Dulce de Leche-Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding

This was SOOOOO good!  Ask one of my neighbors.  I shared some with her :)  This was a great find in the March 2013 issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine.  I love bananas.  And bread pudding.  And dulce de leche...and it was a winner, indeed.  I didn't even have ice cream to serve with it, but I should have.  It would have been over the top!  Enjoy!

Dulce de Leche-Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 loaf (14 to 16 oz) challah or brioche
• 1 cup store-bought dulce de leche (I used La Lechera canned)
• 1 pinch salt (I just used my sea salt grinder and did a pinch on each piece)
• 1 very ripe large banana, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups plus 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Coat an 8-inch glass baking dish with 1 Tbsp butter.  Trim the ends off the bread load, then slice the loaf crosswise into 10 slices, about 3/4 inch thick.  Using 1/2 cup dulce de leche, spread a thin layer on half of the bread slices.  Sprinkle with the salt; top with the banana slices.  Sprinkle one-third of the chocolate on top, then cover with the remaining bread slices to form sandwiches.  Cut each sandwich into 3 triangles.  Arrange the pieces in the prepared dish, placing some flat and others on their crust edge to create a craggy top.  (Really squish them all in there and create more sandwiches if needed)  Sprinkle the remaining chocolate over the bread.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.  Whisk in 2 cups milk and the vanilla.  Pour the milk mixture over the bread in the dish.  Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter and drizzle over the top.  Let stand for 1 hour or chill for up to 12 hours.  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  Bake the bread pudding until it puffs up and is springy in the center, 45 to 55 minutes (if the bread pudding was chilled, bake for an extra 5 to 10 minutes).  Let cool for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup dulce de leche with the remaining 3 tbsp milk over medium heat until smooth and beginning to bubble, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a small pitcher.  Cut the bread pudding into squares or scoop it with a spoon.  Serve in bowls with ice cream and the dulce de leche sauce.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Okay.  If you don't love this recipe, I seriously think there might be something wrong with you!  Just kidding.  But it IS good.  Gumbo is a dish that originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. It typically consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and seasoning vegetables, which can include celery, bell peppers and onions (a trio known in Cajun cuisine as the "holy trinity"). Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used: the African vegetable okra, the Choctaw spice filé powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves), or roux, the French base made of flour and fat. Several different varieties exist. In New Orleans, what is known as Creole gumbo generally contains shellfish. Cajun gumbo varies greatly, but often has a dark roux with either shellfish or fowl, but not together. The dish combines ingredients and culinary practices of several cultures, including French, Spanish, German, West African, and Choctaw and it is the official dish of the state of Louisiana.  This dish also hails from Emeril Lagasse's Louisiana: Real and Rustic cookbook.  Emeril states "This chicken and sausage gumbo is dark and sultry.  It is favored by the prairie Acadians who live in Evangeline and Acadia parishes.  They celebrate Mardi Gras by gathering the ingredients on horseback.  They gallop from farmhouse to farmhouse, then rendezvous back in town to cook this gumbo.  Serve it with steamed rice."  I didn't share this dish at the potluck.  My family got to savor every bit.  Although I DO love a good seafood gumbo, I chose to grab some fresh andouille at Central Market, cook it up, and use it for this dish.  And I cheated on the roux a bit....you can make it according to the recipe, which takes some time and patience, or use a pre-made roux such as Kary's Roux.  Out of the ones I have tried, this one is the one that I like best.  I like a nice, dark roux.  Whichever route you choose to take, I'm sure it will be delicious!  Enjoy!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup flour 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices (or fresh andouille, cooked, and then sliced)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 cups water
• 1 pound boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon Rustic Rub (see below)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon filé powder
• Cooked rice

Combine the oil and flour in a large cast-iron or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat.  Stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.  (Or use 1/2 jar of the pre-made roux and slowly dissolve it into the water).  If using the pre-made roux, in a separate skillet, add the onions, celery, and bell peppers into a small amount of vegetable oil and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted.  If making the roux from scratch, add the vegetables directly to the roux.  Add the vegetables to the pot of water and roux.  Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves.  Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the water (if haven't done so already).  Stir until the roux mixture and water are well combined.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.  Season the chicken with the rub and add to the pot. Simmer for 2 hours.  Skim off any fat that rises to the surface.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the parsley, green onions, and filé powder.  Remove the bay leaves and serve in deep bowls with a scoop of rice on top.

