Life with Dee

Creating a beautiful life...

Corn Crab Bisque ~ New Orleans Style

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I’m a sucker for rich and creamy soups. Add seafood to it and I’m sold. This is my take on a recipe for corn crab bisque I got from the New Orleans School of Cooking and it’s truly a keeper. It’s extremely rich so a small bowl with a hunk of good, crusty French bread is all you need. This recipe makes at least 6 servings.

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New Orleans Style Corn Crab Bisque 

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New Orleans Style Corn Crab Bisque

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup butter (REAL butter, not margarine)
  • 1 quart of cream, half and half, or a combination
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 pound crab meat
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 8-10 onions)
  • 3 cups frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine cream and stock in large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while making roux.
  2. To make the roux, melt butter in skillet over medium heat, add flour and stir constantly until the color of peanut butter or even darker. Do NOT stop stirring. If it burns you must start over again. This will probably take about 10 minutes.
  3. Add roux to simmering stock/cream mixture, stirring as you add it.
  4. Add corn, crabmeat and most of the green onion, reserving some for garnish.
  5. Season to taste with Creole seasoning. I use about a tablespoon of the spicy version but you can start with less and add more if needed to suit your taste.
  6. Continue to simmer until soup has thickened to your preference.
  7. Add black pepper to taste.
  8. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining green onions.
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Corn Crab Bisque ~ Steps

Like most soups this is even better the next day. Enjoy it with some crusty French bread and pretend you are in New Orleans.

