Don’t worry.  I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth!  I just haven’t been making very “blog worthy” dishes, thus I haven’t had much to share with you.  But I couldn’t let St. Patrick’s Day come and go without posting at least one themed recipe for the occasion! 

My husband’s birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day, so he is lucky in that there is always a party going on to celebrate!  This year, he will be on his annual golf trip to Myrtle Beach, so I won’t even get to see him.  I’m sure he’ll find a way to celebrate without me!

These Shamrock Shakes are a total knock-off of the seasonal shake that McDonald’s serves.  You can always count on two things from Micky D’s this time of year: Shamrock Shakes and Fillet’o’Fish. And I’ll take the shakes, thankyouverymuch.  They are cold, creamy, minty and green!  The perfect treat to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!  And we had our first real taste of Spring last weekend, so that made having a milk shake perfectly acceptable. 

Shamrock Shakes

makes 1 milk shake

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla ice cream (about 2 scoops)
• 2/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 4 drops green food coloring
• 1/8 tsp peppermint extract
• Whipped cream and sprinkles for garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients (except whipped cream and sprinkles) to a blender. 
2. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds, until all ingredients are combined and smooth.
3. Pour milkshake into a tall glass. 
4. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles.

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This weekend I had the opportunity to take part in one of the coolest things I have participated in since I moved to Frederick: a Taste Frederick Food Tour!

My brother bought a me a gift certificate for Christmas, but the tour season just began this weekend, so I was finally able to take part.  Sarah, who writes the blog By: Sarah Rae, is the owner of Taste Frederick and was our tour guide for the afternoon. 

This was a great experience for me as a new(er) resident of Frederick.  I got to experience some of the best the food scene has to offer and learn a TON about the history of downtown Frederick.  But that doesn’t mean this tour is only for newbies to the area.  I am sure that even the long-time residents will learn a thing or two about their city, and get to taste some incredible food.  It would also be a great way to show your out-of-town guests how amazing our city is. 

The tour started at Brewer’s Alley. 

Obviously, we sampled some of their delicious beer.  This was their 1634 Ale, which happens to be one of my favorites.

I have been to Brewer’s Alley several times in the past, but somehow I had never tried their pizza!  Pizza is my favorite food, so I was pretty excited to give it a try. 

This was their Margarita pizza.  The tomatoes were so sweet, which is quite a feat during the winter!  The melted mozzarella provided a salty bite, and the crust was crispy, and a little doughy.  It was really a delicious pie.  

Our next stop was Firestone’s Market, which is located next door to Firestone’s restaurant.  It is almost a mini convenience store, that sell specialty ingredients, tasty looking treats, and fresh-baked bread. 

And hot pressed sandwiches!  This was their pastrami sandwich, which was to-die-for.  I love pastrami, and this sandwich was no different.  The melted cheese and grainy mustard really brought this sandwich together.

Our tour continued on to Griff’s Landing.  I have passed by Griff’s many times, but never really thought to stop in.  It always seemed like a fun place to go out and drink with friends, but I didn’t know their food was also something to take note of. 

We tried three of their signature appetizers: the Crab Mac & Cheese Puff, a Bacon Wrapped Scallop, and their Hushpuppy with a spicy sauce.  I enjoyed all these bites, but I have to say the scallop was my favorite.  I love scallops!  

Sarah then guided us along the Carrol Creek Promenade and explained a lot about the history of the area, sharing lots of fun facts along the way!  This tour was (almost) as much about the history and culture of Frederick as it was about the food.  Well, who am I kidding, it was really all about the food for me, but it was cool to hear some of the stories that make our area so unique.

We crossed the creek, and made our next stop at The Wine Kitchen.  The Wine Kitchen has an evolving menu that uses local produce and seasonal ingredients.   The offer wine flights, as well as flights of whiskey- I will definitely be bringing Chris here!

We tried a delicious, buttery Chardonnay along with a couple of the dishes the Wine Kitchen has to offer. 

This was the Beet Salad.  I’m not sure if I have mentioned this or not, but I really do not prefer beets.   I think they taste like dirt.  Some people call that “earthy.”  I call it dirt.  Anyhow, I put on my big girl pants and tried the beets.  I still didn’t enjoy them, but the rest of the salad was great!  It had a coffee vinaigrette (I think?) and was really tasty.

