Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake

For the Dough:2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces sour cream
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided into 4 tablespoons & 1 tablespoon
Pinch of salt
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees)
1 egg
3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour
Oil for your hands and the bowl

For the Filling:2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons of melted butter

For the Icing:2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons whole milk
Pinch of salt

For the Colored Sugars:1½ cups superfine sugar (not powdered sugar), separated into ½ cups
Food coloring – Yellow, Green, Blue & Red

1. To Make the Dough: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, 4 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt; stir. Once the butter has melted, add the sour cream and heat to luke warm, about 105 degrees. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, add ¼ cup warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar; stir. Allow the yeast to sit for about five minutes until it bubbles and becomes active.
2. Once the yeast is active, whisk in the warm butter and sour cream mixture, the egg, and 1 cup of the flour. Whisk until smooth. Using an oiled wooden spoon, being mixing in small amounts of the remaining flour until you form a soft dough. This will take about another 2 cups of flour. You want the dough to be tacky, but not sticky.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. With oiled hands, knead the dough until and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour by the teaspoon if needed.
4. Place the ball of dough into a large, well-oiled bowl, then flip the dough so all of the surface area of the dough is oiled. Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and a hand towel, then set the bowl in a warm, draft-free area and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. While the dough is rising make the filling. Combine the melted butter, cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl and stir to fully combine.
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the dough and a rolling pin. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches long by 14 inches wide.
Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the outside of the dough.
7. Roll the cake up jellyroll-style and pinch the seams shut.
Carefully move the roll to a parchment-line baking sheet, seam-side down. Bring the ends together to form an oval and press the edges together to completely seal the cake into an oval.
8. Once again, cover the cake with oiled plastic wrap and a hand towel and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes.
9. During the second rise, make the colored sugars. Place ½ cup of superfine sugar into three separate bowls. Using the food coloring, make one bowl of green sugar, one bowl of yellow sugar, and one bowl of purple sugar (by mixing the blue and red). Use the back of a spoon or a pestle, work the food coloring into the sugar by grinding it against the side of the bowl and working the coloring throughout all of the sugar. Continue this until the sugar is uniform in color and there are no clumps. I used 12 drops of food coloring total for each of the colors.
10. Once 30 minutes have passed, remove the plastic wrap and hand towel from the cake and bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Immediately transfer the cake to a cooling rack after removing it from the oven. Allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before icing the cake.
11. Once the cake has cooled for 15 minutes, make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, melted butter and milk until smooth. You want the icing to be able to drizzle easily but not just run right off the cake, so if the icing is to thin, just whisk in more powdered sugar and if the icing is too thick whisk in a touch more milk. After the cake has had a chance to cool, move the cake to whatever platter you wish to serve it on. (At this point, stick a dried bean or little plastic baby into the cake through the bottom. It’s tradition in Louisiana that whoever gets the baby has to spring for the next cake! Elsewhere, it’s a sign of good luck.) Slide pieces of wax paper under the cake so that it can catch any icing or sugar drips.
12. Drizzle the icing evenly over the cake and allow it ooze down the sides. Before the icing has a chance to set, sprinkle on rotating strips of colored sugar. Slide the wax paper pieces out from under the cake and discard. King cake can be served warm or at room temperature.

Homemade Southern Chicken & Dumplings

I suggest adding only 1 or 1.5 of the Knorr Chicken Stock Concentrate, it was good but a bit on the salty side!  So good my husband called to tell me how amazing I am the next day when he ate leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp. salt
3 cooked chicken breast (bone in) chopped & shredded
2 Knorr’s chicken concentrate stock
Water (approx. 1/4 cup) Add water a couple of tablespoons at a time until consistency forms a dough ball. Add a bit more water as needed. When dough ball is pliable without being too sticky, time to roll out.

