Show Me Some....Beignets??

Facebook is responsible for these beignets...these dirty, dirty little beignets.

The Butcher totally called me out on making something for Mardi Gras. To be honest, it hadn't even crossed my mind. I said I would make something with Nutella, considering that I had just gotten a new jar the night before. She said beignets. Keep it Cajun. 

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

M F'n Nutella Beignets

1 tsp. active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/3 cup + 2 tbs. + 1 tsp. evaporated milk

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tbs. shortening

oil for frying

1 jar Nutella

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add sugar, salt, egg, evaporated milk and blend well. Mix in 2 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Add shortening, and then the remaining 1 1/2 of flour. Mix until completely combined. Cover and chill in refrigerator for one hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about an 1/8 on an inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Fry in oil heated to medium high. Be sure to let oil heat up all the way before dropping dough. They will float to the top almost immediately. Fry to golden brown and transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Spoon a few heaping tablespoonfuls into a piping bag fitted with the smallest tip, or a sandwich bag with the corner cut off. Turn over beignets and poke a small hole big enough for tip and squeeze yummy Nutella into the doughnut, repeat with rest. Dust with powdered sugar. 

Love them.

Shit, marry 'em.

I would....

 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!

I have become Tessa's personal chef. I say chef, she says slave. This is her all time favorite dish that I make.

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. butter

1 tbs. oregano

1 tbs. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. thyme

salt and fresh ground pepper

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 of a red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves, minced

1 6.5 oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives

Place chicken breasts in a gallon size storage bag. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound out chicken until about 1/2 an inch thick. Lay out on cutting board and season with spices from oregano to salt and pepper. Set aside. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, melt butter and add 2 tbs. olive oil. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and salt. Saute until onions are tender. Add remaining ingredients, and cook until the feta somewhat melts. Remove from heat and let cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place about 2 tablespoonfuls of veggie mixture onto chicken and roll up, making sure to tuck in sides as you go. Secure with toothpicks. In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil. Sear chicken rolls until golden brown on each side, about 4-6 minutes. Place chicken in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Take out of oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting or serving.

I serve this over Basmati rice only because Basmati is just yummy. You could even serve it with pasta that has been tossed into a little olive oil and butter.

< Insert Clever Line About Kimchi Here >

I am no good at this blogging thing. I really need a secretary. Who wants to be my personal food blog slave?

I will pay you in food :)

Cucumber Kimchi

3-4 large English cucumbers

2 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. salt

5 cloves garlic

1 1/2 in. piece fresh ginger, peeled

1 dried red Thai chili

1/2 cup chili powder

2 tbs. soy sauce

1/4 cup water

Wash and dry the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2 inch quarter pieces. Toss cucumber with the sugar and the salt. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, strain the cucumbers and set aside. Place the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Toss with cucumbers. Cover and let sit in refrigerator 6 hours before eating.

Eat it up, bitches. 

How Do You Make an Apple Turnover?

Push it down a hill! Get it?! Heh.

Apparently I'm a slacker. Pffffft. Happy Birthday to my Butcher!! If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even be doing this. 

Also, I don't even like apple pie. But, my Daddy does. I got to spend last Christmas with him and I hadn't done that in almost 10 years. So, as the the good daughter I am, I made him one for Christmas.

BEST.DAUGHTER.EVER.

Apple Pie

2 rolled out frozen pie dough rounds

2 lbs. granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 lbs. honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

4 tsp. cornstarch

2 tbs. butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 egg, beaten with 1 tbs. milk

2 tsp. sugar

1 tbs. orange juice

Fold on pis dough round in half and carefully transfer to a pie dish. Unfold and ease into pan. Using kitchen scissors, trim the edge, leaving 3/4 of an inch to overhang. Set aside with other dough round. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, stir together apples, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cornstarch. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid has thickened and becomes glossy. Remove from heat, stir in orange juice and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, transfer to the dough lined pan. Dot with butter. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out second pie dough round to 12 inches. Cut the dough into 10 strips about 3/4 inch wide. Place five strips and weave the other five into the first five. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. To keep crust from browning too fast, spray tin foil with non-stick spray and wrap edges. Bake for 25 minutes, remove foil and bake another 35.

I had a bite, and it was pretty darn good even I do say so myself. I didn't get fancy with though. Maybe next time.