I was so crazy yesterday with writing a new chapter and hurry-up edits on my Christmas book that I nearly forgot I'm the blogger today. Whew! I made it with a minute to spare!
So there's been so much on my mind lately - my past vacation, book releases, end of summer and packing for RWA Nationals that I could have my pick of topics, but I'll ignore those for a while and talk about something that tugged on my mind after posting about pralines on the Harlequin Superromance forum - it seems some people haven't tasted this fabulous concoction.
Shocking!
You see, pralines are a traditional Southern candy, and in my family the candy is always made around Christmas. This year I'm releasing four books set in Louisiana - a state that likes food. I mean, if you've been to Louisiana, you know we like to eat good. And pralines are a particular favorite around these parts. So when the 2009 Golden Heart Finalists decided to assemble a cookbook based on recipes our characters might use, I knew immediately that Picou Dufrene's Infamous Pecan Pralines would make an appearance. Yeah, she's not real, but the recipe is real and has been passed down in my family for at least four generations. It's a timeless tradition made with a particular pot and a special wooden spoon with two people who laugh, cuss and slap down such deliciousness it will make you want to slap your mama...but I don't. Cause my mama is big and strong and doesn't take any crap off me. And she makes the best pralines ever!
We'll be making some for me to take to the RWA Literacy signing next Wednesday, so if you're there, come see me and get a treat. If not, I'm giving you my recipe so you can make your own.
Happy cooking, chere!
Picou Dufrene's Infamous Pecan Praline's (AKA the Harp family pralines)
Ingredients:
3 cups of granulated sugar (separated)
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup of evaporated milk
¼ cup of cold water (set aside)
1 cup pecans (chopped)
What is one of your family favorite recipes? I'd love to hear about the food near and dear to you.
17 comments:
Liz, that recipe sounds amazing! I was fortunate enough to go to a cooking class in New Orleans and learn to make pralines -- it was great fun. I think they're probably a little too sweet for me! But I do love the buttery taste. I wish I was going to be in Anaheim to try your version!
Those pralines sure do sound yummy! We don't have any particular family favorite recipes as there are a lot of family faves. We (my family anyway) cooks by taste and feel. In other words, we may have a recipe (sort of) but we never really use it. It's a bit of this a bit of that, taste, feel texture, if it tastes and feels right, it's good to go! We like teriyaki meat straight off the grill. The teriyaki sauce is made with Aloha shoyu, sugar, fresh ginger and garlic mixed to taste, then the meat is sliced thin and put in to soak for an hour or more, than just cook on the grill!
Forgot to tell you Liz, I'm really enjoying your Louisiana series. Have pre-ordered the next book in the series!
my mom love cooking especially pastry but i dont like cooking and never try to cook :(
Emmie - I agree. They're a little sweet. I've found my mom's are a little different in that we beat the mixture until it's really creamy so it doesn't lie flat. I lived in New Orleans for many years and I never found anyone's as good as my mommas. There. I said it. We kick butt at making pralines. LOL.
Cooking classes in New Olreans had to be fun :) Never tried that but maybe I'll get to do that one day.
Snookie - You made me hungry. I'm going to share this with my husband. He's going through a whole grilling thing and that sauce sounds amazing. What's Aloha shoyu? Can I get an equivalent in Louisiana? Mmm...I think I need to grab breakfast.
Glad you're liking the series and I appreciate your letting me know. You know authors...we love to hear good things about our books :)
Eli - I'm sure there are plenty non-cooks out there. I don't find it engrossing and more of a chore at times. Especially clean up.
Your mother's homemade pastry sounds so good. My mother never made too many pastries or breads. She an excellent cook, too, and I love when I'm able to visit and take pleasure in her true talent. Something wonderful about mom's cooking, isn't it? Thanks for popping by :)
Hi Liz, Oh, yeah, I learned some great cooking while living in Louisiana! You better save a praline for me so I can savor the sweetness of a lovely time..
Thanks for the recipe.
See you soon!
Liz, these sound amazing! Tried my hand at pralines a few years ago. The recipe had a box of French vanilla pudding in it (just the dry mix). They were good, but yours sound better. I make salted caramels at Christmas, but I may give your pralines a go. Do you beat them by hand?
Okay, I'm going to have to try it! Sounds too yummy.
You bet, Jean. I'll have some saved for you :) If anyone grabs yours, I'll slap hands. LOL. Thanks for stopping by. Can't wait to see you!
Pamela -
Yeah, we beat them by hand and I suggest having two people make them because your arm gets so tired. BUT, my mother swears that's what makes them good - that creamy factor. You usually know when they are ready because they'll start looking glossy. That means dip...and dip quickly. They set up fast :)
And salted caramels sound delish. I think I might need that recipe :)
Let me know how they turn out, Ro. We've made some bad batches, but we never threw it out. At the very least you've got something to mix into ice cream. Win-win!
Liz,
The pralines sound delicious. Maybe I should make some this week while my nut-allergic son is off with Grandma.
My mohter-in-law brought me some from New Orleans when I was in college (and she wasn't yet my mother-in-law) but I'm sure yours are better.
Liz, ALoha is the brand of shoyu that all of us here like. I found it in the Walmart in Avondale, AZ so Louisiana may have it. Some other brands are kikumon and Yamasa, but none of my family really like those. Look in the Asian section of your grocery store.
Kristina - You can make them without pecans but I think it would lose some of the nutty flavor that balances the sweet. Okay, it will lose ALL the nutty flavor. LOL
Thanks, Snookie. I'll look for that :)
my favorite receipt from my mother are chinese food such as fried noodle, seafood tofu. they are yummy. i try to cook it but its not the same like my mom.:-P
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