Category: RECIPES

CHICKEN CAESAR PASTA SALAD

CHICKEN CAESAR PASTA SALAD

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 30 minutes

1 pound penne pasta (or large pasta shape of choice – cavatappi works well too), prepared al dente per package directions in salted water, drained WELL
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup Caesar dressing (you choose)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 LARGE lemon, juiced
2 cups micro greens of choice
1 cup container grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 cup FINELY shredded QUALITY Parmesan cheese
2 cups chicken grilled, diced or shredded (I use rotisserie chicken breast pieces)

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  • Add sea salt and pasta then stir to prevent sticking.
  • Return water to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and cook pasta according to directions on package until tender but still slightly firm.
  • Drain then immediately rinse under cold water to cool pasta and stop cooking.
  • Set aside to drain completely.
  • Using a very large bowl, add Caesar dressing, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and lemon juice then stir to combine.
  • Add chopped Romaine, grape tomatoes, Parmesan, black pepper and well-drained pasta then stir until ingredients are well coated.
  • Add diced or shredded chicken then toss to distribute chicken evenly through salad.
  • Season to taste with salt and additional black pepper if desired.
  • Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.

 

FRENCH ONION PORK CHOPS

FRENCH ONION PORK CHOPS – serves 6-8

Pork Chops smothered in an addicting creamy sauce, topped with your favorite crispy fried onions makes this a family favorite easy weeknight meal.

1-1/2 to 2 pounds (6-8) boneless pork chops, thin cut
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 package Lipton French Onion dip mix
6 ounces Crispy Fried Onions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°. 
  • Lay the pork chops on the bottom of the 9×13 baking dish, touching but not overlapping. 
  • Combine the sour cream and onion dip mix to create french onion dip.
  • Spread dip evenly over the pork chops covering the pork chops entirely.
  • Sprinkle crispy fried onions over the top in an even layer. 

  • Cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes until chops are cooked through.
  • Serve with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

I remembered a target commercial from a few decades ago that featured Betty White making Gingerbread men so thought this was a good day for this recipe in honor of her would be 100th birthday. I even found a youtube of the old commercial.

I have been trying to recreate my grandmother’s gingerbread recipe for years. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have been written down anywhere and she is no longer with us so I cannot even try to coax it out of her 🙁

Her recipe was super moist, spicy with complex flavors. Each time I try a new recipe that sounds like it might come close I am sorely disappointed time after time. And then I ran across Jane’s recipe from The Heritage Cook. It didn’t sound right, but it sure looked right! So, I decided to give it a try and WHOA with a couple tweaks it’s so darn close that I’m calling it a day on my search.

It was the black pepper that didn’t sound right, but who am I to say that grams didn’t use black pepper? I know she didn’t use fresh ginger, but she may have compensated with a much larger amount of ground ginger.

This REALLY is NOT a timid gingerbread. It is EXTREMELY bold and FULL of bold flavor. This is really NOT like most gingerbread that you remember, but is spicy, bold and flavorful. The taste will linger on your tongue and that’s a good thing. This recipe is PERFECT for the holidays, but truly wonderful year round.

OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD – YIELDS 10-12 MUFFINS
ADAPTED slightly FROM JANE the HERITAGE COOK
1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup water
¾ cup mild unsulphured molasses (NOT Blackstrap)
¾ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup  or QUALITY flavorful honey or Agave Nectar (see note)
1 cup PACKED dark brown sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoon QUALITY ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 LARGE eggs, at room temperature
½ cup WHOLE milk
2 packed tablespoons FRESH peeled and grated ginger

  • Combine the butter, water, molasses, honey and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat stirring frequently until the butter is melted and the ingredients are smoothly incorporated. Remove from the heat and pour into a large aluminum bowl as an aluminum bowl will cool much quicker than those made of other materials.
  • Set aside and cool to lukewarm. If you are in a hurry you can cool down the bowl by placing it in a cool water bath.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Lightly grease a muffin tin and set aside. Bundt and loaf pans also work well with this recipe.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves.
  • When the molasses mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Add the milk and stir to combine.
  • With a wooden spoon fold in the dry ingredients gradually. Gingerbread is like brownies, you don’t want to over mix it.
  • Stir in the grated ginger.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. If making a bundt or loaf pan bake time will be 1 – 1 1/4 hours. If the top is browning too quickly, tent with a piece of foil.
  • Cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack, then invert onto the wire rack and cool completely.
  • Store in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Bring to to room temperature before serving.
  • Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired. A dollop of whipped cream will temper the spiciness a lot.

