Gettin' Down New Orleans Style...

So this weekend I had a serious hankerin' for some real Southern food. So what'd I do? I busted out the deep fryer, and fried me up some chicken! With the deep fryer out and the oil hot it dawned on me-- I'M MAKIN' BEIGNETS FOR DESSERT!  Beignets are absolutely one of my favorite desserts and since its not often that I get my butt down to New Orleans, I figured I'd try my hand at them myself.  I used one of my favorite cook, Paula Deen's recipe and although mine didn't turn out as pretty as the ones from Cafe Du Monde, they tasted like heaven!  These would be absolutely perfect for a little Mardi Gras party... Serve em' up hot with a cup of cafe au lait and you're all set! Enjoy!

French Quarter Beignets:

• • 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 envelope active dry yeast
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 7 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • Nonstick spray
  • Oil, for deep-frying
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar

  Directions

  Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

  In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover withplastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

  Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

  Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

  Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

  Courtesy of Paula Deen at FoodNetwork