I missed blogging for a week due to hostessing duties, getting garden ramped up for the season, and other assorted inconveniences, so today I’m doing double duty. Here are two of our favorite, ridiculously simple, marvelously delicious, but clearly not health food recipes. I’ve just got to share or I’m being mean. And no, it’s not a misprint; I do mean chocolate potato chips.
Let’s start with that. I went to a party that took place at the home of my second favorite screened in porch in town (I have to like mine best even if this one has a giant flat screen TV and a fireplace.) I was told I couldn’t bring a thing, so I had to make something that could be laughed off as a silly piece of fluff. That thing was chocolate potato chips, which turned out to be quite a hit and was weirdly discovered to be even more incredible dipped in the barbeque sauce for Chic Shrimp (Feb. 26, 2014), which our hostess had nicely made. I know this is just sounding crazier by the second, but I absolutely swear you’ll love this. Here’s what you do. Spread out a bag of non-ruffely potato chips on some waxed paper. Melt a package of semi sweet chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle the melted chocolate over the chips. Use a spoon for easy drizzling. Let the chocolate cool and then try to eat just one.
Beignets are worth going to NOLA for but we can’t always do that. I’ve bought the Café Du Monde mix and made beignets with a small mess and relative success. I’ve made them from scratch using evaporated milk and generating a huge mess plus spent a lot of time for a beignet that can be consumed in under 10 seconds. Finally a Louisiana friend told me what to do if you need a quick fix. Here’s the trick- cut up crescent dough rolls into about 4 or 5 pieces each. Don’t make them all the same and even or they won’t look right! Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot and drop the dough in, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, turn quickly and remove to roll in powdered sugar. Now fire up a little jazz on your iPod, make some strong coffee and just enjoy. Cheating? Maybe, but who cares when it tastes this good!
Ingredients
Bag of potato chips, without ruffles
Pkg of semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Spread the chips on a piece of waxed paper.
Melt chocolate chips in a large bowl in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds, or melt over a double boiler.
Drizzle chocolate over chips and let cool.
Ingredients
Canola or vegetable oil, enough to have two inches in the pot you use
Crescent dough
Powdered sugar to coat
Directions
Heat oil in a large heavy pot (I use a Dutch oven) to medium heat.
Cut dough into pieces, 4 or 5 from each roll, about 40 total.
Set up a spot to drain beignets on paper towels.
Drop 3 or 4 pieces into hot oil, turn almost immediately and remove to paper towel.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar; actually roll them around to coat.
Repeat until all the beignets are fried and sugared.
