King Cake =D

Happy Mardi Gras Y'all!!!

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Stuck here at home in the frozen Midwest I could not resist making King Cake Mam Papaul's Mardi Gras King Cake Mix with Praline Filling, you can find them at World Market (probably a bunch more place this time of year) ...  

King cakes are a  sweetbread ring shaped cake filed with cream cheese, fruit or in this case praline decorated with purple (justice yellow (power) and green (faith)  colored sugar  with a little toy baby hidden beneath the cake - the person who finds the baby brings the next cake or hosts the next party. 

I have to say a bit more labor intensive than I recall.--- chalking it up to being old and out of shape  w   I totally need dough hooks for my stand mixer --- but TOTALLY worth it!

The mix comes with just about everything you need - just add hot water, butter and an egg,  and nuts are optional, but I highly recommend them  ---  I used walnuts, pecans would be great too =D

I made 2 small cakes so I could bring one to work and leave at home for the hubby. 

They turned out fairly well -- LOL ok so,  one fairly respectable mini king cake and a blog for Rob -ha!!   I am quite certain I should have flipped them so the pinched side was on the bottom  - but oh well  -  nothing icing and colorful sugar cannot hide  =)  

A medallion from the the Krewe of Iris parade  (far too  many years ago)  Named for the Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger to the Gods, the lovely krewe wears full-length masks and white gloves -awesome! 

smoky yellow split pea soup

this turned out SO good!   I it topped it with a little shredded  asiago cheese & served it with grilled Ham and Swiss on Rye to the hubby He was quite pleased  =) ...  after a long day of working in the cold - he had a second bowl, a second sandwich with a third bowl of soup and another 1/2 a bowl  - big man had a loonnnggg  cold day at work!!!

...so much for leftovers for lunch burring the week (note to self - double the recipe next time!).

the broth... 

4 smoked neck bones (about 1/2 lb)
8 cups of water
1 bay leaf
12 peppercorns
2 cloves of garlic
1 small carrot

the soup...  
1 large shallot (diced)
4 cloves of garlic (smashed & chopped)
1 pat of butter
1/4 cup red wine

6 cups of broth
16 oz yellow dried split peas (green is OK too - I just prefer the color of the yellow)
1 tablespoons dried parsley
dash of celery seed

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional- you can use a bit of water or mike instead)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup carrot (shredded diced or sliced - whatever you prefer)
2 tablespoons finely shredded spinach (optional)
1/3  cup diced ham
(optional) Salt and Pepper to taste

Simmer the neck bones, bay, peppercorns, garlic and carrot for a about 3 hours - resulting in a savory smoky broth...  Strain broth and set aside..  Use a fat separator to make it healthier...   I have a cheapy  4 -cup plastic one - hoping to get this sweet - made in the USA tempered glass one for my birthday =D

Brown shallot an onion in butter...   Deglaze pan with red wine...  Add 6 cups broth, peas, parsley and celery seed  - simmer for 40 min...    Mash up the peas with potato masher  or blend a bit with and  immersion blender....

Combine cornstarch and milk - add mix slowly to soup whole stirring....    Add carrots, spinach  and ham - low simmer 20 min longer.   Keep warm until ready to serve .  =)

eggcellent! Eggsact - Made in the USA

I like eggs scrambled, fried, egg-drop soup, frittata and hard-boiled, in salads and deviled eggs <YUM>   fortunately  I am pretty much incapable of cooking a perfect hard boiled egg...  once in a great while I get it right...   most of the time it takes  1 or 2 test eggs...  ugh!  wasting eggs totally annoys me...

oh but what joy - about a out a month ago while I was out doing a little gift shopping at at Bed Bath and Beyond when  I spotted the amazing  "Color Changing  Eggsact Eggtimer" proudly Made in the USA  - price $4.99 ...                                                    ... I recalled my sister me calling me (more than once perhaps) around Easter to ask me how to cook eggs - because I am such a great cook - or more likely because her first dozen eggs turned out to be a gooey gross  mess - as she trusted the instructions online & didn't test - her second batch following my advice & testing turned out better I assume lost another 1 or 2 test eggs  - ugh!!!                                         ... I scooped up 4 of them to purchase and wrapped then up for my sis, a friend and dad-in-law...   I hope that are as please as I am!    pretty sure sis and the kids will be  =)

about 10 min...   

of course, I got one for myself as well!  I followed the direction on the back, placed my timer and eggs in the pot and filled it with hot tap water, cooked em over a low boil while keeping a slightly watchful eye on them.  now, I prefer my eggs a tad past what most people call hard and so I waited until the entire thing turned purple and  scooped the eggs and timer out and placed them into a bowl to cool - and....     TA-DA!!!  PERFECT HARD-BOILED EGGS  =D

you need this!

now, I am not a kitchen gadget freak at all - basic only for the most part - this is a necessity! Even if you only make them a few times a year - pretty inexpensive and small - totally worth it and I suspect the fact this makes boiled eggs so easy and stress free - like me, you just might find yourself making them more often...   now if you have a cholesterol issue, please skip the yolks..  or maybe just have half?! 

Anyway, did you give or get any great Made in the USA gifts for the holidays?

And what is your favorite egg dish?


update 3/10/13 -  great blog about cooking eggs perfectly and peel EASY!