TIPS & HINTS

  • Lyle’s Golden Syrup has a delicate butterscotch flavor and it allows the other flavors to shine through. It is a byproduct of refining sugar cane and you can use it in place of corn syrup, maple syrup, or honey. A company that follows fair trade practices and has a low carbon footprint, Lyles has created a product to be proud of.
  • There are several types of molasses available on the market and using one over another can drastically change the flavor of your baked goods. Unsulphured molasses is the highest quality, made from sun-ripened sugar cane and is from the first boiling in sugar processing while sulphured molasses is made from unripe sugar cane, treated with sulphur fumes, and is from the second boiling. It has a darker color and stronger flavor. The strongest form is called Blackstrap and is the most bitter. Whenever a recipe calls for a specific type of molasses, the balance will be off if you use a different kind.

On a side note Betty White was a fabulous dancer and while I believe she had a stunt double for parts of the season 3 dance scene that starts around the 5 minute mark in this clip, I do remember hearing that she still danced several hours a day well into her 60’s.

HERB & CHEESE POTATO GRATIN

HERB & CHEESE POTATO GRATIN adapted from TARA TEASPOON

Yukon Gold potatoes plus a couple sweet potatoes mixed with QUALITY FLAVORFUL  cheese, and lots of FRESH herbs come together to make a show stopping delicious side dish perfect for the holidays – any holiday, or Sunday family gathering meal!

SERVES 8-10      PREP TIME 20 mins     BAKE TIME 50-60 minutes

2 small sweet potatoes
8 small Yukon gold potatoes
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon FRESH dried parsley
1 teaspoon FRESH thyme
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground sage
1 teaspoon FRESH chopped rosemary
8 ounces (2 cups grated) QUALITY Gruyère OR Fontina cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1/2 cup chicken broth

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Peel potatoes.
  • Using a mandolin or vegetable slicer, cut potatoes into VERY thin slices.
  • In a large bowl, gently toss potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, cheese, and onion, until everything is evenly mixed. Be careful not to break the thin potato slices.
  • Working with a small handful of potatoes at a time, gently line up coated slices in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 2-quart baking dish.
  • Whisk together the milk and broth. Pour over and around potatoes.
  • Cover pan with foil and seal around edges.
  • Bake 50 minutes.
  • Remove foil. Continue to bake 15-20 minutes more until potatoes are tender and golden. Test the potatoes with a thin knife to see if they are tender throughout.
  • Cool slightly, but serve hot.

END OF WEEK CHICKEN

Recently Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom mentioned she was cooking her Dad’s Favorite Chicken, a recipe handed down from her grandmother, great grandmother for dinner one night. You can find her recipe here. As I was reading her recipe I realized that everyone’s grandmother must have a similar recipe. My Gram’s recipe was used primarily at the end of the week to use up things from the veggie bin and such and she used dried herbs. I’ve freshened it up over the years with FRESH. Sandra’s recipe is made with Portuguese fries, but mine is made with either mashed potatoes, pasta or crusty fried potatoes.

END OF WEEK CHICKEN

2 LARGE skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small bite size chunks
1/3 cup WONDRA flour , seasoned to taste
1 LARGE bunch green onions, THINLY sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 LARGE carrots, halved and sliced in half moons
1 tablespoon FRESH thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped FRESH Italian leaf Parsley
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup homemade bone broth
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter

  • Melt avocado oil and butter in saute pan.
  • Add carrots and saute 2-3 minutes.
  • Add onions and tomatoes, cooking 2-3 minutes more until onion is translucent. 
  • Add seasoned WONDRA flour to a paper bag or large ziploc bag. Add chicken pieces shaking to coat. Shake off any excess flour.
  • Arrange veggies around the edges and add in chicken pieces, thyme, paprika, minced garlic, salt and pepper, searing chicken pieces for a few minutes. The dredged chicken pieces will help with your gravy as they cook.
  • Add in bone broth, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Check frequently to make sure you still have cooking liquid – add broth as necessary to keep everything moist and have a good amount of gravy.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles or fried potatoes.

