Recipe: Slow Cooker Shrimp Creole

Image by billmichalski via Flickr

From Denny: You are in a rush but want to eat something simply divine and are craving seafood. This recipe is the answer to your food prayers! Cook everything but the shrimp the night before or if you work part time cook it right before you get home. If you are out for the afternoon running errands and playing school taxi for the kids then this recipe is tailored for you. Cook the shrimp the last hour before dinner when you are home to tend it.

Normally, when cooking on the stove top you add the shrimp at the last minute before serving as it cooks up in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. With the slow cooker it is a much slower process. Cooking the sauce is the secret to any meal and the slow cooker specializes in that perfect slow blending of flavors we love so well in Louisiana!

Dedicating this awesome and easy recipe to the shrimp fishermen down Lafayette way who bring us these tasty crustaceans. The annual Shrimp Festival is going on right now and this weekend in Delcambre, Louisiana - make sure you pay them a visit!

From: Julie Kay @ 2theadvocate.com

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1 (10-ounce) can Ro-tel brand tomatoes, mild

1 cup water

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/2 pounds raw, peeled shrimp

Hot cooked rice


Directions:

1. Put flour and oil in microwave dish and microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes until light brown in color. Add in onions, bell pepper, garlic and Creole seasoning and microwave on HIGH for 2 additional minutes.

2. Transfer to slow cooker and add in Ro-tel tomatoes, water, green onions and parsley. Cook on LOW for 5 hours.

3. Add in shrimp and turn cooker to HIGH. Cook another hour, until shrimp are pink.

4. Spoon shrimp over hot cooked rice to serve. Enjoy!



Slow cooker, shrimp creole, Shrimp Festival, Baton Rouge Louisiana, Cajun, Creole

Recipe: Easy Cocoa Chocolate Sheet Cake

Image by Lonnon Foster via Flickr

From Denny: Do you need a simple cake recipe that doesn't require a whole lot of fuss? This easy recipe is the answer! What I like about it is that you don't even have to take it out of the pan to frost it. Better yet, while the cake is still hot, you pour hot frosting on top of it. How easy is that?

The frosted cake stays in the pan and you serve from there or you can "make it and take it" to a family gathering or school function for your kids. Try baking it in a disposable aluminum pan and then you can just throw away the pan after they gobble up this chocolatey goodness! :)

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 9x13-inch sheet cake

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup cococa

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting (recipe follows)


Directions:

1. Combine butter, oil, cocoa and water and bring to a boil.

2. Mix sugar and flour together and add boiling cocoa mixture. Mix well. When mixture has cooled down a bit, then add the eggs.

3. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk and add to mixture. Add vanilla and cinnamon.

4. Spray with nonstick vegetable cooking spray a 9x13-inch sheet pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F. oven for 30 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and frost immediately.


Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar (granulated)

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk

1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup pecans


Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, half-and-half or evaporated milk and chocolate and bring to a boil over medium heat.

2. Continue boiling for about 4 minutes until mixture reaches soft ball stage like in candy making. Remove from heat.

3. Sprinkle pecans over cake. Pour hot frosting on top of cake.

Note: Hide all the forks in your house because this cake won't last long! :)


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Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

From Denny: Use a larger slow cooker for this recipe, a 5 to 6 quart size is better as anything smaller is filled to the brim and may bubble over! Before you know the cats may be jumping up on the counter to lick up all the gumbo goodness... :)

From: Delicious Tabasco Recipes for your Crock-Pot Slow Cooker

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

1 cup onion, coarsely chopped

1 cup celery, coarsely chopped

1 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts

1/2 pound andouille sausage or kielbasa sausage, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons Tabasco brand pepper sauce, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 quarts water

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Hot cooked rice


Directions:

Image via Wikipedia

1. Add onion, celery, green bell pepper and garlic to bottom of stoneware. In skillet, over medium-high heat, brown chicken pieces in 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil until almost golden. Add sausage to skillet and continue cooking meat until chicken is golden brown.

2. Add all browned meat and poultry to stoneware on top of the vegetables. Add parsley, bay leaves, thyme, Tabasco pepper sauce, salt and pepper to stoneware. Pour water over all. Cover and cook on Low 5 to 7 hours or on High 2 to 4 hours.

3. In skillet, over medium heat, mex flour with the remaining 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil and cook, stirring constantly until the roux is dark brown. Add 1 cup of hot liquid from the slow-cooker mixture to the roux, a little at a time, stirring until smooth.

4. Stir roux mixture into stoneware, cover and finish cooking, 1 1/2 hours on Low or 1 hour on High. Add green onions at end of cooking time and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Remove chicken bones and skin before serving, if desired.

5. Remove from heat and stir in green onion and parsley; adjust seasoning if needed. Let gumbo stand 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, mound about 1/3 cup rice in each soup bowl, then ladle about 1 cup gumbo around rice.

Note: Leave yourself a little time for deboning and removing the skin from the chicken meat, adding to the overall time to prepare this slow cooking dish.



