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Pralines and Cooking School

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Without a doubt, attending a class at the New Orleans School of Cooking was one of the highlights of my week in Louisiana.

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This is Chef Anne. She was our hostess for the evening, and she whipped up so much wonderful food for us.

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Here’s Maggy and Jenny, we couldn’t stop snapping photos of all the food!

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We had such a blast sampling a wide variety of incredible Louisiana fare, if you get the chance to pop in a class, I would go for it!

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Crawfish Etouffee. Heaven. Can I get crawfish at the grocery store?

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Anne had us in stitches the entire class, she was even cracking herself up.

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And you know we couldn’t leave without dessert. Here’s the sauce for our bananas foster… en flambé!

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They turned out the lights and tossed in cinnamon to make the flames light up like a sparkler on the Fourth of July. Our own cinnamon-spiced fireworks show. Ahh!

07-NOLA-cooking-school-jenny-flake-289Photo via Jenny

I was thrilled when I learned we’d be making pralines. Pralines are one of my favorite candies. They are a complete sugary, buttery triumph. She even shared some secret ingredients with us that you can add to pralines. And I’ve got the recipe for you coming up tomorrow. Are you ready for Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Pralines? :) I’ll be back tomorrow with the recipe!

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74 Responses
  1. Jayme

    I cannot believe I totally missed that you were going to be in New Orleans! I guess I got busier than I led myself to believe and neglected my readings! You were in my neck of the woods :) I see you enjoyed our fabulous food!

  2. Denise

    Wow ~ the sparkling cinnamon shots are gorgeous! I’ll have to hit my local New Orleans type place for some pralines now, too busy this week to make ’em but the sugar should help me out! :*)

  3. Denise

    Wow! Gorgeous photos of the sparkling cinnamon! I’m going to have to go to my local New Orleans type place for some pralines now, Yum! Too busy to make ’em this week, ;*(, but the sugar may get me through!

  4. Tiffany K.

    I would actually love to win this oven not for myself but to give to my parents. Their oven is really old and my step-mom loves to cook. We are currently stationed overseas so I can’t use it here but she would love to have something like that. She makes the best cookies I’ve ever had!

  5. Tracie Miller

    I would love to have a double oven! I never have enough room to make all the goodies I make for my family and friends. I love to make each person’s special goody. I would have my special “Cotton Candy” ribs going in one oven and my specialty “Traciedoodle” cookies going in the other. Yummy!!!

  6. Tracy Qua

    I would love to win this oven! We really need a new one at our home. I would probably make homemade pizza in the oven since this is my youngest son’s favorite dish! I love the idea of two ovens since I have five kids and a husband who are always waiting to see what is coming out of the oven! I think that this oven would be very welcomed in our home!

  7. nancy b

    I would love to win the new oven! I would bake Deep Dish Brownies in one oven, Honey Oatmeal Bread in the other, and Wild Rice Chicken Soup on the stove top along with a strong cup of Italian Espresso made in my Bialetti Caffettiera.

  8. Stephanie Crum

    The first thing I would make is Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. Then I would invite all my family and friends over for cookies and milk and show them my new oven!

  9. Michelle Bills

    Wow, what a beautiful oven…….I would dream about a oven like that !!! The things I could do…..endless possibilites !!!

  10. kathy f

    Oh my! The 1st thing I’d make would be a big family dinner!
    Roast, carrots, potatoes and maybe even try to make homemade rolls!
    I could definitely get inspired to do some serious cooking & baking.

  11. Linda Orellano

    I would make a huge roast Turkey with all the fixins , my oven died 2 years ago and being a single income mom I cant afford a new one.

  12. Mary H

    The first thing I would bake would be your *amazing* creamy chicken enchiladas… my all-time favorite recipe :)

  13. Mrs O

    I just read your recipe for cookie dough cupcakes…I have to make those SOON! With a double oven, I could do a double batch which means double the yummy. Thanks for the chance to win!

    BTW, I just discovered your website when I was looking for pics of craft spaces, and so far I am way impressed! I think I will be spending lots of time here tonight as I search through your old posts.

  14. Shawn Pugel

    I have a wonderful son who has DS. A few years ago he was diagnoised with celiacs disease. I have seven other kids who like homemade cookies and cakes. With a double I would be able to bake chocolate cookies and gluten free cookies at the same time. Thanks, Shawn Pugel

  15. Wendy P McMahan

    With two oven to use for baking. I would do 2 test at once. One to bake a cake and the other one would be ham or roast beef. I got to see how baking 2 different things turn out. On stovetop… I would be making Sweet N Sour Greenbeans and Sweet tea (the old fashion way). Yep I am a southern Woman!

  16. Shirley

    What a joy it would be to be able to bake anything in this double oven!! It would be like learning to bake again after using mine for 33 years. It’s been a good one, but I would love this new LG to bake my homemade Lasagna and Garlic Bread in for the first meal. I cook and bake all the time now, so I guess that if I won this——you wouldn’t be able to get me out of my kitchen. :)

  17. Stephanie Frye

    We so need this oven as ours is over 30 years old and won’t die so we can buy a new one! I would just gaze in awe at it for about a week and not let anyone touch it by ordering out. So, I guess, heating up pizza would be the first, lol!

