America's Best for Food Town is in Louisiana!

Congratulations to Lafayette, Louisiana! 


This great Louisiana city has been named America's Best for Food Town in Rand McNally's inaugural Best of the Road Rally. Amateur travellers were sent out to find the best small towns in America for five different categories:


MOST BEAUTIFUL: Sandpoint, ID 
MOST PATRIOTIC: Rapid City, SD 
FRIENDLIEST:Walla Walla, WA 
MOST FUN: Glenwood Springs, CO 
BEST FOR FOOD: Lafayette, LA 


We're happy that a Louisiana town won for food!


Here's a sample of the excellent food that can be found in Lafayette Holly Goetting, Executive Chef, Charley G’s, Lafayette! 

Grilled Muffuletta Sliders with Balsamic-Basil Tomato Salad

Servings: 

 Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ground beef
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 12 store-bought “slider” mini buns
• 12 slices provolone cheese, cut in half
• 1 bottle of your favorite prepared olive salad mix
• Balsamic-Basil Tomato Salad (recipe follows)

Instructions: 

Prepare a grill for indirect cooking.

In a medium bowl, season ground beef with salt and pepper. Form into 12 small patties. Grill to desired doneness, turning once on each side, 4 minutes per side for medium.

Grill buns. On bottom half of each bun, place a little olive salad, top with burger, followed by 2 small slices of provolone cheese, more olive salad, and then top half of bun. Serve immediately with Balsamic-Basil Tomato Salad.

Balsamic-Basil Tomato Salad

6 tomatoes, preferably Creole, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, julienned
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Slice tomatoes and onion add to zip lock plastic bag. Pour in vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Let marinate in bag while burgers are grilling. Serve with sliders.

 From Louisiana Cookin Magazine