King Cake

 I made my first King Cake tonight (two actually, because that's how many the recipe made, though they are probably equal to one large grocery store cake).  I used this recipe from all recipe.  The only adjustments I made was that I doubled the icing recipe to cover both cakes, and I skipped the raisins and did a little over a cup of chopped pecans instead.

 It's freezing, so my rise wasn't quite what I wanted, but check out that filling peeking out!

 For the sake of a photo, I cut one in two so I could see the inside.  I may or may not have already had a slice.

The rest is traveling with work with me tomorrow to pass out.  No beads.  No babies.  Maybe next year!

King Cake Done Easy....and Delicious

Last year the leadership team decided to serve king cake via a cart in the hall (someone had given me a bunch of beads that we wanted to pass out, and the ideas was born).  The thing about a king cake is it can be kind of dry....at least in North Texas.  So, the counselor and I found this recipe for an easy sounding cake and let me tell you, not only was in easy to throw together, we had so many people stop us and tell us how delicious and moist it was...this happened over and over again, so I'm not the only one who took this ever important poll.  The original recipe is from plainchicken, we only made one change-we bought additional icing to throw on top.

Ingredients
2 cans (12.4 oz) of canned cinnamon rolls, 8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened), 2/3 c. sugar, 2 eggs, 1 t. vanilla, 1 c. milk, purple, green, and yellow sprinkles, cream cheese icing (if you want)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 pan.
2.  Cut each roll into 1/4s.  Place in the bottom of the pan.  Set the icing aside.
3.  Beat cream cheese and sugar.  DON'T skip this step or you will get a strange beaded consistency that will taste well, but look strange.
4.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  Pour over the cinnamon roll pieces.
5.  Bake 35 minutes.  Let cook 5 minutes and then pour icing over the top.  We added about half a can of additional cream cheese frosting from a jar.  Sprinkle and serve.

Mardi Gras Wreath

 I put this wreath together at the last minute last year for Mardi Gras.

 I covered a simple foam wreath with tissue paper....

 ...and then I wrapped beads around the entire thing.  I know if you attend any of the parades this should be really affordable.  I ran down to a local party supply store and bought beads with some varying textures.

I added a bow and a little mask and it was ready to party.

Last Minute Mini King Cakes

 I made these last minute king cakes last year.  I created this free printable you can download here.  To put these together I bought a can of cinnamon rolls.  I unrolled them, stacked two together and then simply twisted them into a circle until they formed little knots.  You could also just twist the two together and wrap them in the traditional circle with the hole in the middle.

I baked them as the can instructed, added icing and sprinkles.  The icing hardens so you are able to bag these up.  I put little babies in each bag, but you could also just place the baby in one if you want just ONE king for the day.  Super simple, and everything is better in mini!

Make a Mardi Gras Party Hat

I was inspired to make some mini Mardi Gras party hats after seeing these little guys on sale at little boutique throughtout New Orleans on my last visit.  Here's a video tutorial...

Alligator Cookies

 I made these cookies last year in honor of Mardi Gras.  I realize that Mardi Gras is celebrated all over, but New Orleans has a pretty big draw this time of year....and Louisiana=alligators...right?  I originally saw this idea here.  These are really easy to put together.

I dipped some nutter butters in melted green chocolate, added these eyeballs I found in the cake section (I've also made my own before), and some white chocolate teeth.

Mardi Gras Beads

I'm headed to Good Morning, Texas today to do two different segments-beads and food.  The task given to be for the beads was to revamp some traditional beads.  The second segment is food.  I'll post both later to facebook.
I found these glass beads at Michael's.  Full price they are 99 cents.  They come in different sizes, and it took me 3 strands (so three dollars), plus some ribbon, fastenings, and wire.

I twisted the wire around one of these round jewelry jump rings.  Then I looped a piece of ribbon through it.

On the second side I put one of these larger findings.  This is what I use to tie a ribbon to to 'open' and 'close' my necklace.  I bought all of these at Hobby Lobby awhile ago-they have them half off quite frequently, but you can find them in any craft store in the jewelry section.

