Southern Dinner Belles

For years, we had authentic Louisiana king cakes shipped to our doors. But we got ambitious after reading from one of our favorite Southern Living recipe tester and developers, Pam Lolley, that you really can make your own. So we tried it. Both versions—traditional and praline cream cheese—and not only is it so much fun, but these babies (and we haven’t even gotten to the plastic babies in your cake) are flat out fantastic! So turn up your favorite Mardi Gras tunes and let the good times roll—literally—with these delicious crowd pleasing king cakes that are sure to bring the party on Fat Tuesday!
Traditional King Cake (makes 2)
*Praline cream cheese modification in the comments but we highly recommend it!*
-1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
-⅓ cup sugar
-¼ cup butter
-1 teaspoon salt
-2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
-½ cup warm water (100° to 110°)
-1 tablespoon sugar
-2 large eggs, lightly beaten
-6 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour
-⅓ cup butter, softened
-½ cup sugar
-1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Creamy Vanilla Glaze
-3 cups (about 12 oz.) powdered sugar
-3 tablespoons butter, melted
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-3 - 4 tablespoons whole milk

-Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles
Instructions in comments!

Now this may look like the ugly duckling of gumbo, but when you put that south in your mouth, it instantly becomes a beautiful swan! Tali’s Gumbo is the absolute best we’ve ever had and is a labor of love your people will rave about year after year.
T’s Gumbo
Roux- 1 cup oil and
1 1/2 cups flour
2 whole chickens
2 links sausage
2 lbs peeled shrimp
8 Bay leaves, salt, Tony’s Seasoning, parsley flakes, black pepper, 2 chopped onions, 2 bunches of celery, chopped, 2 bunches of green onion, chopped, a head of garlic, chopped, frozen okra( optional)
Boil chickens with salt, pepper, Tony’s and garlic with enough water to cover the chicken for 1 hour. Make roux by combining the oil and flour in a cast iron skillet with constant stirring on medium high heat until it turns a dark caramel color. (do not walk away!) Bake sausage in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. When chicken is done, remove it from the broth and debone. Add seasoning and vegetables to the broth and boil for 30 minutes. Add roux and stir until dissolved. Finally, add sausage and chopped chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and low boil for 10 minutes. Add salt and Tony’s to taste. Serve over rice.

Y’all know the saying, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile?” Well, during Mardi Gras season, you’re never fully dressed without a good cocktail in hand and the French 75 goes with everything!
Not only is the French 75 a New Orleans original, but it’s also easy, bubbly and a wonderful crowd pleaser. Make a few batches of your base and then pour the night away—don’t forget to add the bubbly though!
2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces Prosecco
1. Mix gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup together in a shaker and shake with ice.
2. Strain into glass.
3. Top with Prosecco!

Ok, ok—we got so caught up snacking on these nuts and sipping our French 75s, we completely lost our heads and forgot to snap a proper pic for last week’s Mardi Gras dinner. But that should tell you how delicious and addictive these Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts really are. Once you start eating them, you can’t stop!

Ingredients:
-Vegetable oil
-3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)
-2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)
-2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)
-1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)
-1/3 cup pure maple syrup
-1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
-2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
-4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
-Kosher salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.
2. Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary. Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Laissez les bons temps rouler—Mardi Gras season is in full swing and we celebrated in style with this fabulous group of ladies at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. Gumbo galore, apps that would make even the best Cajun chefs proud and king cake doubling as birthday cake for four of the guests of honor. Recipes to come all week leading up to Fat Tuesday!

🎄Merry Christmas!🎄
Almond Orange Pandoro Christmas Cake 🍊🎄

https://giadzy.com/recipes/almond-orange-pandoro-christmas-cake/

This dish is truly a showstopper and is a piece of cake to make. The better part? You can prep it in stages and at your leisure (green beans, hardboiled eggs, potatoes and salmon). The best part? IT’S SO GOOD FOR YOU!
Salmon Nicoise

2 lbs Wild Salmon
olive oil
Sea Salt
Cook at 325 degrees on a foil lined pan for 30 minutes. Turn oven off and let rest for 10 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Salad
12 oz New Poatoes/ Fingerling Potatoes
5 large eggs
5 oz green beans, trimmed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add potatoes and cook for 14 minutes. Remove potatoes and chill. Add eggs and boil 7-9 minutes. Remove eggs to cool and then peel. Add green beans and boil several minutes. Remove and place in an ice bath.

