Eating in NOLA:

The Holiday's are great.  They mean I can watch History Channel specials on Ancient Aliens (for the second time) and write blog posts without worrying that I'm neglecting something more important.  In recent years they have become a little greater with the addition of these two guys into the family.



There are lots of perks to having nephews.  One nice thing about them is they are a great tool for enacting revenge on my sister for years of sisterly torment.  For example every time I see them, I try to convince them that their shoes make their feet hot and they should take them off whenever they feel the need.  Ha!  Take that Sis.  As much as I enjoy using them as miniature saboteurs, the best thing about them is they open up opportunities for multiple Christmas meals.

This year, my sister and her family traveled down from Charlotte, while I traveled up from New Orleans, to converge at my parents house in Atlanta for a few days.  We did the Christmas thing early in Atlanta, then I followed them back home to prolong the holiday festivities... namely the holiday eating.


 The Atlanta meal included what is now becoming my mother's famous herb roasted turkey breast.



It was served with all the classic sides - mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, biscuits, stuffing and green beans a few different ways.   I enjoyed the meal with my mother and father, grandmother, sister, brother-in-law, and my nephews.  I actually don't think I helped with the meal at all.  But I ate it pretty good and I drank the wine so I feel like I did my part.



The holiday meal in Charlotte was a slightly different experience.  With a 5 year old and a 3 year old around extra help in the kitchen always seems appreciated.  So I spent the a few hours prepping some of the dishes.  Above are some of the dished in their early stages.  You're looking at the "before" of some pepper crusted pork tenderloin with a molasses glaze and pears and apples, and herb and garlic roasted potatoes.




I forgot to get a picture of dessert but it was a Bananas Foster bread pudding.  These things where in it.



And the dinner table looked like this.  I was lucky enough to share it with my sister and her family and my brother-in-law's sister and her family... which included two more toddlers for a grand total of 4 kids 5 and under.  Not quite the quietest Christmas ever.


Look and here is a picture of me and my sister, just to prove we have no problem getting along now.  I hope everyone had a great holiday.  There might be one or two more non-New Orleans posts in the future but then back to the grind of Eating In NOLA.  It's a tough life.

I'm thinking after the Christmas gluttony, a series on the healthy side on New Orleans eating might be in order.  If you have any ideas please comment here or shoot me an email.