M A I N E - The Pine Tree State

♥ M A I N E ♥ M A I N E ♥ M A I N E ♥ M A I N E ♥ M A I N E ♥ M A I N E ♥  M A I N E ♥

Let me start out by saying I LOVE LOBSTER. Allen and I spent a week vacationing in Maine in 1993. I had lobster everyday, mostly lobster rolls, which is lobster with mayonnaise on a grilled hot dog roll.

Lobster rolls are sold at McDonalds in Maine (it is called McLobster). 

Maine is also known for blueberries, baked beans and whoopie pie. 

The Menu

Lobster Bisque (from Costco, it's fantastic)
Lobster Roll
Maine Baked Beans
Bar Harbor Salad with Blueberry-Maple Dressing
Beatrice's Chocolate Whoopie Pies

I tried to make baked beans from scratch (not open up a can).  You are supposed use a bean pot (?) and check them every hour or so for 6-8 hours.  I found a recipe to do them in a crock pot so I didn't have to take the day off of work to cook a pot of beans.   The beans turned out OK, I left out the salt pork to make them a bit more healthy, unfortunately fat = flavor. 

The lobster rolls didn't turn out as I remembered them.  I bought the lobster already cooked, and I think it lost some of its flavor...fresh = flavor. 

The whoopie pies were delicious and really easy to make.  I will definitely make them again and have already thought of some variations that I am looking forward to trying.

It was a good night, Ted and Louise joined us for dinner.  It was Louise's first time eating lobster.  I am looking forward to returning to Maine someday and having an authentic lobster roll. 

Next week is Maryland, which is definitely going to be crab cakes or Old Bay Crabs.

Louisiana - The Pelican State/ The Bayou State

    ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥


We could probably spend the whole year eating famous food from Louisiana.
I love Louisiana cuisine!

 

My only experience in Louisiana is going to Mardi Gras in 1988.  I only needed to experience Mardi Gras once, but the cuisine should be experienced over and over again.

The timing worked out perfect for this meal, my niece and nephews were back from Auburn, on break from college.  Nothing brings me more joy than being with Leslie, Sam and Joe! 

The food was wonderful.  The jambalaya was different than what I have made before but good.  Leslie made the cajun shrimp (and scallops) and the red beans and rice, both were delicious.  The yam corn bread was good, as usual I thought it was too dry.  The greens were fantastic, Conner earned himself $20 by eating 2 helpings.  It turns out that Ted has been paying the boys to eat green things.  Going green has taken on a whole new definition by the Daniel boys, they get green by eating greens.

The Hurricanes were good, we served them in red cups in honor of Bourbon Street.  The wort part of the meal was the King Cake.  I admittedly messed up the recipe and added too much sugar.  I am not sure whether it would have been any better if I had followed the recipe.  No one found the baby in the cake, although Will checked every piece.  Sydney's friend Lauren joined us for dinner too.  She was gracious and didn't appear too shocked by the conversation. 

My son Conner is the biggest New Orleans Saints fan I know.  He loved the Saints when they were the Aints.  Conner supplied us in Saints Jerseys.  Ted had everyone tell there favorite New Orleans story, if you have been to New Orleans, you will have a tale to tell.

 

The Menu

Andouille and Chicken Jambalaya

Louisiana Yam Cornbread

Louisiana Style Greens with Sausage

Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice

Cajun Shrimp

King Cake
Hurricanes for the over 21 and  French Market Lemonade for the others

♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥ L O U I S I A N A ♥

Kentucky - The Bluegrass State

K E N T U C K Y  ♥ K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y

I have only been to Kentucky once and that was to go to the Breeder's Cup in 1988,  I don't remember the food but I do remember the Mint Juleps. 

I decided to make a traditional Kentucky Derby meal this week.  I made Burgoo, which is Kentucky's version of Brunswick Stew.  Traditionally, Burgoo is made with possum, squirrel or whatever roadkill is around, I decided to use beef, pork and chicken.  The Burgoo was OK, I am not a big fans of stews.  I also had a bucket of KFC, which made Conner and Will really happy.

