Monday Night Meals: Week 13

New Orleans Saints VS. Seattle Seahawks

New Orleans

King Cake

Ingredients:

½ stick of butter

1/3 c evaporated milk

1/3 c sugar

1 package yeast

3 c flour

2 eggs

Lemon

Pinch of salt

Filling

2 T butter

¼ c sugar

2 T cinnamon

Icing:

1 c powder sugar

1 T milk

Food coloring (yellow, green, purple)

3 T Sugar

Directions:

                Begin by melting the butter in the bowl, add the evaporate milk and sugar, stir well until sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, activate the yeast with hot water; allow to sit aside for ten minutes. Add the yeast to the butter mixture, mix well. Zest about half the lemon and place in the bowl. Place one egg into a bowl, separate the second egg by placing the whites in a separate bowl and add the yolk to the bowl with the other egg. Add the egg and yolk to the mixture, set remaining egg white aside.

                Slowly add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing all together. Dough will be slightly sticky, placing onto floured surface and begin to knead. Knead the dough for about ten minutes, adding a little flour if needed. Place into an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to double in size, about 1-2 hours.

                Once the dough has risen, punch it allowing the air to release and separate into two balls. Take one ball and roll out into a 10 x 12 rectangle. Melt the butter for the filling (reserve half for other ball) and brush the surface of the dough. Mix the filling cinnamon and sugar together and place across the surface of the dough (reserve half for other ball). Starting with the bottom of the dough, slowly roll up the dough to resemble a jelly roll. Repeat with other dough ball.

                Once the dough is filled and rolled, the next step is rolling the two together. Place the two logs next to each other, start by placing one log on top of the other and slowly twist the two dough logs together. Pinch the ends together so it resembles a braided circle and place on a cooking sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise an additional twenty minutes.

                Preheat oven to 350. Brush the dough with the egg white set aside. Place the bread into oven, allow to bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes, mixture will be a dark golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

                Mix the powdered sugar with the milk mixture, glaze the bread over the tops and side with icing. Using three separate bowls, add one tablespoon of sugar in each. Make one yellow, one green and the other purple (use red and blue). Alternately place the sugars on top of the bread, making a colorful pattern. Serve and Enjoy! Go Saints!

Seattle

Seared Salmon with Blackberry Wine Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 fillets of salmon

½ c blackberries

½ c red wine (we used Merlot)

1 shallot

2 T butter

½ c chicken broth

Head of romaine lettuce

Drizzle of olive oil

lemon

Salt and pepper

Directions:

                Begin by making the blackberry sauce. Cut the blackberries in half and dice the shallots. In a saucepan, add the wine, blackberries, shallots and butter. Allow mixture to melt and thicken. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer ten to fifteen minutes.

                Meanwhile, salt and pepper the salmon. Drizzle a pan with olive oil and bring to medium heat. Place the salmon in the heated pan, sear on both sides, about five minutes on each side. Meanwhile, cut up the lettuce and place into two bowls. Cut the lemon in wedges.

                Place the salmon on top of romaine, pour blackberry sauce over the salmon, serve with lemon. Enjoy! Go Seahawks!