We also tried their macaroni and cheese, which was creamy and decadent.  It was topped with Ritz crackers, which gave it the perfect salty crunch.  This was one of my favorite dishes of the afternoon.

The next part of the tour gave us a good chance to walk off the food we had tasted thus far.  Good thing, because I was getting full!

We walked around the downtown area, and Sarah shared more interesting facts and history about Frederick.  We saw the Tyler’s Spite House, the Courthouse, City Hall, and learned about the “Clustered Spires” of Frederick before we arrived at our next location: the Pop Shop! 

I gave up soda for Lent (specifically Diet Coke), but I made an exception to try a couple of the specialty sodas the shop has to offer. 

We tried a birch beer, and a strawberry lemonade soda.  Both were delicious and refreshing!  I certainly missed carbonation!

 It is funny how you don’t realize you miss something until you try it again.  The shop also has ice cream and makes root beer floats!  I will coming back in the summer to have one of those.

We passed by Volt, which I am dying to dine at.  Someday!

And we made our way to the final stop of the tour, Zoe’s Chocolate.  You have to finish with dessert!

Zoe’s recently provided chocolates for the Oscar’s, so you know they have to be good! 

We tried a pomegranate chocolate, which was nice and sweet with a hint of fruity flavor. 

And this was the liquid caramel.  The caramel wasn’t chewy, but almost melted.  It was also had a hint of sea salt.  Salt+Caramel+ Chocolate is my idea of the perfect dessert! 

And with that, our tour was over!  I had a great time exploring a little more of the food scene around Downtown Frederick.  Sarah did a wonderful job of showing us a variety of restaurants and shops, and mixed in a ton of history and culture along the way. 

I highly recommend taking a tour with Taste Frederick Food Tours to those who are visiting the area, as well as those who live in or near Frederick, no matter how long they have been here!  It was a delicious, and informative afternoon!

I made these biscotti for our Frederick Food Photography club meeting this past weekend.  We decided to take turns making the food to bring to photograph (and to eat!), and last week I volunteered. 

unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to decorate the tops like you see in these photos before the meeting.  I left the slivered almonds and the remaining chocolate chips that I was going to use on the counter.  And when Chris and I returned home from dinner, there were almonds scattered alllllll over the floor, 2 ripped up packages and no chocolate chips.

And one very, very bad and guilty dog.  I really should have learned my lesson by now.   See this post (http://beckycooksblog.com/homemade-peanut-butter-dog-treats/) for a list of other things my dogs have eaten off the counters. 

Anyhow, I decided that I would decorate the tops as I had originally planned, so I got more chocolate chips, and more almonds and finished off the biscotti after the Photo Club meeting.  I apologize to the other members, as I think they look much nicer when fully decorated!  You can blame my dogs.

Biscotti means “twice-baked,” which is exactly what these little cookies are.  You bake the dough once in a log shape, then take it out, cut the logs into thin strips, and then bake them again.  This technique results in a crunchy cookie or biscuit that is perfect for dipping into a big, hot cup of coffee.

They are packed with chocolately flavor from the cocoa powder and chocolate chips, and scented with almond extract and crunchy almonds.  Dip the tops in melted chocolate and even more slivered almonds for a delicious (and pretty!) finale.

Trust me, I made sure to keep the finished product AWAY from the dogs!

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

adapted from this recipe by Mario Batali

about 40 biscotti

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

For Biscotti:

•  2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp almond extract
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

For Decoration:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, melted
• 2/3 cup slivered almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and almond extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.  Your dough will be sticky when everything is incorporated.
5. Add slivered almonds and chocolate chips and stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions.  Shape each portion into a log that is about 10 inches long.
7. Place the logs of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and flatten each one out until it is about 2-3 inches wide, and about 1/2 inch thick.  Leave about and 1 inch between each log.
8. Bake the dough for 20 minutes.
9. Remove the biscotti from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
10. Remove each loaf from the pan, and slice into 1/2 inch pieces on a slight diagonal.
11. Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees.
12. Return the biscotti to the pan, and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until they are crisp.
13. Allow the biscotti to cool completely before decorating.
14. To decorate, dip the top of the biscotti into melted chocolate, and coat with slivered almonds.  Place in the fridge for 1 hour to allow chocolate to set. 

Monday again.  The start of another week.  But this week marks the end of February.  Can you even believe it?  I feel like time is flying by faster and faster the older I get.  I mean, at this rate I better start getting ready for Christmas again, because it will be here before I know it.

