Don'tcha love being Southern?

 

“Super Fast Southern”

I love being southern. The new book “Super Fast Southern” helps interpret our flavors and ways for those who maybe would like the taste of crawfish but don’t have time for a full-on boil.

This Southern Living Book covers Asian food, mac and cheese with bacon, chicken fried steak and shrimp kebobs with blackberry and mango. It’s all over the culinary map and I want to take that trip. The maque choux features slices of okra; instant gazpacho uses bloody mary mix; and the BLT Benedict includes an egg and avocado-tomato relish. Quesadilla variations include Greek, with feta and olives.

I love being a southerner. Don’t forget Bonuts, little fried biscuit dough bits covered in powdered sugar. Or, try deep frying your Moon Pie.

Here’s how to get a quick taste of crawfish in your week:

Spicy Crawfish Dip

3 tablespoons butter

one half cup finely chopped onion

three fourths cup finely chopped celery

 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

 2 tablespoons salt-free seasoning blend

one half teaspoon ground red pepper

 8 ounces peeled and cooked crawfish tails, chopped

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

In an 8-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook onion, celery and garlic in butter 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add seasoning blend and ground red epper. Cook and stir 30 seconds longer.

In medium bowl, mix vegetables and crawfish tails. Add cream cheese; stir gently to combine.

Pumpkin is pervasive

Thanks for the flavors. Thomas’ Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice English Muffins and Bagels and Thomas’ Limited Edition Cranberry English Muffins and bagels are at markets and mass stores, like Walmart, this fall. Use them as the base for breakfast and dessert with your own spreadable ideas from gourmet peanut butter and pepper honey to cream cheese and chocolate. I love them. Let me know what  you come up with.

Larry’s Southwestern Sauces

Down in Groves, Larry’s means crawfish. This other Larry in Austin is getting famous for all-natural Mexican cooking sauces for artisan tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chicken and more. I tried the mole sauce with eggs for breakfast, though it’s designed to pour over meat and bake for an hour. Serve that with rice, corn or tortillas. My simple egg mole was appreciated for nuanced flavor so early in the morning.

The Chipotle and Ranchero jars are also vegan and gluten-free and good for very quick accomplishments. Summon your friends and get the fiesta going.

Had me at Hershey’s

I wasn’t even looking for it, but it found me. A box of Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate instant pudding mix had smooth, creamy stuff ready for me with a few moments of blending. It just asked me to give it cold milk. I just had instant milk, and even that worked out blissfully good. So, now you know.

ddoiron@panews.com