish for the rest of the day! After frying fish, put a little white vinegar into the pan to help get rid of the odor on the surface.


Hint #2

To test fish for doneness, insert a thin - bladed knife into the thickest part of the flesh. If it's done, it will be barely translucent in the center. Even though it might not look quite ready, the fish will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat.

Seafood Gumbo and Cornbread

Dinner Tonight: Seafood Gumbo and Cornbread

What a wild day outside today! We have a wind chill in the single digits along with snow squalls. There's been two different major car pile - ups due to white out conditions. One pile up had about 50 cars and another between 70-80 cars! Great day to stay in and stay warm! For dinner I prepared Seafood Gumbo and Cornbread. I used my last frozen Gumbo I had so I'll have to make a fresh batch soon! This Gumbo freezes up and reheats so good.


To make it I used Luzianne Gumbo Dinner Kit. It contains a packet that contains the Rice, Vegetables, Seasoning, and Roux Mix. I added Shrimp, Crawfish, Scallops, and Langostino Lobster Tail Meat Pieces. The Crawfish Tail was leftover from a previous order I had purchased from The Cajun Grocer and I purchase my bags of Lobster from Jungle Jim’s Market. The Seafood goes perfect with the Luzianne Roux! This is the second time I've added the Langostino Lobster Tail Meat Pieces. It fits in perfect, the sweetness of the Lobster Meat and the heat of the Red Pepper and Hot Sauce was a perfect match! Plus as always I have a lot leftover to freeze and have later. I left the recipe and Gumbo description at the end of the post. For a side I baked a small skillet of Martha White Cornbread of to go along with the Gumbo and soak up some of that wonderful Roux. For dessert later a slice of Pillsbury Nut Quick Bread topped with a scoop of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla ice Cream.



Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:


Scallops, Shrimp, Lobster, Crawfish Tail
1 Pound of Shrimp, Crawfish, Lobster, and Sea Scallops

6 Cups of Water

2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pepper, Sea Salt for seasoning

1 Box of Luzianne Gumbo Dinner Kit
Directions:

*In a 4-5 Quart pot,bring water and Olive Oil to a boil

*Add Luzianne Gumbo while stirring

*Empty half of the Red Pepper Packet into the Gumbo. Put remainder aside.

*Reduce Heat , Cover and simmer for 18 minutes. Meanwhile cut the Sea Scallops in half if their Jumbo size, peel the raw Shrimp, if needed.

*Taste, and if desired, add remaining Red Pepper from packet and Sea Salt. Add the Shrimp, Scallops, Crawfish, and Lobsterand. Cover and continue to simmer for 7 – 9 more minutes. Serve.


Luzianne Gumbo Dinner Kit

Description:
Gumbo is a thick Cajun “soup,” containing any combination of vegetables, meats, poultry or seafood and served over rice. Just add chicken, seafood or meat to complete a full meal for your entire family in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
Rice, Red and Green Bell Peppers, Modified Food Starch, Flour, Onion, Natural Flavors, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Paprika, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Celery, Garlic Spices, Red Pepper, Sugar, Carmel Color, Sodium Sulfite As A Preservative.

Directions:
You can turn ordinary chicken, meat or seafood into exciting meals easily with Luzianne Cajun and Creole Dinners. Each Dinner is a blend of rice, authentic Cajun or Creole seasonings and chipped vegetables. All you do is add your own chicken, meat, or seafood, simmer for 25 minutes and serve. There’s a separate red pepper packet to add Cajun spice to suit your taste.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/5 box (45.4 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 160Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.0g2%
Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
Sodium 760mg32%
Total Carbohydrates 33.0g11%
Dietary Fiber 1.0g4%
Sugars 3.0g
Protein 4.0g

One of America's Favorites - Hush Puppies

Hushpuppy

A hushpuppy (or cornbread ball) is a savory, starch-based food made from cornmeal batter that is deep fried or baked in small ball or sphere shapes, or occasionally oblong shapes. Hushpuppies are frequently served as a side dish, usually at fish restaurants.


Native Americans were using ground corn for cooking long before European explorers arrived in the New World. Southern Native American culture (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek) is the "cornerstone" of Southern cuisine. From their culture came one of the main staples of the Southern diet: corn (maize), either ground into meal or limed with an alkaline salt to make hominy, also called masa, in a Native American technology known as nixtamalization. Corn was used to make all kinds of dishes from the familiar cornbread and grits to liquors such as whiskey and moonshine, which were important trade items. Cornbread was popular during the American Civil War because it was very cheap and could be made in many different sizes and forms. It could be fashioned into high-rising, fluffy loaves or simply fried for a fast meal.
To a far greater degree than anyone realizes, several of the most important food dishes that the Southeastern Indians live on today is the "soul food" eaten by both black and white Southerners. Hominy, for example, is still eaten ... Sofkee live on as grits ... cornbread [is] used by Southern cooks ... Indian fritters ... variously known as "hoe cake", ... or "Johnny cake." ... Indian boiled cornbread is present in Southern cuisine as "corn meal dumplings", ... and as "hush puppies", ... Southerners cook their beans and field peas by boiling them, as did the Indians ... like the Indians they cure their meat and smoke it over hickory coals.


