Banana Pudding

Contains dairy

Ingredient

• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

• 2 cups cold milk 

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafers

• 14 bananas, sliced

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk 2 minutes. Blend in condensed milk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and fold in whipped topping. Layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl. Chill until serving.

Banana Beignets With Vanilla Bourbon Caramel

Ingredients

• 1 c very ripe bananas – mashed

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon + 1 tbsp

• 2 large eggs

• 3/4 C whole milk

• 2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 C

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg – freshly grated

• canola oil – for frying

For the Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Sauce:

• 3 tbsp water

• 2 tbsp bourbon

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 C sugar

• 1 C heavy cream

• 2 tsp vailla

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

The Chew: Banana Beignets With Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Recipe Directions

• In a mixing bowl, add the banana, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, then whisk to mix

• In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then mix

• Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, and whisk thoroughly

• To a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add a few inches of oil and preheat it to 350 degrees

• Start dropping 1 tbsp of the batter into the oil at a time

• Fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through

• Mix the sugar and cinnamon with a pinch of salt and roll the beignets in the mixture when they come out of the hot oil

• Serve with the bourbon caramel drizzled over them and more cinnamon sugar if you want

For the Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Sauce:

• In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix the water and sugar

• Put over medium-high heat and cook “while swirling, not stirring” until the caramel is amber-colored, about 5-7 minutes

• Take off the heat and whisk in the cream, then the vanilla, salt, and bourbon

• Put back on the heat, then add the butter and stir until melted

• Set aside to thicken and cool, then serve with the beignets

• Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

• ⅓ cup white sugar

• ¼ cup butter

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

• 6 ¾ cups bread flour, divided

Praline-Cream Cheese Filling:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup white sugar

• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 large egg 

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted, divided

Creamy Vanilla Glaze:

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed

• purple, green, and gold/yellow sparkling sugars

Instructions

• Step 1 Combine sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let mixture cool to 100 to 110 degrees F, about 15 minutes.

• Step 2 Stir together water, yeast, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand for 5 minutes.

• Step 3 Combine sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of the flour in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; gradually add 4 more cups of flour, beating until dough comes together.

• Step 4 Turn dough out onto a surface dusted with 1/4 cup of the flour. Knead, gradually adding remaining 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Dough should be tacky but release easily from surface.

• Step 5 Place dough in a well greased bowl; turn to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

• Step 6 Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Beat cream cheese, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in egg.

• Step 7 Gently punch dough down; divide in half. Roll 1 portion out into a 22x12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Keep the other portion covered. Spread 1/2 of the filling over rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans. Carefully roll up, starting from a long edge.

• Step 8 Place roll, seam-side down, on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form a ring. Moisten ends with water; pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, filling, and pecans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

• Step 9 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover dough rings.

• Step 10 Bake in the preheated oven until cakes are a deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes completely on wire racks, about 1 1/2 hours.

• Step 11 Stir confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract together to make the glaze. Stir in 3 tablespoons milk. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until pourable but still opaque. Pour evenly over cakes. Sprinkle with sparkling sugars, alternating colors to form bands.

Classic Muffaleta

Ingredients

• One 10-inch round loaf Italian bread

•  1 cup mixed pitted olives, roughly chopped 

•  1/4 cup olive oil 

•  1/2 cup pickled vegetables, such as giardiniera, chopped

•  1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers 

•  2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

•  2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

•  2 cloves garlic, minced 

•  1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

•  1/2 pound salami, deli sliced 

•  1/2 pound provolone, deli sliced 

•  1/2 pound capicola, deli sliced 

•  1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, deli sliced 

•  1/2 pound mortadella, deli sliced 

Instructions

• Divide the bread lengthwise. Scoop out some of the dough-y interior and reserve for another use.

• Combine the olives, oil, pickled vegetables, red peppers, parsley, vinegar, garlic and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Spread half of the olive tapenade on the bottom half of the bread. Layer the salami, provolone, capicola, mozzarella, mortadella and the rest of the olive tapenade. Top with the other half of the bread and wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap. Top the wrapped sandwich with a cast iron pan and set aside to rest for 1 hour. To facilitate easy cutting, skewer the muffaletta with 4 skewers and cut into 8 even triangles.

