Banana Bread Pancakes

I love banana bread.  My husband loves pancakes.  He also loves breakfast food for dinner.  When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  Especially for a Pancake Tuesday - Mardi Gras sort of dinner.  These pancakes are sweet, especially with the recommended syrup, so pair them with some bacon or sausage to cut that sugar.  I served them up with some hot chocolate spiked with a little Kahlua!

3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

sliced bananas

chopped pecans

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bananas, buttermilk, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla on low speed.  Mix until smooth (the bananas will leave some lumps).  Slowly add in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until just combined.

Heat a nonstick skillet to medium-low and coat with nonstick spray.  Drop batter by about 1/4 cup (I use an ice cream scoop) onto griddle and cook until bubbles appear and bottoms are brown, about 4 minutes.  Flip pancakes and cook until brown, about 2 minutes more.

Serve with Bananas Foster Syrup and garnish with sliced bananas and pecans.

Serves 2.

Recipe adapted from Cuisine at Home, February 2014.

Bananas Foster Syrup

I love traditions, and have been known to go all out for some of the "minor" holidays, like Mardi Gras.  Being Catholic and celebrating the beginning of Lent just adds fuel to the fire.  When I saw this recipe, I couldn't resist.  It's Pancake Tuesday with a decidedly New Orleans flair.  Perfect for Shrove Tuesday dinner! If you like sweet, you'll love this syrup!  Serve it over your favorite pancakes, waffles, or french toast.

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons banana liqueur

1 tablespoon dark rum

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Boil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring often.  Serve warm, over pancakes.

Makes 1 cup.

Recipe adapted from Cuisine at Home, February 2014.

This Month: Pancake Tuesday/Shrove Tuesday

Although we just had Christmas, I'm already looking forward to next month and the beginning of Lent.  This year, Ash Wednesday is February 18th, making Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Tuesday) the 17th.  Shrove Tuesday began as a Pagan ritual, wherein pancakes represented the sun and that by eating pancakes, the Pagans believed they would get light, power, and warmth from the sun.  I'll let you do your own research if you want to know more.  I digress...  Typically on Mardi Gras I order a King Cake (sometimes I make one) and make Cajun food.  But when I came across the recipes in this meal plan, I knew that this year would be different.  I'd recreate the church Pancake Suppers of my youth in my own kitchen...but with the Bananas Foster inspiration of the syrup, we'd still have a taste of the Big Easy.  Oh, and since this meal is so sweet, I didn't need to worry about a King Cake!  Instead, I learned how to make my own sausage to accompany the pancakes!  Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Bananas Foster Syrup

Banana Bread Pancakes

King Cake

When I was a freshman in college, I lived with a true blue Cajun from New Iberia, LA.  She introduced me to my first ever King Cake and every year thereafter, I ordered this Mardi Gras staple.  One year my parents gifted me with a boxed mix after they went on a college trip to Tulane with my little brother.  This year, I told my husband that I was going to try my hand making one from scratch.  The only problem is that the King Cakes I ordered online had customized fillings (which some New Orleans natives say is an abomination!) and I always chose half apple-cream cheese and half almond.  Trying to find a recipe for something similar online was more difficult than I thought, and eventually I combined several different recipes into this loaf of yum!  Break out your beads and enjoy this King Cake all Season long!!!  Don't forget to bake a baby into the cake!!

Dough:

1/2 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup lukewarm milk

2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, white reserved

3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

Filling:

1 7-ounce tube almond paste

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour

½ cup very finely ground almonds

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons + 1 to 2 teaspoons milk, enough to make a thick but pourable glaze

Topping:

yellow, purple, and green fine sparkling sugars

Lightly grease a 10", 4-cup capacity bakeable stoneware ring mold, or a baking sheet.

To prepare the dough: Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix and knead all of the dough ingredients together to form a smooth, very silky dough. You may try kneading this dough with your hands, if desired; but be advised it's very sticky and soft. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour. It'll become puffy, though it probably won't double in size.

Transfer the soft dough to a lightly greased sheet pan. Pat and stretch it into a 24" x 6" rectangle. This won't be hard at all; it's very stretchy. Let the dough rest while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling: Beat the almond paste, butter, sugar, and salt until creamy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated. Mix in the flours.  Dollop the filling down the center of the dough. Then fold each edge up and over the filling till they meet at the top; roll and pinch the edges together, to seal the filling inside as much as possible. Don't worry about making the seal look perfect; it'll eventually be hidden by the icing and sugar.

Form the log of dough into a ring on the greased baking sheet. The dough will be very extensible and will stretch as you handle it, so handle gently and with caution!  Pinch the ends together. Cover and let rise for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F while the dough rises.

Whisk the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon water, and brush over the risen loaf. Bake the cake for 20 minutes, then tent it lightly with aluminum foil. Bake it for an additional 30 minutes, until it's a rich golden brown. Remove the cake from the oven, and allow to cool completely.

To make the icing: Beat together all of the icing ingredients, dribbling in the final 2 teaspoons milk till the icing is thick yet pourable.

Pour the icing over the completely cooled cake. While it's still sticky, sprinkle with alternating bands of yellow, purple, and green sugars.

Mardi Gras Hurricanes

Let the good times roll with this awesome Hurricane recipe just in time for Mardi Gras!