*Rustic Rub is one of Emeril's blends of spices.  You can probably find it in a bottle in the grocery store or even find the recipe online to make it yourself.  It is a mixture of paprika, cayenne, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, dried oregano, and dried thyme.

Shrimp Étouffée

What is étouffée, you say?  Étouffée is simply a term that means "damn, that's good."  In all seriousness, it simply means smothered.  Pronounced ay-TOO-fay, it is a dish that is customarily found in Cajun and Creole cuisine that typically includes shellfish and served over rice.  Originally étouffée was a popular dish in the Bayou and backwaters of Louisiana. Approximately 70 years ago étouffée was introduced to restaurant goers in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. It was a very popular dish among Cajuns in the area.  The difference between Cajun and Creole is a whole other story.... Okay, okay.  I'll tell you.  Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles (French-speakers from Acadia in what are now the Canadian Maritimes). Today, the Cajuns make up a significant portion of south Louisiana's population, and have exerted an enormous impact on the state's culture.  While Lower Louisiana had been settled by French colonists since the late 17th century, the Cajuns trace their roots to the influx of Acadian settlers after the Great Expulsion from their homeland during the French and Indian War (1754 to 1763). The Acadia region to which modern Cajuns trace their origin consisted largely of what are now New Brunswick and the other Maritime provinces, plus parts of eastern Quebec and northern Maine. Since their establishment in Louisiana the Cajuns have developed their own dialect, Cajun French, and developed a vibrant culture including folkways, music, and cuisine.  Creoles? Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the early French settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World.  Okay, okay...enough of that seriousness and history lessons.  Back to what you really came here for....the FOOD!!  I typically LOVE to make crawfish étouffée, but recently for a Mardi Gras potluck at work, a coworker has an anaphylactic reaction to crawfish :( so I made shrimp étouffée instead.  No picture, sadly.  It was that good.  Gone too quick!  I can't take credit for this recipe.  This comes straight from Emeril Lagasse from his book Louisiana: Real and Rustic.  No need to wait for Mardi Gras next year to make this. Start now!  Enjoy!!

Shrimp Étouffée

• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter
• 4 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped green bell peppers
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons (or more) chopped garlic
• 2 pounds medium shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 large dried bay leaf (optional)
• Cooked rice

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the shrimp, salt, and cayenne and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink.  Dissolve the flour in the water and add to the shrimp mixture.  Stir until the mixture thickens slightly.  If using, add the bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the parsley and green onions.  Stir and cook for about 2 minutes more.  Serve right away over rice.

Pumpkin Dip

I am a pumpkin NUT!  Okay, so they say the first step is admitting the problem.  Step one complete!  I love this time of year because I love pumpkin and nothing says autumn like pumpkin.  Okay, apples say autumn too.  And squash.... Ok, I'll stop :)  Anywho, one of my most favorite things to just snack on all day long or have at a party is this Pumpkin Dip.  It's almost exactly like eating the filling of a pumpkin pie.  And you can serve it with thin gingersnaps, sliced apples, baked pieces of pie crust that are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, graham crackers, sugar cookies,....etc etc.  Your imagination is the limit!!  Speaking of limits, I have seen MANY versions of this recipe.  I first had it at Cost Plus World Market (LOVE that place!), and I've seen a recipe on the Pampered Chef website, Pinterest...you name it.  You can tweak this recipe any way that you want it.  You can add some sour cream, or Cool Whip, or just use cinnamon, or add vanilla extract, or use yogurt, or Greek yogurt, or add some praline syrup to it...okay now I'm just getting out of control!!  I'm sure my sister can even suggest a gluten-free, preservative-free version to make. ;) Whatever you do to it, I'm sure it will be DIVINE!  But here is a great place for you to start :)  Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Dip

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel, a reduced-fat version)
• 1 15-oz can pure pumpkin
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

In a medium sized bowl, whip the cream cheese.  Add all other ingredients.  Stir well.  Dip apple slices, gingersnaps, baked pieces of pie crust, graham crackers, etc into the dip for a delicious snack or dessert!

