JUST DESSERTS

[HostDave]

It’s funny how as the holidays approach, we complain more and more about how hard it is to stay on a diet and that we wish we weren’t tempted by so many seasonal treats. Yet, sweets are one of the things that we all secretly admit that we like most about the end-of-the-year celebrations and traditions. That’s probably a good thing since it certainly doesn’t seem as though anyone has the willpower to reduce consumption of various confections…at least not among the staff in the Memphis headquarters of the American Queen Steamboat Company! The break room is often a glorious groaning board of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies and candy. We have to tell the truth: the entire American Queen Steamboat Company has a sweet tooth.

And our propensity to enjoy life’s sweeter moments is evident on board the American Queen as well. We strive to create cuisine that is true to our Southern roots but also has a contemporary flair and cosmopolitan edge. And when we get to express that philosophy in our desserts, the results receive rave reviews from our guests who, it seems, share our love for all things sweet…at least while they’re on vacation.

In today’s blog, we’re not going to run through a litany of dessert items. Instead, we’d like to highlight two of our most popular desserts, Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie and Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, by sharing recipes. Just to be clear, though we’d love to share our exact recipes with you, those are a trade secret! Instead, we’d like to give you recipes we found online that come closest to replicating these two classic dishes just in time for the holidays. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE-BOURBON PECAN PIE
This recipe comes to us courtesy of www.SouthernLiving.com, the website for the terrific magazine Southern Living which, if you’re not a subscriber, we urge you to become one. You’ll find they do a wonderful job of conveying the Southern lifestyle to their readers and if you can’t be aboard the American Queen, you can still get a taste of what you’re missing.

Ingredients
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon or water
4 large eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.

Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust; set aside.

Combine corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk about one-fourth hot mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust.

Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.

BREAD PUDDING WITH VANILLA SAUCE
Our second recipe comes to us from what might seem like an unlikely source: the website for Land O Lakes Butter at www.landolakes.com. A dessert is only as good as its ingredients and one of the key ingredients to something as decadent as bread pudding is a rich, smooth butter and, let’s face it, not all butters are created equal. Sometimes people even substitute margarine! Our chefs don’t and you shouldn’t either. Use high quality, real butter (the same goes for the whipping creme) and we guarantee you’ll love the results for this recipe which comes close to replicating the crowd pleaser we serve aboard the American Queen.

Pudding Ingredients
4 cups (8 slices) cubed white bread
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups milk
1/4 cup Land O Lakes Butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup Land O Lakes Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Land O Lakes Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine bread and raisins in bowl; set aside.

Combine milk and 1/4 cup butter in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat 4-7 minutes or until butter is melted. Pour milk mixture over bread; let stand 10 minutes.

Stir in all remaining pudding ingredients. Pour into greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Bake 40-50 minutes or until set in center.

Combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5-8 minutes or until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Stir in vanilla.

Spoon warm pudding into individual dessert dishes; serve with sauce. Store refrigerated.