1 English Cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup mixed olives
1 sliced avocado
Sliced cherry tomatoes

Garlic Basil Dressing:
4 scallions
1/4 cup plus 3 TBSPs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup packed fresh basil
2 oil cured anchovy fillets
1 chopped clove garlic
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
Blend in food processor or blender.

Dill Yogurt Sauce:
1/3 cup full fat yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh dill, packed
1/2 tsp dried dill (for an extra punch)
salt and cracked pepper
Blend in food processor or blender.

Line a platter with lettuce. Place the chilled salmon in the middle. Toss potatoes and greens beans with olive oil and salt/pepper. Place around the salmon in separate groups. Add olives, cucumbers, sliced boiled eggs, avocado, and sliced cherry tomatoes around the salmon in groups. They may touch or overlap. Enjoy!

Greenbrier Chilled Peach Soup

1 quart frozen (or fresh) peaches ......The Greenbrier is known for their frozen peaches!
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup peach juice (from the peaches)
If it is not sweet enough add a little sugar or Splenda

Blend peaches and sour cream in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Can strain but I do not....Serve very cold in a bowl, fancy glass, champagne glass etc. Garnish with a raspberry, strawberry etc.
Makes about 2 quarts

Ever had one of those dinners when you take the first bite and think it can’t get any better…and it does? That was our evening last night on Ellen’s veranda under the stars with friends in tow. The perfect summer supper. Recipes coming at y’all all week!
THE MENU
Starters:
Chilled Peach Soup
Parmesan Crab Canapés

Entree:
Roasted Salmon Nicoise

Dessert:
Simple Blueberry Basque Cheesecake from Half Baked Harvest

Easy Fish Tacos! 🐟 These were so delicious and very easy to make! I used corn tortillas and flounder. Any white fish would work! Check out our stories for more videos.

Holy zucchini—my garden is churning out some serious produce this year and I can’t keep up! This morning, I picked the biggest zucchini I ever did see and made bread, muffins and zucchini hash brown cakes and STILL have 2.5 cups left.
I gave away the bread as gifts, but the hash brown cakes were delicious with a dollop of tzatziki sauce for summer supper. Recipes below!

Classic Zucchini Bread ( )

About 2 cups flour 
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs 
About 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
2 cups packed shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350°. Oil and flour a 4- by 8-in. loaf pan. Whisk 2 cups flour with other dry ingredients (except sugars) in a bowl.
Beat sugars, eggs, and 1/2 cup oil until blended. Slowly mix in zucchini. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined.
Scoop batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Turn over; let cool completely.

Zucchini Hashbrowns


1 whole Large Zucchini
1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 c. (to 3/4 Cup) Breadcrumbs
1/2 c. 4-cheese Italian Blend (or Parmesan Or Romano)
2 whole Eggs
Kosher Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Olive Oil

Wash and cut the end off of one large zucchini. Shred it using the large holes of a cheese grater. Squeeze the shredded zucchini inside of a clean towel until you’ve removed as much liquid as possible.

Place shredded zucchini into a medium sized bowl. Add minced garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese (shredded), eggs, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir with a fork until well mixed.

Heat olive oil (about ¼ inch deep in bottom of skillet) to a medium heat. When the oil is hot enough drop a glob of zucchini batter into the skillet and flatten it a bit. After about two minutes, turn the cakes over ( they should be nice golden-brown) and cook on the other side until done (about 2-3 minutes).

Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy!

Hey, HAY! No telling what you’ll find on the backroads in VA. We love this.
Happy 245th, America! 🇺🇸

Our appetizers last Friday at Smith Mountain Lake were simplicity at its finest. When you have a gorgeous view, fabulous company and perfect weather, who wants to spend extra time in the kitchen? No thanks. Check out these two starters that call for minimum prep and still bring a parade of flavor!

