Easy Recipe for Mardi Gras King Cake

Mardi Gras King Cake.

I didn't get around to making a King Cake until late in the evening of Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).  Mardi Gras is the day you can eat all you want because it will be followed by Lent where one usually gives up something they like. Alas, we didn't get around to eating any until the next day, Ash Wednesday.  I sometimes give up sweets during Lent, but find that I can't quite succeed so this year I'm just cutting back on sweets.

Here's the Easy Recipe.

RECIPE FOR EASY KING CAKE

Ingredients

Butter for greasing the pan

2 cans (8-ounce) reduced-fat crescent rolls

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Icing and Sugars:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons skim milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Colored sugars (purple, green and gold)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350F. Coat a baking sheet with butter.

2. To prepare cake, separate crescent rolls at perforations, into

16 triangular slices. Place slices around pan with points in the center. Overlap the sides of the triangles about 1/4 ". 

About halfway down from points, press seams together.

Place crescent roll triangles to form a circle.

3. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a

mixing bowl. Using a mixer at medium speed, beat until

creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture on dough in the center

where seams have been pressed together.

Add cream cheese layer in middle of circle.

4. Combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Stir with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese.

Fold dough points over filling, then fold base of triangles

over points forming a circular roll.

Circular roll ready for oven.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

6. To prepare icing, combine all ingredients except colored

sugars in a small bowl. Whisk until icing reaches desired

consistency, adding more powdered sugar or milk as needed.

Drizzle over cooled cake.

7. Sprinkle colored sugars in wide horizontal bands over the

iced cake.

 

Baked and decorated.

 

Notice the cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon layer in center of cake. 

This is so easy to make, and it is quite delicious. 

Pan-fried Catfish with Pecan Lemon Butter

Pan-fried catfish with pecan, parsley, lemon butter.

Patrick had seen this prepared on Cooking at Home with Dan Eaton and made this for lunch the other day.  The nice fresh never frozen farm-raised catfish fillets came from Whole Foods. 



SERVES:3
INGREDIENTS:
• three catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.

Pecans and parsley.

4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.

Pan fry in butter after dredging in buttermilk and flour.

6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.

Cook until golden brown on each side.

7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.

Add lemon juice to pecan butter.

10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.

Ready to eat with a side of 3-bean salad.

We had this with a side of 3-bean salad.  The fish with this topping was absolutely delicious.   We will definitely be having this again. 

INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.

SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf

SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf

SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf

Banana Black Walnut Cake Part Two

Banana Black Walnut Cake.

Okay here's the recipe.  I discussed the differences between ordinary English walnuts and Black Walnuts in Part One.  This recipe could be made with English walnuts as well if you can't find Black Walnuts.

 Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

2/3 cup finely chopped black walnuts

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons milk or water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Generously butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan.

To prepare cake, combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine butter and sugar; beat with an electric mixer about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in banana and vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.  Fold in walnuts. 

Add walnuts.to batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake 45 to 50 minutes.

Ready for oven.

 

Out of oven.

Let cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. (When I removed the cake, some stuck to the pan.  I think I should have waited longer than the 10 minutes until the cake was completely cool. I will cover up the damage with some of the chocolate glaze.)

 

Out of pan. Some stuck to pan.

Let cool completely before adding the glaze.

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slowly stir in milk and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add a bit more milk to thin glaze, if needed.

 

Chocolate glaze.

 Spread over cake. Serves 12.

The finished cake.

Ready to eat.

 

Enjoy!

Banana Black Walnut Cake: Part One

Banana black walnut cake with chocolate glaze and garnished with black walnuts.

I was in Shelby recently and shopping at Ingles grocery where I bought some black walnuts.  I hadn't seen them for sale before.  The common English walnut is available everywhere.  I should explain the difference between the two walnuts.

Hammons Black Walnuts.

"So what kind of walnuts do we eat? Well, the Black Walnut was in fact part of many native American diets but most of the walnuts we eat today are actually English walnuts, which have a milder taste and broader appeal. They also have thinner, easier-to-crack shells. Black Walnuts on the other hand have a bolder, earthier flavor. Their shells are thick, tough to crack, and will likely stain your hands.
Black walnut trees are not really cultivated on the same scale of English walnuts. They mostly grow wild across central and eastern parts of the country. Hammons is a company that's dedicated to preserving the legacy and availability of the Black Walnut." (Serious Eats)

Black walnuts in husks.

Black walnuts are encased in a fleshy outer husk that can be used as a brown dye.  When shelling black walnuts this "dye" will stain your fingers.  Once you remove the outer fleshy husk it is difficult to crack the extremely hard shell of the black walnut.

Fleshy meats inside hard outer shell.

Then it is tedious to pick out the meats of the nut.

The Louisburg College Campus where I taught.

The black walnut tree is native to North Carolina, and the campus where I taught for many years had a big black walnut tree just in back of my office.  Occasionally I would gather some and harvest the fleshy meats, but usually it just wasn't worth the effort.  Black walnuts have a stronger, smokier flavor than the common English walnut.  I don't find them tasty except when used in baking cookies, bread, cakes or in ice cream. 

Black walnuts make a nice natural brown dye.  Check out this website for instructions.
Black Walnut Dye.

Yarn dyed with black walnut dye.

You can even use black walnuts as a  Natural Brown Hair Dye.

Hair dyed with black walnut dye.

Okay, I have digressed, and I know you are eager to see the recipe for the Banana Black Walnut Cake.  Stay tuned.  It is in Banana Black Walnut Cake Part Two. 

Cheerwine Cake

A piece of moist Cheerwine cake.

After a ballgame the other week, Michael, Zach and I stopped by PDQ Barbecue to get a snack.  When I walked in I saw this enormous pile of Cheerwine cases.  Cheerwine is just about my favorite soda. Back in the 50s we rarely drank sodas, but when I did my choice was Cheerwine which has its roots in Salisbury, NC.

Cases of Cheerwine soda at PDQ in Raleigh. 

 

I immediately remembered seeing a reference to Cheerwine Cake in a recent Our State magazine.  I bought four.  One to drink and the others to take home for making the cake.  The waitress told me I could buy a case for $32.00.  I was tempted, because it is sometimes difficult to find Cheerwine even here in North Carolina where it is made.  I resisted because I try not to drink many sodas. 

 

Here's a recipe.

Cheerwine Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup Cheerwine or Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup Cheerwine or Coca-Cola
1 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan well with butter or shortening.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix to combine.

Mix dry ingredients.

In a small saucepan combine the butter, cocoa powder, Cheerwine, and buttermilk. Stir over medium heat until butter has melted and mixture has combined.

Melting the butter in the liquid ingredients.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat, and with the mixer running on low, slowly pour into the flour mixture. Add in eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Mix until combined, then pour into prepared baking pan.

Ready to pour into baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is baking, make the frosting/glaze. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, Cheerwine, and maraschino juice. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Pour the frosting over the warm cake. 

Let sit for at least 2 hours before cutting, or even overnight. We let it sit overnight and enjoyed it the next day.  It was so moist. 

Very moist cake.

Here it is ready to eat.  It was a bit sweet with the frosting.  It would be delicious without the frosting and next time I will omit the frosting.

Ready to enjoy.

It's nice with a dollop of whipped cream and garnished with a maraschino cherry.
And by the way.  I enjoyed a nice cold Cheerwine while I was making the cake. 

A nice cold Cheerwine.  Delish!!!!