Ok, that was a little dramatic.  Maybe I’m jumping ahead a little too far.  Let’s get to Spring first.  And when it finally (finally!) arrives, I hope time will feel like it have slowed waaaayyy down.  I love Spring and Summer and want them to last forever.  What isn’t to love? Seemingly endless daylight hours, swimming pools, flips flops, shorts, sun, heat, flowers…

Anyhow, this post is not about time, seasons or my love of summer.  It is about bread.  More specifically, Beer Bread!  I have said before that yeast breads kind of scare me.  I never feel like my dough is the right consistency, I never know if my dough has risen enough or if it will turn out right.  Quick bread, on the other hand, are right up my baking alley.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl, stir, bake, done. They always seem to turn out perfectly, and they are especially awesome because they don’t require any time to rise.

This bread is no exception.  Made with beer, it has an intoxicating aroma.  The beer combines with the baking powder to give this bread its rise.  It is moist on the inside, with a nice crumb and a beautiful crunchy crust.  It is perfect along side your favorite soup with a nice slather of butter. 

Beer Bread

adapted from this recipe

makes 1 loaf

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 12-oz beer (your choice!)
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together into a large bowl.
3. Pour the beer into the bowl with the other ingredients.  Stir to combine all ingredients until a soft, sticky dough forms.
4. Transfer the dough to a greased loaf pan.
5. Pour the melted butter evenly over the top of the dough.
6. Bake the bread for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown. 
7. Cool completely before slicing.

It’s Friday.  Let’s have cookies for breakfast!

We deserve it, right?  It has been a long week.  The weekend is finally in our sights, and (shocker!) we may actually see some decent weather on Sunday!

I think that is cause for a celebration.  And what says “celebration” more than cookies?  Well, wine, of course, but we can’t have wine for breakfast…or can we?

Let’s just stick to the cookies.  We won’t get fired if we eat cookies for breakfast.

As you know, I said that I was trying to  eat more healthfully lately, so don’t think that these are some indulgent, sugar-filled, over-the-top cookies.  No, no…not these.  Of course, they have a little sugar, because they really wouldn’t be cookies at all without sugar, would they?  But not too much.  They are slightly sweet, filled with wholesome ingredients like oats, whole wheat flour, walnuts and egg whites, and studded with dried cherries, and just a little bit of chocolate.  They are large, and only clock in at about 200 calories each.  Paired with a piece of fruit, and maybe a little yogurt, they make the perfect breakfast.

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Breakfast Cookies

adapted from Ellie Krieger

makes 12 cookies

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp white sugar
• 5 Tbsp liquid egg whites (or 1 whole egg and 1 egg white)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the oil and sugars.  Mix until well combined, and the sugars are dissolved, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the egg whites, apple sauce and vanilla extract.  Mix well.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the the wet ingredients.  Mix until well combined.
6. Add the oats, cherries, walnuts and chocolate chips.  Continue to mix until ingredients are evenly distributed.
7. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter and place about 1-2 inches apart on a baking sheet.  If desired, flatten the cookies a little with your hands.  (I just left mine mounded.)
8. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until the bottoms are just gold brown.
9. Cool completely.  They will keep in the refridgerator for 4-5 days.

I have a super easy and delicious recipe for you today.  Chicken Quesadillas! In addition to our WaWa fascination, my college friends and I also loved getting Chicken Quesadillas from Taco Bell.  In fact, my love for Taco Bell goes way back to high school, when we would eat lunch there every.single.day.  Back then, Chalupas were my favorite, but in college, I was all about the chicken quesadillas. 

To start, just saute a little bit of onion, some bell pepper, and leftover chopped chicken.  Season this mix with a little cumin and a touch of cayenne.

Meanwhile, heat a separate large skillet over medium high heat.  Spray the skillet with some non-stick spray, and add an 8 inch tortilla to the pan.  Top the tortilla with a bit of shredded cheese.

When the peppers and onions are soft, and the chicken is heated through, spread the mixture evenly over the cheese topped tortilla.

Top with another tortilla, and spray the top with a little more cooking spray.  Continue to cook until the bottom tortilla is golden brown. 

*Do not try to un-clog the ice dispenser on the fridge door during this step.  Your tortilla will burn.   Not that I know from experience or anything.*

Flip your quesadilla and cook until the other tortilla is browned and the cheese is fully melted.  