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Recipe: Worlds Prettiest Brownies

From: Meredith Ford Goldman of Atlanta, Georgia, published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Food writer and dining critic Meridith Ford Goldman has perfected a brownie recipe that lives up to all the above adjectives. The dense, fudgy brownie base comes from Marion Cunningham's "The Fannie Farmer Baking Book" (Gramercy, $12.99) -- and the dense, moist squares are made all the more sinful with a topping of silky ganache. The brownies can be made in one bowl or a saucepan, depending on whether the chocolate is melted in the microwave or on the stove.

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 12 hours
Serves: 16


Ingredients:

4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped fine

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small squares

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

1 cup Dark Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

Gold-colored dragees for garnish, optional (available at cake baking supply stores)

For Dark Chocolate Ganache:

8 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream

18 ounces (one 12-ounce bag and one 6-ounce bag) dark (semisweet)
chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour, or spray with cooking spray, an 8-inch square baking pan. Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (If using a microwave, melt the chocolate for 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until lumpy. Add the butter and continue intervals until the mixture is smooth.)

When cool, add the eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt and whisk until combined. Add the flour and mix well, then the nuts, if desired.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out barely clean. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn the brownies out onto a cooling rack covered with a paper towel or parchment paper. Let brownies cool completely, about 2 hours.

Ice the brownies with Dark Chocolate Ganache, using a cake spatula, and place them in the refrigerator to set for about 10 to 15 minutes. Using a straight-edged knife that is at least the length of the brownie square, cut the brownies into 16 even squares, cleaning the knife after each cut to make even, clean edges.
Place the finished brownies in cupcake papers. Decorate each square with a gold or colored dragee, if desired.

For Dark Chocolate Ganache:

In a heavy saucepan, place the cream on high heat to boil. When it begins to boil, remove from the heat immediately and whisk in the chocolate chips, a little at a time, until completely melted and smooth (do not vigorously whisk or the ganache will get air bubbles). Add the butter and mix until smooth. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the ganache so a skin doesn't form. Let the ganache rest overnight, unrefrigerated.

Notes:

This recipe calls for 2 hours of cooling time for brownies plus overnight resting time for the ganache.

Nutrition:

Per brownie: 338 calories (percent of calories from fat, 56), 5 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 23 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 51 milligrams cholesterol, 54 milligrams sodium.


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Recipe: Super Easy Key Lime Cake Goes Well With Seafood

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Since we love seafood so much in the South, well, you need something citrusy to chase the garlic taste. Another food popular in Louisiana is cream cheese icing and this cake has a cream-cheese key lime icing. Key limes from Florida are awesome! This simple recipe is just the ticket, enjoy!

From: Mae Hogg

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil (I like canola as it is a neutral oil that doesn't influence other flavors)

4 eggs

3/4 cup orange juice

1 (3 ounce) package lime Jell-O

1 (1 pound) package plus 1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

8 ounces cream cheese

3 Tablespoons lime juice


Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, orange juice and lime Jell-O. Pour into 3 greased and floured (8-inch) cake pans.

2. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

3. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans. Let cool completely.

4. To make icing, combine powderedsugar, butter, cream cheese and key lime juice.

5. Ice between layers and on top and sides of cake. Enjoy!

Recipe: Easy Oven Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

Image by maggiephotos via Flickr

From Denny: Who doesn't want easy? Who doesn't like ribs? This recipe was put out by a local charity in their cookbook and published in our local newspaper back in 2006. It's still an easy recipe! :) This is one of those recipes you could marinate and cook the first three hours on Sunday afternoon while you snooze for your nap and bake the last half hour on Monday when you get home from work. Or better yet, marinate on Saturday, cook extra on Sunday, warm it up in the oven on Monday and an extra day of the work week. Yeah, now we're talking!

Oven Barbecued Ribs

From: "The View From Our Kitchen" by the Baton Rouge Eye Bank Auxiliary

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

3 or 4 spans of baby back ribs

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

Kitchen Bouquet

Meat tenderizer, unseasoned

garlic powder (not garlic salt)

Tony Chachere's Original (Cajun) Seasoning

black pepper

Sauce:

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1/2 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 (36 ounce) bottle ketchup

1 Tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

5 dashes Tabasco sauce


Directions:

1. Using a brush, coat the meaty sides of the ribs with Worcestershire and Kitchen Bouquet. After coating, liberally sprinkle with meat tenderizer, garlic powder, Tony's Seasoning and black pepper.

2. Cover tightly and store in refrigerator until ready to cook. This can be done a day or two in advance of cooking.

3. To make sauce, saute onion and celery in melted butter until soft. Add brown sugar and stir until blended. Add ketchup, Lea & Perrins, garlic and Tabasco and stir well.

4. Cook on medium heat until bubbly, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and cook for 2 hours stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken and turn darker. It may be stored in airtight container in refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

5. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a pan/pans with a rack, cook marinated ribs, covered for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove from oven, drain juice and remove rack/racks.

6. Liberally brush on barbecue sauce, cover and lower heat to 300 degrees F. Cook for 1 more hour. Turn oven off, uncover ribs and allow to sit in the warm oven for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with warm barbecue sauce to spoon over the ribs if desired.