Ted, Louise, Karen and Soren came for dinner.  They are our NW family and it is always fun having them over, it doesn't matter what we are eating.  Louise brought us Derby hats to wear and dressed up like a jockey (she was adorable). 

The Menu

Burgoo

Bucket of KFC
Benedictine
Kentucky Strawberry Spinach Salad
Kentucky Cornbread
Virgin Mint Juleps and Mint Juleps
Mint Julep Cake
Derby Pie

Benedictine is a cucumber dip served at the Kentucky Derby.  The cornbread was OK, I prefer a sweet cornbread (this one had no sugar in it).  The salad was really good.  Conner actually said he would eat the salad again,  Soren and Ted had Mint Juleps.  I reaffirmed that I hate Bourbon.  The Virgin Mint Juleps didn't taste anything like a Mint Julep but it was good.  The Mint Julep Cake was delicious, it turns out I like Bourbon in cake, just not in a glass.  The Derby Pie was good too.

Kentucky is the Bluegrass State so we listened to bluegrass music.  All in all Kentucky food was good.  The company was fantastic!  One of my favorite things about the meal was that Will did all the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, so sweet!

  

 

K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y ♥ K E N T U C K Y 

Kansas - The Sunflower State

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Kansas is famous for beef, corn and sunflowers, so we will be incorporating all three into the meal.  When I think of Kansas I always think of the song "I'm as Corny as Kansas in August" and the Wizard of Oz.

We are having the Pawlings for dinner, they aren't from Kansas, but Gretchen has family from Iowa and Illinois, and we really wanted to have them over for dinner.

The Menu

Chicken Fried Steak
Kansas Corn Scallop
Asparagus with Roasted Almonds and Garlic
Vienna Party Rolls
Kansas Sunflower Cookies and Sunflower Cake
Sun Drop Soda

 

It turns out that Kansas is Conner's favorite state.  He loved the Country Fried Steak (I thought it was too tough).  The Kansas Corn Scallop was delicious, I think I would add jalapenos to spice it up a bit, Conner said if if had bacon in it it would have be perfect.  The asparagus was OK, I don't think I would make it again.  The rolls were really yummy and were definitely a crowd pleaser.   The Sunflower Cookies were great I substituted chocolate chips for coconut.  The Sunflower Cake looked perfect and was a big hit with Owen and Bryce (my two favorite 4 year olds).

It was a fun night with Scott, Gretchen, Owen, Bryce and Emory.  Next week we are finally moving out of the Mid West and headed to Kentucky.  Kentucky should be wonderful, I am thinking of Burgoo or Kentucky Fried Chicken and definitely Derby Pie and Mint Juleps.

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IOWA - The Hawkeye State

 

I O W A - I am so excited for Iowa.  Steve and Meredith are from Iowa and they are coming for dinner along with Louise (whose sister lives in Iowa) and Diane (who could be from Iowa).  Sydney met Meredith 3 1/2 years ago when she moved from Iowa to Washington.  We ♥ the Larsons and I think we are going to ♥ Iowa food too.  I found a great website called IowaGirlEats.com, it has fantastic recipes and is very entertaining.

The Menu

Maid Rite Loose Meat Sandwiches

Iowa Corn Casserole

Corn on the Cob

Sweet Potato Fries

Pabst Blue Ribbon (not exactly from Iowa but it is what Iowans drink - Steve assured me)
Blue Bunny Ice Cream

Dutch Letter Cookies

It was a great night.  We learned a lot about Iowa and I really want to visit one day.  Steve brought the Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) and the Blue Bunny Ice Cream.   Steve said the Maid Rite sandwiches tasted just like he remembered them.  The corn casserole was good (I think a pound of bacon helps) and the sweet potato fries were yummy and really easy to make.  The Dutch Letter Cookies were delicious and I will definitely make them again.

Iowa was a great night, although I am a little bit tired of meat sandwiches and corn.  Wonderful friends and good conversation made the night go by too fast.  I played the Music Man sound track which brought back a lot of memories from my childhood.  We are now finished with the letter I states and are moving onto Kansas.