Bon Appétit

Corn Crab Bisque

~~~~~

Note: Real crab meat isn’t available around here so I substitute “imitation crab meat” which I buy at Aldi’s. It’s a blend of Alaska Pollock and King Crab:

Aldi's Imitation Crab Meat

This is not an affiliate link. It is just for informational purposes. 

There are various brands of Creole seasoning. I use Tony Chachere’s “More Spice” version:

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link I receive a small portion of the purchase price. 

16 Free Or Low Cost Things To Do in New Orleans

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Travel can be expensive but sometimes the most enjoyable activities are free or nearly so. We have been going to New Orleans ever since our honeymoon in 1981 and I can honestly say that our favorite things to do there are free or low cost. Well, except eating. 😉

16 Free or Low Cost Things to Do in New Orleans

Dee’s Favorite Free or Low Cost Things To Do in New Orleans

1.  Sit by the river and watch the ships.

New Orleans was founded as a trading camp on a curve in the Mississippi River and became a thriving city because of its location. The Port of New Orleans is the sixth-largest port in the United States and has the longest wharf in the world. Watching the river traffic is fascinating. We like to pick up a muffaletta to split (they are HUGE) at Central Grocery or Frank’s on Decatur and eat by the river.

2. Take the ferry to Algiers Point.

For only $2 you can board the ferry at the foot of Canal and take it across to Algiers Point. It’s a pleasant way to relax for a bit and you’ll get a nice view of the French Quarter from Algiers Point. While there, pop in to The Crown and Anchor, an authentic English pub just steps away from the landing for a cool drink and a bag of imported English “crisps”.

3. People watch in Jackson Square. 

I can absolutely guarantee an entertaining people-watching experience in Jackson Square. Check out the artists, street musicians and fortune tellers or just sit and watch the people.

4. Tour St. Louis Cathedral. 

After some people-watching in Jackson Square why not tour the lovely St. Louis Cathedral? It’s the oldest Catholic church in continuous operation in the United States. From 8:30 to 4 p.m., the Cathedral is open to the public. Daily Mass is at 12:05 p.m. Self-guided tour brochures are available in the entrance for a $1 donation.

5. Ride a streetcar. 

There are three streetcar lines in New Orleans – St. Charles, Canal Street and Riverfront. For $1.25 each way you can ride one of these historic cars and enjoy the sites along the way. There are one and three-day passes which will save you a lot of money if you plan to use streetcars to get around during your trip. But even if you aren’t using them for transportation purposes I highly recommend taking the St. Charles streetcar just for fun. The 13 mile trip from Carondelet on Canal Street through the uptown area, including the famed Garden District, is one of my favorite things to do in New Orleans.

6. Stroll the French Quarter and listen to the street musicians. 

Put a few dollar bills in your pocket and then start walking. You’ll find musicians on many street corners. Stop and listen awhile. Maybe dance along with the crowd. Toss a dollar in an open guitar case and move along to the next outdoor concert. You could easily spend an entire afternoon doing this.

7. Do some window shopping on Royal and Chartres in the French Quarter.

You’ll find shop after shop of exquisite antiques, art, jewelry, and other fascinating items. I’ve been offered shop tours by knowledgeable employees which were on a par with a museum experience.

8. Cafe Du Monde

No trip to New Orleans is complete without a beignet and a cup of coffee with chicory. For less than $5 you can enjoy this delicious treat under the green-striped awnings of Cafe Du Monde. It’s open 24 hours a day.

9. Live music for the price of a drink

All along Bourbon Street, Frenchmen Street and numerous other locations around the city you will find countless bars and clubs with live music. Many don’t even have a cover charge so for the price of a drink you can enjoy anything from zydeco to jazz to rock to, well, you name it, somebody’s playing it.

10. Self-guided walking tours. 

There are many guided tours available and if you don’t mind the cost these can be quite entertaining and interesting. But there’s also something to be said for the leisurely pace of a self-guided tour. And it’s free! Check out this site for numerous GPS tour options:

Self-guided Walking Tours

If you take my suggestion in #2, you might want to do the Algiers Point Walking Tour while you’re there. It’s on my to-do list!

11. Tour the Old Ursuline Convent.

The oldest building in the Mississippi Valley, the Old Ursuline Convent is considered to be the finest surviving example of French Colonial architecture in the country. Located at 1112 Chartres Street in the French Quarter, the convent is open for self-guided tours Monday through Friday from 10-4 (last admission at 3:15) and Saturdays from 9-3 (last admission at 2:15).

12. Enjoy free live jazz every Thursday at Armstrong Park during Spring and Fall months. 

Enjoy local bands, live painting and art displays, food vendors and more. This free event is from 4-8 p.m. Click here for more information.

13. Free Wednesday afternoon concerts in Lafayette Square.

This Wednesday at the Square spring concert series takes place each Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. Food booths and concession stands are set up around the perimeter offering local specialties.

14. Free opera performance

If you find yourself in the city on the second Wednesday of the month you can enjoy a free performance of Bon Operatit! at the Sheraton on the corner of Toulouse and Bourbon, the former site of the French Opera House, from 7-9 p.m. in the hotel’s Puccini Bar.

15. Bluegrass Jam Session at the Hi Ho Lounge

For something a bit out of the ordinary, take a cab to the Hi Ho Lounge on St. Claude’s on a Monday. From 8-10 p.m. area musicians join up for a “Bluegrass Pickin’ Party”. Enjoy this jam session along with $2 red beans and rice for a quintessential New Orleans experience.

16. French Quarter Festival

The largest free music festival in the South, French Quarter Festival features four days of music on 23 stages throughout the French Quarter. The event is free but be prepared to enjoy the food offerings, as well. Many of New Orleans’ finest restaurants have booths set up in various locations offering specialties sure to tempt you. This is actually a fairly inexpensive way to try a few New Orleans dishes from restaurants such as Tujague’s, Galatoire’s, Court of Two Sisters, Antoine’s, K-Paul’s and many others. FQF runs from April 7-10 this year and I can’t wait!

Bonus:

Just start walking (being mindful to stay in well-lit, populated areas). Listen. Do you hear some music? Go find it. Does something smell delicious? Follow your nose. Talk to people. Be open to new experiences and you just might end up having the time of your life.

Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Back from New Orleans, still recovering…

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On the river #NewOrleans
