Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

• 6 cups stale bread


• 4 medium bananas, divided


• 4 eggs 3 egg yolks


• 1 1/2 cup milk


• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream


• 1 c brown sugar, divided


• 1/4 tsp kosher salt


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 1 1/2 tsp rum (or rum flavoring but why would you want to use that???)


• 1 tsp cinnamon, divided


• 2 TBS butter, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil.


2. In a small mixing bowl, combine 3 sliced bananas (about 2 cups) with 1 TBS melted butter. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon and then add them to the bananas and butter.


3. Gently toss to combine and spread on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bananas are fragrant and tender and the sugar is starting to bubble and caramelize. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.


4. While the bananas are caramelizing, use and electric hand mixer to combine the milk, whipping cream, egg yolks, eggs, vanilla, salt, remaining brown sugar, rum, and remaining cinnamon.


5. Spray a 9 x 13 dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread 1/2 of the bread cubes over the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread the caramelized bananas and brown sugar mixture and then slice one more banana over the caramelized bananas. Spread the remaining bread cubes over the bananas.


6. Whisk the egg mixture one last time and pour evenly over the bread cubes. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes (longer if possible), poling the break down into the mixture so it can soak in the milk and eggs.


7. Bake for 40-50 minutes until puffed and golden (but not brown) and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.


8. Serve with Creme Anglaise or buttermilk syrup and ice cream.

Buttermilk Syrup

This is to go with the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding but can used with pancakes and anything else your heart desires!

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 stick butter

2 TBS corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a very large pot (like one you would make soup in). Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cook stirring very frequently for 8-9 minutes. When it is done it will take on a luscious golden-brown color. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Marti Gras Gumbo

I have been trying to find a good gumbo recipe. Let's hope this is a keeper!

GUMBO

1/2 cup butter (8TBS), divided
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups white onion
4 tsp minced garlic
4 cups chicken stock
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBS Worcestershire
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 cups frozen sliced okra (I just may have to omit this, I don't like okra!)
6 TBS flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
1/2 pound small uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. In a large pot of dutch over melt 2 TBS of butter over med heat. Once butter is melted add bell pepper, onion, and celery and cook for about 5 min or until onion is soft. Add garlic to the veggies for the last minute of cooking.
2. Add the chicken stock, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire, parsley, okra, and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer.
3. While mixture is simmering add sliced sausage to a skilled and brown. Once browned, remove sausage from pan with a slotted spoon and add to chicken stock mixture.
4. Discard remaining sausage drippings from pan then melt 6 TBS of butter int he pan. Once melted, add 6 TBS flour and whisk until roux is incorporated. Continue cooking 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly until roux becomes a caramel color. Be careful not to burn but the darker the roux the deep the flavor.
5. Add the roux to the chicken stock mixture and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat; add the chicken and simmer. At this point the gumbo is ready to eat but you can let it simmer 1-2 hrs to let the flavors meld even more if you wish. Add shrimp right before serving.
6. Serve with a scoop of rice or over rice.

*You can use file powder instead of okra to thicken and flavor this gumbo. Just add 2-3 TBS to the pot at the same time you add the shrimp before stirring.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

This one just looks interesting to me. . . .

SALTINE CRACKER TOFFEE

40 salted saltine crackers or enough to line your pan (jelly roll pan)
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional, but who wouldn't want them?)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with saltine crackers in a single layer.

In a small pot combine sugar and butter and bring to a boil. Once mixture is at a boil, continue boiling for 3 minutes. Mixture should be a deep caramel color. Immediately pour over saltines and spread over crackers completely.

Bake at 400 degrees 5-6 minutes. It will get all bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let sit a couple of minutes to melt. Sometimes I melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute then spread it on. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts if desired. Coll completely and break into pieces.

Peanut Butter Brownies!

Bid sent me this recipe. WE have yet to make them though. I don't know why not because everything I crave anymore is chocolate or peanut butter. Hopefully they are good! But really, why wouldn't they be??

Brownies

1 cup of butter (2 sticks, no substitutions)
1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) jar peanut butter

Fudge Frosting

1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup whole milk (no substitutions)
10 large marshmallows
1/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

Directions

Brownies

1. Melt 1 cup butter and 1/3 cup cocoa in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts, stirring constantly.
2. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
3. Combine sugar, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
4. Slowly add chocolate mixture and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended. Do not overbeat.
6. Spread mixture into a greased 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan. (Note: Any other pan could result in dry brownies, undercooked brownies or the mixture overflowing the pan. You can find jellyroll pans at Bed, Bath & Beyond or Williams-Sonoma.)
7. Bake in 350-degree oven for 25–30 minutes. Every oven is different, so I recommend inserting a toothpick in the middle of the brownies and making sure it comes out clean. If not, cook one minute at a time until done. Don’t overcook.

Peanut Butter Topping

1. Spoon mounds of peanut butter across the top of the hot brownies. As peanut butter begins to soften and melt, gently spread evenly across the top of the hot brownies.
2. Let cool completely, and then chill for 30 minutes until peanut butter sets up firm.

Fudge Frosting

1. Cook 1 stick of butter, milk and marshmallows in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until marshmallows melt.
2. Remove pan from heat and gradually sift in 1/4 cup cocoa, beating with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
3. Sift powdered sugar and gradually stir into cocoa mixture with hand mixer until smooth.
4. Spread frosting over peanut butter; place back in fridge and chill at least another 20 minutes so fudge frosting will set.
5. If not serving immediately, cover with foil and keep in fridge.
6. To serve, trim off all of the edges of the brownies. Cut into small squares (these are very rich). Optional: Garnish each piece with 1/4 of a miniature peanut butter cup. Best served at room temperature.

Creamy Lime-cilantro Ranch Dressing

I made this to go on top of the Southwestern shrimp tacos, and it was yummy. BUT CAUTION.... It will give you some serious garlic breath. :)

1 package (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

ignore directions on the packet

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup milk

1 lime

2 cloves garlic roughly chopped

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup green salsa

hot sauce

This is so easy..... Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2 T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend it up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.