Seasonings Greetings!

By now you all know that Miss Ginger fancies herself quite the cook,  and the holidays always put her into the kitchen spirit!  She's not repeating her big Thanksgiving shindig of last year, however;  she just doesn't have it in her! This year, she and Brother B are going out for a quiet Thanksgiving!  Maybe Christmas, if the entertaining bug strikes!  Meanwhile,  she has been fixing herself some pretty delish meals,  and she has decided to share a couple of her "secret weapons".

Miss G has blogged before about Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning-  a staple of Cajun and Creole cooking throughout Louisiana and the South! Most Cajun Momma's and Grandmomma's have a green box of Tony's right by the stove, ready to shake on anything that the rest of the world would season with plain salt. Tony's adds a red pepper, authentic Cajun spicy flavor to anything you put it on- and you can put it on just about anything! It's particularly good on chicken and seafood, and Miss G has even been known to shake it onto a big bowl of stove-popped popcorn!  The great thing about Tony's is that you use it just like salt- when it's salty enough, it's seasoned just right for most people.  Like it a little spicier?  They have recently come out with an "extra spicy" version that Miss G looks forward to trying!! (PS:  it's pronounced "sass- sha- ree!"


But even Miss G knows that Cajun Spice isn't appropriate for every food,  all the time!  So when she's not in the mood for red pepper spicy, she has another flavor cannon in her arsenal!

Weber Canadian Steak Seasoning may be the best thing even to come from our neighbors to the north since SCTV! Actually, it's made by a company in Memphis, so she's not sure why it's called "Canadian", but it's so delicious she's not going to pick knits! Miss Ginger buys it in a 28 oz. shaker at Sam's Club,  because she puts it on everything that doesn't get Tony's, but she's pretty sure you could find it at your local supermarket as well.  As you may have guessed,  it's perfect on steaks, and really all kinds of beef:  burgers, brisket, and Miss Ginger's newest obsession: short ribs! It's the perfect mix of salt, black pepper, garlic, and spices that make beef come to life.  There's a distinct hint of dill seed, which Miss G loves on beef!  But it's really good on other foods, too! Miss G finds that it's perfect on grilled lobster, and she also likes to use it in place of salt and pepper on eggs.  But perhaps it's best non-beef use is just to shake it onto salad in place of salt and pepper!


Take it from Miss G- if you are looking for a way to spice up your holidays,  these two products are lipstick smacking good!

Holiday Cooking with Miss Ginger- Part II

Now that all you Yankee biotches have choked down your nasty "steamed" or, (shudder) "boiled" cabbage, Miss Ginger is going to teach you the proper Southern way to cook cabbage! It's called "smothering", and you can "smother" just about anything. Most often Momma Ginger smothered cabbage, but she also smothered okra, pork chops, and chicken. But "smothered" cabbage was her best. I don't know if anyone else in the world uses that term, and I'm almost positive that you won't find it in any Martha Stewart books! But you'll use it once you've tasted cabbage made this way!
Start with a heavy dutch oven (GingerSnaps may recognize Miss G's heavy gumbo pot!). You'll need a bit of oil- or better yet, bacon drippings! Miss G uses olive oil year-round, but for holidays she can typically manage to come up with some bacon grease! (Momma Ginger used to keep bacon grease in a special stainless straining container until Daddy G's heart attack!)


Cut the cabbage into 4ths or 5ths, depending on size, and then 4ths or 5ths the other direction.








Once the cabbage is cut and the grease is hot, rinse the cabbage in water, then dump it into the grease. Sprinkle about a 1/4 cup or so of vinegar over the cabbage. Momma G used cider vinegar, Miss G uses rice wine vinegar, but any vinegar will do. This step reduces the "bitterness" you sometimes get with cabbage.



Season with your favorite seasoned salt, then stir the cabbage as best you can (the pot will be really full!) You just want to move it around enough to distribute the fat.
A little note about seasoned salt- the "gold standard" is Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning. Miss G puts it on every thing. Emeril now markets something he calls "Magic Dust", but it's really just a late-comer copy of something Louisiana housewives have sworn by for years!
Add about a cup or so of water, cover the pot, let it come to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it cook. As long as you want to. The longer, the better, in Miss G's book. Get all your stirring done early, so the seasoning and flavor distribute while the cabbage is still firm. Don't stir it after it gets soft, or you will end up with mashed cabbage!

It's the tenderest, most flavorful cabbage you will ever eat, and it's the only cabbage Miss G will eat!