A few of our favorite things: The Queen’s online gift guide for the foodie in your life!

(Gift descriptions, clockwise)

1. Pineapple Beverage Dispenser $68.00: If you grew up in the south like I did, then you know that pineapples are THE symbol of southern hospitality. In fact, my mom had more pineapple decor than any one woman should ever have. This pineapple beverage dispenser from Anthropologie, reminds me of my childhood and is perfect for some sweet tea or lemonade!

2. 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set $39.95: Contain yourself if you can! This 10-piece glass set from Williams Sonoma is my favorite! Simple, beautiful and functional, they’re very useful for preparing your mise en place and for storing in small kitchens.

3. Charles Viancin Silicone Food Storage Lid Covers $7.95–$12.95: Plastic wrap be gone! I am in love with this silicone creation that provides an airtight seal, and works with any smooth-rimmed bowl or pot. Oh and did I mention it is dishwasher, microwave AND oven safe?!

4. Personalized Casserole Dish $54.00: The beauty of the casserole dish is its variety. Not just the ingredients you fill it with, but the shape, size, color or pattern of the dish. Go on, girl, get crazy—express yourself! With so many fun hues, sizes and shapes, even on the busiest of occasions or the dooziest of days, placing your meal in a sunny container can change your entire mood.

5. Dotty Match Potholders $12.00: They’re cute! They’re colorful! They’re comfy! And let’s face it… a girl can never have too many pot holders.

6. Jalapeño Corer $10.95: How many times have you removed the seeds from a jalapeño and then neglected to wash your hands before rubbing your eyes? It burns! Oh, how it burns! Never make that mistake again with this gadget gem!

7. Casserole Carriers $38.00: Made from amazing chevron-printed fabrics, these totes make for easy transport and real down-home appeal. They’re chic and sassy! Want to make one of your own? Check out our latest cookbook or this YouTube video and learn how to craft your own!

8. Scalloped Celebration Cake Stand $24.00–$38.00: You worked hard on that sweet treat, so show it off! From a cake to cupcakes, even a big pile of cookies, every day is a special occasion with these adorable stands.

9. The Casserole Queens Make-a-Meal Cookbook: Mix and Match 100 Casseroles, Salads, Sides, and Desserts & The Casserole Queens Cookbook: Put Some Lovin’ in Your Oven with 100 Easy One-Dish Recipes Come on, you knew these would make our list!

10. Custom Heirloom Silverware Jewelry, starting as low as $30.00: Order custom-made, or ready-to-wear one-of-a-kind pieces, from Elizabeth Lyons Designs this holiday season. These unique silverware-to-jewelry pieces make for a very special holiday gift and are so very culinary chic! (Hence the name!)

Happy shopping!

Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

There is something magical that happens in the fall: pumpkin-flavored foods are suddenly everywhere you turn. There are pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin breads, pumpkin beer, and hold on…there are even pumpkin flavored pop tarts!  To all of those things, I say: yes please! I love fall for this pumpkin flavor explosion, so I decided that I wanted to cook something that celebrates the pumpkin in all its natural glory. Behold the glorious Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Sage Soup, served in a pumpkin bowl of course!

Typical me, I always seem to make things a lot harder than they need to be, so just know that this soup is delicious even without all the bells and whistles (but hello! sage oil and homemade crème fraîche) so it is up to you how crazy you want to get (that goes for the pumpkin bowls too)! But if you want to go all out (and trust me it is worth it!) then know there is some prep involved.

As seen in the previous two posts, the first thing I did was make my crème fraîche and sage oil the day before. This garnish is optional, and you can always buy the prepared product at the store if you don’t want to make it from scratch. I promise I won’t tell.

Now onto pulling out all my soup ingredients! Pie pumpkin, butternut squash, olive oil, vegetable oil, unsalted butter, onions, fresh sage, shallots, garlic, chicken broth, Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Are you hungry yet? You should be.

Cut pumpkin in half to seed pumpkin, then cut each half in half again (so your pumpkin is now quartered). Rub flesh with olive oil, salt and pepper. Peel butternut squash and cut in half to remove seeds. Cube squash into about 1-2 inch pieces, toss pieces in olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake each on a baking sheet lined with foil for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Melt 6 tbsp. of the butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic and 1 cup of the shallots in butter until translucent about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape flesh from pumpkin (I used a melon scoop to do this) and add to the onion mixture. Also add the butternut squash. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add 6 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoon chopped sage and salt to taste. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.

If you decided to make pumpkin bowls, here is how I did it, but remember this step is completely optional (but completely adorable). When the soup is simmering, it is a perfect time to get these made! I chose a few smaller pie pumpkins than the size of what we use in the soup recipe – they were more around 2-1/2 lbs instead of 5. I guess you could do 5 pound pumpkins, but you had better be really hungry! All you have to do is cut off the tops of the pumpkin or cut a large circle around the stem of each pumpkin. Remove the lid and scoop out the seeds and fibers. I then coated the inside flesh and outside of the pumpkin with olive oil and then seasoned with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkins and lids on a baking sheet cover with foil and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes.

Using a large measuring cup take batches of soup and purée soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, then return to pot. Repeat as necessary. It is ok to have some chunky pieces. I actually enjoy that texture in the soup!

Take the remaining ¼ cup of shallots and the 20 sage leaves and fry in 1 cup vegetable oil until crisp (you will see the shallots turn a nice golden color). Drain on paper towels.

Now that your soup is done, let the garnish games begin.  I promise each one counts! First drizzle on some of the sage oil. Just look how lovely that green color is! The drizzle with crème fraîche, and finish with the crispy shallots and 2-3 sage leaves.

Now celebrate fall with your loved ones!

Pumpkin Bowls: (See method in post)

4 or how ever many small baking pie pumpkins you want to make – up to 2.5 pounds each

Olive Oil

Kosher salt & Cracked black pepper

 
Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Serves 8

1 small (about 5 lbs.) pie pumpkin, cut in half then quartered
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cubed
4 -5 tbsp. olive oil for roasting pumpkins and squash
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped + 20 sage leaves for garnish
1 1/4 cups diced shallots, divided
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 cups chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
Sage Oil for Garnish (optional)
Crème fraîche for Garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cut pumpkin in half to seed pumpkin, then quarter. Rub flesh with olive oil, salt and pepper. Peel butternut squash and cut in half to remove seeds. Cube squash into 1-inch pieces, toss pieces in olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake each on a baking sheet lined with foil for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Melt 6 tbsp. of the butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic and 1 cup of the shallots in butter until translucent, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape flesh from pumpkin (I used a melon scoop) and add to the onion mixture. Also add butternut squash. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add 6 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoon chopped sage and salt to taste. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Using a large measuring cup take batches of soup and purée in a blender or food processor until smooth, then return to pot. Repeat as necessary. It is ok to have some chunky pieces – I actually enjoy that texture in the soup!
6. Take the remaining ¼ cup of shallots and the 20 sage leaves and fry in 1 cup vegetable oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then garnish each serving starting with sage oil, crème fraîche and then the crispy shallots and 2-3 sage leaves.

Merry Mushroom Bread Pudding

My dish addiction is no secret. We have discussed it here on the blog many times before. So it should come as no surprise that I have an impressive selection of vintage casserole dishes—from Pyrex to Fire King, and a whole lot of everything in between. One of my favorites happens to be a Corning Ware dish with the “Merry Mushroom” pattern on it. The orange, yellow, and brown color palette screams 70’s, and I love it! The dish keeps me inspired and I am constantly creating new mushroom recipes to proudly serve up in this dish. Trust me, nothing perks up a buffet table like a “Merry Mushroom” painted casserole pan!

Since I just learned that September was National Mushroom Month, I jumped at the chance to make something in this dish! Unfortunately I didn’t find out about this until the next to the last day of the month, so I had to act fast! I picked up my trusty Make-A -Meal cookbook from The Cassserole Queens (maybe you have heard of it?) and immediately turned to the Merry Mushroom bread pudding—one of the finest mushroom masterpieces around! The combination of portobello and button mushrooms makes it especially earthy and super comforting.

Shall we?

Yummy ingredients: Milk, rustic bread, portobello mushrooms, vegetable oil,  button mushrooms, garlic,  fresh parsley,  fresh rosemary, salt, freshly ground black pepper, eggs, and Gruyère cheese.

First take your bread and cube it into 2-inch pieces. Any rustic bread will do, but I used Ciabatta and I liked it a lotta! 🙂 Pour 2 cups of milk over the bread and refrigerate for 30 minutes – stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, using a spoon, remove the brown gills from the undersides of the portobellos and remove the stems; discard the gills and stems, slice mushrooms. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the portobello and button mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes, until the mushrooms start to release their juices.

Stir in the garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk, the eggs, and the egg white.

Spoon 2 cups of the bread mixture from the fridge into the prepared casserole dish.

Top with the mushroom mixture.

Sprinkle with ⅓ cup of the cheese.

Top with the remaining bread mixture and the remaining ⅔ cup cheese. Pour the egg mixture over top.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until set. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Gorgeous and delicious! Happy National Mushroom Month (or in this case – day!) Better late than never, right?

Merry Mushroom Bread Pudding.

Serves 6

Cooking spray

3 cups whole milk

8 cups rustic bread, cut into 2-inch cubes (I used Ciabatta)

2 (4-ounce) portobello mushrooms

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

6 cups quartered button mushrooms (about 12 ounces)

2 garlic clove, minced

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (4 ounces)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of the milk and the bread. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Meanwhile, using a spoon, remove the brown gills from the undersides of the portobellos and remove the stems; discard the gills and stems, slice mushrooms. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the portobello and button mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes, until the mushrooms start to release their juices. Stir in the garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.

4.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk, the eggs, and the egg white. Spoon 2 cups of the bread mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the mushroom mixture and sprinkle with ⅓ cup of the cheese. Top with the remaining bread mixture and the remaining ⅔ cup cheese. Pour the egg mixture over top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until set. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

The Deviled Egg Tray and Easter – It’s a Southern Thing

In the deep South, some things are just a given.  For instance, every type of soda is always (and I mean ALWAYS) a Coke®, all tea is sweet tea, and you always will find a deviled egg tray in the cupboard. Over the years, my deviled egg tray has brought me much joy.  At times when I could not get home to Georgia for the holidays, breaking out my tray and making a batch of eggs was a simple way to bring the spirit of home to me.

Below is my favorite twist on the southern deviled egg recipe. I highly suggest that you make them a part of your appetizer spread this Easter.

Enjoy, and now go call your momma!

Southern (as in the South of France)  Deviled Eggs

• 12 hard-cooked large eggs, shelled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil)
• 2 teaspoons chopped capers
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/4  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Additional chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Ok, so the hardest part about this recipe is boiling and peeling the darn eggs. Seriously, it has taken me years to master this task! If you have already earned your hard-boiled egg scouts’ badge, feel free to skip over the following “how-to section.”

To achieve perfect eggs, rule number 1 is NOT to use super fresh eggs. If you bought the eggs that day – you are in serious trouble. That fresh egg is guaranteed to have more craters than if it were hit by an asteroid! I recommend using eggs that are about a week old, or, if in a bind, go purchase your eggs from the local convenient store down the street. I find they do not stock, as umm, frequently as the grocery store.

Place eggs in a large enough saucepan so that they have plenty of room in between them, then cover with enough cold water by at least an inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a medium boil and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and place eggs in a bowl of iced water. (Think blanching!)  The ice is an important step, as it helps not only with the peeling, but it cools the eggs down fast enough to keep the yolk yellow – no green eggs here!  Chill for a few minutes until the egg is completely cooled.

Now let’s get to the moment of truth – peeling!  To peel, crack the egg on all sides and roll it between your hands and a hard surface to loosen the shell. I find that if you start at the larger end, that you will discover a little air pocket and it is easier to get a hold of the membrane. I also tend to shell the eggs under water. Not sure why that helps, but it sure seems to! Ok – that’s all I got.  I hope you all have 12 perfectly gorgeous eggs. Now on to the easy part of the recipe!

Combine boiling water and sun dried tomatoes in a bowl. Cover; let stand 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Cut eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks. Place yolks in a medium bowl.  Add tomatoes, mayonnaise, and next 7 ingredients (through pepper); stir well. Place egg white halves onto your adorable deviled egg tray and spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons egg mixture into each egg white half. (Use a pastry bag to keep things neat!) Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley for a lovely presentation.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1/2 egg)

Friday Night Lights Meets The Super Bowl: How Frito Pie Went Pro!

In Texas there are some things that just naturally go together. Queso and margaritas. Luckenbach and Wille. Basements and the Alamo. George Strait and all his exes.

But the most popular of all is football and Frito Pie. Seriously, try going to a concession stand anywhere in the state, and I will bet you the house (thank God I rent) that it is on the menu. Watch us make it with our friends, the Beer Chicks, below. We use Sandy’s tried and true Texas style chili recipe (and we put it in a bowl…oh how classy!) for a more sophisticated twist, but feel free to serve straight out of the bag like they do at small town football games–we won’t judge!

Chili Frito Pie Recipe:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Queen’s chili dump (recipe below)
8 ounces tomato sauce
14 ounces beef broth
6 dashes of Tabasco
3/4 cups beer (Beer Chicks used Session Black Lager)
1 large bag Fritos
3 cups sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated

1.Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Add beef in batches and brown on all sides, season with salt and pepper. Once all the beef is browned, add the spice dump to the beef and cook for 4-5 minutes more. Stir to make sure all the beef is fully coated in the spice dump. Pour in the tomato sauce, beef broth, Tabasco, and beer. Bring to a simmer, cover and continue to cook for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is fork tender. Stir once in a while to prevent chili from burning on the bottom.
2.When ready to serve, fill the bottom of a bowl with Fritos and top with a hearty helping of beef chili. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and enjoy!

Serves: 6

Queen’s Chili Dump Recipe:

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3/4 cups chili powder

1.Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Saturday night is for the Popper-azzi!

Did you know that Saturday (1/19) is National Popcorn Day? What a great excuse to pick out a good movie and make a big bowl of hot, salty popcorn—the old school way. And really, nothing makes me happier than special holidays like these to fuel my obsession with dishes. (As I have mentioned before, I do have a slight problem with collecting dishes). My boyfriend, Tim, thought I was crazy to purchase this 5-piece popcorn set, but look who’s laughing now? Wait until I make him watch The Notebook.

Anyway, you have to admit the dishes are adorable. And they’re perfect for what I am about to make! I’ve got three, yes, count ‘em, three popcorn recipes to choose from. Enough options to please everyone in the family, so let’s get popping!

1) Rooster Ranch Popcorn. I call it Rooster Ranch, because we are using Sriracha. Not sure what Sriracha is? Well, you’d better make a grocery store run right now and make a purchase! Sriracha, also known as “Rooster Sauce” for the rooster on the bottle’s label, is a Thai chili sauce that’s fantastically sweet and spicy. I am in love. So much, in fact, that I may have to marry it. (Sorry Tim, you snooze, you lose buddy.)

2) Popcorn with Truffle Oil, Parmesan and Cracked Black Pepper. Truffle oil. Wow. Enough said.

3) Caramel, Chocolate and Salty Peanut Popcorn. Salty, sweet goodness.

First, we pop the popcorn. I have to be honest, I typically don’t eat popcorn unless I am out at the movies or a carnival. The latter event being the more likely to happen, as I have always wanted to run away with the circus! So it will come as no surprise that I have never popped popcorn from kernels. Plus, it seems pretty old school right? The closest I have ever  gotten to that process was shaking up some Jiffy Pop. That was fun, but making it from scratch is even better! I don’t have a special formula—I literally just followed the directions on the back of the bag.

All you need is kernels, oil and pot (or popper). I just used my lovely 3-quart dutch oven, and I picked peanut oil because it does well over high heat.

Cover the bottom of the pan with 1/8-inch 0f peanut oil.  Drop 3 kernels of popcorn in and heat with medium heat until they pop!

Pop, pop, pop!

Add enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pan. It should only be one kernel deep.

Begin shaking the pan until the kernels start to pop. My instructions earlier didn’t mention anything about covering the pan, but trust me, a lid is necessary. Otherwise the random popping of the kernels could put an eye out. “You’ll shoot your eye out, you’ll shoot your eye out, kid!” Okay, this is no laughing matter, although you would be set for ‘Talk Like A Pirate Day’, my other favorite (but random) holiday.

Cover and continue to shake the pan until popping has completed.

Tah dah! How fun was that?

Now onto dressing up your popcorn! I have given you three options to choose from! Do one, or do all three. Just know that the  Rooster Ranch and Parmesan, Truffle Oil and Cracked Black Pepper are best served immediately while still warm!

Here is what you will need for Rooster Ranch:

Popcorn, Sriracha, dry buttermilk , dried parsley, dill weed, onion powder, onion flakes, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and dried basil. (See recipe below) I am making my own dried ranch mix, but you can always use a package of Hidden Valley Ranch if you prefer. I don’t judge.

Take all dry ingredients and mix together in a bowl. For best results, place in blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Start with a tablespoon of mix and approximately 2 tablespoons of Sriracha, taste and add more to preference.

Mix together and garnish with extra dill and Sriracha! Cock-a-doodle-do!

If spicy is not your thing, then we can head over to savory and indulgent! Popcorn with Truffle Oil, Parmesan and Cracked Black Pepper, anyone?

Popcorn, parmesan cheese, black pepper, black truffle oil, and salt!

Using a microplane, grate parmesan to taste. Add freshly ground pepper and salt.Truffle oil is extremely strong, so start off with just mixing in a teaspoon at a time until desired taste is achieved.

Mix and garnish with shaved parmesan!

Oooh, la, la. Your popcorn is so fancy!

Caramel, Chocolate and Salty Peanut Popcorn. Since I had some leftover caramel sauce from the Elvis post, I decided that I had to make a salty sweet concoction too!

Caramel sauce, popcorn, salted peanuts, salt, dark chocolate chips!

Heat and drizzle caramel sauce, add peanuts and melted dark chocolate. Top with salt.

Pour into large mixing bowl and mix well.

Dig In!

Which popcorn reigns supreme? You decide, or let us know your favorite way to dress up your popcorn! (Although there is nothing wrong with eating it plain!)

Caramel Sauce

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix:

1/2 cup dry buttermilk
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container. To make ranch salad dressing combine  a tablespoon of dry mix with a cup of mayonnaise, or Greek yogurt, and a cup of milk.

Are you hungry tonight? Try one of these Elvis inspired dishes: one is made for the King, while the other is better suited for we Queens!

Elvis Shrine at SicolaMartin Offices in Austin, TX.

Love is All Around, and so is Elvis!

Let’s face it, we all have a little Elvis in our lives. Whether it’s your leisure suit or just your grandmother’s table cloth….everybody owns a little gold lamé, right? And I mean seriously, who hasn’t used the line “Why thank you, uh thank you very much” at some point in their life? I know I have, possibly to the point of nauseum. I am sorry for that.

Then there are those who emulate his style, and there are those who know all of his music. Maybe you learned to dance by gyrating in front of the TV, or perhaps you have a natural snarl? Some folks like to collect, and some are still addicted to the hair tonic.

And then there are those like me. I apparently got Elvis’ love of southern food, and hefty appetite for all things fried. Today is the King’s birthday and he would have been 78. So while some will drink a Blue Hawaiian and play a ukulele in his honor – I have decided to eat like the King! Fried Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwiches anyone? I hope so, because I will need an army to stop me from eating an entire loaf of fried sandwiches and washing it all down with caramel sauce!

With that caveat, I invited over some friends and prepared two versions of this meal. One lighter version (The Skinny Elvis PB&B) to save my waistline, and one heftier version (The “Later Years” Elvis PB&B) to treat as a dessert and to share!

Let’s get started on the Skinny version, shall we? Start by gathering your ingredients.

Combine peanut butter with honey and peanut granola. I recently got hooked on KIND brand Whole Grain Peanut Clusters, and thought they would add a nice touch of texture to this dish. Throw in some cinnamon and mix well!

Cut your bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices. Or, you could also mashup the bananas and incorporate them into the peanut butter mixture as well. I personally just prefer the slice. Don’t ask. It is a texture thing!

Remove crusts from the bread.

Assemble sandwiches by spreading the peanut butter mixture along the bottom of 4 pieces of bread, then add four banana slices (towards the center) of the bread.

Top with the remaining bread slices, press down and secure edges by crimping with a fork.

To keep this version healthy, I prepared my grill with cooking spray. If you aren’t too concerned with calories, a little butter here would be a nice touch. I mean, when isn’t butter a nice touch?

Once browned and the center of your sandwich is hot, it is time to plate. Garnish with more Kind Peanut Clusters and drizzle with a little more honey. Aww, yea.

Now dig in and enjoy without the guilt!

Healthy is awesome, but every once in a while you can’t help but indulge. On to the King’s preferred way…fried! (Hey, at least I left off the bacon, but I did add caramel didn’t I? Ooops!) Speaking of which, make your caramel sauce first! If you have never made caramel from scratch, you will ask yourself why you waited so long. In five easy steps, you will have created a sinfully delicious sauce. Not only is it the perfect topper for this sandwich, but it is also great for ice cream, and for dipping fruit and chocolate in!

First, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add light brown sugar and granulated sugar, stir until dissolved. Add honey and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice (watch carefully to avoid scorching). Remove the pot from the heat and swirl in the cream until it is fully incorporated. Be very careful when adding the cream, because the mixture will bubble up. Viola! Now you have caramel. (You can think me later!)

Now it is sandwich time!

Mix together creamy peanut butter, honey and cinnamon until incorporated and smooth.

We use white bread for this version, and not just any white bread,  but Texas Toast. A little thick slice of heaven! Remove crusts and chop bananas into 1/4 inch slices.

Spread peanut butter mixture on 4 slices of the bread and add 4 banana slices towards the center. As you can see, I am getting very excited! Place tops to sandwiches, press down and secure edges by crimping with a fork.

Prep your wet/dry ingredients. Mix together milk and eggs in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, mix together flour and sugar. Dip each sandwich quickly into your well beaten milk and egg mixture and then into your mixed flour and sugar. Coat thoroughly.

Prepare to fry, Elvis fans! Since we were doing PB & Bananas I chose to fry in peanut oil. Nice, huh? Ideally it would be best to have a deep fryer, but I won’t allow myself  to have one for reasons already mentioned, so I used a deep large pan. (And yes, I made a mess!) Once golden brown, drain on a bed of paper towels.

Plate and sprinkle well with powdered sugar. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Dig in!

The Skinny Elvis PB &B

Serves 4

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons honey, plus more for garnish
• ½ cup KIND Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters, plus more for garnish
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 ripe bananas
• 8 slices wheat bread
• cooking spray

In a small bowl mix together the peanut butter, honey, peanut clusters and cinnamon. Slice the bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices. Remove crusts from bread. Spread the peanut butter mixture on 4 slices of bread and cover with 4 banana slices, placed towards the center. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Press down on bread, then use fork to secure edges. Prepare griddle with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Grill the sandwiches on the griddle (or large frying pan) until each side is golden brown and center is hot.

For plating, cut the sandwiches in half and sprinkle with additional peanut clusters and drizzle with more honey.

The “Later Years”  Elvis PB&B

Serves 4

For Sandwich:

• 8 slices white bread, we like Texas Toast (if you are gonna go, might as well go big!)
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• Peanut oil for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
•  ½ cup granulated sugar

For Caramel Sauce:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

First make the caramel sauce. In a large pot set over medium-high heat melt the butter then add the brown sugar, granulated sugar and honey. Bring to a boil, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice (watch carefully to avoid scorching). Remove the pot from the heat and swirl in the cream until it is fully incorporated. Be very careful when adding the cream because the mixture will bubble up. Set aside.

Preheat peanut oil in home deep fryer (ideal method) to 350 degrees. Otherwise a large, deep fry pan will work. Prep sandwiches. In a small bowl mix together the peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. Slice the bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices. Remove crusts from bread. Spread the peanut butter mixture on 4 slices of bread and cover with 4 banana slices, placed towards the center. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Press down on bread, then use fork to secure edges. Mix together milk and eggs in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, mix together flour and sugar. Dip each sandwich quickly into your well beaten milk and egg mixture and then into your mixed flour and sugar. Coat thoroughly.

Drop your sandwich into your home deep fryer or pan and fry until golden brown. Drain on a bed of paper towels and then sprinkle well with powdered sugar. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Any leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge and re-heated for use on ice cream, or for dipping fresh fruit! Yum.

Kitchen Grooves – The Cocktail Edition

I have been completely obsessed with the Tiki culture these days – everything from vintage tiki sarong fashions, to the refreshing tiki cocktail revival! So I doubt that I will shock anyone when I say that I am totally in L-O-V-E with the chill sounds of Exotica! Just the name alone invokes fantasy and the mystical allure of the islands. (Uh, hello…guess who needs a vacation?) But since I am unable to escape to my own private isle, I retreat to my patio and create my own little getaway. All it takes is the company of good friends, a platter of Satay, and a Mai Tai in hand to escape the daily grind. Now, throw on this playlist, close your eyes, and relax.

Don Tiki – Close Your Eyes

Les Baxter – Jungle Flower

Stan Getz – The Girl from Ipanema

Steel Guitar Magic – Maui Chimes

Miles Corbin – Quintana Roo

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass  – A Taste of Honey

Martin Denny – Quiet Village

Stan Getz- Samba De Uma Nota So

Arthur Lyman – Love for Sale

Yma Sumac – Wimoweh (Mbube)

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls of Yumminess

I saw this recipe back around Easter and have wanted to try it ever since. Thank you Vanilla Sugar Blog!! Since it’s not Easter, and I couldn’t really make them look like eggs, we are just going to call them balls. They are sinful, crunchy, sweet and rich. You will eat one, then you will feel full and say you don’t want another one, but you will be back for another. I guarantee it. Here’s how it went down!

Ingredients!

Mix the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and panko crumbs together in a large bowl.

Mix well.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Take out of the fridge. (It will look just like it did when it went in. Just more firm.)

Scoop out.

Roll into a ball shape or whatever shape you want. Go crazy. You could make ovals, or spheres, or circles, or logs.

The world is your oyster!

They are good to eat right now, but chocolate will make’em even more teriffical!

Melt chocolate in a double boiler.

A bowl of melted chocolate. I’m gonna need a moment.

Ok, I’m back. Dunk’em in the chocolate and coat well.

Back in the fridge until their yumminess has solidified.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls of Yumminess

12 ounces high quality chocolate

1½ cups crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ cup plain panko crumbs

Pinch of sea salt

Mix the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, panko, and salt together in a large bowl.  Check to make sure it is sweet enough. If you want to make it sweeter;  just add a little more powdered sugar and mix it in well.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put that bad boy in the fridge for at a few hours at the very minimum.

Time to roll these boys into balls. We are getting much closer to eating them. Once rolled; put them on a tray covered with parchment paper and chill again.

Get your chocolate melted while the peanut butter balls are chilling in the fridge.

In a double boiler, carefully melt the chocolate (set a heat proof bowl on top of a saucepan with an inch of boiling water – don’t let the bowl touch the water).

You can start dipping when the chocolate is melted. Drop a couple of the peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate and coat well. Place the coated peanut butter balls on your prepared tray. When done place tray in the fridge and let firm up.

Eat! Do it now.  SO GOOD!

Casserole Queens Cookbook Tour Schedule – Yay! (UPDATED)

Check out our updated book tour schedule!

Some exciting stuff coming up next week: our Aug 23 appearance on The Today Show and our Aug 25 book release party at BookPeople.

We’ll be keeping this schedule up-to-date as more stops are confirmed. Stay tuned. If we’re stopping in your town, please come see us!