Temptations

You can't write about New Orleans without starting to dream about Beignets or Bananas Foster. If your New Year's Resolution had anything to do with dieting:

DON'T LOOK



Beignets
Creole Doughnuts


Ingredients:
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tbsp. shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 package yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
3 3/4 cups silted flour (approximately)
Confectioners sugar

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Cooking Instructions:
Pour boiling water over shortening, sugar and salt.
Add milk and let stand until warm.
Dissolve yeast n warm waater and add to milk mixture with the beaten egg.
Stir in 2 cups flour. Beat Add enough flour to make a soft dough.
Place in a greased bowl; grease top of dough, cover with waxed paper and a cloth; chill until ready to use.
Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness.
Do not let dough rise before frying.
Cut into squares and fry, a few at a time, in deep hot fat (360 F); brown on one side, turn and brown on other.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
Yields 2 1/2 dozen



Bananas Foster
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, cut in half
lengthwise, then halved
¼ cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream


Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.