Beignets

OK, so ever since the Princess and the Frog came out I've wanted to find a good recipe for Beignets. I was watching Paula Deen today and her show was all about foods you can find in New Orleans, and her dessert was Beignets ^_^ not to mention the recipe looks really easy! I might have to try and do these this weekend!!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• Nonstick spray
• Oil, for deep-frying
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

Brunch Burger

OK, so I saw this the other day on Paula's Best Dished...or one of her many shows and just had to share it. I don't know if I would ever try and make it, looking at the picture makes my arteries clog, but it's still one of those recipes =p

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• House Seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs
• 6 slices bacon, cooked
• 3 hamburger buns
• 3 English muffins
• 6 glazed donuts

Directions

Mix the ground beef, chopped parsley and grated onion together in a large mixing bowl. Season liberally, with House Seasoning. Form 3 hamburger patties.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add the burgers and cook until desired temperature, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Fry bacon in a hot pan until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

While burgers are cooking, heat a non-stick pan, over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Crack 3 eggs into the pan. Cook until the yolks are just set and still slightly runny and remove.

Place burger patties on English muffins or buns, and if desired, on glazed donuts, as the buns. Top each burger with 2 pieces of bacon and a fried egg.

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Cheesy Ham and Banana Casserole

I saw this the other day on Paula Deen's show and it kinda freaked me out, so I figured I could share the weirdness with y'all.

Ingredients

• Butter
• 12 slices white bread
• 8 large slices deli ham
• 4 bananas, sliced on the bias
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar
• 2 cups crushed potato chips
• 6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup cream
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9 by 13 glass baking dish. Butter both sides of the bread and layer 6 of them into the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping them as necessary but keep them even. Layer the slices of ham on top of the bread and then the bananas, 6 more slices of bread, then the cheese, potato chips, and bacon. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour this over the casserole almost to the top. Bake for 45 minutes until brown and bubbly. Cut into squares and remove with a spatula, like lasagna.

A Paula Recipe without Butter...what is the world coming to?!

Ok, haven't tried this recipe...and maybe I will...I just don't understand how Paula Deen can make something, especially a dessert, without about a pound of butter! Well there's butter in the sauce...but not very much... o_0

Ingredients:
1 loaf French or Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 15 cups)
3 cups milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Pecan Rum Flambe Sauce, recipe follows

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish fill with bread cubes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur. In another bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the cocoa powder and mix well. Add the cocoa mixture to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.

In a medium bowl, add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture with the milk mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes; let stand, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed most of the milk mixture. Bake the pudding for 1 hour, or until set; a cake tester inserted into the center of the pudding should come out clean.

Serve the pudding warm or cold, with Pecan Rum Flambe, dessert sauce.

Pecan Rum Flambe Sauce:
1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup dark rum

In a large skillet, melt the stick butter and add brown sugar, stir together. Add the pecans and cook until sugar has caramelized over medium-high heat. Turn off the stove and pour in the rum. Stand back and carefully light with a long lighter. Be careful; a flame will shoot up above the pan. As the alcohol cooks out, the flame will die down. Serve over chocolate bread pudding.