This is such a fast and easy meal. Who could resist all that melty cheese?

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

makes 1 quesadilla

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 small chicken breast, cooked and diced (it is great to use leftover chicken here!)
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• dash of cayenne
• 2 8 inch flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet.  Sauté the bell pepper, onion and chicken until the vegetables are soft.  Season with cumin and cayenne pepper.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Spray the skillet with cooking spray.  Add one flour tortilla to the pan, and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
3. When the vegetables are soft and the chicken is heated through, spread the mixture evenly over the cheese topped tortilla.
4. Top the quesadilla with the other tortilla and spray the top with cooking spray. 
5. When the bottom tortilla is browned, flip the quesadilla to cook the other side.
6. Continue cooking until the other side is browned and the cheese is melted. 

Making (and eating!) soups are one of my favorite wintertime activities.  There is just something about a giant pot of delicious soup simmering away on the stove that makes winter not seem so bad.

Ok, who am I kidding?  Winter still stinks.  I mean, let’s just be honest.  Is there anyone out there who really prefers the cold, wet weather to a warm spring or summer day? 

I didn’t think so.

But if we must suffer through winter, and we must, a warm soup does help to soften the blow. 

Soup and TV, that is.  

I feel like it is totally acceptable to be a couch potato and watch TV all day when it is cold outside.  If it was a nice warm summer day, I would feel guilty sitting inside and wasting it.  “I should be outside enjoying this!,” I would think.  Getting something done!  Gardening! Taking a walk!  Anything but vegging out all day! 

But during the winter?  It is just me and my favorite housewives of Beverly Hills, Atlanta or (insert city here).  And every other show on the Bravo network. And the Food network.  And HGTV…

Is it summer yet?

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

makes 8 servings

Print this recipe! (http://beckycooksblog.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6042284)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 16 oz bag frozen corn
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups skim milk
• 16 oz raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped
• Additional salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in the bottom of a large stock pot.  Add vegetables and potatoes and saute for 7-10 minutes, or until they begin to soften (do not brown them).  Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. 
2. Add the flour to vegetables and stir to coat them. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Slowly add the chicken stock to the vegetables and flour, stirring continuously.  Add the milk, and stir well to combine.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
5. Add the coarsely chopped shrimp, and cook soup for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.

I’m sure you are wondering what thrilling recipe started it all…well, it wasn’t actually a “recipe” at all, but a “how to” post on How to Roast Garlic.

If my memory serves, I think I was planning on making Jessica’s Creamy Feta Dip with Jalapenos, and that is why I needed to roast garlic.

Luckily. things picked up quickly and I moved on to more exciting recipes like Cranberry Orange Granola, White Chocolate Cherry Blondies, and Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins.

Do you want to know a secret?  Actually, it isn’t very much of a secret if you take a peek at my sidebar but, I actually “started” this blog on February 16, 2010, and, quite coincidentally, posted the very first recipe on February 18, 2010.  Exactly 2 years before I decided to give it a go again.  This second time, I have stuck with it, and while posting was sparse (or non-existent) at times, I am proud of what my little blog has become.

This is a space where I can share the things that I love most-food, recipes and cooking for my friends and family.  During a year of the most stressful events in my life, this is a place where I could let everything that is going on in my life go, and just be wrapped up in the joy that I find in cooking and sharing food with others.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started blogging, and I wasn’t sure if I would stick with it.  I can honestly say that this blog is a hobby that I get a lot of joy out of.  I spend several hours a week cooking, taking pictures and writing my posts, and I don’t want it any other way.  I have grown a lot in my cooking, and in my photography, and I hope to continue to learn.  To become a better cook, photographer and blogger.

And I’m so thankful to those of you who take the time to read what I have to say.  Thank you for stopping by, for your comments, suggestions, and for trying my recipes!

So, Happy Birthday, Becky Cooks!  Cheers to many more years of blogging!

Are you ready for the easiest way to impress the ones you love this Valentine’s Day?  I’ll let you in on the secret.  Make them Chocolate Trufles!  Seriously, truffles are so, so easy, but you can dress them up, and make them look so cute that they are sure to impress anyone.

And really, who doesn’t love chocolate?  Even a self-proclaimed “chocolate isn’t my favorite dessert” kind of person like me still loves a bite or two of the good stuff. And it only takes a bite or two with these little guys.