Ina Garten Herb Dip
* 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
* ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
* ½ cup good mayonnaise
* ¾ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (3 scallions)
* ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse 10 to 12 times, until just blended, but not pureed. Serve at room temperature with fresh veggies is your choice, pita chips or toasted baguette slices.

Caprese Salad Skewers
Stack grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and fresh basil leaves on a skewer. Drizzle balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil over skewers.

For the balsamic glaze:
4 oz. fluid balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste

Pour balsamic vinegar into a saucepan. Add sugar and dash or two of salt. Stir to combine.

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Once the balsamic vinegar comes to a boil, stir again, and keep an eye on it until it is thick and has reduced by half (about 15 minutes). Remove the pot from the burner and allow it to cool.

Blueberries on omelettes, you say? With spinach and artichokes (wait, there’s more—read on). Yeah, we secretly had the same hesitations. Leave your concerns at the door and trust us on this one.
This is the fluffiest, most nutrient-packed egg dish we’ve tried. Of course, brings ALL the flavors for the win again. Brie, spinach, artichokes and, of course, eggs (topped with blueberries and a drizzle of honey). We forgot to separate the eggs and it was still fluffy as a cloud. If you try this super simple recipe, tag us and Half Baked Harvest (who is super fun and interacts directly with her followers—all 3 million of us)!


Soufflé Omelet with Spinach, Artichokes and Brie

3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 TBSP unsalted butter
1/4 cup marinated artichokes, quartered
Handful of spinach
2 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
1/2 cup honey
Fresh blueberries for serving

1. In a medium bowl, which together the egg yolks, milk and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper until combined.
2. In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture until combined. It is okay if the mixture is not completely smooth, just be careful not to deflate the whites.
3. In a 10-12 inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook without moving until the top of the egg begins to set, about 4 minutes. Add the artichokes, spinach, and Brie to one side of the omelet, cover the skillet, and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until the cheese melts. Carefully fold the empty side of the omelet to enclose the filling.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and slide the omelet onto a plate.
5. In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the honey over medium heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a pinch of salt.
6. Drizzle the omelet with the honey and top with blueberries!

It’s your way Wednesday with this dish! We followed this recipe loosely and added our own toppings. Bottom line—it’s delicious, filling and FULL of nutrients. We used a flat iron cut from a local farm and it’s seriously the best steak on the market. If you’re in southern Virginia, check out Wilkerson Farms (434-753-2838) in Halifax County. It absorbed the simple marinade perfectly and the sides we surrounded it with made for the tastiest and prettiest summer supper!



Steak Shawarma Bowls
Steak Half Baked Harvest

1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Juice of two lemons
6 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds flank steak

Sweet potato fries
( we roasted baby potatoes, any potatoes will work!)

2 sweet potatoes, cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Serving (all optional)

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 to 2 cups baby kale, chopped or shredded (we used a spring lettuce mix)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Greek yogurt or tzatziki
Hummus

1. Marinate the steak. In a large zip lock bag, combine the honey, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Add the steak, seal the bag and toss to coat well. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 12 hours.

2. Make the fries. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

3. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil and salt and black pepper to taste. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 15-20 minutes, then flip and bake for 15-20 minutes more, until tender but still crisp on the outside.

4. Cook the steak. Heat a grill to high or a grill pan over high. When the grill is smoking, add the steak. Pour over some marinade and discard the rest. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain.

5. To assemble, add the quinoa, kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, avocado, feta, and steak in bowls. Finish with a smear of yogurt and a dollop of hummus.

Buddha Smoothie Bowls
Half Baked Harvest

Saturdays are for smoothies (actually, this one is perfect any day of the week and twice on Sunday)! Did we mention you only need two ingredients (plus toppings)?!
The secret to the creaminess is a can of coconut milk. And have a blast with the toppings: we used chia pudding (less than 5 minutes to prep and then sit overnight in the fridge), blueberries, strawberries, granola and lived on the edge with a dollop of leftover ricotta honey dip (see previous post).
Note: A good blender makes all the difference here because it fluffs up the consistency of your smoothie.

