Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits

Here's another easy peesy Paula recipe. All growing up, one of my mom's "signature" desserts was pineapple dump cake...YUM! This is the Paula version that insures "portion control"--kind of...i mean you can always have more. But these are cute little individual pineapple dump cakes made from refrigerated biscuits and baked in a muffin tin. I made these a few years ago and they turned out beautifully (well, as beautiful as crushed pineapple can look).


Ingredients
-1 (10-ounce) can crushed pineapple
-1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
-1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
-10 maraschino cherries
-1 (12-ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Grease 10 cups of a muffin tin.
3) Strain the can of crushed pineapple, save juice for later.
4) Combine the pineapple, sugar, and butter, and mix well.
5) Divide the pineapple mixture among the muffin cups.
6) Place a cherry in the center of each muffin cup, making sure cherry hits bottom of cup.
7) Place 1 biscuit in each cup on top of sugar and pineapple mixture.
8) Spoon 1 teaspoon reserved pineapple juice over each biscuit.
9) Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.
10) Cool for 2 minutes.
11) Invert the pan onto a plate to release the biscuits.
12) Serve warm.

Amber Alert Chocolate Pecan Pie

This pie has a story behind it...one Sunday afternoon, I was contemplating what to make for the potluck supper at church that night. I soon decided on Paula Deen's chocolate pecan pie. 1) because it's from Paula Deen 2) because it's pecan pie 3) because there's chocolate in it. I don't know, it sounded like a pretty easy decision to me. I was told that we needed to be there by 6:30. So I took my time and was quite pleased with the amount of time I had left over after I had put it in the oven (plenty of time to set!). Until my dad came in (at 10 to 6) and said it was time to go because it started at 6:00! I had to pull the pie out prematurely and take it "as-is". I was hoping that it would set as it cooled so I hid it in the church kitchen until it was time for dessert. When I went back to the kitchen to put it out...IT WAS GONE!!! THE WHOLE STINKIN' THING! GONE! Apparently, someone took the whole pie out to their car! When I found out who took it, I asked them about it and then never asked for it back because I felt bad. Obviously, my dad didn't feel as sympathetic toward the man because he made him give it back (hee-hee) and I'm glad he did because this thing was the BOMB! It still hadn't set but it was still good (all gooey...mmmm). So that's why this pie is called what it is. :)

Ingredients
-1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
-2 cups pecan halves
-3 large eggs, beaten
-3 tablespoons butter, melted
-1/2 cup dark corn syrup
-1 cup sugar
-3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2) Cover bottom of pie crust with pecans
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted butter
4) Add the corn syrup, sugar, bourbon and the chopped chocolate
5) Stir until all ingredients are combined
6) Pour mixture into the pie shell over the pecans and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet
7) Bake for 10 minutes
8) Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes or until pie is set
9) Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack

Baked French Toast Casserole

This is the breakfast that I make for my parents when I want something. It requires some preparation but it is really worth it. The praline topping is to die for. MMMM!



Ingredients
-1 loaf French bread (use day-old bread)
-8 large eggs
-2 cups half-and-half
-1 cup milk
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1 pinch salt

PRAILINE TOPPING
-1 cup very soft butter
-1 cup light brown sugar, packed
-2 tablespoons light corn syrup
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1) Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
2) Slice the French into 20 (1-inch thick) slices
3) Arrange the slices into the bottom of the baking dish in 2-rows overlapping slightly.
4) In a large bowl whisk/combine eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended; pour over the bread slices making certain that all are covered evenly with the egg/milk mixture, then press down with clean hands to make certain the bread it coated well
5) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
6) In a bowl mix together all praline ingredients until well blended
7) Put mixture onto plastic wrap and roll into a log (wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap)
8) Refridgerate the butter log overnight
9) The next day, slice the log and place butter pieces all over the top of the casserole
10) Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees

Gooey Butter Cake

This is probably one of my favorite recipes ever. This is #2 on the Paula Deen site's "top ten". Mrs. Deen sure knew what she was doing (yes, I am obsessed with this woman). This is a dessert for a VERY special occasion because not only is is 412 calories per serving but it also calls for 2 sticks of butter (surprise surprise) and 1 whole box of powdered sugar. But that's what makes it mmmm mmm gooooood! The last time I made this, I don't even think I got a piece because it went so fast. YUM! (I will also mention that this heavenly confection comes in chocolate and pumpkin too :) yay! just google it)

Ingredients
Cake:
-1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
-8 tablespoons butter (melted)
-1 egg

Filling:
-1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-8 tablespoons butter (melted)
-1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350
2) Combine the cake mix, egg, and stick of butter with an electric mixer until well combined, then pat the mixture into the bottom of a greased 13 X 9 baking dish
3) In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth
4) Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat until smooth
5) Add the powdered sugar and mix well
6) Pour over the mixture in the pan and bake for 40-50 minutes (center should be gooey--do not overbake)