Love of Pralines!

Howdy!

This weekend summer decided to have one more hot day before giving in to winter. The air was thick, sticky and just plain hot! Naturally this made me think of New Orleans. I couldn't help but remember wandering those packed streets, listening to jazz and stopping to take a peek in every unique shop. One in particular had pieces of pralines to try. So creamy and perfect bites filled with pecan flavor. I'm sure the cashier noticed as I would casually pass by the tray while I perused. Missing this delish staple of New Orleans, I went to my Damn Good Sweet cookbook for a simple praline recipe and it was simply delicious. 

To start I melted butter, cream, brown and white sugar together until they reached 220 degrees. Then I folded in the pecans and turned off the heat. Next I spooned out about 2 tablespoons per praline onto a baking sheet. 

I did not have any parchment paper, so tin foil had to do. *Just be sure to use something or your pralines will stick to the pans like glue! They did get a little messy, in the future I would want to use something to shape them into more perfect circles. I wondered how Aunt Sally's did it. They had achieved praline perfection! 

It did not take long for them to cool down and stiffen. Craig did try to pick at them before hand lol! I was surprised that they were ready to serve so quickly. I peeled one off the tray and took a bite...YUM! These pralines turned out pretty well, maybe a bit too sugary but each bite took me back to NOLA. Sweet with a bit of pecan crunch. They were not as creamy as I imagined but I think that might require more cook time or more cream. Either way I found another way to eat pecans and reminisce he he! Now this hot day didn't seem so bad.

I am definitely coming back to this sweets cookbook soon!

Thanks, Bunny

Hummingbird Cake

Happy Easter! 

This year I wanted to make something truly delicious for my family and had seen a recipe for Hummingbird Cake on MyRecipes. Turns out that this is a really popular cake and it seemed so interesting that I wanted to taste it for myself. I didn't do a play-by-play for you...I thought about it but for once it was nice to really focus on making the cake. It was just me and my mixer! The recipe included some different ingredients like bananas and pineapple...which I had never thought about adding to cake batter. 

As I suspected it was the most delicious, mouthwatering, sweet and savory, home-made cake I have ever had! It smelled like banana-nut bread and tasted like a dream...a carrot cake/banana-nut bread hybrid of pure yum! The cream cheese frosting paired well, giving it a little extra sweetness. The pineapple was not overwhelming either and the pecan...OMG the pecans!  I had to literally stop myself from consuming the whole thing. Here is the recipe from MyRecipes.com  and their link! 

Ingredients/Directions:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 11/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 2 cups chopped bananas
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Shortening
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and 1 cup chopped toasted pecans. Spoon batter into 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes our clean. 

Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup Cream Cheese Frosting over cake layer. Top with second layer, and spread 1 cup frosting over cake layer. Top with third cake layer, and spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Arrange toasted pecan halves in a circular pattern over top of cake.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hummingbird-cake-0 

You should definitely make this cake!! 

-Bunny