I also made a 'chunky' necklace out of traditional beads.  I took six strands of the cheap beads you snag at parades.

 I used some wire to tie them all together.

I snipped the ends.

 I braided this loosely and then used another wire to hold the loose ends together.
To both sides I added a jump hoop again.

I strung ribbon through both sides (and hot glued a fold to hold onto the hoops) and then this particular necklace ties in the back.
Last in the bead line up is this bracelet, also using traditional beads from parades.  I posted that tutorial on Monday.

Mardi Gras Bead Bracelet

 I'm taking 6 Mardi Gras themed crafts to Good Morning, Texas tomorrow.  The first three crafts were 'bead' related. Here's one idea for a festive bracelet/or...a way to recycle those beads.    I saw the idea  at peaches first.  It's so much easier than I even anticipated.  I got some beads, some of these bracelets from Hobby Lobby's jewelry making section (2 dollars for three at full price-I used a coupon).

 I glued the beads around the outside of the bracelet.  I then took some ribbon (a buck) and wrapped it between the spaces between each bead.

 I tied a bow with both of the dangling ends.

 I then added some gold beads to some wire (they also sell gold wire) and I wrapped the wire around the ribbon putting two or three beads on each time I wrapped it around.

How cute would this be with a little stack of mix and match bracelets? This cost me well under a dollar a bracelet.

Pralines

Mardi Gras is right around the corner....and I'm always looking for an excuse to make pralines.  For the record, "it's Monday" is a fair enough reason.  Last year I discovered this recipe via sweetbakes and it has to be my favorite.  Firs, it worked the first time (I've had some runny, sticky...delicious messes in the past).  It's a soft version....all my filings are still in place.  And....really, I've never met a bad praline, but this is the unbaddest of the bunch.  So...if it's Monday in your house, or you want to throw together a great dish to celebrate Mardi Gras....I recommend this one!

PRALINE RECIPE

PRINT HERE

Ingredients:  1 c. chopped pecans, 1 c. packed brown sugar, 1/2 c. whipping cream, 1/4 c. butter, 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 teas. vanilla
Instructions:  
1.  Heat oven to 350.  Cook the chopped pecans on a pan for 8-10 minutes until they are toasted and fragrant.
2.  In a saucepan bring the brown sugar, whipping cream, and butter to a boil over med-high heat. Stir constantly.  Boil for 1 full minutes.
3.  Remove from heat, whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
4.  Fold in pecans.  Let it cool until it's thickened.
5.  Line the baking sheet with wax paper.
6.  Spoon into 12 large or 24 small lumps.  Let it cool at least 30 minutes.  They should be holding their shape and firm to the touch before you remove them.

Praline Cookies

I made these cookies last summer.  The one thing that is pretty easy to find in Texas are pecans....we even claim it as the official state tree.  So, I always have some on hand.  I saw this recipe at plainchicken-pretty basic ingredients, and it was really tasty-they really do taste like a praline cookie.  Go figure?  I've tried enough recipes out in my time to be a skeptic, but this one....I'll keep.  Pecans=Texas, but we let Louisiana borrow them (fine they have their own trees) because they make really delicious candy called pralines which are a carameling/pecany bite of heaven.  Mardi Gras is not too far off, so here's another recipe I'm adding to my collection!
Praline Cookies
Ingredients:  1/2 c. butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar (packed), 1/2 c. sugar, 1 egg, 1 1/2 c. flour, 1 1/2 t. vanilla, 1 1/2 c. chopped pecans, powdered sugar
Instructions:  Melt butter and mix all but the nuts and powdered sugar.  Add nuts.  Make into 24 balls.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Cool for two minutes and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Eat.  Repeat.
I've started a board for other Mardi Gras recipes and pins here.

Mini King Cakes

 Soooooo.....I've tried just about every other version of a King's Cake I can think of, including cupcakes (of course).  Last year, I saw the idea for making mini king cakes on plainchicken's blog.  The only thing I love as much as food in cupcake form....is mini food!  In additional to it being cute (which is all that really matters), these were super easy to make. 