Barbecue, barbecue ribs, oven barbecue, Cook, Home, Lea & Perrins, Tony Chachere, Barbecue sauce, Garlic, Pork ribs

Recipe: Boston Butt Braised in Coke

Another version of Boston Butt - Image by leshoward via Flickr

From Denny: This is one of those super easy slow-cooking recipes people just love, both for the ease of cooking and it's a crowd pleaser. That and I'm getting hungry just loading this recipe into the online editor! :) (Shameless, I know...)

People in Louisiana love to cook with soft drinks, usually it's Dr. Pepper or Coke, used for meats that smoke or slow-cooking like this in the oven or a slow cooker. Dr. Pepper is a popular favorite when it's Thanksgiving time to smoke a turkey for 12 hours. There is something about the dark syrup soft drinks that makes magic for meat dishes. It could be the high fructose corn syrup that tenderizes the meat and sweetens the taste. Whatever it is the taste is divine! The ultimate is cooking a dish that is low maintenance in labor and is a big hit at the table. Works for me!

Boston Butt Braised in Coke

From: John Kessler, published in Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Serves: 6-8

Note from John: The biggest investment in this delicious dish is time. To prepare a Boston butt for dinner, you'll have to start soon after lunch. You need only sear in oil, put in a pot with a little liquid in the bottom, cover it tightly and let it simmer for hours, turning every now and then. This recipe is similar to one I published once before but much, much better. That can of Coke — a new addition — does strange wonders for the flavor.

Hands on time: 14 minutes
Total time: 4 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients:

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced thinly

1 (12-ounce) bottle or can of Coke

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 ounce fresh ginger, scrubbed and cut into thick coins

2 pieces star anise

1 green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish


Directions:


Trim thick fat from the pork and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven with a heavy fitted lid, and brown meat on all sides, finally turning so the fat side is down. Spoon out any excess grease.

Fry onion in bottom of pot until it wilts, then add the Coke and soy sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the ginger and star anise. Bring to a simmer and cover.

Braise meat until very tender, about 4 to 4 1/2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove meat to a heated serving platter. Collect braising liquid in a measuring cup and spoon off fat. Press juice and soft onion through a strainer over meat, and discard the spices that collect in the strainer. Garnish with green onion.

Notes: To make the meal, serve with rice, noodles or potatoes

Nutrition:
Per serving (based on 6, using boneless pork shoulder): 298 calories (percent of calories from fat, 40), 34 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 13 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 110 milligrams cholesterol, 829 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Fast Easy Barbecue Bacon Chicken Breast

From Denny: How many times have we all wished for a wonderful meal in just minutes from ingredients already in the house? I've made this same recipe many times and loved it both for its simplicity, ease of making and speed to the table.

Barbecue Bacon Chicken Breast

From: Jeanne Besser

Note from Jeanne Besser: Crystal Ellis of Marietta writes, "Here's a great-tasting easy main dish created from my refrigerator. Kids love it!" This is truly a meal most of us can cull from our reserves, but that still makes a substantial dinner. I added the step of crisping the bacon under the broiler, but if you like softer bacon, you could skip this.

Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2-pound) package boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 strips thin bacon, cut in half

9 ounces ( 1/2 bottle) honey barbecue sauce (or your favorite flavor)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil. Sprinkle chicken breasts with pepper to taste. Place 2 bacon strip halves horizontally to cover chicken breasts. Top with barbecue sauce and fold foil over to make a packet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is just done. Increase heat to broil. Open foil and broil until bacon crisps, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with cheese. Put back in oven and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 420 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 43 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 16 grams fat, 128 milligrams cholesterol, 952 milligrams sodium.



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Joke: Smart Dog Goes Meat Shopping

Smart Dog

A dog walks into a butcher shop with a purse strapped around his neck. He walks up to the meat case and calmly sits there until it's his turn to be helped. A man, who was already in the butcher shop, finished his purchase and noticed the dog. The butcher leaned over the counter and asked the dog what it wanted today. The dog put its paw on the glass case in front of the ground beef, and the butcher said, "How many pounds?"
The dog barked twice, so the butcher made a package of two pounds ground beef.

He then said, "Anything else?"

The dog pointed to the pork chops, and the butcher said, "How many?"

The dog barked four times, and the butcher made up a package of four pork chops.

The dog then walked around behind the counter, so the butcher could get at the purse. The butcher took out the appropriate amount of money and tied two packages of meat around the dog's neck. The man, who had been watching all of this, decided to follow the dog. It walked for several blocks and then walked up to a house and began to scratch at the door to be let in. As the owner opened the door, the man said to the owner, "That's a really smart dog you have there."

The owner said, "He's not really all that smart. This is the second time this week he forgot his key."


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Recipes: 3 BBQ Sauces, Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

Pulled Pork over white rice, add some sauteed seasoned chopped bell peppers and onions and this is how I like pulled pork! - Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Mmmmm.... Barbecue is one of those out of this world experiences we call comfort food. Our national "piggy" board always has recipes for us to enjoy. The Pork Board (proper name) featured two recipes for pulled pork sandwiches.