Directions

Cook chicken breast in boiling/simmering water until done. Pull from the bone and chop/shred. Set aside
Add 2 Knorr’s chicken concentrate stock to 7 cups of boiling water. Simmer until time for the dumplings.
Flour a flat surface. Press dough ball on surface and begin rolling out with rolling pin. Go from side to side, back and forth until a round circle is formed, pressing down all around to make the edges even and flat. Roll as flat as you can.
Begin cutting strips on one side of the circle (approx. 3/4″ wide) all the way across the dough circle. Then, cut strips the opposite direction until you have cut through the complete circle and have little rectangles of dough strips ready to cook.
As chicken stock is simmering, bring to a boil and begin dropping in the dough strips, one at a time until they are all in the pot. Stir them around with a spoon making sure they are not sticking together. Add a bit of the flour that is on your surface, this will thicken up the broth. Bring to a slow boil, then turn down to simmer for around 10-15 minutes. Then add the cooked chicken, simmer another 10 minutes until stock has begun to thicken.
Serve hot and eat! Enjoy!

Amazing Crockpot Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 1/3 cups Butter
• 1/4 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/4 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/4 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.
Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.
Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.
Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Cafe Rio Crockpot Chicken

Amazing for tacos, salads, anything!!!

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breasts

1/2 a small bottle of zesty Italian dressing

1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 pkt ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)

1/2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Directions

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours. Shred with fork and serve in salads, burritos, tacos...etc. You can also double or triple this to make extras for freezing. Then simply thaw and reheat for a fast and delicious meal.

Enjoy!

Best Homemade Brownies!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting                

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Pretzel Rolls

Ingredients

• 1-½ cup Warm Water (110°F)
• 1 package (1/4 Oz. Packet) Active Dry Yeast (not Quick Rise Yeast)
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• 4-½ cups Unbleached All-purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
• ¼ cups Baking Soda
• 1 whole Egg, Lightly Beaten
• Pretzel Salt, To Sprinkle On Top

Preparation Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water and the yeast and let rest 5 minutes until foamy.
Add the sugar, flour, salt, and butter; mix with the dough hook until thoroughly combined. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Cut the dough into 18 pieces (2 ounces each). To shape, take a piece of dough and start forming a round, smooth ball by pulling the sides to the center and pinching to seal. Place, pinched side down, on a counter and lightly cupping your hand around the dough ball, rotate your hand in small circles lightly rolling the ball around the palm of your hand.
Place the ball on the baking sheet pinched seam side down, with at least 1” between each roll. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled.
Preheat oven to 425°F and place oven racks on the lowest and middle positions.
In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a low boil. Add the baking soda and lower heat to a simmer. Put the rolls into the poaching liquid, seam side down. Poach for 30 seconds then carefully turn the roll over in the liquid. Poach other side for 30 seconds then remove with a slotted spoon to the same prepared sheet pans, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining rolls.
With a pastry brush, glaze each roll with the lightly beaten egg, making sure to coat all sides completely. Top each roll with a sprinkle of pretzel salt. With a sharp straight edged knife, cut a slash or “X” in the top of each roll.
Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Chicken Dumpling Casserole

If you are using canned cream of chicken, add some herb seasoning to add some flavor.

 

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded*
2 cups chicken stock (from boiling the breasts above)

1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup)
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup

 

Directions

 

Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts and bouillon cube in sauce pan with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat, place a lid on your pot and all to sit for 10-15 minutes to finish cooking. Remove chicken from stock (reserve the stock) and all to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degree. In medium casserole dish melt 1/2 stick butter. 

Spread shredded chicken on melted butter. Set aside. In small bowl, mix milk and flour and slowly pour over chicken. Do not stir the chicken!

Take 2 cups of the chicken stock (strain it, if you choose) and whisk in a can of cream of chicken soup. Once blended, pour over over the flour/milk layer of casserole and again...Do Not Stir!

Bake casserole for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Seasoned Tilapia

Great on chicken too!  http://www.eatcleandiet.com/food_and_recipes/clean_recipe/tosca%E2%80%99s_keep-it-tight_tilapia.aspx

Ingredients

• ¼ cup / 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tsp / 5 ml paprika
• 1 tsp / 5 ml ginger
• 1 tsp / 5 ml fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp / 5 ml dried mustard
• 1 tsp / 5 ml oregano
• 1 tsp / 5 ml chili powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 tilapia filets, thawed

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF/ 205ºC. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium-sized bowl combine olive oil, garlic and seasonings.
3. Dip each filet into the seasoning and place it on the baking sheet.
4. Pour any remaining seasoning over the filets on the sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven.
5. Bake for 10 minutes