  18. Misha McAllister

    What a beautiful double oven, LG. Life IS Good! (and my life will be even better with this double oven in my kitchen). What is the purpose of having a double oven if you aren’t going to cook two things at once, just to show off! So, in one oven, I would cook my family’s favorite ziti, topped with lots of cheese and love. In the second oven I would make a garlicky version of my grandfather’s Parkerhouse rolls. What can be better than homemade rolls and pasta?? Cheese and butter…butter and cheese!!

    This is a great oven, LG. My kitchen is not large enough to have a double oven in the wall. SO, this freestanding version is perfect for someone like me that wants to have a gourmet-style kitchen with limited space. I love to cook, and have always longed for a double oven, especially during the holidays… I need this oven in my life! Thanks for the chance to win!

  19. Vicki N

    I would make a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings! There would be more than enough room with the two ovens!

  20. Pam R.

    I would make a big tray of lasagna in one of the ovens while the other oven was busy baking up a chocolate cobbler for dessert! I would LOVE to give this new oven a new home! Thanks for the chance to win this great oven!!!!!

  21. Leigh

    I would make my mother’s meatloaf recipe which my husband has “tweaked” (in a good way) and homemade rolls. I can have a hard time proofing my breads, so this new oven would be great!

  22. Ruthie

    Your peanut butter pralines look delicious! I am going to make them for a birthday party this weekend. The oven is gorgeous – mine is not as fun. Love the idea of 2 ovens!

  23. Angie

    with 2 ovens, I think I will make a turkey and one, and all the fixins’ in the other!! I never have enough room in my oven for the holidays.

  24. Cheryl Valentine

    I would love a new gas stove!! I’d make my pasta sauce with grilled onions and veggies on the cooktop for Lasagna to bake in an oven, and make a homemade chocolate cake with the kids to bake in the other oven for dessert…yummm!! :)

  25. nichole

    I make wedding cakes…..and can only bake one big layer at a time. A double oven would cut my time down in half which would be priceless!

  26. Melissa

    What an opportunity! I would have dinner going in the top oven and dessert going in the bottom oven, can you imagine? Thank you,

  27. marla

    Oh Amanda this post is so happy & wonderful! Loved that cooking school and you captured our experiences there perfectly!

  28. Jenni Roseland

    you girls are adorable! what a fun time you must have had! love the “fireworks show” you had! so cool!

  29. Joanie

    Patiently waiting for the recipe for rice crispy pralines. I was born andvraised in New Orleans and moved to Alabama 12 years ago and still miss the great food. I just found a seafood market 1/2 mile away and they have LIVE crawfish. I have made some Etouffe already…..YUM.

  30. Nancy

    I used to live there and went to that cooking school so many times. They are awesome and I loved it everytime I went. Thanks for sharing again!

  31. Georgia Pellegrini

    That is a serious flambe! I love bananas foster, what a treat to learn it in the place where it was born.

  32. BECKY

    How much fun can a girl have ? Man-O-Man those pralines look divine. I can’t wait to get the recipe. Thanks for sharing the pics. Hugs, Becky

  33. Katlyn

    I was there probably 9 years ago and took the same class!!!! Loved Loved Loved it! My husband thought the unlimited Abita beer was the best part of the class. I, like you thought the Bananas Foster and Praw-lines were the highlight of the whole class! Glad you are having a great time!

  34. Mary Anne Tomlinson

    Hi Amanda,

    Loved all your photos from New Orleans. I just noticed a lady in the photo of the cooking school. I could only see her from the back. She had short dark hair. Is her name Toni Matlock? She looks so familiar but I cannot see her face. I think she’s a court reporter that I used to know from Meridian, MS. Do you know if that is Toni? If so…small world, huh?

    Thanks, Mary Anne

  35. Tara @ The Butter Dish

    I have never found crawfish anywhere but In Louisiana. I am beginning to think they own the exclusive rights to the little things. :)

    Just was out there myself (did not get into New Orleans – my absolute favorite city in the US). Not sure how that didn’t happen but the trip wasn’t for pleasure, so….

    I have heard of this school and have it on my bucket list to go.
    Thanks for sharing AB. So glad you had a FAB time!!

  36. marla

    Hey Amanda – I am a Louisiana girl transplanted to IL then to TX. You can find crawfish tails to make etoufee in the frozen seafood section (near the meat area) at Wal Mart. They make pretty good etoufee!

  37. Janet Thwaits

    I’ve been to their school……even have one of their aprons……just loved the experience even if it was about 20 years ago!!! Joe was the Chef then. Good times and I learned
    to make some darn good pralines!!! I have enjoyed this trip through New Orleans with you, brought back so many good memories. Thank you for sharing and for the wonderful pics.

  38. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga

    Making pralines?! YUM!! Nothing like a little bit of sugar to make me happy.

    And the flambe shot…sooooo beautiful!
    After attempting to shoot fireworks last night, I realized I have so.much.to.learn especially as it pertains to nighttime photography. It took like 30 pics and got about 4 useable ones.

    Your flambe shot is ART! And oh yeah, I could drink the sauce from bananas foster and die happy. It’s pure heaven.

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Meet Kevin & Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

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