Cajun Halloween Treats !

Parties, parties, everywhere in Cajun country this weekend, and two festivals to boot!  And a nice cool front that put me in the mood to bake! Here are a few of my favorite Fall treats that I made to take to a Halloween party that some friends were having, last night. The first one has that yummy blend of pumpkin and chocolate that I just can't seem to get enough of, lately. And the praline glaze is just heavenly and gives it that little extra touch of decadence. Cest bon, cher! Bon appetit!

Chocolate Chip-Pumpkin Bread w/ Praline Glaze 

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp.salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cups canola oil

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Combine the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and  baking soda in large bowl. In separate bowl, beats eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Stir into dry mixture, until just blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and remove to a plate. Note: I covered with foil for the last 20 minutes.

Meanwhile make the Praline Glaze .

Praline Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

In heavy saucepan, heat butter, brown sugar, and pecans, on medium heat, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and pour over top of warm Pumpkin Bread. Slice and serve with your favorite latte or cuppa.

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And what would any holiday be without a few batches of these totally decadent brownies?!

Warning: These are addicitve!

Amaretto Brownies

2/3 cup butter
3 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Amaretto liqueur
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine butter and chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl. Microwave on low until melted, stirring frequently. In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar and mix well. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Stir in the Amaretto . Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well and add to the chocolate/Amaretto mixture. Blend well and pour into a greased 9x11 inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool and cut into squares. 

Sinfully delicious and worth every calorie, cher! 


Wishing you all a very Happy Halloween! Merci for coming by!

Decadent Cajun Desserts!

Oh yes, it's time to start the baking for Thanksgiving! If I don't start now, I'll end up at Poupart's Bakery, buying everything in sight, at this divine little bakery shop! Which wouldn't be such a bad idea, except that Thanksgiving is about family and tradition, and I love to make my family's faves and make some of the cherished holiday recipes of my dear mother and grandmother. It is an annual ritual to bake on the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I thought that I would share a few of the desserts that I'm serving.

It doesn't get any better than this for easy and decadent!
Mais cher, I could eat a whole one of these!

Marguerite's Pecan Pie

1 (9 inch) prepared or homemade pie crust
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbs.'s butter
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
3 lightly beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash salt

In saucepan, combine corn syrup, sugar, and butter, and bring to a gentle boil, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

Place pecans in bottom of pie shell. Combine eggs and vanilla with mixture and pour over pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Heaven!

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Next is one of my all time favorites, at the holidays or on any day, this luscious bread pudding is a wonderful addition to your holiday dinner table or buffet.

Chocolate Bread Pudding w/ Praline Sauce

1 stick butter
1 loaf french bread, torn into small pieces
1 large can Pet milk
4 semi-sweet chocolate squares, chopped
4 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. almond extract  

Melt butter in large heavy pot on medium heat. Add bread, and stir constantly until golden. Place mixture in a buttered 13x9 inch baking dish and set aside. Bring milk to a boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and blend till smooth. Add eggs, brown sugar,and almond extract. Mix well and pour mixture over bread mixture, blend gently and let stand for 15 minutes. Cover with vented foil and bake at 325 degrees, for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Let cool and serve with warm praline sauce. Serves 8

Praline Sauce

 
1 cup light brown sugar
1 small can Pet milk
3 tbs.'s butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter in heavy saucepan. Cook on low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Serve warm over bread pudding. Enjoy!

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 And for those of you who missed my Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe, I've decided to post it, again here, because it definitely smacks holiday and Thanksgiving! Sinfully good!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 (15 oz.) can or 2 cups fresh pumpkin, strained
1 (1/2) cups graham cracker crumbs, (crushed fine)
5 tbs.'s melted butter
2 tbs.'s sugar
2 (8 oz.) pkg.'s cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp.'s pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Crust

In large bowl, stir together, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 2 tbs.'s sugar. Mix well and press mixture onto bottom and about 1 inch up sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake 5 minutes @ 350 degrees, then set aside to cool. Then chill until ready to use.
Note* I have also used chocolate graham crackers for this recipe.