We got back from New Orleans late last Tuesday. We just couldn’t tear ourselves away and ended up staying rather late Monday night. We only went as far as Baton Rouge that night so Tuesday was a fairly long day. I then drove to the city Wednesday because my dad was having a procedure done up there. David flew out on business Thursday and returned Saturday afternoon. We then attended a local event that evening. Yesterday I did some volunteer work. This morning I took my daughter to get a wisdom tooth removed. I have a meeting in just a little while, another tomorrow night and probably one on Thursday. In fact, I have something on my calendar almost every day for the next few weeks. David leaves tomorrow for yet another business trip. And so it goes…
Our internet was down when we got home and we just got it back this morning. I have lots of pictures from our trip to share, as well as some hilarious videos of pirates “singing”, dancing and being silly. I’ll try to get those posted over the next few days so stay tuned. 
Oh, and in case you were wondering, we do still love New Orleans. 

We’re back…

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Ahoy!
Just a quick post to let y’all know we did survive our trip to New Orleans. We got home Tuesday evening, enjoyed our first stargazing of the season, and then had a little trip to the E.R. after I broke out in massive hives and angioedema (swelling of face, lips, hands, ankles, etc.). I spent Wednesday doped up on Benadryl. Last night I took my chances, left the house and went to hear one of our bands perform. Today I’m trying to return some order to my house.

I have lots of pictures and stories from our trip but those will have to wait a bit longer. One of our musicians is helping David with a building project tomorrow and he’s spending the night tonight so they can get an early start. I’m sure he doesn’t care about the state of my house but *I* do. So for now I’ll just leave you with one more picture:

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A bit of catching up to do

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Goodness…I haven’t posted anything here for two weeks! You may have guessed we’ve been busy with our new business and you’d be right. It has taken off much faster than we had anticipated. We are thrilled by this and having a blast, but it’s also rather time-consuming. There will come a time when we won’t be able to attend every performance of our bands but for now we are trying to. 
Saturday before last, Rowdy Folk performed at The FieldHouse. It was a couple of days after my parents’ anniversary so we invited them to join us for dinner before the show. I also arranged for a special song dedication. My dad is a big Johnny Cash fan so Rowdy Folk covered one of his songs for my parents. They were really pleased. In fact, they were enjoying the music so much they stayed until after 10:30 p.m. which is unusual for them. It was a fun night and I’m glad we got to share it with my parents. 
#rowdyfolk
After the show we were given free tickets to…wait for it…roller derby. I had no idea we even had roller derby here in town. I was coming down with a cold and could have used a nap Sunday afternoon/evening but how could we turn down that opportunity? 
On Tuesday a blues band auditioned for us. They are still working on getting enough material for a three hour show but should be ready by next month.
Wednesday we had our first show at The Rib Crib. Mandala and Thomas performed and it was so nice to enjoy live music outdoors. There were several children and they had a blast. Two little boys were allowed to “fill in” on the drum for one song and a couple of tiny little girls twirled to the music. Rain had been a possibility but we lucked out. 
Mandala and Thomas
I noticed that these guys were all wearing black, music-related t-shirts so I had to take a picture. They are obviously a very serious bunch.
These guys...
Thursday night we met up with my parents at the McSwain Theater to see one of my favorite movies, “The Long, Long Trailer” starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. It was fun to see it on a big screen.
We actually stayed home Friday night but that was because we knew we’d better rest up for The Dudes. These guys absolutely rocked The FieldHouse Saturday night. By the end of the night everyone was on their feet dancing and singing along. What a fun night!
The Dudes!!! #HMA
Despite not going to sleep until 3 a.m. we managed to drag our bodies out of bed for church the next morning. I have been struggling with yet another asthma attack and my third time on steroids since November. I’ve really been missing singing with the choir and was so glad to be able to join them again this week. We ate out after church and then slept most of the afternoon. We are probably too old for the pace we’ve been keeping but at least we aren’t bored. 
We received our business cards a few days ago which is kind of exciting:
Our business cards have arrived! #hmagigs
And then there’s this guy:
Hi, Mom. Wanna pet my head?
We are leaving for New Orleans Thursday morning so I’m in overdrive trying to get everything ready. We also have a show to attend Wednesday night so my goal is to have everything packed before that. Cross your fingers and say a little prayer! 

Next year…

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For the past couple of weeks I’ve been living vicariously through my New Orleans friends on Facebook as they have celebrated Carnival season and today, Mardi Gras. It looks like SO MUCH FUN! Even the cops get in on the fun:

I swear, I’m going to figure out a way to be there for Mardi Gras next year!

Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Giveaway!

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*Update!: I’ve moved the date of the drawing to December 18th. 
One of my all-time favorite books. I'm giving away this beautiful hard cover edition on my blog, teawithdee.blogspot.com
Several weeks ago I made the promise that I would do a giveaway as soon as I reached 500 “likes” on the Tea With Dee Facebook page. Within a day or two of that announcement I reached (and passed) that goal. While in New Orleans I shopped for something to give away and found this very nice hardcover edition of one of my all-time favorite books, “A Confederacy of Dunces”. I’ve read it several times over the years and thoroughly enjoy it every time. 
If you’d like a chance to win this book (plus another surprise gift!) leave a comment below and make sure you are following this blog via one of the various ways in the left sidebar (Feedly, Bloglovin, Google, Linky). And if you are on Facebook, please go “like” the Tea With Dee page if you haven’t done so already. Make sure your comment includes a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. 
I don’t know what the weather holds for us or if we will lose our internet due to ice so I won’t do the random drawing until next Thursday, December 12th (*note update at top of post). That allows plenty of time to share this giveaway with your friends who might be interested in both the book and in following Tea With Dee. If you have a blog I’d be thrilled if you would share this giveaway. Or via Twitter, your Facebook page, whatever. 
If you live in an area getting hit by this winter weather, be careful on the roads and stay warm. And if you live where it’s warm, count your blessings!
~~~~~
“I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.”   
Ignatius J. Reilly 
A Confederacy of Dunces