CHRISTMAS OATMEAL COOKIES

This recipe is really versatile!  You can make it like plain old oatmeal cookies or you can roll it our and use cookie cutters at Christmas time, glaze them and decorate with sanding sugar!  Today’s picture is a “June” version.  I’ll try and get a picture next Christmas to add to this post.

CHRISTMAS OATMEAL COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1 LARGE egg
1 teaspoon QUALITY vanilla extract
2 1/4 quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup small chopped walnuts’
3/4 cup PACKED brown sugar
1/2 cup FINE sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and oats.
  • Beat together the butter, sugar and egg until fluffy.
  • Add vanilla.
  • Gradually add the sifted dry mixture into the egg mixture, blending well.
  • Add nuts and chocolate chips.
  • Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
  • Bake 10-11 minutes.
  • Cool.

ITALIAN BOLOGNESE STUFFED PEPPERS

ITALIAN BOLOGNESE STUFFED PEPPERS
2 EXTRA LARGE red or orange peppers, halved
1 pound ground beef
2 shallots, diced SMALL
2 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Garden Gourmet Italian herbs
1 1/2 – 2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups prepared dilitani or small shell pasta
4 slices mozzarella cheese

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Coat baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Halve peppers tip to root. Clean out seeds and ribs.
  • Brown ground beef and onion together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain off grease returning meat to pan.
  • Add garlic, Italian herbs and marinara sauce, simmering 5-10 minutes.
  • Stuff pepper halves with meat mixture.
  • Layer remaining meat mixture into the baking dish.
  • Arrange peppers on top of meat mixture in baking dish.
  • Top each pepper with mozzarella cheese.
  • Coat one side of a piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray. Cover baking dish.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes until tender and hot. Remove foil during the last 10 minutes.

NOTE: This prepares well in advance of baking making it a great weeknight meal.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS inspired by and adapted from Darryl’s Corner Bar in Boston
Easy to prepare with a strong molasses flavor yet superbly sophisticated and unforgettably delicious, while the braising of the lamb shanks mellows out the complex flavors and will win you many praises at the dinner table!

4-6 large lamb shanks or shoulder
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 shallots, THINLY sliced
2 large carrots, FINELY diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup dry red wine
1 cup HOMEMADE or QUALITY beef broth
2 cups HOMEMADE or QUALITY chicken broth plus more as needed to keep lamb shanks immersed
1 LARGE sprig FRESH rosemary
6 sprigs FRESH thyme
3 FRESH bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground Porcini mushrooms** (OPTIONAL)
8 ounce can plain tomato sauce
1/3 cup QUALITY balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons QUALITY tomato paste
1 packed heaping tablespoon brown sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and trim-color pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
zest of one LARGE orange, plus juice
1/4 cup chopped FRESH parsley
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced

  • Tie the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaves together with some twine OR place in a cheesecloth bag. The cheesecloth bag is my favorite way to make it easy to fish out at the end.
  • Preheat the oven to 325°.
  • Season lamb shanks with FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy oven-proof pot. I like to use my enameled cast iron crock pot
  • Generously brown the lamb shanks on all sides and transfer to a plate. 
  • Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the oil.
  • Saute the onions, shallots, carrots, celery and garlic until softened, 6-8 minutes.
  • Stir in the ground Porcini mushrooms if using.
  • Add the red wine and orange juice, bring to a boil, and de-glaze pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Boil for 2 minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients except for the butter and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil.
  • Return meat to pan.
  • Cover with the lid and place the hot pot on the lowest rack in the preheated oven.
  • Bake for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the meat is very tender, turning the lamb shanks over halfway through. 
  • Remove the cover during the last 30 minutes of cooking until the lamb shanks are nicely browned on top. 
  • Remove the herbs and bay leaves.
  • Skim from surface of cooking liquid.
  • Bring braising liquid to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
  • Return lamb to pan; cook for 2 minutes.


  • Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate tented with foil and place in the warm oven with the oven door open. 
  • Place the pot on the stove top.  If needed use a slotted spoon to remove any herb sprigs/leaves.
  • Bring the sauce to a boil and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. 
  • Simmer until thickened. 
  • Season to taste.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes with some gravy spooned over top.



