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BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Perfect meal for me and Boo
Perfect meal for you
Perfect for a family too

INGREDIENTS

Low in carbs, high in proteins
-4 chicken thighs
-4 tsp garlic
-4 tsp onion flakes oooo oh
-Seasoning to taste

MISE EN PLACE

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-Bake until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

POPPY SEED CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Easy with leftover chicken

INGREDIENTS

-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
-1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
-1 (16 oz) container sour cream
-1 tbsp poppy seeds
-1 sleeve buttery crackers such as Ritz, crushed
-1 stick (8 oz) butter, melted

MISE EN PLACE

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Spray 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
-Combine cracker crumbs and butter in a small mixing bowl.
-In another bowl, combine chicken, soup, sour cream, and poppy seeds.
-Spoon mixture onto baking dish.
-Top with buttery crumbs.
-Bake uncovered until heated through, about 30 minutes.
-Serve hot.
This is good recipe for me and Boo since neither one of us is interested in chicken breast. I usually make chicken salad with leftover rotisserie chicken.
This recipe provides a hot meal, and I use 2 cans of soup instead of sour cream. Boo prefers the soup instead of sour cream.
A bottle of poppy seeds is always in our pantry ready for cakes, breads, salad dressing, and glazes salty or sweet. My recipes for poppyseed cake, one almond and one lemon, are delicious.
My friend Becky baked the lemon version with lemon glaze; I made the almond flavored loaf. Both good, and I’d like to try the lemon for Boo soon.
Poppy seeds are a source of many healthy benefits, including protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

BALSAMIC POPPY SEED DRESSING

Another good recipe to keep

INGREDIENTS

-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 tbsp poppy seeds
-1 tbsp minced red onion

MISE EN PLACE

-Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a covered jar.
-Shake well until the sugar has dissolved and the dressing is combined.

GLAZED CARROTS

No poppy seeds here
A perfect side for any dinner
Not too much salt
That salty sweet taste I love

INGREDIENTS

-2 to 3 carrots, sliced 1/4” thick
-1 tbsp butter
-1 tbsp brown sugar
-1 tsp lemon juice
-Salt to taste, not too much
-Black pepper, optional

MISE EN PLACE

-Place carrots in sauce pan.
-Cover with water.
-Bring water to boil.
-Reduce heat to medium low.
-Simmer until carrots are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
-Drain.
-Heat butter over medium heat.
-Cook and stir all ingredients stirring often, until sugar has dissolved, about
2 minutes.

This recipe is from an old Alice Lancon recipe, and 3 carrots is not enough for me and Boo. The recipe is usually doubled. I hope your family does not say “No!” to cooked carrots, because they will be missing such a treat.
My former coworker and good friend Janelle taught me her mother’s method to top sautéd vegetable.
-Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Pet milk* plus
-a raw egg yolk in a coffee cup.
-Whip with a fork until blended.
-Add to sauce pan just before serving.
-Stir until well combined.
-Serve right away.

Janelle said her mother did this to most vegetables. I’ve only used it in carrots, where it is very good.

POPPY SEED PINEAPPLE CAKE

Good!
Very good!

INGREDIENTS

-1/4 cup poppy seeds
-1 cup pineapple juice
-1 box yellow cake mix
-3 1/4 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix
-5 eggs, slightly beaten
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-1 1/2 tsp almond extract

MISE EN PLACE

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Soak poppy seeds in pineapple juice for one hour.
-Combine poppy seeds, juice, cake mix, eggs, oil, and almond extract.
-Mix until well blended.
-Pour into prepared bundt or tube pan. -Sprinkle with 3 tsp. sugar.
-Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until done.

I dug through my basket full of recipes. This is another Alice Lancon recipe that I found with tons of her pamphlets and loose sheets of recipes and household hints. Still missing her, I look through them just to reminisce or to find one of her pearls of wisdom that I know are somewhere in that basket.
With Festivals Acadiens et Creoles all over the news, I think back on speaking French daily with either one my grandmothers. Momom Chalice (pronounced “ka lease”), who lived with us as I was growing up, spoke no English at all. Being very shy, she quit trying, when giggles followed some of her efforts. This happened way before I could talk; I learned to speak French as I learned to speak English. My Aunt Dossie, who passed away in June at 100 years old, liked to tell the story of her first week of school. She came home saying “I can not play all day.” Many giggles followed that saying anytime one of us drifted away from a group project. With my grandmothers gone I have nearly lost my French. My schedule doesn’t seem fit to add a French Table, but I will keep trying. Momom Jules had no problems speaking broken English. She would frequently offer “crackets” with soup or as a treat or commenting on my trips to the “Lyberry” for more books. My conversation with them was always in French.

Jusqu’a la semaine prochaine!

