Laissez les bon temps rouler!

    In celebration of Mardi Gras, I decided to host a little dinner party. The menu included items such as Deep Fried Pickles, Chicken Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo and for dessert, Beignets. Everything was so delicious.
   Beignets (ben-YAYs) are a traditional New Orleans breakfast dish, often served as dessert. In New Orleans they're topped with a shovel full of powdered sugar and usually served with a steaming cup of Cafe au Lait. I decided to toss them in some Homemade Vanilla Sugar that my dinner guests had given me as a hostess gift.

New Orleans Style Beignets:

New Orleans style Beignets with Homemade Vanilla Sugar.

Ingredients:
1 envelope active dry yeast
3/4 cup water (110 degrees F)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 1/2 – 3 3/4 cups flour
1/8 cup shortening
vegetable oil for frying
flavored sugar or powdered sugar for topping

Directions:
1) Combine the yeast, water, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Let this sit until frothy, about 5 minutes.

2) Add the salt, egg, and evaporated milk.
3) Place the bowl of a stand mixer into some hot water to warm it's temperature (if you add the yeast mixture to the metal bowl while it's cold it will not proof). Once you've done this, add the yeast mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on low speed using a dough hook.
4) Add half of the flour and mix until it starts to come together, then add the shortening.
5) When the shortening is incorporated start adding the remaining flour, a little at a time until most of it is incorporated and it resembles a ball.
6)Turn the dough onto a floured surface to finish kneading by hand. Knead the dough, adding just enough flour as necessary to make a non-sticky, smooth dough.
7) Spray a mixing bowl with kitchen spray and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft free place (I use the microwave), for about 45-60 minutes, until it has doubled in size.

Before

After 

8) Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle that is about 1/2″ thick. Using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife, cut the dough into 2″ wide rectangles. 
9) Place the beignets on a floured baking sheet to let rise about 40 minutes in a warm place.
When the beignets have risen, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350-360 degrees. 10) Place 2-3 beignets into the hot oil at a time, being careful not to smash or deflate them. When they are golden brown, flip them over until golden brown on the other side (They go pretty quickly so start checking them right after they go into the oil).

11) Remove to paper towel lined plates to drain. Serve hot topped with plenty of powdered sugar.

This recipe yields approximately 24 Beignets.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!!

You may also like:
Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya
Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo

A Six Year Olds School Assignment, and a Cookie Recipe

     Hello everyone.
     My son came home from school last week with an assignment. His assignment is to prepare a speech, on a topic he gets to choose, which he is to present in front of his class.
The assignment listed ideas on what they could write their speeches on, topics like "Washing my dog", "Playing with my Lego", "Why my mom should let me have a puppy"....etc. My son chose to write his speech on "Why I like making cookies with my mom". How cute. *my heart melts*
    I took this as the perfect opportunity to bake a batch of these delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies to refresh his memory on the cookie making process (as if his memory needed to be refreshed).
    While we were making these cookies I asked him questions like, "What is your favourite part of making cookies"? to which he responded, "Pouring in the chocolate chips" and "What is the most important part of making cookies"? to which he responded, "Following the recipe"...lol. I just love his perspective on things.
    Since I was in the kitchen baking up these scrumptious Chocolate Chip Cookies, I thought I would share the recipe with all of you. Hope you enjoy it.


Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Delicious Chocolaty Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter/baking margarine, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
(1) Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray.
(2) Melt the butter and place in the refrigerator to cool.
(3) Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

               
(4) In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy.

(5) Add the sifted ingredients and mix until just combined.

(6) Add the chocolate chips and stir until well incorporated using a wooden spoon.

               
(7) Drop cookie dough 1 Tbsp at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets.

(8) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are set and lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.               

This recipe makes approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

    There are often times when I don't have a need for 3 1/2 dozen cookies laying around my house all at once. In times like this, I place the prepared cookie sheet straight into the freezer. From here I just freeze the cookie dough mounds, and place them into a freezer safe plastic bag until I have a need for them. They will keep for up to 6 months. Just keep in mind you will need to thaw the cookies before baking them.

