Recipes

[Noel7]

I received an email today for a lightened up EASY version of a King Cake for Mardi Gras.  I'm thinking of making this, it looks so festive.

Mardi Gras is in ten days, February 28th.

Lightened Up King Cake (not traditional)

http://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/lightened-up-king-cake?

[beach-mom]

Thanks for this recipe! I'm going to try to make it. We have the pancake supper at church that benefits our youth. Maybe I could make two of these if they'll let me?? If not, my family will enjoy it! 

[Noel7]

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@beach-mom wrote:

Thanks for this recipe! I'm going to try to make it. We have the pancake supper at church that benefits our youth. Maybe I could make two of these if they'll let me?? If not, my family will enjoy it! 

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You're welcome @beach-mom !

There's a video with the recipe that shows how to make it, step by step, it is easy.

She also suggests making it with other colors for various holidays, football games, etc. 

How can you go wrong with a cream cheese brown sugar stuffing?

[NJgirl 1205]

THanks for posting.  I really love Holly's recipes but honestly, some things are just worth the splurge!

[Kachina624]

When I lived in Houston,  someone was always bringing one of these cakes from New Orleans to the office to share.   Many people had relatives there.   The cakes were not home-made and apparently are widely available.   I remember them being pretty gross... you took one bite and didn't want another.   Thirty people wouldn't eat the whole thing.   I hope this one is better.   Is there a baby in it? 

[Poodlepet2]

Noel, thank you for the recipe, but I would like to historically enlighten.....This is an old European -predominantly Catholic tradition.  The first cake is served on the Twelfth Night of Christmas-and no doubt there are many variations depending on your income, but what filtered down the masses-on this side of the pond- was somewhat of a plain Jane version-something that everybody could afford.

It was basically a rich bread-similar to Challah, or anv"egg bread" decorated with colored sugar-each color having a significance.  When I was a child, I remember it being a little on the dry side and just enough of a confectioners sugar was glazed in order to make the sugar stick.......it was no where near what passes for King Cake now with the cream cheese and fruit fillings and drenched in syrupy icing on steroids! ( Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed the more modern versions too!  They hit the market sometime in the 70's.)....

In New Orleans, the Twelfth Night launches Carnival and what used to be known as "The Social Season" and culminates in Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Feast and eat your heart out on that day, because at the stroke of Midnight, it all ends. Lent begins.  In the old days-even Post Vatican Two, it was a time of austerity.

Are you of the Protestant sector?  You still get to celebrate Shrove Tuesday!  Get your best pancake recipes together! For Protestants, they were not celebrating with the pageantry of the"Papists" -their sworn enemies, but Lent was very much a time is austerity as well: pancakes were a great way to use up any rich foods in your house because during Lent, chances were that you here going to go without meat or dairy or anything that really tempted your taste buds.

Poodlepet2

[Noel7]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

When I lived in Houston,  someone was always bringing one of these cakes from New Orleans to the office to share.   Many people had relatives there.   The cakes were not home-made and apparently are widely available.   I remember them being pretty gross... you took one bite and didn't want another.   Thirty people wouldn't eat the whole thing.   I hope this one is better.   Is there a baby in it? 

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Hi @Kachina624

My daughter lived in the South for awhile, and while there she got us a King Cake from a well known bakery for Mardi Gras.  I have to say, I wasn't fond of the cake part.  It looked good but was dry and not very flavorful.

But I love the idea of Mardi Gras and we've collected a few things to go with, the beads in gold, green and purple and the baby to put in a cake.

This one has to be better, it's basically crescent rolls stuffed with cream cheese and a brown sugar mix, not really cake.  The festive part is the three color glaze or frosting.

[Noel7]

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@Poodlepet2 wrote:

Noel, thank you for the recipe, but I would like to historically enlighten.....This is an old European -predominantly Catholic tradition.  The first cake is served on the Twelfth Night of Christmas-and no doubt there are many variations depending on your income, but what filtered down the masses-on this side of the pond- was somewhat of a plain Jane version-something that everybody could afford.

It was basically a rich bread-similar to Challah, or anv"egg bread" decorated with colored sugar-each color having a significance.  When I was a child, I remember it being a little on the dry side and just enough of a confectioners sugar was glazed in order to make the sugar stick.......it was no where near what passes for King Cake now with the cream cheese and fruit fillings and drenched in syrupy icing on steroids! ( Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed the more modern versions too!  They hit the market sometime in the 70's.)....

In New Orleans, the Twelfth Night launches Carnival and what used to be known as "The Social Season" and culminates in Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Feast and eat your heart out on that day, because at the stroke of Midnight, it all ends. Lent begins.  In the old days-even Post Vatican Two, it was a time of austerity.

Are you of the Protestant sector?  You still get to celebrate Shrove Tuesday!  Get your best pancake recipes together! For Protestants, they were not celebrating with the pageantry of the"Papists" -their sworn enemies, but Lent was very much a time is austerity as well: pancakes were a great way to use up any rich foods in your house because during Lent, chances were that you here going to go without meat or dairy or anything that really tempted your taste buds.

Poodlepet2

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Hi @Poodlepet2

Thank you, thank you for the wonderful details and history of the season!

My mother was Roman Catholic, my father Protestant.  We observed fish on Friday and I went to Mass with my mother.  She had very little family, my father had a lot of family and came from a long line of Protestant ministers, so that's where most of the family, including me, became members.  The first thing I learned to memorize however was Hail Mary.  I like to think I can fit in anywhere, especially since we have so many close Jewish friends and I've also attended many of their services and celebrations.

I never knew about the pancake fest, but I'm going to do research on it and WE WILL have pancakes that day

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[Poodlepet2]

Noel7, are you positive you didn't have a sibling given up for adoption????  I was the product of a mixed marriage as well and grew up with a questioning mind but with religious schizophrenia as well!

My Dad was Catholic, Mom Protestant, but growing up in New Orleans, Catholics ruled....going to parochial Catholic schools, I absorbed more Pathologists-and later on, converted to Judaism-not in order to marry- it was well after- but Food Traditions Never Die!

I don't know how old you were when you left Wales, but post WW 2, we had nowhere near the austerity that Europe suffered....and it lasted for years post-war.... Strove Tuesday was a former luxury of bygone days-it was not a necessity when food shortages were common among all but the upper classes.

So many traditions got lost....absolutely over here they did....so many parents just wanted their children to be recognized as Americans-but they had to be thrifty as well..wanting to blend in was so important.....

At any rate, I don't want to "go south" on any political point: it's all about food history and culture, and how they all combine whether we remember or not.....

I am sending you positive thoughts Noel7, and other thoughts, but I do not wish to violate codes of conduct....stay warm,

Hugs

Poodlepet2

[Noel7]

Hi @Poodlepet2

I was born here, but I have been to Wales, and goodness knows, I was raised with Welsh traditions. Everyone on my dad's side spoke both Welsh and English.  I do love the accent

My mother's side was Irish-American, Roman Catholic. 

They all got along, no wrangling for my beliefs, in fact, my paternal grandfather, Dr. Rev. Grandfather, performed the marriage between my mother and father.

As far as I know, my genetic background is super-Celt, including a little Cornish from my mother's side.

My husband's family is also Jewish on his father's side.  I sent our girl to Sunday school at our church and to temple with the children of friends. 

You and I are well rounded @Poodlepet2