North Carolina (and South Carolina too) is known for its pulled pork and long, long, long, very long slow smoked cooking of the piggy meat. That's the secret, they say, to success with pulled pork. Otherwise, if you are impatient and don't cook the meat long enough, you end up with a tough product. How long do the experts tell us we should cook the meat? They are talking at least two days. That's how it gets infused with that awesome smokey flavor over a wood fire.

You can take the shortcut of cooking your piggy roast in a slow cooker though you won't achieve that intense smokey flavor that can only be achieved from a wood fire. However, the piggy roast will be moist, tender, and very flavorful when you add any of the following wonderful BBQ sauces. Whichever method you use, if you don't think it's tender enough then send it back to the cooker and cook longer to the level you like.

North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

From: National Pork Board

Serves: 18

Ingredients:

1 pork butt, Boston butt or un-trimmed end-cut pork shoulder roast, about 7 to 9 pounds

5 to 7 cups hickory wood chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

3/4 cup Lexington-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)

North Carolina Coleslaw (recipe follows)

18 hamburger buns


Directions:

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking.

2. Remove pork from wrapper. Do not trim any excess fat off the meat; this fat will naturally baste the meat during the long cooking time. Brush pork with a thin coating of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place on tray until ready to cook.

3. Before placing the meat on the grill, add soaked wood chips. Place pork in center of the cooking grate with fat-side up. Cook slowly for 4 to 5 hours or until instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the middle of the pork registers 190 to 200 degrees and the meat is very tender and falling apart. If there is a bone in the meat, it should come out smooth and clean. There is no need to turn meat during the cooking time.

4. Let meat rest for 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Using a sturdy fork and a knife, pull meat apart and discard fat. Set aside any crispy bits of fat that have been completely rendered and look almost burned. After the meat is completely shredded, chop the reserved crispy bits and mix them into the warm pork.

5. Mix with enough Lexingston-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce to moisten. Serve on a white hamburger bun and top with North Carolina Coleslaw.


No Stress Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

From: Carma Rogers with the National Pork Board
Serves: 10 to 12


Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds boneless pork butt (or pork shoulder roast)

1 (14-1/2 ounces) can beef broth

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/3 cup hot pepper sauce

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

10 to 12 sandwich buns


Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup yellow mustard

2 Tablespoons hot pepper sauce


Directions:

1. Put pork in bottom of a large slow cooker. Mix broth, liquid smoke, pepper sauce and Worcestershire; pour over meat.

2. Cover and cook on High for 5 hours (or 8 to 10 hours on Low) until pork is very tender.

3. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine all ingredients in large saucepan; set aside.

4. Place pork on cutting board; reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid from pork. Coarsely chop pork; combine with reserved cooking liquid and sauce in saucepan; heat over medium heat until warm.

5. Spoon pork onto sandwich buns to serve.


Now for the easy to make sauces:


Lexington-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

From: National Pork Board

Makes: about 2 cups


Ingredients:

2 cups cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon ground white pepper

1/2 to 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes (the more flakes, the hotter the sauce)

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup ketchup

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for at least 10 minutes to indefinitely in the refrigerator. The longer the it sits, the hotter it gets. Store covered in the refrigerator.

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South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

From: “It’s All American Food” by David Rosengarten

Makes: about 4 cups


Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup French’s mustard

1 Tablespoon ketchup

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp. cayenne

1-1/2 cups cooking liquid from pork shoulder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the butter, vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, cayenne and the cooking liquid in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

2. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a wire whisk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.


Eastern North Carolina Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

From: “It’s All American Food” by David Rosengarten

Makes: about 2 cups


Ingredients:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1 cup cooking liquid from pork

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

2. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a wire whisk.

3. Use or serve sauce immediately.



North Carolina Coleslaw

From: National Pork Board
Serves: 18


Ingredients:

Lexington-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

1 large head of cabbage, chopped

Directions:

Mix barbecue sauce into chopped cabbage until well mixed and not quite wet. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Thanks for visiting! Guess you had better get started on this pulled pork is you want to eat by Sunday noon... :)


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Recipe: John's Cajun Pot Roast

Another version of Pot Roast Image by Offbeat Photography via Flickr

From Denny: Here in Louisiana we aren't shy about dining on meat even in hot weather. Pot Roast is a perennial American favorite and Cajuns have their spin on it. My father-in-law, John, was Cajun and a wonderful cook. He didn't have a wide range but what he cooked was awesome and everyone licked the plate! :)

He had been an Army cook in WWII. Originally, he was an infantry soldier in General Patton's pack. The story goes that Patton's troops were forever outrunning their supply lines. What that means to those of you who have never been in combat is that they often were on rations or went hungry. Everyone knows an army runs on its stomach.

Well, John was not about to be denied a good meal. Like any good Cajun country boy he just went out and shot himself a big plump rabbit. He soon had it skinned, skewered and roasting over an open fire. The whole camp smelled it and came moseying over for a friendly meal. John looked at them and yelled, "Ya bunch of Momma's boys! Go get your own damn supper!"

