Paula's Chocolate Pecan Cobbler.

This one should close out the Paula Deen homage for a while. I haven't made this one yet, but plan to soon, and maybe even for Thanksgiving!

Chocolate Pecan Cobbler

6 tablespoons butter
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 4 tablespoons
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup toffee bits
1-1/2 cups boiling water
Caramel Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Ice cream and chopped pecans, for serving

Caramel Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons caramel syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the butter in an 8 by 8-inch baking dish and put the dish in the oven until butter is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and set aside. In a medium bowl combine 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, and 2 tablespoons cocoa. Add the milk and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Pour over the melted butter in the baking dish. In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of sugar, remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa, the pecans, and toffee bits; sprinkle evenly over the sugar mixture. Slowly pour boiling water over top of the cobbler. Bake until top of the cobbler looks set, about 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with Caramel Whipped Cream, ice cream and pecans, if desired.

To make the Caramel Whipped Cream:

Combine the cream and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with a whisk or beater until soft peaks form. Add the caramel syrup, and lightly fold together.

Cheesy Shrimp & Wild Rice Casserole

I saw this one on the same episode of Paula Deen as the cheddar cheese soup. It's also ridiculously good, and easy to make. I made a few adaptations from the original recipe, and also skipped the baking part altogether.

Cheesy Shrimp & Wild Rice Casserole

1 package wild rice (I use Zatarain's or Uncle Ben's.)
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 12 oz. bag frozen seasoning blend (onion, green pepper, celery)
3 TBSP butter
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and divined (I used frozen.)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Cook the rice according to package directions, minus 1/4 cup water.

Heat the butter in saucepan and saute the seasoning blend until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the frozen cooked shrimp and simmer until heated through. Add the rice to the shrimp mixture, then the soup and combine well. Finally, add the cheese and combine everything together well. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Serve with a crusty french bread.

Cheddar Cheese Soup.

I saw this on an old episode of Paula Deen's show yesterday. I made it today. It's amazingly good and SOOO simple. Maybe 15 minutes from start to eating! I changed a few things for my version.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

The bottom 3 inches of five green onions, chopped
2 ounce jar of pimentos
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock (Kitchen Basics brand preferably, or homemade)
2 cups half & half
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

1/4 cup green onions tops, chopped for garnish

In a large saucepan, saute onion and pimento in butter for 5 to 7 minutes. Blend in flour, then cook over medium low heat for about three minutes, until the flour just begins to brown and emit a nutty aroma. Add stock, then half & half. Cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir until melted, then remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne if desired. Garnish with remaining green onions.

Serve with a warm, crusty bread.

Praline Banana Nut Bread.

Praline Banana Nut Bread

Praline Topping:

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup butter

¾ cup walnut pieces

Spray your bread pan with nonstick spray. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Allow it to come to a boil continuing to stir. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nuts. Spread topping in your prepared loaf pan. Set aside to cool.

Bread:

2 eggs beaten

½ cup melted butter

1/3 cup buttermilk or cream

1 full cup mashed bananas

1½ cups dark brown sugar

1¾ cups all purpose unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend together the bananas, eggs, buttermilk and butter. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the banana mixture. Stir in the walnuts. Mix well. Pour over praline topping. Bake one hour and check with cake tester to see if done. If comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, continue baking in 10 minute increments and checking with tester. When done, allow to cool in pan 15 minutes. Place a platter over the bread pan and invert the bread pan onto the platter. Let stand for about 5 minutes and then gently lift the bread pan off the loaf of bread. Don’t panic if some of the topping adheres to the pan. Simply scoop it out with a spatula and pat into place on the bread. It will set quite nicely.

Optional toppings:

(Proceed with banana bread recipe omitting the praline topping. When cool, top with one of the following. Also very, very good!)

Nutella Glaze:

1 tablespoon Nutella

1 tablespoon milk or cream

1 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted

Whisk ingredients until smooth and drizzle on top of banana bread.

Banana Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese softened

1 tablespoon butter softened

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar sifted

1 banana mashed

½ teaspoon vanilla

Blend ingredients in mixer til smooth. Add more confectioners’ sugar if needed to stiffen frosting. Frost the bread. 

Tiramisu Martini.

This is my new holiday cocktail this year! Saw it raved about on a Carnival Cruise message board. I know what I'll be drinking on next year's cruise.....

Tiramisu Martini 

1.5 oz. Malibu coconut rum
1 oz. Irish cream or Cask & Cream
.5 oz. Frangelico
.5 oz. peach schnapps
.5 oz. butterscotch schnapps
.5 oz. Kahlua
.5 oz. amaretto

Shake together well and serve over ice. (Add a little half & half if you need to mellow it, add a little vanilla vodka to ramp it up even more!)

Grits Casserole.

1 cups grits (not instant)
2 cups water
2 cups milk

Cook grits in milk & water per package instructions.

1 pound sausage, cooked, drained, & crumbled
1/2 stick butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix cooked grits with all other ingredients and bake in 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Drunken Beans.

1 pound dried pinto beans rinsed and picked over
8-ounces chorizo sausage, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
5 cups water
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark Mexican beer
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
Salt
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Place the beans and water in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.Drain the beans. Clean and dry the pot. Cook the sausage in the Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the drained beans, 5 cups water and beer and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the beans are just soft, about 1 hour. Stir in the brown sugar, chipotles and 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the beans are completely tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 50 minutes longer. Add the browned sausage to the pot and simmer until the sausage is tender, about 10 minutes. (If the mixture becomes too thick, add water until the mixture reaches the desired consistency.) Stir in the cilantro and lime juice and season with salt to taste. Serve. (The beans can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.)

Green Deviled Eggs.

Green Deviled Eggs

6 eggs, hard boiled, cooled & peeled
2-3 TBSP mayo
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp finely chopped chives, plus more to sprinkle on top
1 TBSP finely chopped celery
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine egg yolks with all ingredients, then spoon back into white halves. Sprinkle with chopped chives.