I am not kidding around when I say they are easy, either.  My friend, Meghan, and I took a Chocolate Making 101 class at a local shop, Spagnvola, last year and I could not believe how simple they are to make. 

And you can customize them any way you like.  During that class, we made Lavender and Olive Oil Truffles by infusing the cream with dried lavender (just adding the lavender while the cream was heating up) and adding in olive oil.  You can try infusing the cream with any flavor-chili peppers, fruit, other herbs, whatever you want!  Even add your favorite booze!

The easiest way to decorate them is just to coat the truffles in cocoa powder.  Simple, sophisticated and delicious.

But just look at all the possibilities!  The sky (and your creativity) is the limit! Sprinkles, nuts, sea salt, candies…the list goes on and on!

Totally easy, totally impressive, and totally delicious.  Definitely my kind of treat!

Basic Chocolate Truffles

adapted from Martha Stewart

makes about 40 truffles

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

• 12 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Cocoa powder, sprinkles, chopped nuts, melted chocolate, sea salt etc. for dipping and decorating

Directions

1. Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl.
2. Heat cream in a heavy bottomed sauce pan until just boiling.
3. Pour hot cream over chocolate.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, stir the chocolate and cream until well combined.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into a 9×9 baking dish (or other flat dish).
6. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool completely in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.  I left mine for a few days because I didn’t have time to roll out my truffles right away.
7. Using a teaspoon measuring spoon, or a small melon baller, scrape a teaspoon full of the chocolate from the pan.  Using both hands, roll the chocolate into a uniform ball. 
8. If you are dipping your truffles in melted chocolate, set aside on a wax paper lined tray until all truffles have been rolled.  Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each period, until it is fully melted.  Dip truffles one at a time using a fork.  Tap to remove excess chocolate, and return to the wax paper lined sheet.  Top with sea salt, sprinkles, or candies while melted chocolate is still wet.  You may want to dip 2-3 truffles, them top them with the decorations, then dip another 2-3, decorate, and so on.
9. If you are coating the truffles in cocoa, chopped nuts or sprinkles, place rolled truffles directly into a dish with your desired coating.  Roll truffles to coat the entire surface.
10. Keep truffles in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes: For a unique flavor profile, you can infuse the cream by adding dried herbs, chilies, or fruits to the cream while it is heating.  Remove the herbs before adding the cream to the chocolate.  If you want to add a flavored liquor, add it to the bowl with the chocolate and pour the hot cream over both.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned it on the blog before, but a couple years ago, I took a trip to New Orleans.  I was actually there for a work conference, but it was one of the most fun work trips I have ever been on.  I didn’t get as much time as I would have liked to explore this awesome city, but I made sure to hit a bunch of the highlights.

Of course, I couldn’t travel to the Big Easy with out making a stop at Café Du Monde for some chicory coffee and beignets. They were amazing.  I got lucky and scored an empty table without too much waiting, but they also had a “to go” line if they are totally packed.  Another landmark eatery that I visited was Mother’s Restaurant, where I waited in the longest line just to get in the door.  The crawfish etouffee was worth it, though! 

The architecture in the French Quarter is beautiful!  I really wanted to sit on one of the endless patios with a cold Hurricane and people watch for hours!

And, of course, I took a stroll down Bourbon Street. 

Trust me, it looks a lot different at 10 am than it does at 10 pm!

And even though I was there primarily for work, I made sure to experience the night life that is infamous in New Orleans.  I would love to go back some day and really take in all the sights, sounds and flavors they have to offer.

So, why the trip down beignet-and-bourbon memory lane?

Because today is Mardi Gras! Also known as Fat Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday.  Last year, I made a King Cake to celebrate (I should probably make it again, and re-take the pictures.  Eesh!  I guess I have come a long way in my photography!).  In essence, this is traditionally a day of feasting before the fast of the church’s Lenten season begins.  One last day to live it up! 

We’ll be celebrating with a traditional dinner of pancakes and sausage.  If you are looking for a great pancake recipe, I suggest my Buttermilk Pancakes.  Or if you are feeling particularly indulgent (I mean, we are supposed to live it up, right?) you can make the Red Velvet Pancakes I posted yesterday.  And these Chicken Apple Sausage patties would pair great with either!

How are you celebrating Mardi Gras?  Pancakes and Sausage?  Or are Hurricanes more your style?