Home » Happy Snowman

Louisiana Holiday Feast

naturegirl7 by naturegirl7
Last updated: 11/19/2011

Like 32

Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipes - North vs South Louisiana

If you are not from Louisiana, you probably don't know how different the northern part of the state is from the southern part of the state. We cook different foods, pray in different churches and celebrate the holidays in very different ways.

I have lived in both parts of the state and on this page I will give you a taste of the best Thanksgiving and/or Christmas recipes from Shreveport in the north to New Orleans in the south. Here you'll find easy recipes for cornbread dressing as well as oyster dressing, stuffed mirlitons, bread pudding, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and other Louisiana favorites. There is even information about how to roast the turkey.

We hope you enjoy your visit and the recipes here and that you "pass a good time, cher".

Two Different Worlds and Food within the Same State

I exist in two very different worlds. I was born in North Louisiana and grew up in a small town in Red River Parish, but I have spent the majority of my life in South Louisiana. My Father's side of the family has strong roots in New Orleans and France. There is even a street in New Orleans that is named after one of our great uncles. My Mothers people hail from Virginia and settled on a large piece of land in Red River Parish along the Red River near Coushatta. This is where she was born. She lived most of her life in North Louisiana, but also lived in Texas.

North and South Louisiana are like two different states. The north was settled by predominately protestant people of English or African American heritage. It is mostly rural where agriculture and cattle ranching prevail. The diet and culture is more like that of Texas or Arkansas.

In the south, it is a different world. The French Catholic culture prevails in Acadiana and in New Orleans French, Spanish, Italian, German, Irish and other Catholics have blended to form a boisterous and fun loving group of people. The food is rich and the celebrations are grand.

Because of my mixed heritage, I am comfortable with either style of cooking and have prepared holiday meals in both the Northern and the Southern Louisiana styles. I've included recipes for most of the items in both meals. We hope you enjoy using these recipes.

Louisiana Holiday Feast was featured on Cabaret Squidoo on December 24, 2008.

Holiday Feast in North Louisiana

Buy from vintagegiftmall

North Louisiana Menu

Holiday Dinner Menu in North Louisiana Homes

Turkey
Cornbread Dressing
Giblet Gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Mashed or Baked Irish Potatoes
Brown and Serve Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Christmas Cookies

Mardi Gras to Mistletoe

Mardi Gras to Mistletoe: A Cookbook of Frestive Favorites from the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier

by: Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier Inc

Amazon Price: $17.97 (as of 02/15/2012)

North Louisiana Recipes

Cornbread Dressing
9 cups (enough for a 12-pound turkey).

3/4 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (stalks and leaves)
1 cup butter or margarine
9 cups cornbread cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed sage leaves
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup of chicken or turkey stock or broth

In large skillet, cook and stir onion and celery in butter until onion is tender. Stir in about 1/3 of the cornbread cubes. Turn into deep bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Add 1/4-1/2 of broth or stock until mixture is moist. This dressing can be stuffed in the turkey right before roasting or spread into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish the night before. Cover and place in the refrigerator over night. Then bake it at 325 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

Giblets to add to gravy
Wash gizzard, heart, liver and neck. Cover all except liver with water; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 peppercorns, 2 cloves, small bay leaf and a little onion. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 1-2 hours or until gizzard is fork tender. Liver is very tender and can be fried, broiled or simmered in water, 5-10 minutes.

Giblet broth can be used in stuffing, gravy and recipes where chicken broth is specified. Cooked giblets can be cut up and added to gravy or stuffing. Refrigerate giblets and broth separately unless used immediately.

9-Inch Pumpkin Pie

Pastry for 9-inch One-crust Pie
2 eggs
1 can (1 pound) pumpkin (or 2 cups baked pumpkin)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cloves
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk or light cream

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry. Beat eggs slightly with rotary beater; beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. (To prevent spills, place pie pan on oven rack or on open oven door when filling with pumpkin mixture.) Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake 9-inch pie 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.

More Pumpkin and Squash Treats

Buy from vintagegiftmall

Feeding the Flock Monroe

Feeding The Flock Highland Baptist Church Cookbook West Monroe Louisiana 2001

by: Golden Age Senior Adults

Amazon Price: (as of 02/15/2012)

North Louisiana Food Poll

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Share this poll
- Stumbleupon
- Facebook
- MySpace
- Twitter
- Digg
- Delicious
- Email

What's On the Menu

Buy from holiday_tshirts

Buy from vintagegiftmall

Two Different Worlds and Food within the Same State
North Louisiana Menu
North Louisiana Recipes
More Pumpkin and Squash Treats
North Louisiana Food Poll
South Louisiana Menu
South Louisiana Recipes
South Louisiana Food Poll
Food Fight!
Louisiana Holiday Lenses
More of Our Autumn and Winter Recipes

Holiday Feast in South Louisiana

Buy from KristensDesigns

South Louisiana Menu

Holiday Dinner Menu in New Orleans Homes

Roasted Turkey or Baked Ham
Oyster Dressing
Stuffed Mirlitons
Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Potatoes
Italian Salad
Twisted Italian Bread with poppy seeds (Usually from Gambino's Bakery.)
Bread Pudding
Mince or Apple Pie