• Beignets with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Roast Beef Po Boy

Recipe Ingredients:

For the Roast:

• 1 Beef Chuck Roast, about 2 lbs

• 2 Garlic Cloves sliced thin

• Salt & Black Pepper

• Cayenne pepper to taste

• 3 Tbsp Lard or Vegetable Oil

• 1 Small Onion, Diced

• 1 Cup Beef Stock

• 1 Cup Chicken Stock

• Water only if you really need it

• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Hot Sauce

• 1 Bay Leaf

For the Po'Boy:

• Shredded Lettuce

• Mayonnaise

• Tomatoes

• Roast Beef

• Debris Gravy

Directions:

• Cut slits into the roast, about every 3 inches or so, but do not pierce all the way to the bottom. Place garlic slices into the slits.

• Season Roast all sides with the Salt, Black Pepper, and Cayenne taste. Some folks like a lot of Cayenne, some folks don't.

• Heat the fat or oil (fat has more flavor, but oil will work also.) in a Dutch Oven that has a pretty heavy bottom over high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, carefully add the Roast with the side that you cut the slits in down in the pan.

• Brown the roast very well on all sides, but watch carefully so it does not burn. Transfer to a plate.
  Drain off all but 1 Tbsp of the fat or oil in the pan, add the onions. Only cook the onions until they are almost brown, being careful to not burn. Put the roast back in the pan, then add all the stocks.

• If needed, add enough water to bring the liquid to about 3/4 of the way over the top of the roast. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Bring it all to a boil, then lower to simmer. Put a lid on it, and slow simmer for about 3-4 hours or until the meat the meat starts falling apart. You can really tell by looking at it.

Debris Gravy:

• Make sure to cut the meat into very tiny slices, as well as you can. It will most likely fall apart, but that is the good stuff, which is the debris. Add all of this to the cooking liquid after skimming off the fat from the surface. Place the carved meat with a little bit of liquid on a warm plate, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.

• Bring the gravy to a full boil and then slowly reduce it until it you see that it coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Po’ Boy Itself:

• Cut the bread 3/4 of the way through, do not cut all the way through, as this makes it easier for handling it!

• Generously spread the Mayonnaise on the inside of the upper and lower halves of the bread.

• Place about a cup of Shredded Lettuce on the bottom half. Add tomatoes if desired.

• Cover the tomatoes with as much of the beef as you can. Then slather it with the Gravy.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized, firm green tomatoes

• Salt

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

• 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk

• 1 large egg

• 1/3 cup fine white cornmeal

• 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

• 1/4 cup peanut, canola, or olive oil for frying

Instructions

• Slice and salt green tomatoes:

• Cut unpeeled tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle slices with salt. Let tomato slices stand for 5 minutes.

• Set out shallow bowls with coating ingredients:

• While the salted green tomato slices are resting, place in three separate, shallow bowls: 1) the flour and Cajun seasoning (if using), 2) buttermilk and egg, and 3) breadcrumbs and cornmeal.

• Whisk together the egg and buttermilk.

• Bread the tomato slices:

• Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Dip the green tomato slices in the flour-seasoning, then the buttermilk-egg mixture, then the cornmeal-breadcrumb mix.

• Fry the breaded tomatoes:

• In the skillet, fry half of the coated tomato slices at a time, for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown.

• Set the cooked tomatoes on paper towels to drain.

• These fried green tomatoes are fantastic with a little hot sauce or remoulade.

Crab Dip

Contains shell fish

Ingredidents

• Cream Cheese: Soften the cream cheese by leaving it at room temperature for about half an hour or microwave it or 30 seconds.

• Sour Cream:  Helps thin the cream cheese and adds a great bit of tang.

• Mayonnaise: Adds more creaminess and flavor

• Cheddar Cheese: Finely shredded

• Garlic Powder: Garlic is an impeccable flavor in the dish.

• Paprika: You will love the color and flavor it adds.

• Worcestershire Sauce: This adds depth and a great umami flavor.

• Lemon Juice: Helps balance the dish.

• Salt and Pepper: Add more or less to taste.

• Lump Crab Meat: Look for this in the canned meat aisle by the tuna.

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

• Mix: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir together until combined and fold in lump crab meat.

• Bake: Spread in a small casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Serve with a slice baguette or tortilla chips.

Spicy White Bean and Corn Gazpacho Shooter

Ingredidents

• Sweet yellow tomatoes

• Sweet corn

• Yellow bell pepper

• Shallot

• Sea salt and black pepper

• Garlic chili paste

• Great Northern white beans

• Sherry vinegar

• Olive oil

• Lemon juice

• Yogurt

• HOW TO MAKE GAZPACHO

• The steps for this sweet corn and tomato gazpacho are simple:

• Add the tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, and shallot to a bowl.

• Stir in the salt, then let sit for 30 minutes.

• Transfer to a blender and add in the chili paste, beans, and vinegar.

• Slowly pour in the olive oil while blending until smooth.

• Garnish with more corn, yogurt, and black pepper. Enjoy!

SHRIMP AND CORN CAKES

Contains shell fish

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup creamed corn

• 1 cup whole kernel corn

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to top

• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

• 2 tablespoons oil, for frying, divided

• Remoulade or aioli, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place n the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the shrimp until chopped into pea-sized pieces, making sure not to over-process. Transfer to a large bowl.

• Mix in the creamed corn, whole kernel corn, garlic, cajun seasoning, parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cornmeal until well-combined.

• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to transfer a scoop of the batter to the pan, and then use the back of the scoop to smooth the top and spread out the cakes into circles. Continue until the pan is full.

• Cook until crisp and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat for the remaining cakes, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.

• Sprinkle the shrimp cakes with extra chopped parsley and serve warm with remoulade or aioli.

Rajun Cajun Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (250ml) canola or vegetable oil, divided

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 pounds; 1kg total)

• Kosher salt

• 1 1/2 pounds Cajun-style andouille sausage (about 8 links), sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (4 1/2 ounces)

• 2 large yellow onions (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 2 green bell peppers (about 7 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 4 large celery ribs (9 ounces; 260g total), cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 8 medium cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 quarts (1.4L) homemade brown or white chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 2 large sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 pound fresh okra, caps trimmed, pods cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick

• 1/2 teaspoon filé powder, plus more as needed for serving

• Warm rice, thinly sliced scallions, and hot sauce, for serving

Instructions

• In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season chicken all over with salt. Working in batches, sear chicken until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter, then set aside until cool enough to handle. Once chicken has cooled, shred into bite-size pieces.

• Add sliced andouille to pot and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a platter and set aside.

• Add remaining 1 cup (235ml) oil to Dutch oven along with flour, stirring to form a paste. Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring and scraping frequently, until roux is a chestnut or chocolate-brown color but not scorched, about 1 hour. Alternatively, you can combine the flour and 1 cup oil in a separate ovenproof vessel and cook, uncovered, in a 350°F (180°C) oven, stirring occasionally, until roux is chestnut or chocolate-brown, about 4 hours, though how long this will take can vary dramatically depending on your oven. You can add the finished oven roux to the pot on the stovetop after removing the sausage, then immediately proceed to the next step of sautéing the aromatics.

• Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and season lightly with salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping, until softened, about 10 minutes; lower heat to medium if any of the ingredients threaten to scorch.

• Stir in garlic, cayenne, and a generous amount of black pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer.

• Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then allow to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add okra, if using, along with sausage and shredded chicken, and gently simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour longer. Skim any fat from the surface as it accumulates.

• Remove from heat and add filé powder, if using, stirring well to break up any small lumps. Season gumbo with salt. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

• Serve gumbo with warm rice, sprinkling sliced scallions on top of each bowl. Pass hot sauce at the table, as well as filé powder, if desired, to lightly shake on top of each serving of gumbo and rice.