Something New Today

Today is a snow day, and sadly, much too blustery to enjoy it by playing outside in it. Hopefully tomorrow we will have the chance to break out the sleds. But in the meantime, a snow day is still a special day, and that means a special treat to be shared. Today I went searching for something to make. Whether it be something special for dinner tonight or a baked treat, I wanted to try something completely new that the whole family would enjoy. It took some time to find what I eventually settled on, and I almost decided to give up my quest in favor of a box of Girl Scout Cookies. But after a while, the beignets began calling, and I never looked back.

I have never made a beignet before. Never even eaten a beignet before, but the recipe in King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion appeared foolproof. Baking powder provides the necessary lift for these fried bits of dough. And oh yes, the deep fryer was coming out of hiding today. This is a cooking tool that only comes out once or twice a year, and usually for egg rolls at that. So to make a homemade fried treat was an event to be sure. The dough did come together very quickly, and they cooked up very quickly. And overall, we were all pleased with our fried bits of dough. When I did some searching online though, I realized that there are actually two different types of beignet, and while the one I made was delicious, the one I most associate with New Orleans is the yeast-raised beignet that is usually rectangular in shape.

No matter. The beignets were delicious- they were light and fluffy on the inside, crispy and sweet on the outside. I actually added a few drops of lemon oil to my batter, and the faint hint of lemon really made these treats sparkle. We all enjoyed the beignets, and it was the perfect little munchie for an otherwise dreary afternoon.
Tonight, after hemming and hawing over dinner, we'll be having some Indian inspired Butter Chicken. My challenge will be to recreate our Indian favorite with little to no heat so our children can enjoy it as well. Thankfully, the Butter Chicken is a pantry meal, as there is no desire to head out into this blustery day.