Bratwurst and German Fried Potato Hash

I had another moment of genius.  No, seriously...I know it's hard to believe but I honestly actually did.  Four people in the house and only 3 Bratwurst links.  What the heck was I supposed to do?!?  I had originally planned to do some German fried potatoes that I hadn't done in a long time so I had some bacon, and onion, and a bag of red potatoes.  I've become a new fan of hash over the past year and my mind instantly ran to hash!  Take the Bratwursts out of the casing and make a hash out of it!!  GENIUS!!  That's the great thing about hashes...your mind is the limit.  I typically top a hash with a fried egg.  I don't know if that's the norm, but that's what I did here, and with every other hash that I make.  On a side note, the dish went great with a Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale and everything was reminiscent of a nice Oktoberfest.  Hope it makes the German side of my family proud!  Enjoy!

Bratwurst and German Fried Potato Hash

• 3 links of raw Bratwurst
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 pound bacon, uncooked
• 2-3 pounds small red potatoes
• eggs cooked to order

In a large pot of water, boil the potatoes, with skins on, until a fork inserts easily with slight resistance. Drain and allow to cool.  Cut each slice of bacon into four pieces.  In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon on one side.  When you flip over the bacon, add the chopped onion.  Meanwhile, in another skillet, slide the bratwursts out of the casings and fry up in a skillet, breaking it into pieces as it cooks. Drain when completely cooked. Cut the cooled potatoes into quarters, then place into the skillet with the onions and bacon.  Toss gently.  Add the cooked bratwurst crumbles and toss gently again.  Allow to cook over medium heat until the potatoes are browned to your desire.  Cook eggs to order and place on top of a pile of the potato mixture.

Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken

I am KNOWN for my hot spinach artichoke dip.  Seriously....I would take it to potlucks at work and would need to make a quadruple recipe and it would still be gone in 15-30 minutes.  I actually got the idea from Pinterest to make it into a baked pasta dish.  WHY have I not thought of this before?? Unbelievable.... Anywho, I had the ingredients to make the dip and didn't make it for something that I had planned so guess what was on the menu this week for dinner?  Yep!  You guessed it!  And if by chance you were wanting the dip recipe, all you need to do is omit the chicken and the pasta from the recipe and make your own bad-ass-perpetually-requested dip.  I do HIGHLY recommend using the frozen artichoke hearts and here's why....the canned version are usually in a brine with an acid of some kind and it affects the flavor of the dish.  Even thoroughly washing it doesn't take everything away. The frozen artichoke hearts might be the most difficult thing to find for this dish but I promise it is WELL worth the hunt.  Enjoy!

Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel or the reduced fat version)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip...the real thing)
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed (I always end up adding more)
• 1 small box of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, drained, and chopped
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 large cooked chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 a box of Penne pasta

Preheat oven to 350F.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to directions until al dente. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl.  Mix well.  Press garlic into bowl and add artichokes, spinach, parmesan cheese, green onions, black pepper, and red bell pepper into bowl.  Mix well.  Add chopped cooked chicken breast to mixture.  Once pasta is done, combine spinach artichoke mixture with drained pasta. Gently toss to combine until all pasta is evenly distributed.  Place in a casserole dish that was greased with non-stick spray.  Place, uncovered, in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Heavenly, Reduced-Fat Banana Pudding

You may be asking yourself HOW can the words "heavenly" and "reduced-fat" be in the same sentence as banana pudding.  Well, I'm telling you...they CAN!  And you won't want to miss this.  It does not, I repeat, DOES NOT taste like it is reduced-fat.  But keep that in mind as you go back for seconds and wrap your lips around this delicious morsel.  You won't be able to help yourself...I promise.  Making this recipe reduced-fat was actually pretty easy.  It's all a matter of switching out the ingredients for a light, fat-free, or even sugar-free version.  And no one will be the wiser...it is that decadent!  Enjoy!

Heavenly Reduced-Fat Banana Pudding

• Reduced fat Nilla Wafers
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 small package sugar free, fat free instant vanilla pudding
• 1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 1 8-oz package Cool Whip Lite

Line a dish with Nilla wafers.  Prepare pudding according to package directions, except use 1/2 cup less milk so it is not too runny. (I typically use 1% milk) Mix remaining ingredients with the prepared pudding.  Fold in the bananas.  Pour over the wafers and chill until ready to serve.

*You can alternately layer the banana slices on top of the wafers and pour the pudding mixture over the top.  Or you can prepare the pudding and present it as a parfait, as I did in the picture above, with alternating layers of the pudding mixture and Nilla wafers.