Of course, John was an only child and yes, a Momma's boy but at least he knew how to hunt and was independent enough to take care of himself. He had a real disdain and fear for those spoiled soldiers whose mothers did too much for them. Why? Because he saw them get shot first, killed and in large numbers during the war. He was upset they refused to be teachable in order to save their lives. "War is not a country club!" he often used to say.

It was then that the Army realized the man was resourceful and could cook better than anything listed for recipes in the Army handbook. John was taken off the field and placed on Kitchen Duty where he fed at least 4,000 men a day, three times a day.

He used to tell stories of what it was like to clean the Army cooking pots. We all would scratch our heads, wondering why that was such a big deal. Then he would describe how he had to get a ladder - he was a tall man too - to climb down into the pots to scrub them! Can you imagine how long it took for water to boil in pots that large? It must have taken hours for what we do in smaller portions for our families in only 15 minutes!

John used to cook a wonderful simple Cajun version of Pot Roast on Sundays, his favorite meal. As a new bride I was fascinated with his cooking. He also was a friend of the famous Justin Wilson who started the national obsession with Cajun and Creole food.

Justin Wilson was a fishing and hunting buddy of my husband's maternal uncle, J. B. Roux - yes, Roux really is his last name. Uncle J. B. was an incredible gumbo cook, a big bear of a man and terribly funny. He and John cooked together often, especially on Christmas Eve when they cooked gumbo together for everyone when they came by to visit during the holiday.

Anyway, Justin Wilson was interested in recording all the campfire recipes and Cajun style cooking he could. Uncle J. B. and the other friends were so used to their cooking they thought it was silly. They thought everyone knew how to cook like they did. In their minds, they could not conceive of anyone being a bad cook or not knowing how to cook the obvious.

Anyway, Justin recorded it, started up a local cooking show, wrote and sold books, made videos, went national and then international. If not for Justin Wilson, Uncle J. B.'s recipes and that of his friends would never have been published and perished with them when they died.

Over the years I've adapted John's recipe to make it my own.

John's Cajun Pot Roast

From: Denny Lyon

Total: 3 hrs 40 mins
Active: 40 mins
Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 teaspoons salt (or to your taste)

3 Tablespoons Tony Chachere's (Cajun seasoning, or to your taste)

2 teaspoons freshly ground cracked black pepper (or to your taste)

1 4-pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1 large red/purple/Cajun onion, coarsely chopped

4 medium celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced or sliced in strips

8 medium garlic cloves, slivered lengthwise in strips

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

4 fresh thyme sprigs

Optional: 8 dahes Tobasco sauce (John liked some heat!)

Optional: Fresh mushrooms

Directions:

Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the lower third or you can place this roast in an electric skillet on the kitchen countertop like John did to simplify cleanup.

Here comes the fun tactile part: Take a small paring knife and poke and dig lots of hole in the meat all over, including the fat area. Then push the garlic slivers into each hole with a little of the spice combination or a salt and pepper combination, your choice.

Combine all dry spices in a small bowl. Evenly rub spice mix on all sides of the roast; set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven/electric skillet or a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat until smoking, about 5 minutes. Add meat and sear it, browning on all sides, about 20 minutes total; remove to a plate.

Add onion, celery, bell pepper and leftover garlic to the pot, season with salt, and cook until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetables. Pour beef broth into the pot and scrape up any browned bits called "fond" from the bottom.

Add thyme, meat, and any accumulated juices to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add Tobasco sauce if you are including some spicy heat. Cover and cook in the oven/electric skillet until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. At the last 20 minutes, add the fresh mushrooms if you are including them. John loved mushrooms and used them often.

Melt in your mouth, exploding with flavor! Serve over rice or with fresh parslied and buttered new potatotes. It's quite awesome when you get a bite of roast with a mellow garlic flavor from the simple cooking technique of inserting those garlic slivers into the meat before searing. Enjoy!

Recipes: Chocolate Alcoholic Drinks That Taste Like Favorite Foods!

Chocolate cake with frangelico filling Image by DeathByBokeh via Flickr

Photo of Girl Scout chocolate drink

Photo of Chocolate cake with frangelico filling by DeathByBokeh via Flickr

From Denny: OK, these are new ones on me and quite the trend lately for bar drinks to taste like a favorite food. What fun! This reminds me of surreal artwork that tricks the mind. This is the funny food version that tricks the tastebuds. Who cares as long as it tastes good.

Girl Scout Cookie

From: Chow.com
Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

3/4 ounce peppermint schnapps

3/4 ounce dark crème de cacao

1/2 ounce heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into an old-fashioned or highball glass filled with ice.



Variations - Almond Joy: Substitute amaretto for the peppermint schnapps.

Chocolate Cake: Substitute 1/2 ounce each of Frangelico and vodka for the peppermint schnapps and crème de cacao.

Chocolate Cake Shooter:

From a comment on Chow.com: "Frangelico does a very good job of tasting like chocolate cake when paired with vodka. An excellent example is a chocolate cake shooter... equal parts of Frangelico and citron vodka. Sugar a lemon wedge, then bite the lemon and drink the shot. By some weird twist, it ends up tasting almost exactly like chocolate cake."

