Daddy's Doughnuts

My dad usually made breakfast every morning and it was usually pretty hearty and everyday it was something different. These doughnuts were my favorite thing he made, I looked forward to mornings where these little yummy balls greeted me at the breakfast table. 


Since I have been snowed in all weekend I decided to make his doughnut treats for my neighbors. These are perfect if you are babysitting I promise kids will love you for life or it works as a great brunch recipe as well or anytime you want a quick yummy treat!!! My dad used to serve them glazed with eggs and bacon, I have added a few more options to make them even more fun!!!!! 


What you need: 

• 10 pack can Pilsbury of Grands Jr. Golden Layer Biscuits 
• 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar 
• 2-4 tbl of Water
• Semi-sweet Chocolate Morsels
• Good Can of Carmel or Homemade Carmel
• Good bottle of Strawberry or Raspberry syrup (Or homemade syrup) 
• Vegetable Oil enough for frying

This a quick dish has great presentation. I recommend using really good carmel, chocolate and strawberry syrup. You can buy these at small specialty shops like Parker and Otis in Durham or Whole Foods. If I don't make it I buy it organic and homemade from local shops. Barefoot Contessa has a really good melted chocolate sauce as well and Deluce De Leche sauce too.

In a med to large sauce pan pour enough oil (halfway to top) and heat over med high heat. Take biscuits one by one from can and cut into four pieces, do this with all biscuits.  Set aside.

While waiting for oil to heat up prepare dipping sauce and glaze. For glaze take 1/2 c. of powdered sugar and place into bowl. Add water by the tbl. to sugar stir after each water edition until you have a consistency that will allow you to drizzle very easily. Set aside. 

Melt about 1/4 c. chocolate morsels either using a double broiler or in the microwave in 30-sec. intervals stirring in-between each 30 sec time interval, it should only take 1 min. Place into ramekin and set aside. Heat carmel in another ramekin and set aside. Pour raspberry or strawberry sauce into a third ramekin and set aside.

When oil is hot, drop a few pieces of biscuit dough and fry till they float up, then flip to the other side and fry until brown, remove from heat and drain on a paper toweled plate. Drizzle immediately with glaze.  Cover with foil paper to keep warm. Continue to fry, flip, and glaze little doughnuts until done.  Serve immediately with side sauces.  This makes about 40 little doughnuts! 

P.S. believe it or not these yummy little treats are also good at room temperature too so if they sit out durning the day it's okay they only get better! YUM!!!!! 

Superbowl All Genders Approved Menu

Tear the end of football season, but don't fret because this year we will go out with a bang, on the field (I am a Huge Saints Fan) and on the palette! The dishes are exciting and sure to please both Colts and Saints Fans as well everyone else!

On the Menu:

No whimpy Patties here! Sirloin Sliders

Guilt Free Empanadas (Or not So Guilt Free) with Guacamole

Steak Bites with Louisiana Style Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce

and because no Super-bowl menu is complete without dessert:

Chocolate Chocolate and More Chocolate Brownie Bites


p.s. You cannot think of calories when you eat these just enjoy!!!! 

No whimpy Patties here! Sirloin Sliders

I love Sliders even more than burgers they are so cute and bite sized I feel Like I can eat and eat them! LOL. But they are bite sized and for an event like superbowl the less plates and silverware the better! 


What you need: 

• 1 lb. Ground Sirloin lean and trim
• My Seasoning mix  2 teas. Cayenne Pepper, 1 teas. salt, 1 teas. pepper, 2 teas. garlic powder, 2 teas. chili powder, 2 teas. oregano, 2 dashes of Louisiana Seasoning, and 1 teas smoked paprika.
• Dinner rolls 12 cut in half
• Condiments: Mustard, ketchup, mayo
• Boston Bib Lettuce
• Sliced pickles
• Shallot chopped small
• pad of butter
• 1 tbl. of Olive Oil 

In a large mixing bowl season and mix ground sirloin, I use my hands to mix most effective. 

In a small skillet melt the pad of butter and saute shallot till transparent set aside.  

In a large skillet heat 1 tbl. of olive oil over med high heat. 

Grab a little more than a tablespoon full of meat and roll into a meatball. 

Then flatten that meatball and place in the hot skillet cook for about 7 min on each side. Transfer done patties to plate and allow them to rest. 

To build sliders place a teas. of shallot mixture at the bottom of the roll top with cheese if you'd like or patty. Top patty with a slice of pickle. Do the same with all and serve on a platter adorned with bib lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments! Note: You can toast Dinner rolls if you like on a hot skillet with melted butter, just lightly toast the sides touching the patty. 

These are a crowd favorite every-time!!!!! Serve with Curly French Fries and a Cold red Stripe!  Yummy!

Guilt Free Empanadas with Guacamole

These baked yummy appetizers are about 150-160 calories for 3 depending on your meat. In this example I used a slim and trim ground sirloin you can use ground pork, chicken, or turkey (I have done turkey before and its scrumptious) You can even nix the meat add black beans and corn and reduce the calories even more! Whatever you choose to do they are delicious! And the guacamole is just the icing on the cake! 