NOTE:

  • **STRONGLY recommended for the BEST flavor (use a spice/coffee grinder, blender, or pound to grind them in a ziplock bag)
  • Alternatively, to speed up the thickening time, you can dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water and then stir the slurry into the gravy.  Bring it to a simmer and stir for a couple of minutes until thickened.



BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS

BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS serves 4

1 pound QUALITY Ground Beef
9 ounces QUALITY bacon extra crispy, rough chopped
1½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
⅓ cup QUALITY ketchup
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 LARGE egg
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
  • Form into tablespoon size balls and place an inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes.
  • Serve with Special Sauce or your favorite burger condiment.

SPECIAL SAUCE
1 cup Dukes mayonnaise
⅓ cup QUALITY ketchup
¼ cup dill pickles, minced

  • Combine all ingredients together in mixing bowl.
  • Transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate until ready to use.

MAGIC LEMON COBBLER

MAGIC LEMON (insert favorite flavor here) COBBLER

Magic Cobbler is so fun and super easy to make. A tender buttermilk cobbler with sweet and tart lemon pie filling–this dessert is so fresh and perfect with a big dollop of ice cream or whipped cream. 

½ cup 1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
21 ounce can lemon (or flavor of choice) pie filling

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Place the stick of butter in a 9×9-inch square baking dish and place it in the oven to melt for 5 minutes until fully melted.
  • Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
  • Pour in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and whisk just until combined.
  • Pour the batter evenly over the COOLED melted butter in the pan (do not stir).
  • Spoon the pie filling over the batter. If the butter is too hot it will bake the edges too fast and create a chewy edge!
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes until the edges of the cobbler are golden brown and the center is set.
  • Cool slightly before serving.


INDIVIDUAL STUFFED MEATBALL PIES

INDIVIDUAL STUFFED MEATBALL PIES serves 4 adapted from TASTY
1/2 pound pizza dough, divided
1 tablespoon avocado oil
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
FRESH ground sea salt and trim-colored pepper
1 1/2 cups tomato puree
1/2 tablespoon FRESH chopped basil
1/2 tablespoon FRESH chopped oregano
6 ounces tomato paste
1/2 pound mozzarella slices
1 pound SMALL meatballs
1 cup caramelized onions
1 cup bell peppers (red, green and yellow), chopped and sauteed
Parmesan, to serve

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Cut pizza dough in half and roll out 4 medium discs of dough.
  • Spray the inside of 4 small springform pans with cooking spray and lay in one of the dough discs.
  • Press the dough into the corners.
  • Lightly rub the dough with avocado oil, some of the minced garlic, salt and pepper on the dough and brush to cover the surface.
  • Air the bottom of the dough with a fork.
  • Bake until the dough is cooked and lightly golden brown, 10-15 minutes.
  • Mix together the tomato puree, basil, the remainder of minced garlic, oregano and tomato paste in a bowl.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Into the partially cooked bottom layer of pizza dough, shingle a layer of mozzarella slices and then a layer of the homemade marinara sauce.
  • Spiral the meatballs in the dish as tightly as possible. Cover with more marinara sauce.
  • Add a layer of caramelized onions, and more sliced mozzarella.
  • Add the peppers on top of the mozzarella.
  • Cut the second piece of dough into strips to form into a lattice pattern on top of the pie.
  • Brush with more of the oil, FINELY minced garlic, and kosher salt.
  • Bake for 40 minutes or until the dough on top is browned and the sauce, meatballs, and cheese are heated through.
  • Plate the pies, serve with extra marinara sauce and grated Parmesan.
  • Enjoy!

EPIPHANY – KING CAKE for MARDI GRAS

Mardi Gras 2022 falls on Tuesday, March 1st this year and is also known as Fat Tuesday, the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Fat Tuesday is EXACTLY what it sounds like – time to party and EAT! 
Carnival runs from Epiphany, the 12th night, January 6 through March 1, 2022 so I thought this would be a good time to re-run this recipe for Mardis Gras King Cake.  I threw in some history for you also since King Cake isn’t just for Mardi Gras though that is what it is most famous for these days.
I often make this cake without the Mardi Gras colors, but using traditional Christmas colors.