Recipe: Fast and Easy Sloppy Joe Biscuit Pot Pies

Key West, Florida bar called Sloppy Joe's Image by bfraz via Flickr

From Denny: School season is fast approaching and busy moms need some easy recipes with little hassle to keep from being overwhelmed and over tired. Pillsbury always comes up with easy ideas at their site.

Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of frozen mixed vegetables. The only veggies that seem to do well in the freezer in my mind are things like peas or beans like lima beans and other normally dried beans. Okra doesn't do too badly either. Potatoes? Forget it! :) Seriously though, frozen veggies should work just fine here as the chili sauce will overpower any possible "freezer taste." The mustard and brown sugar will also help the flavor tremendously.

As to frozen biscuits that's your choice. I like to control what kind of fat, preferably that without cholesterol, that goes into my food so I make my own, cut them out and then freeze individually on a tray. When rock solid frozen I then place them in freezer baggies and they can last a good year if that were actually possible in our house! :)

This recipe is simple, fast and tailored to individual portions so if you want to spice up (for adults) or down (for young children or picky eaters) it can be done quickly. To make it more Cajun I'd add extra garlic powder and Cajun seasoning like Tony Chachere's (low sodium version).

Meat already has a lot of salt in it naturally, especially chicken as the sellers plump up that chicken you buy in the supermarket with injections of salt water. Sweet, huh? The up side is that salt does kill bacteria so in that sense it can be a good thing. Just watch how much salt you add to any recipe with chicken in it.

Fast and Easy Sloppy Joe Biscuit Pot Pies

From: Pillsbury.com

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef
(Denny: you could substitute ground turkey or chicken)

1/4 cup chopped onion (from a medium onion)

3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables (add some fresh chopped celery too)

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teapoon dry ground mustard

3/4 cup chili sauce

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Pillsbury Grands Frozen Buttermilk Biscuits (from 25-oz. bag)

2 teaspoons milk

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, if desired


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spray an 8-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add ground beef and onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until
beef is thoroughly cooked. Drain.

3. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables, brown sugar, mustard, chili sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

4. Spoon beef mixture into 2 (1-1/2-cup) ungreased ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Top each with frozen biscuit. Brush each biscuit with milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown.


Photo: Key West, Florida bar called Sloppy Joe's Image by bfraz via Flickr

Recipe: Shrimp and Grits

Image by frs via Flickr

From Denny: Shrimp and Grits is a favorite comfort food here in Louisiana! Here is their version of this simple dish from the Grillroom Restaurant.

Roasting Grits for Fuller Sophisticated Flavor

As to making grits, we love Quaker Quick Grits (never instant). Then, in a dry saucepan on medium heat I dry roast the raw grits. This is great for those who want to reduce gluten in their diet or may be non-insulin diabetics, eager to reduce too much starch in a favorite food. Dry roasting is great for using for most grains to accomplish that goal.

Don't over roast the grits or too much starch is burned off and then they won't stick together properly when cooking. If you do over roast them you can add raw grits to the boiling water to help pull it together. It's a fix but not as good as doing a lighter roasting. I go for the smell to tell me when it's roasted perfectly. It begins to lose the raw smell and develop that savory nutty scent of roasting.

Make sure the water is already boiling as the grits roast quickly and can burn if you are not ready to empty them into the cooking pot. Pour in a sifting motion and whisk the dry roasted grits into the boiling salted water. Make sure you use a wire whisk as you add the grits to the boiling water so you won't get any lumps. Then I add some clarified butter to the cooking grits. That's for the plain version.

To spice it up for a late breakfast, lunch or dinner meal I add some garlic powder, turmeric (turns it yellow for a festive look, especially on a white plate, and turmeric spice gives it a slight curry flavor), a bit of Cajun seasoning (a light touch as it is salty), some favorite chili powder and voila! yummy! You can always add your favorite cheese and turn it into Cheese Grits.

For the non-Southerners who are asking "what the heck is a grits cake?": What this restaurant is doing for the grits cake portions is pouring hot grits to cool in portion size shapes. Cooled grits are often cut into portions and fried or baked to heat for another dish. It's a great way to use up leftover grits. Of course, the ducks from the tiny pond in our back yard - otherwise known as the Locust Brothers when it comes to leftovers like grits - usually demand their grits meal for the day because they so love it! They also love cat food... :)

Shrimp and Grits


From: the Grillroom


Ingredients:

6 shrimp each, 16 to 20 count size

1 ounce olive oil blend

1 each grit cake portion

1/2 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning

2 ounces white wine

4 ounces oyster BBQ butter

2 ounces pepper mix

1 ounce Cajun tasso ham, 1/4" x 1/4" diced

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper mix

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 each lemon wedge

1 each thyme sprig

Directions:

Place the grit cakes in the oven to heat throughout.

Heat a saute pan over high heat and add the oil.

Add the shrimp, peppers, onions, and ham. Season with 1/2 Tbsp. of Cajun seasoning and the salt and pepper mix. Saute briefly. Add the white wine and reduce until dry. Add the BBQ oyster butter and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are cooked throughout.