billielandry@iosinces.com

Vermilion Parish Sheriff Eddie Langlinais is proud to announce the continued expansion of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program within Vermilion Parish schools.
Three deputies from the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office have successfully completed D.A.R.E. Instructor Training and are now officially certified to teach the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. These newly trained deputies join Lieutenant Marcus Hebert who has taught DARE at the Vermilion Parish Sherif’s Office since 2019, and Lieutenant Regina Suire who graduated from the program in August of 2024 under Sheriff Eddie Langlinais, as Vermilion Parish D.A.R.E. instructors.
The intensive 80-hour D.A.R.E. Instructor Training course prepares law enforcement officers to deliver the nationally recognized curriculum, which focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make safe and responsible choices. The D.A.R.E. curriculum, led by D.A.R.E trained deputies, focuses on interactive lessons that empower students to
resist peer pressure, build self-confidence, and make positive life choices.
On Friday, September 26, 2025, Sergeant Elliot Broussard, Deputy Grant Dyson, and Deputy Rodney Vincent graduated from D.A.R.E. Instructor Training. Sergeant Elliot Broussard was awarded the “Most Outstanding Team Member” of this graduating class.
Attending the graduation to celebrate the newest Vermilion Parish D.A.R.E. Instructors were: Sheriff Eddie Langlinais, Captain Mike Touchet, Lieutenant Marcus Hebert, Lieutenant Travin Moore, and retired Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office D.A.R.E. instructors Drew David and Chad Vallot. Chad Vallot became a certified D.A.R.E. instructor under Sheriff Ray LeMaire in 1990 and served the youth of Vermilion Parish until 2004. Drew David attended D.A.R.E. instructor training in 1996 and taught from then until 2000.
This D.A.R.E. expansion reflects Sheriff Langlinais’ commitment to providing students with the tools they need to make safe and responsible choices while strengthening partnerships between law enforcement, educators, and the community. The broadened program will allow more students across Vermilion Parish to benefit from the proven lessons of D.A.R.E., furthering efforts to build a safer and healthier future for the parish’s youth.
“Investing in our children is investing in the future of Vermilion Parish,” said Sheriff Langlinais. “By expanding the D.A.R.E. program, we are not only teaching students about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and violence. We are equipping them with decision-making skills that will serve them for a lifetime.”
Sheriff Langlinais emphasized that the expansion is part of his broader vision for community-oriented policing. “Prevention is just as important as enforcement,” he said. “Through programs like D.A.R.E., we can proactively address challenges before they become problems, keeping our communities safer and making them stronger.”
The Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office looks forward to working with local schools and families as the D.A.R.E. program continues to grow and make a lasting impact on future generations.

Alison Miller, Executive Director of the Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission, recently was awarded the Pelican of Distinction Award from Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.
The award was presented to Miller for her outstanding leadership, unwavering dedication and lasting contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry, according to Nungesser.
“Tourism is often a thankless job since our marketing is not done on the local level and geared towards the out-of-town visitors,” Miller said. “Being recognized for all the work that is done to market our area is greatly appreciated.”
Nungesser presented these awards during the annual tourism summit to Louisiana Tourism directors in recognition for all the great work that has been done throughout the state and recognize the leaders that have helped in the recovery of the industry following COVID.
These are the first ever Pelican of Distinction awards presented by the Lt. Governor. Miller has been the tourism director for nearly 20 years and is also the curator of the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance in downtown Abbeville.
The Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission is funded solely on the 2% occupancy tax that is levied on all parish accommodations. This brings in about $50,000 per year. Most of the area tourism bureaus operate on much larger budgets. Miller said she takes advantage of marketing grant opportunities to advertise our attractions, events, accommodations and more.
Since becoming the director in 2006, Miller has seen Vermilion Parish recover from hurricanes, the BP Oil Spill and COVID. Miller said she feels this award is a testament to her love of the parish and efforts to spread the word about “the Most Cajun Place on Earth!” to potential visitors.

Dismiss any records, as the Abbeville Wildcats (2-5) are set to compete against the Kaplan Pirates (5-2) for the Peter Russo Memorial Trophy. 
The two teams will compete this Thursday in Abbeville, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. This matchup will be the 64th time the teams have contended for the Peter Russo Memorial Trophy.
The trophy was named in honor of a 1941 AHS graduate who passed away while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1944 during World War II. As established by Russo’s family, the trophy has been awarded to the winner of the Abbeville-Kaplan game every year since 1961.
Abbeville won the trophy in 2021 for the first time in 16 years and retained it two years ago. Abbeville had a three-game winning streak over Kaplan, but then Kaplan regained the title with a 44-0 victory last year.
Interim head coach Trevor Eaton now coaches Abbeville.
Eaton has been the interim head coach for the last three games and has the Wildcats at 2-1. They began the year 0-4 under former head coach Jonathan Zenon. 
During Eaton’s time as a player for AHS from 2007 to 2010, the Wildcats lost all three Kaplan games with a total score margin of 85-41.
He did get a taste of winning the Russo Trophy when he was an assistant football under former AHS head coach Roderick Moy, who won it three times before leaving for North Vermilion High School.
Winning it as a new head football coach would be great, said Eaton. But he also knows the Pirates, on paper, looked to be favored based on their 5-2 record, but do not count out Abbeville, he said.
“While Kaplan has the better record, Abbeville is not the same team it was the first four games of the season,” said Eaton.  “The way we played the last three games, we have given the next three opponents something to worry about.”
On the other side of the sideline will be John Thompson, a former Vermilion Catholic player and longtime VC assistant football coach. 
“From what I see on film, Abbeville is likely the best 2-5 team in the state,” added Thompson. “They have athletes capable of making plays. We cannot afford to make mistakes against them.”
Thompson is familiar with the Russo Trophy, as he grew up hearing about it while attending and coaching at Vermilion Catholic. For the first time, he is now directly involved in the event as the new head coach at Kaplan.
“I am very familiar with the Kaplan/Abbeville rivalry,” said Thompson.  “Remember, I went to VC and it is still Abbeville High. Playing Abbeville is a district and parish game first. We want to beat as many parish teams in every sport as possible. Abbeville is a parish team.”
Thursday’s game is also the beginning of district for both teams. Because it is only a four-team district, every district game is important, said Thompson. 
“We can not afford to lose any if we want to win the district title,” Thompson said.