Cookies For Santa

    Every year my son and I bake cookies specifically for Santa on Christmas Eve. My little guy wants Santa to have the freshest cookies possible. For the past four years, these Santa Surprize Cookies have been the cookies we make.
    I made them for a Cookie Exchange one year and everyone loved them. Not only are they chewy and delicious, but once you decorate them people seem to be all the more impressed. It's amazing what a little drizzle of chocolate can do.
    I am posting this recipe today, in case any of you are looking for a new cookie to leave Santa tonight.

Santa Surprise Cookies:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup smooth peanut butter, plus 2 Tbsps. for chocolate drizzle
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups white flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
4 boxes of "Neilson's" slowpokes or 2 large boxes of "Turtles
confectioners sugar, optional

2 greased cookie sheets


Directions:
1) Beat together the butter, peanut butter and sugars with an electric mixer on low to medium speed, until light and fluffy.

2) Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.

3) In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the sifted flour, baking soda and salt.

4) Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredient in the mixer. Mix until fully combined.

5) Cover and chill the dough in your fridge for 2-3 hours.
6) Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the dough from the fridge.
7) Begin assembling the cookies. Scoop 1 Tbsp. of the dough out, and flatten it. Place a piece of chocolate in the center of the flattened dough. Scoop out a second Tbsp. of dough, and flatten. Take the second piece of dough and cover the chocolate. Mold the dough around the chocolate.

8) Continue until all the dough and chocolates are used.
9) Place on a greased cookie sheet.

11) Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the edges have set and the cookies are lightly browned.

10) Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to a piece of parchment/wax paper to cool and decorate.
11) Meanwhile in a double boiler (or a metal bowl placed over a pot of boiling water like I have done), melt the chocolate chips and the remaining 2 Tbsps. of peanut together until smooth.

12) Pour the melted chocolate into a re-sealable bag. Let the chocolate cool for a moment, so you can handle the bag comfortably. When you are ready to decorate the cookies, snip a small corner off the re-sealable bag with a pair of scissors and "pipe" the chocolate over the tops of the cookies.

13) Dust with confectioners sugar, and let the chocolate dry.

*When using "Turtles" the cookies will be quite large, and the recipe will yield approximately 36 cookies.
* When using the "Slow Pokes", you will get approximately 48 cookies.

You may also like:
Gingerbread Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Cookies

Christmas Morning Breakfast Idea

    Every year I try to find a new recipe to make on Christmas morning. A recipe that comes    together with minimal effort, and where most of the work is done the night before. The last thing I want to be doing on Christmas morning is slaving over the stove. I would much rather be enjoying time with my family. Especially since most of the afternoon will be spent making Dinner.
    Earlier this month I came across this recipe for Overnight Eggnog French Toast and thought I would give it a try. I put everything together in about 15 minutes after Dinner. Then when I woke up the next morning I turned on the oven and grabbed the casserole dish and the streusel topping out of the fridge. While I was drinking my morning coffee, I sprinkled the streusel over the bread and then popped it into the oven. From here I had about 55 minutes to get showered and watch the news, which was a fairly good indicator that there will be plenty of time to open presents and enjoy Christmas morning.
    The original recipe called for quite a bit more sugar, so I cut that down. But if you have a sweet tooth feel free to adjust it to your taste.


Overnight Eggnog French Toast:

Overnight Eggnog French Toast with
Breakfast Sausage and Grapefruit.

Ingredients:
1 loaf stale French Bread, cut into cubes
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups eggnog
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsps. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, cubed

Directions:
1) Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add the bread cubes.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg.

3) Pour the mixture evenly over the bread. Cover pan with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for  overnight.

4) In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
5) Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture using a pastry blender or a fork. Combine until the mixture resembles sand with a few pea sized chunks. Cover and store mixture in the refrigerator until  morning.

6) When you wake up the next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove French toast from refrigerator.
7) Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the French toast is set and golden brown.

Into the oven...

Mmmm...baked and ready to eat.

*Serve with warm maple syrup. Recipe makes 8 servings.

You may also like:
Gingerbread Pancakes
Triple Berry Parfaits

Cajun Cooking at it's Finest: Part III

    This is a recipe I had been dying to try. During this past summer vacation I even made a batch of Homemade Andouille Sausage, just so I would have all the appropriate ingredients. I made it for the first time about two months ago, but I just didn't have the time to post the recipe. It was so good, I have made it about three times since, and now I am completely out of sausage.
   I figured if I wanted to share it with you, it would have to be now.
This Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya is delicious. If you get around to trying it, you will not be disappointed.
    In my quest to find this recipe, I came across a few facts that I found interesting about Jambalaya.