The first recorded reference to the word "hush-puppy" dates to 1899.
Hushpuppies are a food with strong ties to the Southern United States, although they are available in many areas of the United States on the menus of deep fried fish restaurants. The name "hushpuppies" is often attributed to hunters, fishermen or other cooks who would fry some basic cornmeal mixture (possibly that they had been bread-coating or battering their own food with) and feed it to their dogs to "hush the puppies" during cook-outs or fish-fries.
Other hush puppy legends purport to date the etymology of the term "hushpuppies" to the Civil War, in which soldiers are claimed to have tossed fried cornbread to quell the barks of Confederate dogs.

A basket of hushpuppies at a restaurant

Typical hushpuppy ingredients include cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, salt, baking soda, milk or buttermilk, and water, and may include onion, spring onion (scallion), garlic, whole kernel corn, and peppers. Sometimes pancake batter is used. The batter is mixed well, adjusting ingredients until thick, and dropped a spoonful at a time into hot oil. The small breads are fried until crispy golden brown, and cooled. Hushpuppies are served with seafood or barbecued foods. They are commonly made at home or served in restaurants advertising home-style food.


In Jamaica such fried breads are known as "festivals", and are prepared with cornmeal, salt, and sugar then fried in the form of a hot dog roll. They are sweeter than the hushpuppies that often contain onion or garlic instead of sugar. They are served with jerked meats such as pork or chicken. Mostly, it is served with fried or escoveitch (see also escabeche and ceviche) fish.
In Puerto Rico, hushpuppies take the form of a short sausage and are called "sorullos" or "sorullitos." Their sweetness makes them popular among children and adults alike.

Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak Sandwich w/ Baked Crinkle Fries

Dinner Tonight: Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak Sandwich w/ Baked Crinkle Fries

I've been getting some great recipe ideas lately from the various cooking shows on TV. The one I prepared tonight is based on a recipe that I just seen yesterday on one of Paula Deen's shows, Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak Sandwich and also a side of  Baked Crinkle Fries.


I used a Flat Iron Steak that I had purchased from Kroger. I marinated my Steak overnight. The marinade consisted of; 3/4 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce,  1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice, 3 cloves Garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper. I then mixed everything in a small bowl and got a gallon size Hefty Zip Lock Plastic Bag and placed my Steak in it and added the marinade. I let it marinate from about midnight last night till I prepared for dinner tonight. To prepare the Steak I drained the steak, discarding the marinade. Placed the steak  in a large skillet that I had sprayed with Pam and Canola Oil. I pan fried it on medium heat about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, medium rare to rare in the very center. Letting it stand for 10 minutes before slicing. the Steak came out perfect with a fantastic flavor from the marinade. I sliced thin and against the grain. I served it on a Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Bun. I topped it with Arugula and a Bacon Horseradish Sauce that I also prepared.


To prepare Bacon Horseradish Sauce I mixed the following ingredients; 2 teaspoons minced Green Onion, 1 cup Hellman's Reduced Fat Mayonnaise, 6 slices Turkey Bacon, cooked and crumbled, 2 teaspoons Prepared Horseradish, 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice, cover and chill until needed. I also had a side of Ore Ida Crinkle Fries that I baked. For dessert later I baked some fresh Mini Loaves of Pillsbury Nut Quick Bread. I had a slice of the Nut Bread topped with a scoop of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream.  




Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Marinade:

    3/4 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
    1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
    2 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice
    3 cloves Garlic, minced
    2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
    1 (4 1/2-pound) Flat Iron Steak, trimmed

Bacon Horseradish Sauce:

    2 teaspoons minced Green Onion
    1 cup Hellman's reduced Fat mayonnaise
    6 slices Turkey Bacon, cooked and crumbled
    2 teaspoons Prepared Horseradish
    1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest
    1/2 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice
    Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Buns
    Arugula, for serving

Directions:


For the marinade: In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Add the flank steak, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Drain the steak, discarding the marinade. Place the steak on the grill. Grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until desired temperature. (You may also bake at 425 degrees F until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion reads 145 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes.) Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

For the bacon horseradish sauce: In a small bowl, combine the green onions, mayonnaise, bacon, horseradish, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover and chill.

To assemble: Spread desired amount of Bacon Horseradish Sauce over the bottom of the rolls. Top with desired amount of arugula. Top with sliced flank steak. Cover with roll tops. Serve immediately.