Who's Your Mama

Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux? (Book 1): A Cajun / Creole Family Album Cookbook

by: Marcelle Bienvenu

Amazon Price: $15.07 (as of 02/15/2012)

How to Roast a Turkey Video

New Orleans St. Louis Cathedral

Buy from Admje14

Best of the Best II

Best of the Best from Louisiana 2: Selected Recipes from Louisiana's Favorite Cookbooks (Best of the Best from Louisiana II)

by: Gwen McKee

Amazon Price: $10.49 (as of 02/15/2012)

South Louisiana Recipes

Oyster Dressing
makes 8-10 servings

1 long loaf French bread, stale
3 10-ounce containers (about 3 dozen medium) oysters
2 cups chicken or turkey stock
1f stick butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt, pepper, Creole seasoning and cayenne

Directions:
Buy a po-boy loaf of French bread in paper (not plastic_ several before making dressing and let it go stale. (A good way to crumb the bread is to beat it with the side of a meat mallet while it is still in the paper bag.)

In a large bowl, break bread into small pieces and cover with water strained from the oysters and the chicken stock. Let soak 30 minutes to an hour.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet and saute' white onion and celery until soft. Add garlic and saute' a few minutes more. Add this mixture, the green onion tops and parsley to the soaked bread and mix well. Check oysters to eliminate any shell, chop them and stir into mixture. Add seasonings.

Place in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish, making sure there is plenty of liquid. Add more stock or water if necessary to make dressing very moist. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until dressing has firmed up and is lightly browned on top.

This dressing can be stuffed into a turkey and baked, but the turkey should be stuffed at the last minute to avoid salmonella poisoning. If baked inside the turkey, make sure the dressing reaches 165 degrees.

Bread Pudding
1 (8-ounce) loaf French Bread (stale)
1 quart milk
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup raisins
3 tablespoons butter

Break up bread. Soak in milk, using your hands to crush it and mix well. Add beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla and raisins. Pour melted butter into bottom of a 12x7-inch baking dish. Pour in egg mixture. Bake at 300 degrees 1 hour or until very firm. Let cool slightly.

Bread pudding can be served with several types of sauces including Bourbon, Amaretto, Whiskey and Lemon.

Bourbon Sauce: Cream 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Heat in top of double boiler over hot water until very hot and sugar is dissolved. Whisk in 1 beaten egg very quickly; do not boil. Cool slightly; add bourbon to taste.

Amaretto Sauce: Over low heat melt butter and sugar together, stirring constantly. Add amaretto. Add egg. Heat slowly a minute or two more to set egg. Pour over bread pudding.

Tart Lemon Sauce: In one-quart saucepan combine 1 1/4 cups water, one-half cup sugar and 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel; bring to boiling. In measuring cup combine one-quarter cup lemon juice and 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch; mix into sugar mixture. Cook and stir until thickened, two to three minutes. Stir in two tablespoons butter or margarine. Makes about 1/3/4 cups.

Le Bontemps

Le Bontemps: A Louisiana Menu Cookbook Featuring Settings and Party Menus for Twelve Occasions

Amazon Price: $8.98 (as of 02/15/2012)

South Louisiana Food Poll

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Share this poll
- Stumbleupon
- Facebook
- MySpace
- Twitter
- Digg
- Delicious
- Email

Old Absinthe House, New Orleans, Louisiana by sepiatown

Louisiana Holiday Feast

Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipes - North vs South Louisiana

Contents at a Glance

Two Different Worlds and Food within the Same State

Holiday Feast in North Louisiana

North Louisiana Menu

Mardi Gras to Mistletoe

North Louisiana Recipes

More Pumpkin and Squash Treats

Feeding the Flock Monroe

North Louisiana Food Poll

Thanks for voting! Now invite your friends to vote.

What's On the Menu

Holiday Feast in South Louisiana

South Louisiana Menu

Who's Your Mama

How to Roast a Turkey Video

New Orleans St. Louis Cathedral

Best of the Best II

South Louisiana Recipes

Le Bontemps

South Louisiana Food Poll

Thanks for voting! Now invite your friends to vote.

More Louisiana Cookbooks on Amazon

Add your own to the list.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Please pick your widget size and display. Then click "Make the Widget" to get the code that's just right for you.

Voila! Just copy and paste this code into your own site. Have fun!

Oopsey! Please login to Squidoo in order to add this module to your lens.

Cajun Cooking Gift Ideas on Amazon

If you don't see one you like, add to the list.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Please pick your widget size and display. Then click "Make the Widget" to get the code that's just right for you.

Voila! Just copy and paste this code into your own site. Have fun!

Oopsey! Please login to Squidoo in order to add this module to your lens.

Food Fight!

Which is best, food in North Louisiana or food in South Louisiana?

North Louisiana Food Rules!

WriterJanis says:

Mortira says:

South Louisiana has the Best Food!

COUNTRYLUTHIER says:

gonzalezdenise says:

Scoopgal says:

huvalbd says:

K_Bellamy says:

Louisiana Holiday Lenses

More of Our Autumn and Winter Recipes

Christmas Kitten on CafePress

Ya'll Better Leave Us a Note, Dawlin'

About Naturegirl7

LA Holiday Recipe Blog Posts