Girls Trip 2011: New Orleans

Karin, Kathy, Me, Patty

I love these ladies. 

We meet every November.

This year The 15th Annual Girl's Trip was in  New Orleans, Louisiana.

Or was it the 16th?

No matter. 

We love our annual reunions and as long as everyone is in agreement about not ever wearing red hats I'm thinking we'll all be in for the long haul.

After checking in at The Omni Royal on St Louis in The French Quarter, our first stop was a short walk to Cafe Du Monde for Cafe au lait and these delectable little pastries... Beignets.

 Got Insulin?

Later that evening, Pat OBrien's piano bar where for 41 years, a guy with thimbles on his fingers plays a "tray".  Odd but evidently, true.

Although everyone is familiar with the bawdiness of Bourbon Street, you don't hear a whole lot of the great, unique boutiques along Chartres St. or the antiques and art galleries on Royal.

This was a highlight to our trip. Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding and Pralines were on the menu.

Our instructor, Sandra, cooked her ass off. Believe me when I say that "Roux" preparation requires the patience of a saint.

So, with a little bit of this...

...and little bit of that...

I whipped up a little Gumbo as soon as I got home. Admittedly, it was far from Sandra's but it wasn't bad.

 Other highlights of this year's Girl's Trip was...

• Dinner at Emeril's
• Harrah's Casino
• Johnny's PoorBoys
• Centennial Grocery Muffalettas

My Sweet Addiction

It all started innocently enough when word leaked to the press of the recipe for Prince William's Groom's Cake...

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

1 pkg (8.8 oz) McVitie's® chocolate digestives tea biscuits or rich tea biscuits
1 1/3 cups Cadbury's Royal Dark Chocolate (8 oz)
2/3 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter

Frosting: 
2/3 cup Cadbury's Royal Dark Chocolate  (4 oz)
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter

 
1.  Line a 6- or 8-inch round cake pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Break each of the biscuits into 1-inch pieces; set aside.

2.  In medium bowl, place 1 1/3 cup chocolate; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 2/3 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and stir smooth.

3.  Add biscuit pieces to chocolate mixture, gently fold until all pieces are coated. Spoon into the prepared cake pan. Gently press mixture into pan. Refrigerate cake for 3 hours or until firm.

4.  Remove cake from cake pan and turn upside down onto a serving plate. Remove foil. In small bowl place remaining 2/3 cup chocolate. In 1-quart saucepan, heat remaining 1/3 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and stir smooth. Pour the melted chocolate over the cake; frost top and sides using a butter knife or offset spatula.

If desired, decorate with melted milk chocolate.
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"McVitie's® chocolate digestives tea biscuits" and "Cadsbury's® Royal Dark Chocolate" were not all that hard to find in Dallas. On my first attempt, I found both at 'World Market'. The kicker was that all Cadbury's Chocolate was on sale...5 for $5.

Flashback. 1964. A chubby Canadian kid.. Memories of the unbelievable creaminess combined with the subtle sweetness of Cadbury's Dairy Milk Chocolate hit my taste-bud memory cells like a tidal wave and I was hooked, all over again.

On April 28th, 2011, I bought 2 Dark Chocolate bars and 3 Dairy Milks. The beginning of the end.

I understand that one of the first steps in recovery is admitting your addiction. I have craved a Dairy Milk 'fix' daily since The Royal Wedding.

Yes, there have been days where I have resisted the powerful call of the chocolate beast but my strength has wavered all too often. So. I've decided to go "Cold Turkey"..

I have been clean and Dairy Milk chocolate- free for 5 days now.