Mini King Cake Recipe

Ingredients:  1 loaf of refrigerated french bread dough, 3 T butter (softened), 1/4 c. sugar, 1 T cinnamon
1 c. powdered sugar, 4 t. milk, 1/2 t. vanilla, colored sugar (purple, green, and yellow)
Instructions:  Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Unroll dough.

 Brush the dough with melted butter.  Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the buttered dough.

 Cut dough into 1 inch strips.  Twist two together.

 Tie in a loose knot. 

 Bake 25 minutes. 

 Cool.  Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Dip each knot into icing and sprinkle with sugar.  I hid a baby under one of these so someone else can invent a knew king cake recipe next time!

Cajun Rice Delight...That Cooks Itself

I'm always torn over the summer because I have time during the day that actually allows me to cook, but on the other hand, it's approximately 1,234 degrees outside, and the last thing I want to do is turn on an oven, so.....thus begins a hunt through recipes I've saved, filed, planned out that don't actually require baking.  Sure, there are a plethora of crockpot recipes out there, but I'm saving those for the winter months when I'm not home to cook, enter....skillet meals.  In particular, this meal was great because it literally cooks itself once you toss it in a pan.  I had this ragged little strip of paper I had pulled from who knows what source (I'm thinking someone at work), and it was a good recipe, but most importantly, it didn't heat my house, and it actually took very little cooking.  I had precut the veggies the night before, so it was a matter of a few measurements and it was ready to go.  This was a great 'basic' Cajun rice meal, and I think it's all in the seasoning.  I skipped the hot sauce the recipe calls for and add more salty type seasonings, but that's because I have a unhealthy love for salt thanks to all the running.  OK....and without further ado..an easy dinner idea....
Cajun Rice Delight Recipe
Ingredients:  1 c. extra long grain rice, 8 oz smoked link sausage (sliced...I doubled mine b/c that is how much was in the pkg), 1/2 c. onion (chopped), 1/2 c. green pepper (chopped), 2 c. okra (I skipped this), 16 oz. canned whole tomatoes (I chopped mine into fourths and I drained the juice from the can, but I did let some of the juice from the innards plop into the pan), 10 3/4 oz can chicken broth, 2 c. water, 1 t. sage, 1 t. hot sauce (skipped this), salt and pepper to taste. 
Instructions:  In a large pan, combine all the ingredients (uncooked at this point except the sausage which comes pre-cooked).  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid and simmer an additional 10 minutes (or until the water has evaporated and the rice looks ready to go). 
Serves 6

Lent: Prayer Pretzels

I know pretzels are sort of the 'lent' food.  This is a little history I found about 'the Lenten pretzels.'  Due to dietary restrictions the recipe that originally created these met all those criterias, and the shape is a traditional arm's prayer stance.  I figured today was the day to try out this recipe I found at Gooseberry Patch for the 'best' pretzels ever, and I've been wanting to try out my own version after my trip to Germany...not that I haven't had pretzels MANY times before...or after my trip, but I never thought about making my own until I went on a quest to mimic foods I ate in Europe.  This recipe is really easy, and really delicious.  I don't have my 'arm fold' quite up to par, but I made smaller pretzels, so I'm blaming this on my twisting technique.  They taste great any way you twist it! 
Soft Pretezel Recipe:
Ingredients: 
1 envelope of active dry yeast, 1 1/2 c. warm water (110 degrees-I used milk), 1 T. sugar, 2 t. salt, 4 c. flour, 1 egg yolk, 1 T. water, 1/4 c. kosher salt. 
Instructions: 
1.  Mix yeast with water. 
2.  Stir in sugar and salt until dissolved.
3.  Add flour, mix well.  Turn on floured surface.  Knead 5 minutes. 
4.  Divde in to 16 pieces, and roll each out like a fat worm.  Twist twice.

5.  Fold the loose ends back.  Place on a greased baking sheet.

6.  Brush with egg wash/water mix, and sprinkle with kosher salt (you can also make sweet pretzels by sprinkling these with cinnamon/sugar). 
7.  Bake at 425 for 25-20 minutes, until golden.