Bank the grit cake pieces off of each other in the center of a square plate. Pour the saute mixture over the top of the grits, arranging the shrimp so they are on top.

Garnish with the chopped parsley, thyme sprig and the lemon wedge


Cajun cuisine, Shellfish, Shrimp and Grits, Fish and Seafood, Olive oil, Cook, Home, Grits, Shrimp, Barbecue, BBQ, Chili powder, Cajun

Recipe: Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

From Denny: I seem to have a talent for locating all recipes for the chocolate calorie monsters! :) Have fun with this crazy recipe! Also, if you are a chocolate and peanut butter fiend, then you simply must make this special cake. "I'm just saying..." :)

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

From: Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes
and from SmittenKitchen.com (who made a few amendments)

"This cake is INTENSE. Serve it in the thinnest slices possible, and keep a glass of milk handy." - SmittenKitchen.com

Makes: an 8-inch triple-layer cake
Serves: 12 to 16

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup canola oil

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups water

2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (optional, makes the cake very rich)


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me.)

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Note: Making a crumb coat of frosting – a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer – is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating.

Note 2: Once the cake is fully frosting, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Makes: about 5 cups

Ingredients:

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

Makes: about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup half-and-half

Directions:

1. In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Cake photo by kimberlykv @ flickr

Recipe: University Club's Skillet Chocolate Gooey Cake

Image by culinary.curiosity via Flickr

From Denny: For all you folks who like to try a different way of doing something, here's a way to cook a cake on top of the stove in a skillet! It has to be energy conscious rather than turning on the big oven to bake a cake. It looks like a real calorie monster so you know it tastes divine! For those of you who like gooey cakes and eat raw cake batter this cake is for you! :)

University Club's Skillet Chocolate Gooey Cake

Ingredients:

10 Tablespoons Butter

1 pound chocolate pieces

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

melted butter as needed

powdered sugar as needed

Directions:

Melt butter and chocolate pieces in double boiler. Stir until melted and smooth.
Add eggs to the chocolate mixture and whip until smooth. Add sugar and stir until smooth. Fold in the flour. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate the flour.

Lightly butter the skillet. On low to medium heat, add chocolate batter to skillet. let cook until sides are firm and firmness starts to move toward the center. Carefully turn cake over to cook top. Remember to keep the cake on low to medium heat. The bottom will burn if the fire is too high.

When cake is done all around the outside, place on plate and top with powdered sugar.

The cake will be gooey on the inside. Enjoy.


Baking and Confections, cake, chocolate, Cook, Cooking, Home, skillet cake, chocolate cake

Recipe: How to Make German Chocolate Cake Without a Mix

Image by Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer via Flickr

From Denny: Now that the economy has everyone so wallet conscious people are learning how to be more independent of convenience foods! I've never been a huge fan of cake mixes as the texture seems to be so, well, gummy. Too many preservatives and who knows what else is in there you don't know about. More than anything, it's a great idea to learn how to make your favorite foods without pre-packaged kitchen helpers so you don't become miserably co-dependent. You also end up with a much higher quality and fresher food!

Found this little gem of a recipe over at the AOL food section. I've always enjoyed German Chocolate Cake but the cake mixes often leave a lot to be desired. Here is the real deal like people used to make it in our grandmothers' time before the large conglomerate food companies started pushing cheap imitation cake mixes on busy women trying to get a good meal on the table in less time.

There are some things that just require the time to make them. You can always break up most recipes into smaller time allotments over a few days when you are pressed for time - or suffer from ADD and can't focus for long. Either way you get to eat well! :)

German Chocolate Cake

From: Stephanie Zonis, "For Chocolate Lover's Only," StarChefs.com
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Frosting:

2 cups shredded, sweetened coconut

1-1/4 cups chopped pecans

1 cup evaporated milk

4 egg yolks, from eggs graded "AA large" (Denny note: AA is fresher than A)

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

9 Tablespoons (1 stick + 1 Tablespoon) unsalted butter, cut into pats

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake:

2 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pats

2-1/2 cups flour

2-1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Pinch salt

2 eggs, graded "AA large" - beaten to mix

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

For Frosting:

Combine coconut and pecans in small bowl and set aside. Pour small amount of evaporated milk into heavy-bottomed, nonreactive 2 quart pot. Add egg yolks. With large spoon, beat to mix well. Gradually and alternately add remaining evaporated milk and both sugars, beginning with evaporated milk and stirring well after each addition. Add butter pats. Place over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture just comes to a boil (it may appear as though very slight curdling takes place as mixture heats--OK). Remove from heat immediately; mixture will be thin. Stir in coconut and pecans, then add vanilla. Cool briefly, then chill. As frosting chills, beat occasionally with large spoon. Frosting should thicken considerably to spreading consistency in 2-1/2 to 3 hours, but it's OK if it needs to chill longer--this frosting won't harden completely.

For Cake:

Grease two 9" by 2" deep round layer cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line bottoms with wax paper cut to fit, grease paper, then dust entire inside of pan lightly with flour, knocking out any excess. Set aside. Adjust rack to center of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan, combine buttermilk and butter pats. Set over low heat; stir often just until butter is melted. Remove from heat; set aside to cool until just warm.

