We will be going to visit relatives in Texas this Christmas so I won't be able to try any of these menus but I hope you will!

Below is a little history of Reveillon Dinners in New Orleans:

During the mid-1800's, New Orleans' Creole families celebrated the "Reveillon" (French for "awakening") twice during the holidays. The first Reveillon came after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, when families returned from St. Louis Cathedral to break a daylong fast with an elaborate meal. New Year's Eve brought another Reveillon, usually shared among several families. This more festive meal featured eggnog, fancy pastries, meringues, sugar sculptures, and crystallized fruits.

Today's Reveillon is celebrated nightly during the Christmas season in restaurants throughout the city. Menus combine ageless Creole cuisine with more contemporary New Orleans dishes, but the spirit of the past remains. In fact, three of our Reveillon restaurants — Commander's Palace, Galatoire's, and Tujague's — are more than 100 years old! So revel in nostalgia. Join us for the Reveillon — the authentic taste of Christmas New Orleans Style.

Participating restaurants include Cuvee (one of my favorites), Commander's Palace, Antoine's, Emeril's Delmonico, Muriel's at Jackson Square (we've gone there twice for Thanksgiving dinner) and many more.  Click here for links to all of the participating restaurants and full reveillon menus for each New Orleans restaurant.

We woke up to snow flurries here in New Orleans!  This is NOT the usual weather for December in New Orleans, to say the least.

We bundled up the little one to get her first taste of snow and were hacing a great time.  Then I realized that I had locked all of the doors last night and we didn't have a key.  Fortunately, my husband had put on his jeans from the night before so he had his car keys (no house key on that ring, though!)  He started up the truck and the baby and I sat in it until he found an open window.  Whew!!

Then I bundled the baby up for pre-school and realized when I was halfway there that they were probably closed and turned around.  So, today will be a day of cartoons and hot soup with the little one.

As the weather turns cold in New Orleans, it's time to make some hearty, warm soups and stews. In New Orleans, this means bisques and gumbo! I will be adding several more recipes for these favorites ove the next few weeks.

Ingredients:
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
1 stalk of celery
2 sticks of butter or margarine
½ tsp. red pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. chicken base
1 lb. frozen corn
½ cup flour
1 pint whipping cream
1 lb. fresh claw crabmeat
½ gal. whole milk

Melt butter. Add corn, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in flour, stirring constantly, until well blended. Add seasonings, whipping cream, and milk. Stir constantly. Simmer for approximately one hour until it thickens slightly. Thicken more with cornstarch. Remove from heat and add crabmeat.

(Serves 2-4)

Courtesy of Riverfront Restaurant