Scared Silly in St. Bernard Parish - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Today I helped my mom, Author and Storyteller Dianne de Las Casas, with her show, "Scared Silly" at the Council for Aging for the St. Bernard Parish Library in Chalmette, Louisiana. Above, I am dressed as a witch. Below, I am posing for a picture with a fan.






















Mommy performed Scared Silly spooky tales. My favorite was "The Ghost of Mabel Gable." Here I am, helping her perform a song she wrote called "Shake-a-Shake Them Bones."

















Afterwards, we took pictures outside. This is me by the bale of hay.

















And here I am, chillin' on the swing.

















We cooked up some fun in the story cauldron and had a great time!

Remember, cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Eliana's Spookover - Saturday, October 18, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Saturday was the night of my Spookover! 7 friends came to my house for a spooky sleepover. We were treated to ghoulish games, frightening food, creepy crafts, and spooky stories. The above picture is me dressed up as a pirate girl - Argh! Below, you can see all the costumed cuties!

















First, we did the ghoulish guessing game where we had to guess which monster was pinned to our backs. Then we did a cool costume contest. I won first place. The princess bride and the hip hop dancer won second place.






















Next, we played "Pin the Hat on the Witch."






















The "Creepy Clothes Race" was so much fun. We had to race and put on different clothes - shirt, shorts, gloves, scarf, cape and hat. My team didn't win but we laughed a lot.






















The last game was "The Mummy Wrap." We were divided into 2 teams. The smallest person on each team had to be the mummy. The other team members had to wrap the mummy with toilet paper. We had to finish by the end of the song "Monster Mash." Afterwards, we had a toilet paper explosion.

















Check out our terrifying table display. We had Jack-O-Jam cookies, bloody pigs in the blanket, petrifying pizza party pinwheels, and popcorn chicken parts. Fun and frightening food!

















Look at the bubbling Witches Brew! (Here's a secret recipe: it's just one 2-liter bottle of 7Up and 10 scoops of Lime Sherbet ice cream).

















After we ate, we started making crafts. We made Batty Sock bats out of foam, googly eyes, socks, and Fiberfill.













After that, we made mummies out of strips from an old t-shirt wrapped around toilet paper rolls with googly eyes.






















Then we made boo bags from white paper lunch bags, markers, stickers, and chenille sticks.

















After crafts, we headed outside to the patio for marshmallow roasting and spooky stories. My favorite story was "Blood Red Lips."

















Finally, after spooky stories, we set up our sleeping bags on the living room floor and watched Ghostbusters. My cousin, Camrynn; my friend, Bienelyn; and I were the last ones to fall asleep after the movie was over.

I loved having a Spookover! It was tons of fiendish fun with a bunch of goblin girls. I can't wait to do it again! Have a spooktastic time with your friends.

Throw a party because cool kids cook and get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Sweet & Spicy Italian Turkey Cheddar Meatballs - Saturday, October 10, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

I made Sweet & Spicy Italian Turkey Cheddar Meatballs for the LSU Tigers v. Florida Gators game. The meatballs make a perfect party food. Here I am rolling the meatballs.






















Here's the recipe:

Sweet & Spicy Italian Turkey Cheddar Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 1/4 lbs. Italian sausage (squeezed out of casing)
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Sauce Ingredients:
2 c. spicy ketchup (or 1 c. regular km etchup with 1 tsp. Tabasco)
1 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. ketchup

Sauce Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly and let cool.

Meatball Directions:
Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix thoroughly. Form into small balls. Coat with half of sweet and spicy sauce. Arrange on baking pan coated with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. When meatballs are done, arrange meatballs in a deep dish and pour remaining sauce on top. Pierce with appetizer toothpicks.

Remember, cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen! Go Tigers!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Chicken Tortilla Soup - Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Today, Mommy and I made her yum! yum! Chicken Tortilla Soup. We boiled the left-over left-over carcass (chicken bones) from the 40 Clove Garlic Roasted Chicken to make the chicken stock. Above, I am cooking 2 lbs. of chicken breast to add to the soup. This recipe only takes 30 minutes. It's super simple and delicioso!

















Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken breast, cubed and cooked with Mexican seasoning
4 c. chicken stock
1 14.5 oz. can diced or stewed tomatoes
1 10 oz. can mild Rotel tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can corn
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pot. Cook for 20 minutes over medium heat. Place 1/2 c. shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese in small bowl. Pour soup over top. Garnish with a handful of crushed tortilla chips. Finish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

Remember cool kids cook so get creative en la cocina (in the kitchen)!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

40 Clove Roasted Chicken Dinner - Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Tonight Mommy and I made 40 Clove Roasted Chicken with sauteed mushrooms, polenta, and spinach salad. Above, I am placing the garlic in and around the whole roasting chicken. We also stuffed the inside with a bunch of uncut chives. It's a super simple recipe with totally yum! yum! flavor! Here is the table I set.

















40 Clove Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken
Seasoning Blend of your choice
40 cloves of garlic (skin on)
1/2 small onion, sliced or bunch of chives

Directions:
Clean and season chicken on both sides (remove parts from inside cavity). Place in roasting pan. Stuff onion or chives inside the chicken's cavity. Place 40 cloves of garlic in and around chicken. Place covered in 400 degree oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. When chicken is done, remove cover and return to oven for 10 minutes to crisp skin if desired. Garlic can be squeezed out of skin and spread on chicken. Delish!

















Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Beef Brisket Dinner - Sunday, October 5, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Tonight, Mommy cooked a HUGE dinner for the entire family. Everyone came over - Nana & Pawpaw, Uncle Gary and his girlfriend Aline, and my cousins - Jourdan, Camrynn, Ashlynn & Jasmynn. Actually, Camrynn and I helped Mommy in the kitchen. We rolled the meatballs, made the ladybug pesto pizzettas, helped clean the kitchen, and set the table. Here's what was on the menu:

Appetizers:
Lady bug Pesto Pizzetas
Stuffed Mushrooms
BBQ Chipotle Cheddar Turkey Meatballs
Roasted Garlic & Baked Brie Cheese with Crackers

Main Course:
Beef Brisket
Roasted Garlic Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Fresh Green Beans
Wilted Spinach & Sauteed Mushrooms
Garlic Polenta Patties
Fresh Pineapple

Dessert:
Berries N Banana Shortcake with Crema & Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips

Mommy made the beautiful floral centerpiece. She cut off the top of the pumpkin and scooped the insides out. Then she filled it with water and arranged fall-colored flowers inside. It's simple and elegant.

















I helped Mommy make dessert. Here my cousins watch as I cut and quarter the strawberries for the dessert. Hi Ashlynn, Camrynn & Jasmynn!

















This is what the dessert looked like when it was finished. Yum! Yum!

















My cousins want to come to an Eliana Cooks! Culinary Clinic. I guess I'll have to start teaching classes! LOL :)

Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Nine Roses Vietnamese Restaurant - Friday, October 3, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Tonight I ate at Nine Roses, a Vietnamese retaurant. An old family friend treated us to a marvelous meal. Above, you see Bo Nuong Vi, a sizzling beef dish. You spread butter on the portable burner. Then you place the thin slices of marinated beef on the burner and cook it. Next you take the rice paper and dip it in warm water to make it flexible. Finally, you make a wrap with the beef, lettuce, cilantro, mint, basil, noodles, and pickled cucumbers and carrots. Yum! Yum!

For an appetizer, I ordered Vietnamese egg rolls. They are hot, crunchy and delish!

















Here I am, happy and full! Maybe Mommy and I will be inspired to cook Vietnamese!






















Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana