Blueberry Cream Biscuits with Blueberry Sauce

Last week I was sitting in my dentist's office waiting for my name to be called.  I hate the dentist. It took me forever to get up the nerve  to make my appointment.  I take care of myself so I thought I was going to skate by. Unfortunately that was not the plan my teeth had for me. Two crowns-one upper and one lower-did I tell you I hate the dentist ?  My dentist is a very sweet and a nice guy-I don't hate him-just the process.  So while I was waiting, with high anxiety, I tried to distract myself with the usual waiting room reading material. I started flipping through the pages of Better Homes and Gardens, whoa..what is that-blueberries ?  I wanted to run home and try the recipe immediately.  Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that I was looking for any reason to run out of the dentist's office.  Too bad, they called my name, and for the next  2 hours I endured the drilling and water squirts down my throat.  I'm not afraid of drills, I just don't like having tools and hands in my mouth.  I start to get very anxious and have to remind myself to breath.  I don't do laughing gas, it just makes me more anxious and doesn't make me laugh !  So I sat there thinking about these biscuits in order to distract myself. The recipe seemed far too simple.

Two hours later and finally out of the dentist's chair I was finished.  Thanking my dentist and his assistant for the torture they inflicted on me-why ?  I mean really, thank you for making me sit with my mouth opened for 2 hours while you drilled and scraped and suctioned out my mouth ? Needless to say I just about ran out of the office.  On the way home I did manage, (in spite of the swollen tongue and mouth), to stop for fresh blueberries and whipping cream .  As soon as I got home I suddenly felt very tired.  Stress will do that and dental work is at the top of my stressors.  So instead of baking I took a nap.  These could wait one more day.

The next morning I looked over the recipe and about 45 minutes later I was pulling these babies from the oven.  This really  is  a super simple recipe and oh so good.  Another one to add to my "go to recipes ".  Even the blueberry sauce was easy peasy !  You should make these.  Run out to the grocery store right now and get your blueberries and any other ingredients you might need.  And if you go to the Better Homes and Gardens site and read the review saying that these were horrible,too sticky, only the tops baked, etc. etc., ignore it.  It couldn't be further from the truth.

Now please don't let my dentist know that 48 hours after he finished I was eating teeth staining blueberry biscuits with blueberry sauce.  Just kidding ! No stains , nothing but sweet deliciousness-enjoy !

Blueberry Cream Biscuits with Blueberry Sauce

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Yield: 12 biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 cup blueberries

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large bowl thoroughly mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Toss blueberries with the flour mixture. Stir whipping cream into the flour mixture until just moistened.

Turn out dough on a floured work surface.( In order to not overwork or over flour the dough , I turned it out onto my parchment lined baking sheet. Didn't have to worry about it sticking, just gently formed it into the 7 inch square. And I used the edges of the parchment paper to help gently lift and fold the dough)  Gently lift and fold dough four or five, making a quarter turn between each fold. Place dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form dough in a 7- to 8-inch square, approximately 1 inch thick. Using a floured pizza cutter or knife, cut 12 to 16 squares in dough, leaving biscuits intact. Bake in upper half of oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut through or pull apart biscuits. Serve warm with Blueberry Sauce.

Blueberry Sauce:

    2 cups blueberries

    1/3 cup sugar

    2 tablespoons water

    1 teaspoon vanilla 

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup of the blueberries, the sugar, and water. Bring to simmering; cook and stir until blueberries pop and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, then stir in the vanilla and remaining blueberries. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Creme Brulee Eclairs Set on Fire

I was in the grocery line on Valentines Day doing some last minute shopping for our camping trip .  We would be celebrating Valentines Day over the long President's Day weekend.  The grocery clerk was making small talk and asked what plans I had.  Of course I was bubbling over with enthusiasm about the upcoming trip and told her we were going to a new campground on the Washington Coast that we had never been to before.  When I told her the name -Cape Disappointment-her mouth dropped and she said: "Oh" with a sad frown face. Then she added that it didn't sound like a very good place to be celebrating.  Isn't it funny how we allow people to interfere with our happiness ?  As I walked out of the store I realized I had allowed her to steal my joy. By the time I got the groceries loaded into the car I realized how silly I was.  Shame,shame,shame on me for allowing her to be a black cloud over my happiness.

Cape Disappointment ? No! More like "Cape could never be disappointed" because it's so beautiful .

 Cape Disappointment or Cape Happiness,the name didn't matter-it's what you make of it and we always try to make the very best of it.  So smile back on my face,to do list in hand and groceries packed in Ruby.  Now to decide what special dessert to make for our camping celebration.  I had to think about what would keep well and still look pretty and very special when it came time to eat. Cupcakes?  Mmm,a little too mundane for this trip. Cake? Too much for just the two of us. Pie? Nahh,wasn't in the mood for rolling dough.  Doughnuts? Doughnuts are always a good idea but best eaten fresh out of the frying pan and I wasn't plan on heating up a pan of oil inside Ruby our camper. Eclairs ?  Yes I know the last post I did was on eclairs-but they are so lovely and so special.  And they keep very well.  Now what could I do to make them even more special.  I started thinking about flavor combinations and after looking at a zillion eclair images on Google I thought -Creme Brulee ?  Why not,it's a pastry cream filling and I could torch the sugar at the campsite with little or no effort. And what a fabulous surprise it would be-sitting on the beach eating Creme Brulee eclairs to celebrate our good fortune and our being together !

These Creme Brulee Eclairs were definitely a challenge.  I knew the creme brulee pastry creme would be less firm than regular pastry creme .  I decided that I would slice the eclairs in half and fill them that way, rather than trying to fill them with a pastry bag .  My reasoning was that I was fearful that the torch to brulee the tops would melt the filling.  I should have been more fearful about burning the tops of the eclairs !  Since I had a rounded surface to work with, the sugar kept falling off . And the nooks and crannies associated with eclairs started to burn around the edges. I set quite a few on fire ! Trust me,burnt sugar and burnt pastry are not very tasty.

I decided I wasn't going to have a four alarm fire going inside Ruby down at the coast so I opted to finish these off at home.  And I opted to give up the torch and use my copper caramel making pot !  I burned a few finger tips while dipping the tops but we all have to make sacrifices-and well worth the pain for the taste. The creme brulee filling was creamy and tops were caramel crunchy.  Just like a spoonful of creme brulee with the added taste of crispy pastry.

I used my new go to recipe for eclairs from Tom Douglas's book: The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook.  His recipe produces perfect eclairs every single time ! And I used Joe Pastry's recipe for the creme brulee.  For the hard crack caramel topping I cooked 2 cups of sugar with 1/2 cup water over medium high heat until it turned a nice amber color-about 15 minutes.  Once you take the caramel away from the heat you have to work quickly because it's still cooking in your pot-be careful , it's extremely hot !  I dipped each top into the caramel very carefully.  After the caramel hardened I filled the other half of the eclair with the creme brulee filling and placed the two halves together-Voila !

Oh, I almost forgot to share with you the good fortune that came my way this week !  The HuffPost Taste Section used my photo of my Kouign Amann posting  from April 2011.  When I got the email from them I thought it was a scam or virus and almost didn't open it . So glad I did-that news was like the icing on the cake after our wonderful weekend ! Thank you Huffington Post !

Huffpost Taste Section February 21, 2013

Maple Eclairs-My Dirty Little Secret

I haven't told anyone and now I'm telling all of you, shhhh, I'm addicted to Tom Douglas's Maple Eclairs. There I've said it and now I don't have to hide my dirty little secret anymore.  But I do have to hide the Maple Eclairs.  Oh my goodness, what deliciousness in an eclair-thick maple pastry cream,lighter than air pate a choux pastry,and topped with a light crunchy maple sugar glaze.

Before I dropped out of Pastry School, I was working on perfecting 3 things-Eclairs,Croissants and Ciabatta.  The holy trinity of my pastry repertoire .  I'm still working on perfecting them,but I've come very very close to the perfect eclair -Thanks to Chef Tom Douglas.  The pate a choux-so easy, the maple pastry cream so thick and smooth and the maple sugar glaze-genius.  I wish I could publish the recipe here. But my practice has always been that if it isn't published on the Internet already , I won't post it on my site.  I believe in supporting the Chef, so buy the book.  Get to your computer quickly click HERE  to buy it .

It's a beautiful cookbook,tons of photos,tips and how to instructions-hint hint-it would make a great Christmas gift for that baker in your life.  Or even better,  treat yourself.  I couldn't stop drooling over most of the recipes and my first attempt did not disappoint.  I have the puffiest eclairs still rising  in my oven.Beautiful roly poly shapes ( I made them slightly smaller than Chef Douglas recommends) and golden brown.

It's taken everything to not open the oven and  try one. I plan on working my way through this cookbook and cooking and baking every single recipe in it and I encourage you to do the same.

But back to the Maple Eclairs-imagine a maple bar with thick luscious maple pastry cream-heaven . I couldn't find a recipe for eclairs close to the one in The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook.  Many have similar or exact ingredients,but none seemed to match the oven temperatures used and cooking times.

I will share a little tip with you -Chef Douglas recommends filling the eclairs from the top-that way the glaze seals the filling in and it won't squeeze out from the bottom as you eat the eclair.

When I was in Pastry School, The Dahlia Bakery was at the top of my list for bakeries I  would dream about an internship there as I precisely cut my Napoleons or piped my little pate a choux swans.  But life always has little surprises around every corner. One of those little surprises popped up in the Fall of 2008 and I left school-I thought I might return,but never did.  It was one of the best experiences of my life, I will never forget what I learned and I now use this blog to recreate those experiences in my own kitchen. But, like Old Blue Eyes sings:

"Regrets, I've had a few 

But then again, too few to mention 

I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption 

I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway 

And more, much more than this, I did it my way "

I've said it hundreds of times before,everything happens for a reason.  I accept the change ,sometimes laughing,sometimes crying.  I throw myself into what life throws at me.  Someone once told me that I live my life like it is all or nothing at all; and that I needed to find a better balance in my life.  Do you understand  when I say all or nothing at all is my balance ? I love where it has taken me and what it has taught me .So now I think I will have another Maple Eclair and ponder where it will take me next. Bon Appetit !

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

 I'm doing a quickie post today !  I've been working on recipes and some crafty things for our Family Christmas Celebration in Seabrook.  But I didn't want to wait until Christmas to post this recipe. If you are looking for a fabulously simple appetizer to add to your  repertoire this is it .  Incredibly delicious with just the right amount of spice.  Definitely a keeper-hope you like them as much as I did. I found this recipe on a lovely little blog called Life's Ambrosia

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Makes 12

You will need:
6 hard boiled eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Sriracha
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
chopped green onions for garnish

Peel eggs and cut in-half lengthwise.

Scoop all yolks into a bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, Sriracha, minced onion and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Use a spoon or piping bag to fill each half of an egg with mixture. Squirt a dab of Sriracha sauce on top of each egg, sprinkle with green onion and serve.

Family and Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

I love my family.  That's it.  I'm always grateful that through the workings of the Universe we all ended up living within a short drive of each other.  That's a feat unto itself considering we were scattered like ashes all over the country for such a long time.    We lived in Utah, Florida, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, California,Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,and Virginia.  How did it happen that we all ended up living in Washington ?  We never had a family meeting to say: "Let's all move to Washington".  But somehow our spirits,our souls and our family bond brought each us together.

My sister and brother

Mel,Martha,Jorge,Deb

 I know we had to each find our own path in life and follow our wandering souls and we did.  If you put together a list of previous addresses and former jobs of ours,well the addresses I'm sure would number in the hundreds and the jobs probably in the fifties.  What were we searching for all those years ?  I've always believed it to be a home.  No matter where we were living or what we were doing we stayed close to each other-I have no memories of sibling rivalry or fights or not speaking (other than a few brief moments when we were pre-teens!).

