Chef John Besh and Kid Chef Eliana at the New Orleans Seafood Festival

Hey Young Chefs!

On Friday, I had the honor of being the special guest of Chef John Besh. He is a celebrity chef from New Orleans with several restaurants: August, John Besh’s Streakhouse, La Provence, Domenica, The American Sector, and The Soda Shop at the WWII Museum. He is a cookbook author, has on the Food Network many times, and has his own national PBS TV show, Chef John Besh’s New Orleans.

9-9-11 Kid Chef Eliana, Chef John Besh and Emcee Greg Reggio at the New Orleans Seafood Festival

Chef John Besh cooked Oyster Stew with help from his executive chef at August, Michael Gulotta. Greg Reggio, owner of Zea Restaurants, was the emcee for the event.

9-9-11 Kid Chef Eliana demonstrates her pineapple shrimp salsa at the New Orleans Seafood Festival

I made my pineapple shrimp salsa. I was inspired to create this dish because of a summer trip to Hawaii, where I tasted the best pineapple ever. I used my Ninja to blend the salsa ingredients and Chef Besh had never seen one before!

9-9-11 Kid Chef Eliana plates her pineapple shrimp salsa

After blending my tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, spices and pineapple, I folded in the chopped sauteed shrimp, which was cooked in extra virgin olive oil, trinity paste (bell peppers, onion, celery, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper blended), pineapple juice, salt pepper, and Sabor, my own all-purpose spice blend. I plated the pineapple shrimp salsa in margarita glasses garnished with tortilla chips and cilantro.

I had a wonderful time with Chef Besh. He was so nice. Unfortunately, we were so busy that I didn’t get to taste his oyster stew. But Chef Michael Gulotta invited me to dine at August! A special thank you to Mr. Greg Reggio, who invited me to the festival!

Here is the recipe:

Shrimp Pineapple Salsa

3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp. onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (½ tsp.)
½ tsp. chopped jalapeños
1 c. pineapple chunks
1 tsp. lime juice
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. salt
1 lb. of sauteed Louisiana shrimp

Mix all ingredients in food processor, except shrimp. Fold in sauteed shrimp. Serve with tortilla chips or fresh raw veggies.

Cool Kids Cook and Make Pineapple Shrimp Salsa!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

7-22-11 Kid Chef Eliana in the WWL-TV Studio Kitchen

Hey Young Chefs!

On Friday I made an appearance on WWL-TV Morning Show with Sally-Ann Roberts and Eric Paulsen! It was so cool being on WWL. I cooked three different dishes and a drink. I made my Devil’s Food Monster Muffins, Baked Scotch Eggs, and Garlic Cumin Potatoes. As a drink I made Sparkling Pomegranate Punch. If you’re wondering what Scotch Eggs are they are hardboiled eggs encased in sausage, breaded in bread crumbs, and deep fried. My Scotch Eggs are baked and made out of turkey sausage. That way it’s healthier.

7-22-11 Kid Chef Eliana with Sally-Ann Roberts and Eric Paulsen at WWL-TV

Ms.Sally-Ann and Mr.Eric were so nice! Mr.Eric even tweeted ” you are going to be a rock star in the culinary world”. That is so cool! Here is the link to the segment on WWL-TV.

When the show was over, the crew raced to the kitchen to eat! They loved the food.

7-22-11 The camera is on Kid Chef Eliana in the WWL-TV Studio Kitchen

I had a blast at WWL-TV! Everyone is amazing there.

Cool Kids Cook and Get Creative in the Kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

6-17-11 The SOFAB Summer Camp young chefs

Hey Young Chefs!

On Friday, I demonstrated my Fresh from the Garden Salsa for a group of summer campers. Here I am talking to them about what will go into the salsa and what these ingredients are.

6-17-11 Kid Chef Eliana demonstrates Fresh from the Garden Salsa at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans

After I finished making my regular salsa, I made a pineapple salsa, inspired by my recent trip to Hawaii, that everyone raved about. It was so good.

6-17-11 Kid Chef Eliana demonstrates puts lime juice into her blender

When I finished, I signed autographs for the campers. They were so amazed that I had my own cookbook.

6-17-11 Kid Chef Eliana signs autographs at SOFAB

The campers said that they never would have thought to put pineapple in salsa. Did you know that tomato is a fruit? It grows like a fruit, but people treat it like a veggie. I had such a great time talking to the campers.

Here is a cool picture of me with some mardi gras bead art done by elementary school students at a local school. Wow!

6-17-11 Kid Chef Eliana with a giant king cake made out of mardi gras beads!

Cool Kids Cook and Make Salsa!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

11-20-10 On board the Carnival Triumph with our Sign & Sail Cards

Hey Young Chefs!

During the Thanksgiving holiday week I went on a Carnival Cruise to Belize, Honduras, and Mexico! It was exciting. I ate a lot of tasty food, had some thrilling adventures, and had the time of my life. (Sing Fergie!) LOL

11-20-10 Taking a picture before we set sail, with New Orleans as our backdrop

We were on the Carnival Triumph. It was my first time on a cruise ship. Boy, was it BIG. On the Lido Deck (Floor 9), there was a humongous screen for an outdoor theater; 4 swimming pools and 5 Jacuzzi tubs; a basketball court; and a putt putt golf course.

11-20-10 Paw Paw enjoys putt putt golf with my cousins, Ashlynn & Camrynn on the top deck of the ship

The view from the top deck was amazing. Here is a picture of the city of New Orleans. Pretty!

11-20-10 A picture of the city of New Orleans from the aft of the top deck of the Carnival Triumph

After the ship set sail, we had dinner and then we went to a family dance party at the Hollywood Dance Club. We even learned a new dance called “The Wobble.” It’s so much fun!

11-20-10 My mom, my cousins and I dance at a family dance party in the Hollywood Dance Club. We learned a new dance called the Wobble!

It was a fun ending to a great first day on the Carnival Triumph. More to come!

Cool Kids Cook and Cruise!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

Hey Young Chefs!

Aunt Heidi, Mommy (Author & Storyteller Dianne de Las Casas) and I went to the Piazza di Italia. It was grand like a palace and looks like an Italian plaza! Mommy dipped her feet in the fountain and walked around. She said it felt like bath water. After that we went to the Louisiana Children’s Museum. I am in front of a butterfly made out of CDs! I love the reflective blue and purple colors! That would be a cool project for home (on a much smaller scale).

This horse below was made of steel and recycled cardboard. It is about 10 feet high. It’s hard to believe that someone can make something so big out of cardboard! It is on loan to the museum so see it before it’s gone!

I went “shopping” at Winn Dixie. I grabbed a basket and a list and shopped. Here I am filling my basket at the grocery store.

The fruit almost looks real from far away. It was fun shopping at Winn Dixie. After shopping, we went to the Kids Cafe. I served Mommy iced tea, baked chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes. Mommy said the chairs hurt her because they are so little and hard. I enjoyed serving her, just like in a real restaurant.

Then we played with the massive bubbles. I tried and I tried to get the bubble over my head, as high as I could but it was challenging. Look at me in the giant bubble! Don’t let it POP!

Being inside the bubble was fun. Mommy also made a giant bubble. It was funny watching her inside the bubble. Mommy’s bubble is BIG!

We had a ton of fun at the Louisiana Children’s Museum. I want to go back there with my cousins, especially Camrynn!

Cool Kids Cook and go to the Children’s Museum.

Bon Appetit, Eliana