Exploring with Food

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The Hubby and I got a chance to explore some food the other day! We took a drive down to Sunset Beach and then walked around the local shopping area. There is a very large department-grocery store there called Jusco and right next to that is Depot Island and America Town. We went in to just look around. It is stimulation central! There are clothes, food, people, language you don't understand! It was awesome! We decided to just pick out a few treats at the grocery's bakery section. We got 4 different things:

This was a sweetbread with a green tint to it. It might have been green tea, not quite sure. It was only a little sweet, not too powerful in the sweet department. 

This sweet bread was the same as the one above only it was not green. 

This doughnut-like pastry was dense and it had a strawberry yogurt-like frosting on top. Again, it was not overly sweet. Not what we thought it was going to be, but happy we tried it!

 This guy was the best! Happy Halloween! I believe it was a sweetbread with some sort of a sweetened yam spread on the inside and used to glue on the almond eyes. I liked it, Hubby, not so much! Tehehe!

After eating our goodies, we stopped by a beach shack and got an Orion beer.

This morning we went and had brunch at Camp Cortney with Hubby's XO and his wife. It was wonderful and the view was spectacular! (cant upload right now....) I look forward to meeting new people and starting to explore this island some more!

Coming up: We get our house tomorrow and I will get pics up ASAP. I also have some recipes to share from our time home in MN. Yes, I did do a little cooking, and my mother did some baking! 

Keep checking in!

Here's one for you Cafe Du Monde!

Guess what I made tonight!

Guess...

OK, I'll tell ya! BEIGNETS!! Ya know...those fluffy little pillows of fried dough that are promptly piled high with powdered sugar. They are yummy and you can make they at home for your own enjoyment!!

Beignets History: A beignet ([bεɲ.e] pronounced ben–YAY, from the Middle French word for "bump"), in American English, refers to a French doughnut being a pastry made from deep-fried dough and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Beignets are often found in, and typically associated with, the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Savory versions of beignets are also popular as an appetizer, with fillings such as craw fish or shrimp. They were brought to Louisiana by the Acadians.

The hubby and I found a box of beignet mix at World Market. It was amazing! He had no idea what it was at first, but I had seen then on an episode of Food Paradise - Doughnut Paradise on the Travel Channel. When I first told him how much powdered sugar was on them he didn't believe me...and then I showed him a pic and he was amazed!

This is the recipe from the back of the box:

~Beignets~
(Back of the box)

2 c. beignet mix

7 oz. water

Flour

Cottonseed oil

Powdered sugar

Mix the beignet mix with the water in a small bowl. You may have to add a little more water or mix. The dough should be soft when mixed, like drop biscuit dough. Do not over mix. Scoop the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about 1/4 of an inch thick and cut into 2 inch squares. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pan to 370 F. Fry the pieces of dough by drooping them into the oil and letting them puff up and then flip. It should only take about 1-2 min. total. Do not add too many dough pieces into the pan at once because the temp of the oil will drop too much. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain while cooking the rest of the dough. When done, place on a plate and pile high with powdered sugar...really pile it on...its fun and it tastes good! Enjoy!

After rolling out the dough

Fried little pillows of delight and yummyness!