Buddha Smoothie Bowls

Chia Pudding

1 cup of milk of choice
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Smoothie

1 cup milk of choice (we used canned coconut milk)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 ripe fresh or frozen banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
**We used 2 individual packets from Clovis Farms Organic Super Smoothies frozen fruit that we got from Costco.

Toppings

Plain Greek Yourt (we used the leftover ricotta from our previous post)
Nut butter, toasted coconut, seeds and/or nuts
Granola
Assorted berries and fruits
Honey

1. Make the chia pudding. In a medium bowl, combine the mille, chia seeds, honey, vanilla and salt and stir well to combine. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Make the smoothie. Combine the milk, strawberries, raspberries, banana, and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.

3. To assemble, spoon a little chia pudding into the bottoms of your bowl and then pot the smoothie to the side of the pudding. Top as desired with yogurt, nut butter, granola and fruits. Drizzle the whole bowl with honey.

Honey Whipped Ricotta and Prosciutto Crackers Half Baked Harvest

We served up a savory appetizer earlier this week, but this sweeter dish is a formidable rival. What’s more—this creamy deliciousness only has two ingredients, and you’ll likely have enough leftover for a dollop on another recipe or two that we’ll be sharing with you in the coming days.

This dip amps up any charcuterie plate—ours included prosciutto, fig preserves, fresh blueberries, pita and multigrain crackers and manchego cheese. Enjoy with Prosecco or champagne and toast to each bite that promises to burst with flavor!

Honey Whipped Ricotta and Prociutto Crackers

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons honey plus more for drizzling
sea salt and black pepper
1 box crackers
18-22 teaspoons fig preserves
3 ounces prosciutto, torn
blueberries or whatever your heart desires for a topping
Fresh thyme

1. In a the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse together the ricotta and honey until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Arrange the crackers on a serving plate. Spread each with a small amount of fig jam. Add a dallop of whipped ricotta, then too each with a piece of torn prosciutto. Sprinkle the blueberries and thyme over the prosciutto. Serve, drizzled with honey and sea salt.

The FRIED BRIE with HOT HONEY caught your eyes first, so we’re leading with that recipe tonight! We both agree this crispy, cheesy and toasty starter is a pleaser that will leave your people oohing and ahhhing and telling all their friends (exactly what we’re doing with y’all)! The sautéed blue cheese stuffed olives push this dish right over the top.
P.S. Have leftovers? Pop this treat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and enjoy it all over again. For demo videos head on over to our Instagram page! Half Baked Harvest

Fried Brie with Peppered Honey and Olives

Peppered Honey
1/4 cup honey (we used Hot Honey)
1/2-1 tsp pepper

Fried Brie
1 8-10 ounce brie wheel
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of pitted mixed olives (we used blue cheese stuffed green olives, AMAZING!)
2 TBSP lemon zest
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1 TBSP fresh thyme
crackers to serve it with

1. To make the honey. Combine all ingredients in a jar.
2. To make the Brie. Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl. Add the Panko crumbs to a separate shallow bowl. Dip the Brie through the egg, turning to coat on all sides, remove and allow any excess to drip off. Dredge the Brie through the Panko, turning to coat and pressing gently to adhere. Transfer the Brie to the freezer, freeze 15-20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil, the olives, and the crushed red pepper flakes together in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes, until lightly fried. Add the lemon zest and thyme and cook another 5 minutes, until the lemon is fried. Remove from the skillet to a serving bowl.
4. To the same skillet add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Remove the Brie from the freezer and place in the skillet. Cool for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Carefully transfer the Brie to a serving plate.
5. Serve the Brie warm, topped with fried olive and peppered honey. Enjoy with crackers or bread.

It was a weekend full of food, friendship and fun. None of it was possible without our freedom—today, we stop to honor and remember those who gave it all for this great country we call home.
We’ll post recipes over the next several days. Hit that save button—they’re keepers! Our inspiration came from and focused on fresh foods with minimal ingredients and zero junk. We ate like queens and savored every single bite and every minute in between. Happy Memorial Day, y’all! 🇺🇸