Let's get started!


What you need:

• 1/4 c. Carrots minced
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 small onion minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper minced
• 1 red potato minced
• 1 jalopeno minced
• 1 teas Cayenne Pepper (Little less if you like less spicy)
• 1 teas Cumin
• 1 teas. Chili Powder
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 pckg. Wonton Wrappers
• 2 tbl. Olive Oil
• 2 avocados
• Avocado Seasoning Package (see picture below)
• Pico De Gallo or Fresh Made Tomato Salsa 

First start but mincing all your veggies really really small! They need to be so small you cannot tell the difference! 

Season your meat with the above mentioned seasonings you can use as little or as much, I like a little bite  back when I bite into my empanadas. 

Place 2 tbl. oil in a large skillet over med high heat, when hot add veggies and saute till soft. Next add your seasoned meat and saute till browned. While sauteing it chop it up so it can be as small as possible. 

Set aide to cool. Take out a large cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Take a teaspoon and place a little bit of our meat mixture in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Using water wet wrapper along the edge of one side. Fold over in a triangle shape pressing to make sure they stick. You want to fold them corner to corner diagonally. 

Once you have a cookie sheet full, bake at 400 degrees for 12 min.  

Place in serving dish and serve immediately. 

While baking make your guacamole, mash two avocados in a bowl, add seasoning packet and mix thoroughly.  Next add the tomato salsa, pico de gallo you can find it at specialty groceries in the fresh veggie aisle. Fold in salsa and serve. Want it spicy use a hotter tomato salsa! 

This is a YUMMY guilt free dish!!!! Serve with a cold red stripe! 

Steak Bites with Louisiana Style Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce

Okay I honestly make these all the time!!! Every-time I have a get together this is usually one of my go-to tried and true appetizers. It's yummy hearty and never fails. Paired with my Louisiana Style Bloody Mary which I just decided to place in a bowl instead of a cup and now I can call it a dipping sauce. The difference from the drink and the sauce is that I turn up the heat a bit more on dipping sauce, using a Hot Sauce made in Lafayette, La.,  and I keep things a bit chunky as well. I started this recipe when I lived in Boston, a friend of mines used to order steak tip all the time, and so one day I decided to make them, for him and I perfected the seasoning over-time cooking, pairing the tips with a baked potato or french fries. One day I decided to cut them smaller and serve as an appetizer, but thought what can I use as a condiment. Well the first sauce I tried, yucky I just doctored up and seasoned ketchup, ewww I know I didn't serve it. Then while at brunch while having a Bloody Mary I thought this is bland not nearly as spicy as my aunt's at home and then I thought hmmm steak, vodka, tomato sauce hmm. I tried it and have been making it ever since!


What you need: 

• 2 lbs. Sirloin cut into bite size pieces or chunks 
• 1 tbl olive oil
• Seasoning (I took a picture of the seasoning I used you may not be able to get the Creole seasoning but the Montreal Steak Seasoning is a must and Cayenne pepper for added heat!) 
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• Shallot Minced
• 8-oz can of tomato sauce
• 2 tbl. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tbl. Horseradish (I use the Extra Hot kind)
• 1/2 c. Vodka 
• 2 teas. Hot Sauce (Use your favorite kind) 
• Long Bamboo skewers or toothpicks

Lets start with the sauce. In a small saucepan on med. heat saute shallot in 1 teas. of olive until transparent. 

 Lower heat and stir in tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, Horseradish, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Let simmer for about 10-min. then add the Vodka let simmer on low heat (not bubbling) till steak bites are ready. 

To make steak bites heat 2 tbl of oil in a large skillet.

Wait till oil is hot, you can tell if it's hot if the oil starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. make sure meat is dry, wet meat won't brown. Place Meat up on one side and sear for about 5-7 min (depends on size of pieces) and turn to opposite side to cook. Cook according to you likeness I like med well. After cooked place in bowl and cover with foil paper, meat will continue to cook. 

Once completed place on serving dish with bloody mary sauce and bamboo sticks and serve hot!! YUMMY!!! 

Chocolate Chocolate and More Chocolate Brownie Bites

If you love chocolate and I mean LOVE chocolate you will not be able to put these down! Okay I took a page from that chick on Simply Homemade and used Betty Crocker to help me on this yummy sinful gooey little treat! I do that allot especially if I am cooking dinner, and making apps I take a shortcut on the dessert sometimes; but believe me, these will not taste store bought!!!! These are perfect for Super-bowl, book club, romantic dinner, or even girls night in!!!! 


What you need:

• 1 Pckg. of Betty Crocker Brownie Mix with Fudge (see picture below) Prepared according to package in a separate bowl. 
• 1 Pckg. of Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix (you can use other cookie mixes as well if you'd like) Prepared according to package in a separate bowl. 
• A pad of butter for greasing 
• 12-oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 heavy cream
• 6 tbl. of butter
• And a whole lot of will-power! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 X 9 baking dish I used a glass one in this case. Prepare brownie mixture and pour batter into prepared baking dish, spread evenly. 

