It’s early in the morning and just near freezing temperatures on this crisp Wednesday, January 31, 1979. Just after 6:45 am and the Southern Railroad’s Crescent locomotives have started pulling the passenger train out of the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (NOUPT) station platform for its last run. Travelers are getting settled into their coach seats for the exciting 26 hour farewell pull to Washington, DC. This is the last passenger train operated by a private company, the Southern Railroad held onto its prestigious and popular Crescent for over eight years and now this is the swan song run before giving control over to Amtrak on Thursday, February 1, 1979.

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Every year for the past 10 or so we have taken the weekend before Christmas typically on Saturday to bake and build ginger bread houses. Years ago Monique hosted and attended Pampered Chef parties and one year she got a hold of the ginger bread mold stoneware and ever since I have taken to the fun task of helping the boys build each their own ginger bread house. This year we were without Bryan so Monique and I decorated one together. Ben did his all up in purple and gold LSU colors, it is quite a unique little ginger bread house.

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Recipes lost and found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, the book is the result of a response to the post-Katrina community pulling together lost recipes through the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper food section entitled “Exchange Alley” where folks traded lost and found recipes. Exchange Alley is a short one block street in the French Quarter on the side of the Saint Louis Cathedral which is directly across from Jackson Square.

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Red beans and rice is one of the most popular dishes served in New Orleans on Monday’s, but is a real treat any day of the week!

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There must be about as many variations as there are the folks who make their own gumbo. I made a gumbo on Sunday afternoon and as usual it was a little different this time around. Some of the various gumbos out there include Filé Gumbo, Okra Gumbo, Seafood Gumbo, Gumbo Z’Herbes, Chicken Gumbo, Duck Gumbo, [...]

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