Heidi Klum's chocolate-flavoured lips

From Denny: I told you we don't have to give up chocolate to be beautiful! I have it on the highest authority: model Heidi Klum who is quite a fun character.

"Heidi Klum uses chocolate-flavoured lip balm to satisfy her sweet cravings.

The German supermodel often longs for chocolate cake from her homeland, but has discovered a secret weapon to curb her desires.

She is quoted as saying: 'I love chocolate. I have a chocolate lip gloss that tastes like a German chocolate cake. It is very good. It tastes so good that I constantly have to lick my lipstick off and re-apply.'

Heidi isn't the only supermodel who has confessed to secret cravings."

Louisiana Culture: Sicilian Tradition of St. Joseph's Altar

Louisiana Culture: Sicilian Tradition of St. Joseph's Altar: "This is a lesson from hundreds of years ago, still celebrated today, of what it is to give to others even when you are in your time of need. The act of gratitude has been with us for generations. 9 recipes."

By Denny Lyon

From Denny: I started out writing this for the blog to give out the recipes and before I knew it I was researching a centuries old tradition of gratitude that turned into a full blown article!

Cool link to a virtual St. Joseph's Altar where you can give virtual food offerings, read a blog, offer prayers for loved ones, learn the history of the tradition and much more.

It's a good story about how even when we think we don't have much it's important to remember others who have less. Louisiana has always been about sharing food generously with others and creating recipes to share too.

Recipe: Jambalaya Grits

Another version of a dinner with grits: Cajun Shrimp, Cheddar Cheese grits and sugar peas, yum! This is a typical weekend meal in south Louisiana when shrimp are fresh.

Photo by Bethany L. King @ flickr

From Denny: In Louisiana and throughout the American South we just love grits the way folks in Italy love their polenta. It's similar as both are a type of soft cornmeal dish. Their name sounds better! :)

Here, with our French influence, we always cook with the Holy Trinity: onions, bell pepper and celery. I like to add garlic.

Try this different version of grits if you don't like them plain with salt and butter. We serve them any time of day or night. We even eat breakfast all times of the day and night. Americans love breakfast foods!


Jambalaya Grits

From: Jambalaya Cookbook

Yield: Serves 6


Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon bacon grease

2 Tablespoons flour

½ cup chopped onion

1 green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup chopped celery

1 cup quick grits

3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup ground ham

Bacon, cooked to crispy and crumbled


Directions: In a heavy skillet, heat bacon grease and gradually add flour, stirring constantly, until roux becomes light brown. Add onion, green bell pepper and celery; cook 5 minutes. Cook grits according to package directions and add to roux and vegetable mixture. Add tomatoes and ham. Sprinkle with bacon and serve immediately.

Recipe: Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

From Denny: This is one of those ridiculously simple recipes that can be thrown together quickly. Read that as when you have a chocolate craving you will get satisfaction in about one hour! Even a child can make it and is a good one for a beginner cook.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

From: The Best of South Louisiana Cooking

Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


1 cup flour

¾ cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon milk

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup packed cocoa

1 ¾ cups hottest tap water

Favorite ice cream


Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In ungreased 9 x 9-inch pan, stir together flour, sugar, 2 Tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla with fork until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly in pan.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and ¼ cup cocoa. Pour hot water over batter. Bake 40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes then cut into squares. Invert onto dish. Spoon on ice cream and then sauce that is formed on bottom of cake pan.

Confessions of A Cajun Traiteuse - Saving Seeds and Making Wine Part II

Confessions of A Cajun Traiteuse - Saving Seeds and Making Wine Part II: "As I continue to share inside stories of my journey as a child Cajun traiteuse, I've thought a lot about everything that this entailed, and wrestled with what I was taught to tell others and what don't you tell. As a girl, I remember thinking time and time again -- 'What does all of this have to do with being a faith healer?' as my Grandpere would have me doing tasks, that seemed to have nothing to do with folk remedies and helping people get well.

I also wrestled with myself over, 'If you have knowledge that can help others, why keep it to yourself and only share with one other person (ie. the one you train to replace you)?'

Two key two key alternative medicine practices of his -- haunt and follow me to this day. The first, was the very involved process of seed saving. This is something that people have been doing all over the world for tens of thousands of years out of necessity.

The other passion had to do with making various homemade wines. These practices haunt and follow me, because I lived long enough to know how important knowing how to do both are to being self-sufficient."

By Jerilee Wei

From Denny: The generation of the cultural folk faith healer is fading. There was a time when knowledge of herbs as medicine was common throughout America and Europe. Since drug companies moved in and began growing, producing and selling the results of the healers' knowledge much of the knowledge has ceased to be passed down.

As Americans began moving from the farm in the 1950's into city and suburban situations a lot of knowledge has no longer been taught or cultivated. This article is a look into a fading world with an eye to write down what was once orally taught only to small groups or one individual per generation. This is a special treat for someone to be writing on this subject without monetary gain.