A king cake (sometimes rendered as kingcake, kings’ cake, king’s cake, or three kings cake) is a type of cake associated with the festival of Epiphany in the Christmas season in a number of countries, and in other places with Mardi Gras and Carnival.

The “king cake” takes its name from the biblical three kings. Catholic tradition states that their journey to Bethlehem took twelve days (the Twelve Days of Christmas), and that they arrived to honor the Christ Child on Epiphany. The season for king cake extends from the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Twelfth Night and Epiphany Day), through to Mardi Gras day. Some organizations or groups of friends may have “king cake parties” every week through the Carnival season.

Related culinary traditions are the tortell of Catalonia, the gâteau des Rois in Provence or the galette des Rois in the northern half of France, and the Greek and Cypriot vasilopita. The galette des Rois is made with puff pastry and frangipane (while the gâteau des Rois is made with brioche and candied fruits). A little bean was traditionally hidden in it, a custom taken from the Saturnalia in the Roman Empire: the one who stumbled upon the bean was called “king of the feast.” In the galette des Rois, since 1870 the beans have been replaced first by porcelain and, now by plastic figurines; while the gâteau des Rois Also known as “Rosca de Reyes” in Mexico.

In the southern United States, the tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain and it is associated with Carnival, which is celebrated in the Gulf Coast region, centered on New Orleans, but ranging from the Florida Panhandle to East Texas. King cake parties in New Orleans are documented back to the eighteenth century. The king cake of the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted bread similar to that used in brioche topped with icing or sugar, usually colored purple, green, and gold (the traditional Carnival colors) with food coloring. Cajun king cakes are traditionally deep-fat-fried as a doughnut would be, and there are many variants, some with a filling, the most common being cream cheese and praline. It has become customary in the New Orleans culture that whoever finds the trinket must provide the next king cake or host the next Mardi Gras party.

Some say that French settlers brought the custom to Louisiana in the 18th century where it remained associated with the Epiphany until the 19th century when it became a more elaborate Mardi Gras custom. In New Orleans, the first cake of the season is served on January 6. A small ceramic figurine of a baby is hidden inside the cake, by tradition. However now, the tradition is giving way to the baby being supplied and the customer placing the baby were ever they wish in the cake. Whoever finds the baby is allowed to choose a mock court and host the next King Cake party the following week (weekly cake parties were held until Mardi Gras).

The classic king cake is oval-shaped, like the pattern of a racetrack. The dough is basic coffee-cake dough, sometimes laced with cinnamon, sometimes just plain. The dough is rolled out into a long tubular shape (not unlike a thin po-boy), then shaped into an oval. The ends are twisted together to complete the shape  (HINT: if you want to find the piece with the baby, look for the twist in the oval where the two ends of the dough meet. That’s where the baby is usually inserted.) The baby hidden in the cake speaks to the fact that the three Kings had a difficult time finding the Christ Child and of the fine gifts they brought.

The cake is then baked, and decorated when it comes out. The classic decoration is simple granulated sugar, colored purple, green, and gold for the colors of Carnival. King cakes have gotten more and more fancy over the years, so now bakeries offer iced versions where there’s classic white coffee cake glaze on the cake before it’s decorated, and even king cakes filled with apple, cherry, cream cheese, or other kinds of coffee-cake fillings.

King cakes are available at bakeries all over South Louisiana, but only after January 6 through Mardi Gras Day.

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which starts on Ash Wednesday. Popular practices also include wearing masks and costumes, overturning most social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades and such. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other European languages sharing the Christian tradition. In English, the day is called Shrove Tuesday, associated with the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins.

This is my version of this yummy yeast bread/cake.

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE (makes 2 cakes)

PASTRY
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup melted butter

FROSTING/GLAZE
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon water

  • Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the butter.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  • When yeast mixture is bubbly, add the cooled milk mixture.
  • Whisk in the eggs.
  • Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg.
  • Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil.
  • Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
  • When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with SILPATS or parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins.
  • Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
  • Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches).
  • Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side.
  • Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings.
  • Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet.
  • With sharp knife make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  • Push the doll into the bottom of the cake.
  • Decorate with beads.
  • Frost while warm with the glaze.