Growing up 

Our common bond was the dysfunctional family we grew up in. We protected and loved each other while the craziness swirled like a cyclone around us. That love got us through some very difficult times; the untimely deaths of close friends; two aunts and an uncle killed in a plane crash; suicide of our mother; and all the baggage that came with these events.  We watched relatives fight over possessions and vowed we would never become them.  We watched relatives quit speaking to each other and vowed we would never do that.  It wasn't easy to make it to where we are today.  We all have probably funded the college education of a great deal of children of our therapists ! And here we are many many years later-still speaking,still loving and still bonded together by our love. I love that we can get together to celebrate each other.  And this past weekend we celebrated J's birthday and Mel & Martha's upcoming wedding in Hawaii.

Mel and Martha

J

Instead of a cake I decided to do cupcakes for our celebration.  And not just any ordinary cupcakes !  I made Martha Stewart's Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes.  So rich and so good.  These are some of the richest cupcakes I have ever made. Well worth the effort for the family I so dearly love. 

The Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
3/4 teaspoon salt 
2 large eggs 
3/4 cup buttermilk 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
3/4 cup warm water 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.

Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month in air tight containers.

To finish, use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece (about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake and throw away the pieces. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons warm Salted Caramel Filling into each hollowed-out cupcake. The caramel will sink into the cupcake a little, just fill it up each time it sinks-this takes about 30- 45 minutes for the caramel to finally settle. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the caramel filling.

Use a pastry bag with a medium open-star tip  and pipe Dark Chocolate Frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Garnish each cupcake with a pinch of sea salt. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are filled and frosted. Store at room temperature in airtight containers - do not refrigerate or your caramel will harden !

Salted Caramel Filling
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar 
2/3 cup water 
1 tablespoon light corn syrup 
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably fleur de sel 

Directions
Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan and stop stirring.

Cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed. Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and just reaches 360°F. Remove from heat and slowly pour in cream; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt.

Use immediately; if caramel begins to harden reheat gently.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water 
2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled ( I ran out of semi sweet so I used bittersweet and it was delicious )

Directions:
Combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.

With electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture. 

Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month in an air tight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. 

Desmond Tutu 

Beignets and My Bucket List

 Last weekend we were  cooped up in Ruby on the WA Coast at Grayland Beach State Park.  It rained all three days that we were there.  From buckets pouring sideways to soft heavy misting rain.  Whenever there was a break in the clouds, we took advantage of it and walked on the beach.  

Normally we wouldn't let the rain bother us,just suit up in our rain pants and parkas and turn our face to the rain.  But we were both just at the tail end of horrible colds so that didn't seem like the wisest thing to do.  Instead,we snuggled up under a cuddly sheepskin (faux of course) blanket and while J read, I started daydreaming.  Mainly about sunshine but then I started thinking I never completed  the bucket list I started when I was struggling with my Lyme Disease. Yes, horrible diseases will do that to you, make you realize you might not have tomorrow and you should just grab for it now. That's why we've been doing so much camping lately. We don't want to just wait for J's retirement next Fall. So, even though we can't wander full time right now,we can wander and ramble with every free moment.  And as far as I am concerned a little rambling and wandering vs none is a zillion times better. 

So back to the window I was gazing out of. I love to travel-it's in my soul,don't know where it came from or how I got that way. J thinks its a sign that I'm a closet escapist-I don't see anything wrong with that-it's a great gig if you can get it. Anyway while I was snuggled in with my Bailey's and coffee I started daydreaming about places to visit and things I wanted to do while I'm still able to walk this glorious  Earth. And I thought, perfect, now I  will make my official bucket list. So Ta DA here it is.  In no particular order, just a list of random things I would like to accomplish,complete,do in my lifetime. Anything catch your fancy? Anything we have in common ?  What's at the top of your bucket list ?

                                              MY BUCKET LIST

GO DANCING WITH J ANYWHERE IN PARIS WHILE WEARING A DRESS LIKE THIS


DINE AT THE FRENCH LAUNDRY IN NAPA
EAT TAPAS IN SPAIN
DRIVE TO ALASKA AND SPEND 3 MONTHS CAMPING
CATCH HALIBUT AND CRAB IN ALASKA
BUY A PAIR OF CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SHOES
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK
CELEBRATE NEW YEARS EVE IN SYDNEY
SPEND VALENTINES DAY IN A CABIN IN THE SNOW ANYWHERE WITH J
RENT AN APARTMENT IN PARIS FOR A MONTH & DRINK CHAMPAGNE EVERY NIGHT
TAKE A TRIP TO BALI
RETURN TO PROVENCE
TAKE COOKING CLASSES IN PARIS, PROVENCE, SPAIN AND SAN FRANCISCO
SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ANYWHERE REMOTELY CLOSE TO THE ARTIC CIRCLE
TRAVEL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WITH MY SWEETIE FOR AT LEAST A YEAR
BE IN NEW YORK DURING A HUGE SNOWFALL
VISIT NEW ENGLAND IN THE FALL
LEARN TO PLAY PIANO OR SAXOPHONE
LEARN TO SPEAK MUCH BETTER FRENCH
LEARN TO SPEAK SPANISH OR ITALIAN
LEARN TO PLAY CHESS
LEARN TO MAKE A PERFECT CROISSANT
LEARN TO PRACTICE YOGA
WINE AND DINE OUR WAY THROUGH SAN FRANCISCO
EAST AT CHEZ PANISSE
SEE JIMMY BUFFET IN CONCERT JUST ONE MORE TIME
VISIT FOLEGANDROS, GREECE AND SANTORINI



TAKE J TO NEW ORLEANS AND EAT BEIGNETS AT CAFÉ DU MONDE
EAT AT THE ZUNI CAFÉ IN SAN FRANCISCO
FIND THE PERFECT LITTLE BLACK DRESS , WEAR IT WHILE EATING CREPES IN PARIS
LAY DOWN IN A LAVENDER FIELD IN SOUTHERN FRANCE
DRINK BORDEAUX IN BORDEAUX
EAT CANALES IN BORDEAUX
HIKE PATAGONIA
HIKE MACHU PICHU
WATCH THE GLORIOUS SUNSETS WITH MY SWEETIE WHEREVER WE ARE
GO SNOWSHOEING WITH MY SWEETIE AND HAVE A PICNIC IN THE SNOW
LEARN TO HAND QUILT
SKYDIVE JUST ONE MORE TIME
BICYCLE THROUGH THE FRENCH WINE COUNTRY OR PROVENCE LIKE THIS : http://gourmetcyclingtravel.com/bike-tours/provence-luxury
VISIT CAPE BRETON ISLAND IN NOVA SCOTIA
VISIT ISTRIA IN CROATIA
STAY AT THE ROMANTIC CONRAD MALDIVES HOTEL ON RANGALI ISLAND