     Jambalaya is a meal that is native to Louisiana, and it takes on two forms. The first is the Creole, or “red jambalaya” version. The second is the Cajun version. The main difference is that Creole jambalaya includes the use of tomato and the Cajun does not.
     It’s unclear as to where the word jambalaya comes from. Some say the word derives from the French word for “ham” (jambon), “in the style of” (à la manière de) and ya (which refers to rice in certain West African languages), resulting in jambon à la ya. Others say the word is rooted in Spanish as a combination of “ham” (jamon) and paella. However the dish’s name came about, what is clear is that the dish is a very personal one and renditions of it are made according to how it’s been made at home for generations.
    During Mardi Gras celebrations, a day also known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, many New Orlean's natives gather around their table's to eat this dish. Mardi Gras is a tradition created by French settlers and is intended as a day of indulgence before the fasting period of Lent starts. And can you think of a better meal to have before fasting, than a delicious and messy pot of rice, chicken, and sausage?

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya:
(Loosely adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Recipe)

A delicious, One Pot Meal!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups chopped onions

3 cups of chopped bell peppers (traditionally only green peppers would be used, but I add all sorts)

2 cups of chopped celery

3 teaspoons salt

3 Tbsp's. of Emeril's Creole Seasoning, aka. Bayou Blast (I always end up adding extra. I like spicy food.)

1 lbs. Andouille Sausage (about 6 links) cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast (about 3 large breasts) cut into 1 inch cubes

3 bay leaves

3 cups medium grain white rice (basmati works really well)

6 cups water

1 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

1) Heat the oil in a large cast iron dutch oven/ or a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.
2) Add the onions, peppers and celery along with 2 tsp's of the salt and 1 Tbsp. of the Creole seasoning. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft and beginning to caramelize.

3) In a large bowl, add the cubed chicken breast and the remaining Creole seasoning. Stir to combine, and let sit for about 5 minutes to marinade.

5) Add the marinaded chicken to a preheated pan and brown for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
6) Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Add the sausage, chicken and bay leaves. Cook for 5-10 more minutes, stirring often.

7) Add the rice, and stir for 2-3 minutes to coat evenly.

8) Add the water. Stir to combine, and cover.

Before

9) Cook over medium heat for 30-35 minutes, without stirring or removing the lid. After the allotted time, the rice should be tender and the liquid absorbed.
10) Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered for 2-3 minutes.

After

11) Remove the bay leaves, and serve.

12) Garnish with the chopped green onion.

* This recipe makes 16 servings.
    There is usually quite a bit of Jambalaya leftover. I often portion out the leftovers into medium sized freezer bags, and put them in the freezer for later. Once the rice has thawed, just fry it in a pan as though it were fried rice. This way there is no wastage and you are left with a convenient meal for a busy week night.

You may also like:
Chicken, Chorizo and Shrimp Paella
Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo

Gone Banana's

    We haven't been eating our banana's as quickly as we usually do. Rather than having the over ripened banana's take up prime real estate in my freezer, I have been experimenting with a few different Banana Bread recipes. I recently came across this one, for Peanut Butter Candy Bar Banana Bread. 
   

Peanut Butter Candy Bar Banana Bread:
(From Pillsbury Hamburger: 2006 Edition)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 large bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
10 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Directions:

(1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for a dark pan). With cooking spray, lightly grease the bottom of a standard size loaf pan.
(2) In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter on medium speed until creamy.
(3) Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Beat on medium speed until combined.
(4) Add all remaining ingredients except the chocolate bar. With a wooden spoon gently combine the chocolate (Reserve 2 Tbsp. for topping). Pour mixture into the loaf pan.

(5) Bake 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool inside the loaf pan for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and let cool on a wore rack. Add the reserved chocolate to the top of the loaf, and let it melt with the existing heat from the bread.

*Recipe yields 1 loaf or 12 muffins.

You may also like:
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Double Chocolate Banana Loaf with Toasted Walnuts
Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes