Tag: Paula Deen

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Butter Mecca

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Today is the day! I am as giddy as a 4 year old being turned loose in FAO Scwartz. Today we drive in to Savannah….home of the butter queen herself, Paula Deen, or as we butter lovers call her, Paula. My heart is racing as we load the car. I can already imagine what it will be like. We will walk proudly into Lady & Son’s with our mouths watering and our tummies growling. Just to be in the butter queen’s hometown has been a dream since my first purchase of one of her cookbooks.  While others walk with reverence into Graceland, we will be waiting for a table with that little gleam in our eyes, just wondering if we will be fortunate to see “her”. I have on my best pearl earrings, just in case. I will be talking recipes that include mass amounts of butter with Randy just in case anyone is listening to our conversation; they will know that we have so much in common with the lady whose cookbooks adorn my kitchen book shelves. Not wanting to feel like a newbie cook, I will linger over each bite, contemplating the ingredients, while Randy rolls his eyes.

Yes, this is one of those days that will long be remembered. If we should be so lucky to actually see her or any of her family members, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will just happen to mention that  not only do I keep the fridge stocked with a minimum of 4 lbs of butter, 3 lbs of cream cheese and 1 qt of whipping cream at all times, I always hand Randy his cup of melted butter at breakfast each morning, just to be sure he gets his quota of butter each day. After all, that’s what us “good southern cooks” are all about.

Daily Thoughts

Sister Schubert Hits California

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I know, this probably isn’t news that will hit FB or Twitter, but less than an hour ago, I casually waddled in Ralphs Grocery near our home. I quickly found my way to the frozen food section to get a couple of items for a luncheon tomorrow. Gazing ever nonchalantly to my left at the frozen bread section, my eyes saw something that made my heart skip a beat. Did I see what I thought I saw? I quickly pulled on the handle to open the door and couldn’t believe what I was holding in my little Southern Hand. The most beautiful site; a bag of Sister Schubert rolls. Not the pretzel rolls, which I have seen a few times out here, but real dinner rolls. California, you have now won my heart. Was this really the same little neighborhood grocery store that never had my southern foods that I was craving when we first moved here three years ago?</p And this miracle happened on a Sunday! Is this going to be a great week or what? If I stumble into the same store next week and see frozen breaded okra, I am going to think that Paula Deen must have more influence in California than Dr. Oz. So, in less than 48 hours, we have had Blue Bell mailed to us from Texas and now, Sister Schubert Rolls from Alabama. When I actually see Cherry Vanilla Diet Dr Pepper here, I will be content to live here forever. I have found a Sonic within 30 minutes of our house, a Chick-Fila an hour away, Hobby Lobby by the Chick Fila and now Sister Schubert. I never dreamed life in California could be this great. You can have your beautiful blue water and beaches, your gorgeous Napa Valley and Golden Gate Bridge, I have found my dream destination, Ralphs Frozen Food Aisle.

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Paula Deen’s Tunnel Of Love Fudge Cake

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During the dinosaur age, known as the 70’s and 80’s, there was a cake that became so popular that you couldn’t go to any social gathering without being served a piece of Tunnel of Fudge cake. It was all the rave and people just couldn’t get enough of this gooey and yummy cake. I like to think that it was this cake’s fault that contributed to my “baby fat” look, that I still am so proud to sport even today, in my “golden years”. When Duncan Hines did away with the frosting mix that you added to one of their cake mixes, that made this cake possible, America cried. What would we do without our Tunnel of Fudge cake? What would we serve for company, holidays and birthday’s? What was happening to the world? Why would Duncan Hines do this to us when we were just getting over having to wear tie dyed shirts, clogs and bell bottom jeans?

In came Paula Deen with her version of our most beloved cake. Once again, we can get those pretty cake plates out and proudly serve America’s Cake.  Thanks to Paula, we can go back to the kitchen and whip up this miracle of a cake. Who knew that Paula would be our cake hero? Not only do we love her for her southern fried everything, her southern drawl, her recipe for bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme donuts, but now, the Tunnel of Fudge Cake. Gather your friends, family, your Bible study group, your bridge and bunco groups and present them with this wonderful treasure from days gone by….