GO BACK TO TASMANIA
EAT A TON OF STONE CRAB CLAWS WITH CHAMPAGNE
DRINK GUINNESS IN IRELAND
VISIT THE ISLE OF MULL, SCOTLAND
EVERYWHERE WE VISIT, FIND THE BEST STREET FOOD VENDORS
SPEND THANKSGIVING OR CHRISTMAS IN A CABIN IN THE WOODS WITH MY FAMILY
GET TO THE OCEAN AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE
WATCH THE PLEIADES METEOR SHOWER FROM A REMOTE WILDERNESS AREA WITH MY SWEETIE
LIVE EACH DAY AS THOUGH IT WERE THE LAST
LEARN TO WATERCOLOR
VOLUNTEER
DRINK RED WINE, GOOD RED WINE AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK
LISTEN TO MUSIC AT EVERY MOMENT POSSIBLE
WATCH THE RISE OF EVERY FULL MOON NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE
DRIVE  TO BAJA IN RUBY FOR AT LEAST A MONTH
VISIT THE GEORGIA OKEEFE MUSEUM
WATCH MORE FOREIGN FLICKS
LIVE ON A BEACH ANYWHERE
EAT AT ANY BOUCHON RESTAURANT
LEARN TO MAKE PERFECT FRENCH FRIES
SHOP MORE AT THE FARMERS MARKET
EAT ORANGES IN VALENCIA, SPAIN
LEARN TO FLY FISH
SEND MY SWEETIE ON A FISHING TRIP TO ALASKA
LEARN TO SURF AT LOS OLAS
LEARN TO KNIT
SWIM IN THE WATERS OF ROTTNEST ISLAND, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Wow, that's a challenging bucket list 70+ items,but it's so much fun to put one together. It really starts to feel magical and it's such wonderful fodder for dreams.  And then you start planning to make those dreams come true-what better way to spend a rainy day on the Washington Coast.  I've decided to rename Grayland Beach State Park to Dreamland Beach State Park !  And all this Bucket List thinking has made me hungry; by the way , did you notice how many things on my list are food related ?  With a hot Bailey's and coffee I think  a beignet would be perfect .

I was very fortunate to have my very first beignet in New Orleans.  I was down there about one year after Hurricane Katrina, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity-not building but tearing down the interior of the houses because of  all the damage from the hurricane.  That was one challenging time for me-J and I had just split and I was in search of myself. Cliche, right ?  Working in the 9th ward , shoveling out mud and muck,tearing down water soaked and bug infested insulation-all that made me so grateful for the life I had.  And fortunately for me,it only took me two years to find myself and my way back to J. Before I left New Orleans I wandered into the French Market  and found Cafe Du Monde and had my first powdery bite of a warm sweet beignet.  Someday I will take J there and enjoy a cafe au lait and beignet with my love.

Beignets 
Adapted from Allrecipes.com


Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F
/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees F). 
Add sugar, salt, eggs, evaporated milk, and blend well. 
Mix in 4 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. 
Add the shortening, and then the remaining 3 cups of flour. 
Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
Roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. 
Fry in 360 degree F (180 degrees C) hot oil. Your beignets should float to the surface of the oil within 8-12 seconds as an indication your oil is hot enough.
Drain onto paper towels.
Shake confectioners' sugar on hot beignets. Serve warm.

This dough keeps very well, up to 1 week in the refrigerator. If you get tired of eating beignets (which I can't even imagine) you can roll the dough out and make cinnamon rolls from it !

I think I'll have another beignet ,Bailey's and coffee  and a little more daydreaming......

Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.  ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Pistachios and Memories

Pistachios were always a treat growing up .  My mom loved them and got me addicted to them.  In those days the only way to buy pistachios was with Red Dye number something or other .  I grew up thinking pistachios were naturally red.  Of course I've learned the real story about red pistachios, but honestly,even with the crazy chemicals in the red dye I miss those stained red fingers, red lips and red teeth.  That was one treat you could never sneak a bite of, your fingers and lips gave you away immediately.  I rarely buy pistachios in their shell anymore-one of those childhood treats that has fallen by the wayside.  Now when I buy pistachios it's usually for something I'm baking.  After I saw these beautiful  Pistachio and Olive Oil Teacakes on White on Rice's  blog I found myself hurrying out to the grocery store to buy pistachios ! The original recipe for these was for a lovely bread found on the beautiful blog: Farm to Table Geek .

Want the recipe for the Pistachio Olive Oil Teacakes ?  Click here and visit WhiteOnRice.  I decided to add a little orange glaze to my tea cakes, it added just a little bit more moisture and really enhanced the taste of the pistachios.
Orange Glaze

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup powdered sugar

Mix the orange juice and powdered sugar until no lumps remain. Drizzle over the Pistachio cakes .