My Southern Living Challenge! Recipe #4

Southern Living's Best of 2011

February


It's the second month of my challenge and I cannot believe it's February already. Guess the old saying is true "time flies when you are having fun!" 

Each month I look at the recipes and try and pre-plan when I will tackle each one. I always want to experiment when my family is home, they don't mind being my Ginny Pigs at all!  So with the family here last night for our town Mardi Gras parade I decided to make the only breakfast recipe for the month this morning...Praline Pecan French Toast.

French Toast has been a long time favorite with my kids, their Nana made her homemade version for them anytime she baby sat for me.  My Mom's French Toast was more traditional, sprinkled with powder sugar and drizzled with the best maple syrup she could find. But in my Mom's exceptional style she started with her very own homemade bread. Not from a bread machine but made by hand every month. My mom made all of our bread, I cannot remember any store bought bread in the house. She was and still is one hard act to follow!

Assemble this breakfast treat the night before for a fabulously easy and special morning meal. This dish would also be an excellent dessert...crispy edges and a soft middle that taste like bread pudding.

Here is the link to this recipe:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/praline-pecan-french-toast-50400000109944/

Some of my pics:

Praline mixture on the bottom.

I sprinkled a little extra cinnamon on the bread.

Chill for at least 8 hrs, but so easy to make the night before and just pop in the oven in the morning.

Enjoy!

Gratefully,

Deborah...xo!

A Louisiana tradition...more than just purple, green and gold!

The King Cake...more than just cake!



As part of the Louisiana Christian faith, the coming of the wise men bearing gifts to the Christ Child is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. We refer to this as the Feast of the Epiphany or Little Christmas on the Twelfth Night. This is a time of celebration, exchanging gifts and feasting. Today, the tradition continues as people all over the world gather for festive Twelfth Night celebrations. A popular custom was and still is the baking of a special cake in honor of the three kings called "A King's Cake."

Inside every cake is a tiny baby (generally plastic now, but sometimes this baby might be made of porcelain or even gold). The tradition of having King Cake Parties has evolved through time, and the person who receives the slice of cake with the baby is asked to continue the festivities by hosting the next King Cake party.

Originally, King Cakes were a simple ring of dough with a small amount of decoration. Today's King Cakes are much more festive. After the rich Danish dough is braided and baked, the "baby" is inserted. The top of the ring or oval cake is then covered with delicious sugar toppings in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold.

In more recent years, some bakeries have been creative with stuffing and topping their cakes with different flavors of cream cheese and fruit fillings.

January 6, the Twelfth Night after Christmas, is also the day our Mardi Gras season begins. Mardi Gras Day is always 47 days prior to Easter Sunday (Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday).

So, in Louisiana especially, Mardi Gras season and King Cakes go hand in hand with literally hundreds of thousands of King Cakes consumed at parties and office lunch rooms every year.

My "semi-homemade" twist on this tradition is delicious, easy and affordable...not to mention a lot of fun to make!

What you will need:

(2) 8 ct. cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing

1/4 cup of confection sugar

Flour for rolling and shaping cakes

(1) can of your desired pie filling, optional

Food Coloring, 4 pack with red, blue, green and yellow

(1) 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

Granulated sugar for decorating 

Biscuit cutter or a ring made from foil, optional

Plastic baby, optional

Mix the softened cream cheese and sugar.

Separate the rolls on a floured board.

Form two balls with your hands, each with 8 rolls. 

Roll out each ball to a oval shape.

Spread each oval with cream cheese mixture. 

Top with pie filling, keep extra for another use.  

Pinch each closed with your fingers.

Form each section to make a circle on a baking sheet. I did not insert a baby since I was making this cake for my family.

My cake baked together, I forgot to place my biscuit cutter in the middle before baking. Not a big deal, because the cake is still as good and wont last very long. Ice the cake while warm with the cream cheese icing packets.

1/4 cup of sugar for each color.

Decorate

Yum!!

Now you can enjoy the King Cake tradition this easy anywhere you are!

Here are some pics of our Mardi Gras home:

Gratefully,

Deborah...xo!

