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HippieSrirachaGirl

I eat, I taste, You seek, You follow

Cajun Cuisine

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Georgia’s Restaurant Soul-Delicious!

SOUL FOOD is crunchy, smothered in sauce, deep-fried, creamy, sweet mixed with warm spices and cajun influence that lingers in the back of your mouth or on the tips of your fingers. Food links all ethnic cultures because brings community back to the table. The month of February celebrates Black History Month. African Americans have contributed to all industries in American history. During this pandemic, it is important to support local restaurants but also Black-Owned Restaurants whom are not always recognized. Yesterday, I had lunch at Georgia’s Restaurant in Long Beach, California, where they provide delicious plates of SOUL FOOD. They have an outdoor patio with tables spaced at appropriate distances. I even had the opportunity to meet the General Manager Samuel McKinney and ironically the waitress and I share the same birth name but are spelled differently.

Georgia’s Restaurant provides pick-up and delivery options. This restaurant has two locations: Long Beach and Anaheim.

All Cajun seasoned French Fries.
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
Cornbread served with Honey Butter.
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Glistening with Honey Butter.
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Shrimp Po’Boy Sandwich served on a Ciabatta Roll with shredded lettuce, dill pickles & garlic mayo and a side of coleslaw.
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
Lunch is served in the beautiful city of Long Beach.
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
A sizeable portion of Peach Cobbler.
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl

The All seasoned Cajun French Fries had a crunchy exterior and coated thoroughly with the seasoning. Plus this dish offered a great portion in terms of sharing plates. The spread of honey butter across the inside layer of the cornbread added a softness to the bite. The choice of having the Shrimp Po’Boy served on a Ciabatta Roll, made the bite pleasurable for my sensitive teeth. The Cajun seasoning on the large shrimp with the garlic mayo tied in harmoniously after tasting the sandwich. The peach cobbler had a golden crust and plenty of large pieces of fruit. It was slightly dry in terms of the juice content of a cobbler, but overall it had the right amount of sweetness.

If you have the chance to check out Georgia’s Restaurant in either one of their locations, let them know HippieSrirachaGirl referred you. It was a pleasure to meet the respectful staff at Georgia’s Restaurant. Comment below on which dish you had the chance to eat. Next time, I’ll check out their Chicken & Waffle plate! Continue to support Black-Owned Restaurants. Every restaurant deserves a platform to be recognized.

Stay safe and viligant,

HippieSrirachaGirl

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NFL GameDay Treats & Snacks

With the first Super Bowl event this Sunday at home, large sports gatherings are quite different for 2021. I had fun in the kitchen learning and creating tasty GameDay Bite-Size treats and snacks that are simple and affordable. The snacks are Zucchini Bite-Size Balls with Southern Creole Dipping Sauce and Wonton Taco Cups. The treats are Mini Silk Chocolate Apple and Walnut Pies.

Zucchini Bite-Size Balls

Ingredients for the Zucchini Bite-Size Balls
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Shred the Zucchini
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Place Garlic Cloves in Hot Water (5mins), easier to peel the shell.
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Squeeze as much water out as possible. (Preferably use a cheese cloth)
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Butternut Squash, Zucchini, Parmesan Cheese, Panko Bread Crumb, 2 eggs, 2 garlic cloves & add your favorite seasonings. Fried the Zucchini Bite-Size Balls in Avocado Oil for at least 4-6 minutes on each side.
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
Zucchini Bite-Size Balls with a Southern Creole Dipping Sauce.
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl

Mini Silk Chocolate Apple Pies

Ingredients for Mini Silk Chocolate Apple & Walnut Pies (Gluten-free) (Whole Foods)
Honey Crisp and Granny Smith Apples
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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Slice Apples and Chop Walnuts
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Carefully align the apples (flower design)
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Top with Walnuts and Sprinkle Cinnamon. Baked at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
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Baked Mini Silk Chocolate Apple and Walnut Pies, drizzled with an Apricot glaze.
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Wonton Taco Cups

Spread the Olive Oil in each muffin mold. Lay down 3 wonton wraps and then lightly spray oil on top of the wraps. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Vegan Wonton Wraps)
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Jennie-O (Ralphs), Ground Turkey Meat. Season with your favorite herbs.
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Use an Ice Cream scooper to fill the wonton cups for equally sized portions.
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Before adding chopped bell peppers to the wonton cups, I recommend sautéing first. One half is topped with the bell-peppers and the other half is sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Lightly brush the edges of the wonton cups with melted unsalted butter. Bake for 15 minutes.
NFL Game Day Snacks & Treats
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl

These are just a few snacks and treats you can enjoy with the family this weekend for Super Bowl Sunday. Serve the Mini Silk Chocolate Apple Pies at chill temperature (Product is Raised Gluten-free). The Zucchini Bite-Size Balls have a crunchy outside with a creamy gooey inside. The Wonton Taco Cups can be topped with scallions, sour cream, or my favorite avocado slices. Let us know, how one of these NFL Game Day Treats or Snacks worked out for you and your family. Have a great weekend and enjoy the game!!

Stay safe and vigilant,

HippieSrirachaGirl

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LA Black Restaurant Week

An event highlighting various ethnic cuisines in Southern California that included over 60 Black Owned Restaurants. This event was presented by Socal Gas and supported by Sysco, Dine Black Los Angeles, 93.5 KDay-FM Hip Hop Back in the Day and Power 106 FM. The event occurred from August 7-16, 2020 but this does not mean that you cannot continue to support Black Owned Restaurants throughout the rest of the year!

Small Businesses during this time of Covid-19 need support from the community. This is your time to explore various ethnic cuisines of Southern California: Soul food, American, Plant-based Soul food, Bakery Dessert Shops, Vegetarian, Caribbean, Ethiopian, Mexican Soul Food, Barbecue, Southern, Creole & Cajun, Cafe Coffee Shop, Halal, Northern Region African, Seafood, Eastern Region African and Juice Smoothie Bars.

Below are two of the restaurants that I had the chance to check out: Sky’s Gourmet Tacos and Sweet Blessings Eclectic Soul Food.

Sky’s Gourmet Tacos is Mexican food with a splash of Soul. Barbara Burrell is the founder of this 1992 establishment with creating fresh seafood meals located at three locations. Sky’s Gourmet Tacos offers breakfast, gourmet salads, burgers, nachos, tortas and vegan alternatives. first location: 5408 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles 90019. The second location: Marina Del Ray, Sky’s Gourmet Marketplace that offers high quality grab-n-go meals that also includes their signature famous gourmet tacos, groceries, Deli counter and even delivers to the boat slips! The third location: 358 W. 38th Street.

Below are one of the Famous Gourmet Shrimp Tacos, which comes with lettuce, coleslaw, tomato, cilantro, pico de gallo & Sky’s Sassy Sauce. The Gourmet Shrimp tacos were delicious, the shrimps were tender and the Sky’s Sassy Sauce was a flavorful addition to the taco. It will get messy but packed with taste!

Sky’s Gourmet Tacos: Black Owned Restaurant
Location: 5408 W. Pico Blvd Los Angeles, Ca 90019
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
Sky’s Gourmet Shrimp Tacos
Ordered with just lettuce, cilantro & Sky’s Sassy Sauce
“Mexican with a Splash of Soul”
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl

Sweet Blessings Eclectic Soul Food has been opened since last fall of 2019. The owner of this establishment is Katina Cyler along with her husband. They have traveled from Florida to kickstart this Soul food restaurant. During LA’s Black Restaurant week, I had the opportunity to meet Katina and she was warm in spirit and has a major passion for cooking authentic Southern food as well a showing casing local artists on the walls of her restaurant.

On August 16, 2020, Sweet Blessings hosted their very first art event, “A Night for the Culture” a partnership between ArtLoud LA + the restaurant. Held from 8pm-11pm with a $15 entry. Reserve your ticket on eventbrite.com This art event bridges a connection between talented black artists and the essence of tasty Southern food.

After having the Cluck and Surf Plate, I was beyond satisfied from the mildly sweet cornbread to the smoky greens and the Mac n’ cheese. Once I bit into the chicken thigh, the outer skin was extra crispy and not salty. To be honest, I could not wait another day to finish my Cluck and Surf Plate. The catfish was cooked to perfection and again not too salty. Will definitely go back to both Sky’s Gourmet Tacos and Sweet Blessings Eclectic Soul Food to explore other dishes on their menu.

Photo by: Sweet Blessings Eclectic Soul Food
Fried Chicken Plate (4 pieces)
Side of Mac n’ cheese and collard greens, cornbread and Jelly Sauce
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
Cluck and Surf Plate (2 pieces of Fried Chicken & 1 piece of catfish)
Side of Mac n’ cheese and greens plus cornbread
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl

Sky’s Gourmet Tacos and Sweet Blessings Eclectic Soul Food are just two of the Black Owned Restaurants who participated in LA’s Black Restaurant Week. Both are respectable establishments.

Below is a list of the restaurants that participated in the LA Black Restaurant Week of 2020. Do check these restaurants throughout the rest of the year and continue to support small business owners who are also Black Owned Establishments.

Continue to Support Small Businesses.

Stay healthy and vigilant!

Thanks,

HippieSrirachaGirl

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Louisiana-Style Tilapia, a Summer Plate

A GUMBO that is what Louisiana is. We’re talkin’ a lil bit of each culture, we’re talkin’ a blend of various ethnic backgrounds to include: African, European, Native American and Caribbean, which later evolves into Creole and Cajun cuisine. We’re talkin’ spices. The spices that were attached to the cultures’ to each of these individual apron strings. Using these spices during the summer months will wake up your tastebuds with a burst of flavor on a fresh piece of Tilapia.

Hello Fresh has created a Louisiana-Style Tilapia dish, which includes a few simple ingredients for a friendly budget: Tilapia, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Carrots and Red cabbage. There is nothing better than pan fried fish. a touch of OLD BAY Seasoning and a fresh side of coleslaw with family and friends. As the people of Louisiana say, “LIVE TO EAT” and remember to respect the heritage of the food you eat.

Ingredients from Hello Fresh
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl
Chopped Mini Green Chile Peppers, Scallion Greens, Carrots & Yukon Gold Potatoes, Preheat oven at 425 degrees
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Toss Yukon Gold Potatoes with a drizzle of oil, sprinkle of paprika, black pepper and Pink Salt
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Golden Brown, cook for 20-25 minutes
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Coat Tilapia in OLD BAY Seasoning with sour cream, 1 TBSP of water, panko and cornstarch
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Fry Fish: 1/3 inch layer of oil in large pan over medium-high heat, 2-3 minutes per side
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Louisiana-Style Tilapia w/ Potato Wedges, Red Cabbage Slaw & Spicy Remoulade
Photo by: HippieSrirachaGirl

Top your Tilapia with your choice of Hot Sauce and your coleslaw with Scallion Greens! If you are interested in cooking this dish for a friendly budget dish during this summer of Covid-19, check you Hello Fresh!!!

Stay healthy and vigilant!

Thanks,

HippieSrirachaGirl