Meanwhile, into large bowl sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With whisk or large spoon, mix well until of an even color. When buttermilk mixture is warm, add beaten eggs and vanilla; with fork, beat in to mix well. Add all at once to dry ingredients. With whisk or hand-held electric mixer, stir until dry ingredients are moistened, then beat just until batter is well-combined (a few small lumps may remain--OK). Divide batter, which will be thin, evenly among prepared pans. Run batter up sides of pans slightly by tilting pans in a circular motion. Drop each pan three times onto a flat surface from a height of about 3" to distribute air bubbles in batter.

Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, reversing pans back-to-front and exhanging oven positions about halfway through baking time. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not overbake. Remove to cooling rack. Let layers stand 10-15 minutes.

Gently loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto cooling racks; remove pans and gently peel wax paper from bottoms of layers. Re-invert to cool completely, right side up, before frosting.

To assemble:

If necessary, trim tops of cooled layers so they are level. Place one layer upside down on serving plate. Top with half of the chilled, thickened frosting. Spread frosting almost, but not quite, to edges of layer. Top with second layer, right side up. Press cake together gently to force frosting to edge of first layer. Top second layer with remaining frosting and spread evenly over top. Serve immediately or chill until needed; refrigerate any leftovers.

To cut this cake, you'll need a large, sharp, heavy knife. I use a knife with a serrated edge, though I know people who use a straight-edged knife here; try both and see which you prefer. You'll also need something to drink when you eat this--a glass of milk or a cup of coffee are fine accompaniments.



Cake, Cook, Butter, make a cake without the cake mix, Baking and Confections, German Chocolate Cake, Home

Recipe: Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce - from Soho

Photo from Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce

From: Soho restaurant, featured in Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From Denny: We love bread pudding in the South! And, ever since I was eleven years old and spent the summer with my Aunt Noelle after my mother died that May right before school let out, I've had a love affair with all things chocolate. Back then, no one ever heard of chocolate bread pudding. But, my Aunt Noelle, an English teacher, was a creative woman and loved to please others so she devised a chocolate version for me - and as a diversion away from the loss of my mother. We spent the whole summer cooking and baking like it was a culinary school!

Today, trained chefs have taken over our childhood fantasies and created more sophisticated versions that are pure Heaven! Take a look at this gem I found today! I could pass on the caramel sauce and enjoy with a little powdered sugar and fresh strawberries. I prefer to get down to the business of diving into pure chocolate. :)

Which do you prefer: caramel sauce or no sauce?

Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce

From the menu of . . . Soho
4300 Paces Ferry Road S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
770-801-0069

Q: I recently dined at SoHo in Vinings, and after dinner everyone in my party insisted that I try the chocolate bread pudding for dessert. It was divine! - Tom Reagan, Winston

A: SoHo co-owner Frank Smith wasn't surprised by the request; he says the chocolate bread pudding has been the restaurant's top-selling dessert for nine years. "When you see it, you think it's going to be very dense and heavy, but it's very light and airy - and people love it, " he said. "It's not your typical fudge brownie dessert."

Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 quart heavy whipping cream

1 pound (about 7 slices) fresh bread crumbs

11 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

8 egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Clear Caramel Sauce (see recipe below)

Clear Caramel Sauce:

Yield: 1 cup

Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Directions: Although the sauce will nearly solidify as it cools, it melts quickly in the microwave.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup water, divided

Directions:

For Pudding:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a tea kettle of water to a simmer. In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Meanwhile, place the bread crumbs and chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Lightly coat an 8-by-12-inch or 9-by-13-inch pan with butter; set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar. Whisk in a small amount of the heated cream, then whisk the egg yolk mixture into the hot cream. Remove the saucepan from the heat; whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour the cream mixture over the bread crumbs and chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted.

Transfer to the prepared pan. Place the pan in a larger baking dish and pour the simmering water into the outer pan, about 1 inch up the sides. Bake the bread pudding in its water bath for 30 to 40 minutes, until set in the center. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce. (Note: Bread pudding can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 325 degree oven or in the microwave.)

For Clear Caramel Sauce:

Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy saucepan. Cook over high heat, swirling occasionally to dissolve sugar, and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid turns caramel in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully add remaining 1/2 cup water and swirl to dissolve. Transfer mixture to heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl. Cool slightly before serving, or cool to room temperature and then reheat a few seconds in microwave before serving.

Per serving: 129 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), no protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.

Notes:

Any recipe that starts with a quart of heavy cream has just got to be good. And this one just keeps getting better, with bittersweet chocolate and an easy-to-make caramel sauce.

Tester's note: Quality bittersweet chocolate can be expensive and a bit hard to find. A reasonable substitute is to use 1 (12-ounce) bag of miniature semisweet chocolate chips, minus 1/4 cup. Because semisweet chocolate is sweeter than bittersweet, reduce the granulated sugar from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 876 calories (percent of calories from fat, 70), 14 grams protein, 56 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 73 grams fat (42 grams saturated), 376 milligrams cholesterol, 363 milligrams sodium.