My Southern Living Challenge! Recipe #3

Southern Living's Best of 2011
January

With just a few days left before the end of the month I had one last recipe to try for January. For as long as I can remember Sundays have been marked the day of comfort foods, especially in the winter. So I couldn't wait to make my next recipe Baked Smokin' Macaroni and Cheese, a blend of smoked gouda and smoked ham. This delicious recipe is light on the butter and cheese but still melts in your mouth! 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/baked-smokin-macaroni-cheese-50400000109452/

This is not a complicated recipe but here are a few of the tweaks I made:

Have your ingredients ready to go before starting the recipe, as you start the process you will not be able to walk away. I also cooked the pasta and drained well beforehand so the process would go quickly and smoothly.

Slowly add the flour to the melted butter while constantly whisking, it will combine to a light roux texture but look like a paste.

Be ready to slowly add the milk and constantly whisk for 8-10 minutes. You want a creamy sauce texture, I had to add another tbsp. of flour and cook about 3-5 mins longer to get the consistency I wanted. If you have to add more flour, mix the flour with some of the liquid from the pot in a separate bowl and then slowly add back in.

 Once the sauce came together, I added the cooked pasta and chopped ham. 

Add the mixture to a pan sprayed with cooking spray. 

 I didn't want to use corn flakes for the topping, so I opted to use Panko breadcrumbs.

Creamy and light with a slight smoke flavor, really delicious.

Enjoy!

Gratefully,

Deborah...xo!  

My Southern Living Challenge! Recipe #2

Southern Living's Best of 2011
January

We had family in town for the weekend so I thought it would be a great opportunity to make another January winner, Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles with Maple Blackberry Syrup. At first glance the waffles have a very intimidating appearance however the recipe is quite easy with it's use of the "baking mix".  While I was making my shopping list I did wonder, "baking mix"? Is this a special flour? I have had a love of cooking for a long time but baking is a new passion of mine. I decided I would just go to the store and head to the baking section on a mission to find this special "baking mix". Much to my surprise while having an internal LOL, I discovered this elusive "baking mix"...it's Jiffy Mix or Bisquick!!  Too funny, and like the saying goes "you learn something everyday"!

I have had my waffle iron for a while but have only used it a few times. In the past the thought of making homemade waffles was just insane to me, especially when you can just pop them in the toaster from the store.  But I forgot how easy it is to use with the lights that flash when the waffle is ready, basically idiot proof! My only regret every time I have such a blast making something that I avoided most my life is that I didn't push myself to make all these homemade delights for my children growing up. However, they did have an amazing Nana (my Mom) that provided all of it for them so perhaps it's just my turn and an opportunity to be an extension of her.

Try this recipe, if you do not have a waffle iron no worries because they provide the option of making them pancakes which I'm sure are just as amazing.

 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-poppy-seed-waffles-50400000109460/

PS: I added a little more lemon zest (probably double) than they indicated and I warmed Blackberry (seedless) Preserves and Maple Syrup together on the stove for the syrup...:-)

Enjoy!

Gratefully,

Deborah...xo!





      

My Southern Living Challenge! Recipe #1

Southern Living's Best of 2011
January

I always look forward to the tradition of black-eyed peas on New Years Day since I'm a "believer" that good luck will come my way all year.  I usually enjoy the more traditional recipe of a hot side dish prepared with a ham hock. But this year I decided to step outside the box and try Southern Livings recipe posted as one of their picks for January's best. The recipe known as Lucky Black-eyed Pea Salad, is a cold twist on the traditional dish and is light, flavorful and an easy dish excellent for any day of the year, not to mention a great kick-off to a healthy year.  This recipe is an great vegetarian side dish or could easily be transformed to a main performer by adding grilled seafood, chicken or steak on top!   

Get the recipe, you will love this one!  

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lucky-black-eyed-pea-salad-50400000109457/

I also tested with defrosted frozen peaches and you could not tell any difference.

Making the dressing for the salad, the combo of pepper jelly and cilantro is delicious.

 Sweet red peppers and spicy red onion make the dish burst with flavor.

Suggested that you let marinate for at least 8 hrs, but even better if overnight.

 Add the peaches and watercress prior to serving, I garnished with fresh avocado slices.

Enjoy!!

Gratefully,

Deborah...xo!!