1 oz white rum

1 oz Jamaican dark rum

1 oz Bacardi 141 rum

3 oz orange juice

2 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

1/2 oz grenadine

crushed ice

Combine all ingredients, mix well (shake or stir). Pour over crushed ice in a hurricane glass. Garnish with a fruit wedge if desired.

To make this drink "virgin" substitute ginger ale for the rum.

Rather than making single serving recipes, I measure the ingredients in cups rather than ounces, making a pitcher large enough for a party!

Shrimp Etouffee

Ever since I read The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood for the first time, I've wanted to try etouffee, but never had a recipe.  My mama found one somewhere, that she swears by, but I've never been at her house when she made it.  So, when I saw this version, I couldn't wait to try it!  Feel free to change up the seafood to your liking, and experiment with sources of protein that aren't seafood too!  I used frozen shrimp and scallops in mine, and they worked just fine (and were less effort for me to prepare!).  To serve, just whip up a pot of rice:  mix 2 cups rice (I used Texmati Royal Blend with Flaxseed), 4 cups chicken stock, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over high heat; bring to a boil, stir, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

2 red or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 large tomato, cored and chopped

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

4 cups chicken stock

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound large scallops

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

10-12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Dirty rice, for serving

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until melted and hot.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture changes from light to golden brown.  Adjust the heat to low if the flour burns too quickly (it should be about 5-10 minutes).

Add the butter, celery, bell peppers, and garlic.  Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes more, until the onion is soft and golden, the celery and peppers begin to soften, and the roux turns a reddish brown.  Add the tomato and cook, stirring, one minute longer.

Slowly add 1 cup of the stock, stirring constantly, until all is incorporated.  Add the remaining 3 cups, 1 cup at a time, and combine to form a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes.  If the mixture remains very liquid-y, add some more flour (I had to add another 1/3 cup).  Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick.

Add the shrimp, scallops, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, thyme, and basil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are bright pink and the scallops are cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm over rice and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Feel free to mix and match the protein in this dish.  Most shellfish (crawfish, oysters, lobster), as well as chicken, duck, or andouille sausage would all taste lovely!

Coconut Shrimp Beignets with Pepper Jelly Sauce

I couldn't tell you where I got this recipe, but it's so worth the trouble of heating oil and frying these bad boys up!  With Mardi Gras tomorrow, this month's meal them is Fat Tuesday Favorites.  Check back Mondays this month for recipes for your own fabulous festival foods.

Vegetable oil

1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup apple jelly

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and pepper

2 cups flour

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 12-ounce bottle amber beer (I used Yuengling)

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the apple jelly, cider vinegar, mustard and hot sauce and cook until the jelly is melted. Pour the pepper jelly sauce into a serving dish.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook until pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a papertowel- lined plate and let cool.

Fill a heavy, medium saucepan halfway with oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil registers 360° on a deep-fat thermometer. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the flour, coconut, scallions, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the beer and 1/4 cup water. Stir the shrimp into the batter.

Using two soup spoons, scoop some shrimp and batter into one spoon, then, with the other spoon, scrape the batter into the hot oil. Fry 6 beignets at a time, turning once, until puffy and light brown, 1 minute on each side. Transfer the beignets to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt. Serve hot with the pepper jelly sauce.

Serves 4 as a main dish or 8-10 as an appetizer.

This Month: Mardi Gras!

Laissez les bons temps rouler with this fabulous menu fit for a Carnival King!  My roommate my freshman year of college was from New Iberia, LA and introduced me to all things Cajun, Mardi Gras traditions, and more!  Ever since, King Cake has been a tradition in our house, and the beginning of Lent is just a little bit more festive than a regular old Tuesday!  I hope you'll enjoy this meal as much as me...

Hurricanes

Coconut Shrimp Beignets with Pepper Jelly Sauce

Shrimp Etouffee

King Cake

Pecan, Bourbon, and Butterscotch Bread Pudding

It's December and that means yummy holiday foods! And holiday foods mean desserts! So, this month's What's Cooking theme will be tasty treats to satiate your sweet tooth! Enjoy! I've only had bread pudding in restaurants. I always thought it was too time consuming and complicated to make myself. But then I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit and just had to try it. I'd tasted something similar at a local tapas place in Virginia and I was hoping this would be a good replica. Oh my word! It was so much better! I paired it with Julia Childs' Beef Bourguignon, another first in my kitchen and it did not disappoint! In fact, I think I'll make it again for Christmas dinner. Yes. It was that good! Keep in mind, you need to start this dish the night before...it's worth the wait!

Butterscotch Sauce:

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

Pudding:

1 pound day-old rustic white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2” cubes (12 cups)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 cups sugar

5 large eggs

4 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Pinch of kosher salt

3 tablespoons bourbon

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 cups pecan pieces

For the butterscotch sauce: Bring brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Boil until mixture is syrupy and measures 1 1/2 cups, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream and bourbon, if desired, and stir until smooth. Let cool. Can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool completely, cover, and chill. Rewarm before serving.

For the pudding: Toss bread, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in another large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cream, poppy seeds, and salt; beat to blend. Place bourbon in a small bowl; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve bean for another use). Whisk to distribute seeds, then add to egg mixture, whisking to blend well. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture in bowl. Add pecans and toss to coat well. Transfer mixture to a 13x9 glass or ceramic baking dish, spreading out in an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Remove plastic wrap and bake until top is browned in spots and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 75-90 minutes. Serve bread pudding with butterscotch sauce.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetite, November 2011.