Bayou Soup

This is a winner in south Louisiana. Smoked sausage is best but works well with turkey sausage.

2 14 oz. cans chicken broth with roasted garlic.

1 12 oz can rotel tomatoes

1 6oz. can tomato paste { better if roasted}

1 Tbs.. Worcestershire

1 medium chopped onion

1 medium chopped bell pepper
14 oz. diced sweet potatoes or carrots
8 oz. fresh baby spinach

8 oz.fresh cut frozen green beans
8 oz. fresh cut corn

1 lb. shrimp cleaned.
8 oz. smoked sausage

Cajun seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on medium heat 45 minutes. Add shrimp last 3 minutes.

You can sub.the shrimp with chicken

Can be eaten as a soup or pour in baking dish and add 3 cups of uncooked rice and bake at 350 degrees 1 hr. for a jambalaya

Red Spots in your Lettuce.

How many times have you gotten lettuce from the refrigerator only to find is has 1000 red spots? This defect is called russet spotting. It can be caused by exposure to high temperatures, ethylene gas, or old age. The next time you are selecting any type of lettuce, look carefully 2 inches above the butt of lettuce on the rib. If you see any of these spots, and you will not use the lettuce in 2 days, keep looking. If you see several spots, you should pass it up. Also, look closely at any precut lettuce products. Russet spotting tells you the product is on life support and quickly expiring.

Does Size Matter.

When shopping for cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant, size does matter. When selecting these vegetables, always select small or medium. The small size will have a better flavor and tender flesh. As these vegetables become larger they have a tendency to dry out with the seeds becoming tough. For the best flavor, size does matter.

How to spot old Tomatoes.

Tomatoes have a very short shelf life. To get the most flavor, they need to be used at the peak of ripeness. When tomatoes start getting too ripe, producers will drop the temperature below 55 degrees to slow the metabolism. While this does slow down the ripening process, I have found it diminishes the flavor. When you're selecting your tomatoes, look closely for small dark spots on the tomato. It only takes one. These spots are equivalent to age spots on us as we get older. Avoiding old tomatoes will greatly enhance the flavor.

Jalapeno Peppers

Have you ever noticed some jalapeno peppers are hotter than others? Sometimes using the same amount of jalapenos in a recipe can produce different levels of heat. Next time you're in the produce section, notice if any of the jalapenos have small scars running from stem end to blossom end. I have found that jalapenos with these small scars are much hotter than those with smooth skin.

California Peaches and Nectarines

Now till September 15 is the best time to buy California peaches and nectarines. At no time during the growing season are they any sweeter. Beware after September 15 as some of the fruit starts to dry out and become mealy as the season ends.

Food Safety

Food safety has moved to the forefront of the produce industry. There are steps you can take to protect your family. The most important step is to rinse fruit and vegetables with warm water. Even though producers run most of their product through a sanitized wash, the product can become contaminated through the packing and shipping process.

In the grocery store the practice of cutting fruit at the store level can be a problem. I always ask the produce clerk about their HACCAP plan. If they have no idea what you're talking about, don't buy your cut fruit at that store. The problem is they are not following a documented plan for sanitizing. When they cut fruit, especially cantaloupes with netting, without washing the product, the knife can pick up bacteria on the skin which can contaminate the fruit as the product is prepared. Your best bet is to buy cut fruit from processors who pack under strict guidelines.