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Jambalaya and Bananas Foster by Jes Mostek	(2 ratings) Rating Details Rate this meal Printable View

Even if you don't live in the bayou, you can eat like you live there. Celebrate Mardi Gras with Jambalaya and the ultimate New Orleans' treat: Bananas Foster. If you're really motivated, and you'd like to be authentic, incorporate this recipe for King Cake as well.

Recipes:

Becky's Easy Jambalaya by Rebecca Randolph serves: 8	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

I made up this recipe to please my husband, who is black and from the south because his mother's recipe was too hard and took too long. He tells me he likes mine better!

Ingredients:

1 lb

lousiana hot sausage

1 lb

medium shrimp

1 lb

boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 whole

bell pepper

1 whole

onion

3 stalks

celery

1 whole

large tomato

1 cup

chicken broth

4 tbsp

cajun seasoning

4 cups

cold cooked white rice

Directions:

saute hot sausage and chicken in 1/2 cup of broth in large heavy pot until chicken is cooked through. Chop pepper, onion and celery and add to pot and continue sauteing. add rest of broth and cajun seasoning and stir well. Add diced tomato and cold cooked rice and toss well while cooking over medium heat until jambalaya is well blended and reddish in color.

Categories:

Dairy Free
Ethnic Foods
Fish & Seafood
Low Fat
Main Dishes
Pasta/Rice/Potatoes
Peanut/Nut Free
Poultry
Wheat Gluten Free

Flirtatious Bananas Foster by Jes Mostek serves: 4	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

The next time you REALLY want to impress someone, light their dessert on fire! Read on...

Bananas Foster: the quintessential N'Orleans dessert recipe. In 1951, when this recipe was invented, bananas were one of the major imports for the port city. The ownner of Brennan's, the restaurant where the dessert was invented, hoped to promote this imported fruit. The recipe was named after a friend and frequent customer.

OK, you're about to light alcohol on fire in your kitchen, so PLEASE careful: make sure you read the whole recipe, pull your hair back, stand back, and have a lid close at hand.

Now get ready to impress your dinner guests (or date)!

Ingredients:

1/4 c.

butter

1/2 c.

brown sugar

1/4 tsp.

cinnamon

2 T.

banana liquor

3 T.

dark rum

bananas

vanilla ice cream

toasted sliced almonds (for garnish)

Directions:

-Peel and slice the bananas both lenth-wise and cross-wise. Scoop icecream into serving dishes and set aside (in the freezer, if you like).

-Place the butter in a flambé pan or skillet over low heat on the stove. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and whisk ingredients together.

-Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the three ingredients are well-combined.

-Stir in the banana liqueur. After the mixture reaches a boil, whisk for an additional minute and then place the bananas in the pan. Switch to a rubber scraper spatula and continue stirring the edges to prevent the mixture from burning but be careful to avoid cutting or mashing the bananas.

-When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, turn your burner off and pour the rum in a circular pattern around the the pan.

-Immediately light the rum by holding a (lit) long-handled lighter about a quarter of an inch from the surface of the sauce. You can also tip the pan so the alcohol is lit by the flame of the burner, but that way makes me nervous.

-When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.

-Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream, top with toasted sliced almonds, and serve immediately.

Categories:

Desserts/Cookies/Candy
Ethnic Foods
Fall/Winter
Low Sodium
Sauces
Spring/Summer
Wheat Gluten Free

King Cake by Melanie Foster serves: 12	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

THE cake of Mardi Gras. There is a baby, bean or coin hidden in this, and the recipient wins one year of good luck, and has to make the cake or host the party the following year.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup

warm milk

1 pkg

active dry yeast

6 tbsp

sugar

1/2 tsp

salt

1/2 tsp

ground mace

3/4 cup

butter, softened

eggs

4 cups

flour

5 tbsp

sugar

1 1/2 tsp

cinnamon

2 cups

powdered sugar

1/2 tsp

vanilla extract

4 tbsp

milk, or less

3 tbsp

colored sugars, each- yellow, green and purple

plastic baby, or large dried bean

Directions:

Pour the warm milk into a large bowl, or the bowl of an electic mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and (6 tbsp)sugar over the milk and stir until dissolved. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Add the salt, mace, butter and eggs. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix on medium speed 4 minutes. Add the remaining flour and beat on low until smooth or until the flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

In a small bowl, combine the 5 tbsp sugar with the cinnamon. Punch down the dough and dump it onto your work surface. Divide into 3 equal pieces and one at a time, roll each piece into a rectangle, approx. 24x6 inches. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture. Starting on a long side roll up, pinching the edge to seal. Place the 3 rolls side by side and loosely braid. Gently transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into an oval, pinch the ends to seal. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 25-30 minuntes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Insert the baby into the cake from the bottom. Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Spread on top of the cooled cake. Spoon the colored sugars over the glaze in wide bands, alternating purple, green and yellow.

**Warn your guests about the baby and supervise small kids while eating this cake!

Categories:

Breads & Quick-breads
Desserts/Cookies/Candy
Holiday Favorites