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Serves 16

3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 (12 1/2 oz) can creamy double Dutch frosting

2 cups all -purpose flour

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts (the nuts really are necessary in this recipe to give it the right texture)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream room temperature butter in a large bowl on high speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add sugar gradually, creaming at high speed until light and fluffy (goodbye light and fluffy rear end, hello saggy and droopy butt)

Gradually add flour. By hand, stir in frosting mix and nuts until well blended. Pour batter in well-greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes. Cool 2 hours before removing from pan. Cake will have a dry brownie-type crust and a most center with a tunnel of fudge running through it.

 

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Blueberry Crunch Cake

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This cake has been said to console the bereaved, sell out at PTA bake sales and feed the whole ball teams. Taken from an old Paula Deen magazine, if you like blueberries, this one will make your mouth water.

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice

1 (21 oz) can blueberry pie filling

1 (18.25 oz) box butter recipe yellow cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Pour pineapple with juice into a 9×13″ baking dish, you have sprayed with Pam. Spread evenly over bottom of dish. Spoon pie filling evenly over pineapple. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pie filling, leveling with a fork. Sprinkle pecans evenly over cake mix; drizzle melted butter over the top. Bake 35-40 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

*If you prefer, you can use peach, cherry, apple or blackberry pie filling

 

Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Paula Deen Bread Pudding

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I did it!!!!! I got out of my comfort zone and made bread pudding. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to do this, but the time was just right. The french loaf was just staring at me at the grocery store and not being able to pass by the hot fresh bread, it somehow ended up in my basket. At home, it dawned on me that this one be the perfect time to make an old fashioned bread pudding and who else would I think about having just the best recipe for this….Dear Sweet Paula. Well, here it is folks and even Randy, who is not a “bread pudding” guy because he says he doesn’t like warm desserts, ate 3 helpings yesterday. It was so simple and the sauce is amazing. I did change a couple of things, adding cinnamon to the pudding and a little whipping cream to the sauce. I know Paula would be proud.

2 cups sugar

5 large beaten eggs

2 cups milk

2 teas vanilla

3 cups cubed French bread, (allow to stale overnight in a bowl, I didn’t do this and it was still so yummyImage)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teas cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick of cold butter)

1 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 stick butter

1 egg, beaten

2 teas vanilla

2 tables whipping cream

1/4 cup brandy

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13×9″ pan. Mix together the sugar, eggs and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Place bread cubes in greased 13×9 and pour egg mixture over cubed bread and let sit for 10 min. (I used about 4 cups of the cubed bread, as 3 cups didn’t quite cover the bottom of the pan)

While mixture is sitting and resting, in another bowl, cut in cold butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon until it resembles crumbs. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle evenly over bread mixture and then place in oven for about 35-40 min or until top is slightly browned and mixture is set. Remove from oven and let sit for about 15 min. Serve with sauce.

Sauce:

Mix together the sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and whipping cream in a saucepan. Stirring continually, bring mixture to where it is just beginning to boil, but take off heat before it does boil. Add the brandy and stir until combined. Drizzle sauce over squares of pudding on individual plates.

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Paula Deen’s Frozen Chocolate Mousse Pie

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When I received my Food Network magazine with a whole section of chocolate deserts, I knew I would be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, trying each one. This one came up a real winner. Thank you Paula for showing us another new recipe that will add to our collection of desserts that we will have in our recipe boxes and our hearts for years to come. 

1 sheet refrigerated pie crust dough *(I like to use the oreo crumb pie crust shell)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tables chocolate cream liqueur (or use 2 teas almond extract or vanilla extract)*(if you use the extract instead of the liqueur, you don’t have to add the 1 teas vanilla that is called for in her recipe, but if you use the liqueur, add 1 teas vanilla)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 quart heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 if using regular pie dough crust. (If you use the cookie crumb prepared Oreo crust, you can skip this step). Line a 9″ pie plate with the pie crust dough; crimp the edges as desired. Prick holes in the bottom of the pie shell. Bake in oven 11 min or until golden brown; let cool.

Combine chocolate chips, milk and chocolate liqueur in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring until smooth, about 1 min. (If using extract instead of liqueur, do not add yet, as extract should be added in after cooking the chocolate and milk. Mix in extracts and let the chocolate sauce cool.

Combine the powdered sugar and heavy cream in a mixing bowl that is free of any grease. Whip with a mixer to make the whipped cream. Gently fold about 1 cup of the whipping cream into the cooled chocolate sauce. Gently fold the remaining whipping cream in two to three batches. Pour the mousse mixture into the pie shell. Add chocolate chips to the top of the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze a few hours or overnight.