Filling

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until well blended and smooth. Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in pumpkin, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and continue mixing until well blended. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well, after each one. Scrape bowl and beat in vanilla extract. Pour filling into pie crust and sprinkle evenly with topping and place springform pan on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Topping

1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbs.'s brown sugar

Mix together and sprinkle over top of the filling before baking.

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And what would any holiday be without a few batches of these sinfully delicious brownies? This great recipe is from the "Something To Talk About" cookbook, compiled by the Junior League of Lafayette. So easy to make and worth the calories, I assure you, cher!

Kahlua Fudge Brownies

2/3 cup butter
3 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
1 - 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 -1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Combine butter and chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl. Microwave on low until melted, stirring frequently. In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar in and mix well. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the Kahlua and stir. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Pour into a greased 10x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 23 minutes. Center will be moist. Cool and cut into squares. Serves 12.

Divine, cher! Absolutely, divine! Bon appetit!

Happy Baking, Ya'll!

Holiday Pics + Chocolate Bread Pudding w/ Praline Sauce

The 4th of July was hot in more ways than one, this year, in Cajun Country. The Acadiana Symphony played a beautiful Fourth of July concert at Parc International, in downtown Lafayette. Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys also entertained the huge crowd with their highly seasoned Cajun music. More than a few hardy souls were dancing in nitty- gritty, two-step mode. There was a light breeze and a joie de vivre in the air! 
  

 After the concert we went over to Parc Sans Souci, where there was yet another band playing, and a fun jump and fountain for the kids. We were in dire need of refreshment, by this time, so we walked across to Agave Cantina and had a few rounds of frozen margaritas before the fabulous fireworks. It was a wonderful celebration, honoring our freedom and those who have fought for it.

What was your Independence Day celebration like?
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This is a sinfully delicious dessert that is a perfect finish to any meal or whenever I have an "envie" for something sweet. It's so good that you'll want to have some for breakfast, too, with some good strong Community coffee. Oh, cest bon, cher! What a way to start the day!

Chocolate Bread Pudding w/ Praline Sauce

1 stick butter
1 loaf french bread, torn into small pieces
1 large can Pet milk
4 semi-sweet chocolate squares, chopped
4 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. almond extract 

 

Melt butter in large heavy pot on medium heat. Add bread, and stir constantly until golden. Place mixture in a buttered 13x9 inch baking dish and set aside. Bring milk to a boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and blend till smooth. Add eggs, brown sugar,and almond extract. Mix well and pour mixture over bread mixture, blend gently and let stand for 15 minutes. Cover with vented foil and bake at 325 degrees, for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Let cool and serve with warm praline sauce.

Serves 8

Praline Sauce

1 cup light brown sugar

1 small can Pet milk 

2 tbs.'s butter

1 tsp. vanilla 

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

 

Combine brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter in heavy saucepan. Cook on low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Serve warm over bread pudding. Enjoy!

Chocolate Bread Pudding w/ Praline Sauce

With all of the rain we've been having, I've been having an "envie" (Cajun for craving) for a little something sweet. When I woke up this morning, my envie got stronger and I decided to make this decadent dessert for guests that I am having over for dinner, tonight. Of course, I couldn't wait until after dinner to indulge, so I decided to sample it for breakfast with some extra strong Community coffee. Oh, so good, cher!  Community Coffee

Chocolate Bread Pudding

1 stick butter
1 loaf French bread, torn into small pieces
1 large can Pet milk
4 semi-sweet chocolate squares, chopped
4 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. almond extract

Melt butter in large heavy pot on medium heat. Add bread, and stir constantly until golden. Place mixture in a buttered 13x9 inch baking dish and set aside.

Bring milk to a boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and blend till smooth. Add eggs, brown sugar,and almond extract. Pour mixture over bread mixture, blend gently and let stand for 15 minutes. Cover with vented foil and bake at 325 degrees, for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Let cool and serve with warm praline sauce. Serves 8

Praline Sauce

 
1 cup light brown sugar
1 small can Pet milk
2 tbs.'s butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans

 
Combine brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter in heavy saucepan. Cook and stir on low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Serve warm over bread pudding.