Milk! Bread! Eggs!

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No, no, no!

We have a winter storm on the way with the possibility of sleet/ice/snow the next couple of days and bitter cold through the middle of next week. I am not amused. But I *am* prepared. We already had plenty of food in the house but after my piano lesson yesterday I made a quick stop at Braum’s and bought a couple more half gallons of milk, more bread, butter (you can never have too much butter) and smoked sausage which I used in a big pot of gumbo tonight. A case order of toilet paper from Amazon arrived Monday and we are stocked up on wine.

Today I’m seeing lots of people on Facebook talking about what a madhouse they were encountering at Walmart as everyone stripped the shelves of milk, bread, and eggs. Is there some rule that says you have to make French toast during bad weather? I haven’t been in Walmart for close to six years now and can no longer fully imagine the horrors of a pre-storm shopping trip.

There’s a good chance we’ll lose our internet if we get much ice so don’t be surprised if I don’t post for awhile. I just hope we don’t lose electricity. We do have a fireplace but this is a pretty big house to heat that way. We’ve played that game more than once and quite frankly, I’m totally over it. A friend in New Orleans mentioned that it’s going to be 80 degrees there tomorrow. Just one more reminder that I am supposed to live there.

Okay, enough whining (for now). I’m going to finish my hot tea, take a hot shower and then climb into bed with my heating pad and a book, then hopefully dream about Spring. And living in New Orleans.

A Glimpse of New Orleans

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We’ve been back from New Orleans for two full weeks and I’m just now getting around to sharing a few photos. I’m still dealing with the asthma attack I came home with and we still have one suitcase left to unpack. Yeah, re-entry sucks. 
But the trip was well worth it. The weather was glorious:

We had a wonderful time hanging out with friends, listening to music, eating delicious food and simply enjoying the city we love best. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Jeana braided David’s hair like hers. Aren’t they cute?
David, Jay and Terry – We watched the Saints games both Sundays at Hobnobber’s bar. These three did some pretty hilarious commentary the first game and we enjoyed a potluck lunch here with several friends the second Sunday. Who dat!
Halloween in New Orleans is a blast! I love seeing all the creative costumes. These are our dear friends, Ken and Cindy. Don’t they look awesome?
Just hanging out with my sweetheart
Listening to the blues at the Funky Pirate
David and the guys from the band – Mark, Charles, and Bryan
I can be totally mesmerized by the “Muddy Mississippi” 
and love watching the steamboat and other river traffic. 
New Orleans residents go all out decorating for Halloween.
This is my favorite picture from the trip. It looks like David and Jay are walking down the street holding hands. They really weren’t – if you look at where their feet are you can tell that Jay is a step ahead of David. But these two have such fun together that this picture cracks me up. 

Aside from the special times with friends, my favorite part of the trip was all the live music we got to hear. We have ten musician friends we got to see perform, as well as John Boutte’ (at d.b.a. on Frenchmen Street), Paramore, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, The Gaslight Anthem, Pearl Jam, and Nine Inch Nails at Voodoo Fest. I think I’ll do a post just on the music and put in on my Well-Groomed Hippie blog. When I do, I’ll share the link here.

We also enjoyed some great meals which I’ll share on my Dee’s Kitchen blog. Again, I’ll link it here when I do. Gotta spread the awesome around, right? 

Finally, I had said that as soon as I got 500 “likes” on my Tea With Dee Facebook page I would do a giveaway. I met that goal and bought something for the giveaway while in New Orleans. I’ll share more about it here in the next day or two and tell you how you can enter. Stay tuned!