Take prepared cookie dough mixture and take tablespoon size balls and drop in brownie mix, as so. 

Bake for 35-40 min. Let cool completely 1 hour. Let me just say the house will smell so delicious and you will want to eat them now but don't we are not finished yet! 

Once cooled you can do one of the following: 

• Drizzle with Chocolate
• Drizzle with Melted Frosting (Cream Cheese, Chocolate, Peanut Butter) 
• Frost it with any of the above icings OR
• Pour another layer of chocolate on top...Ganache Chocolate 

I decided to go with Ganache in this case, it's easy I use it on allot on top of my cakes, bars, and besides the intention of this recipe is to appease those chocolate lovers out there and the one sitting in front of this computer! 

To make the Ganache:

Heat butter and heavy cream over low heat till just hot, you don't want this to boil at all have patience it will pay off. Place 12-ox semi-sweet chocolate morsels in a bowl. 

Once the butter/cream mixture is ready pour over chocolate morsels let sit for 15-20min then stir till smooth. 

Once smooth pour of brownie mixture and don't touch till Ganache is set, 30-min. You can place in the fridge if you like to speed up the setting process.   

Set Ganache

Once set cut into cute mini squares or bars however you'd like and serve!!!! MMMM this is sinful! Yummy! 

So yummy and rich!!! 

Great Snack Idea that is healthy and Quick!!!!

Want a yummy snack idea for midday or when you get the munches! I love this!!!

• 1- English Muffin (I do the 100 Calorie Honey Wheat one they are light by Thomas) You can toast if you like 
• 2 tbl.- Hummus (about 1 tbl. on each side) I like the Spinach and Artichoke Hummus or the regular one works great as well. 
• 2- Slices of Tomatoes (in season now Plum and Grape, but with a plump tomato slice fresh from the Farmer's Market this will be to die for!) 

Prepare you English Muffin anyway you'd like toast I like to just heat mines in the microwave for like 10-sec and then spread hummus on each side and top with a tomato! Such a hearty and healthy snack! Total Calories: 14 (tomatoes), 100 (english Muffin), Hummus (2 tbl. 50-70 calories depending on the brand and kind you get) Total 184! YUMMY!!!!

Valentine's Day Shrimp Pasta with Spinach and Pine Nuts for 2

Valentine's Day is right around the corner so I will spend these next few weeks on dishes that are filling, easy and elegant! This dish has gone through so many variations first it started off as one of those I have shrimp and pasta lets make a last minute meal, then I added spinach, then I started with a cream sauce and decided that I want to try something lighter, and after all those trials and errors I have found something that works and that more importantly is YUM! The fun thing about this recipe is that instead of shrimp you can use fresh oysters, scallops, clams. You can also add a bit of heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese to the butter to make a creamy sauce and if you do that you can use a penne pasta and bake! But for now I will show you the basic one before expanding! 


What You Need (Basing this recipe on diner for 2): 

• 1/2 lb. of Angel Hair Pasta (used in the pictures) or Linguine 
• 1lb. Large Shrimp (Seasoned with a couple dashes of salt and 3 grinds from the pepper mill) 
• Salt/Pepper
• 6-8 Garlic Cloves (whole)
• 2 tbl. Pine Nuts
• Small shallot
• 1 1/2 Sticks Butter (Unsalted)
• 2c.  or two handfuls of Spinach 
• 2 Strips of prosciutto 

In a small sauce pot on extremely low heat slowly melt 1 stick of butter with minced Shallot. Cook until Butter is melted and warm. 

In a small saute pan heat 1 Tbl. of butter over medium heat till butter is hot, but not browned. Add garlic cloves and pine nuts to the hot butter saute until garlic cloves are browned and fragrant.  Set Aside. 

Wipe off pan and use it to fry up the prosciutto until crispy, place on paper towels and set aside. When the prosciutto cools off crumble and set aside.

In a large skillet heat over med high heat the shallot butter mixture in skillet, when warmed add shrimp and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp are pink on both sides. 

Add 2c. of Spinach and reserved pine nuts and garlic cloves cook until the spinach is wilted.  

Now I take a servings portion of pasta and in a small bowl pour half the shrimp mixture over the pasta and toss together (coating pasta in butter mixture) then I plate it. Top pasta with Shaved parmesan cheese (it just looks so much more elegant), crumbled prosciutto and cracked pepper. Serve with crusty bread it's perfect for sopping up that buttery goodness after the pasta is gone.

For Valentine's Day Serve this elegant dish with Riondo Prosecco. This fruity, light-bodied offering offers terrific floral notes, persistent effervescence, and a clean delicate finish. Make it more festive by adding a small scoop of your favorite sorbet (Mango, guava, and raspberry goes well) or just leave it as is. 

Crisp, Elegant, Delicious!