Emeril's Virgin Margaitas with Lime Salt

Yield: 2 quarts, approximately 8 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups orange juice
1/4 cup agave syrup
2 tablespoons salt
Lime slices, for garnish

Method:
Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the lime zest and the lemon zest. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Combine the cooled citrus syrup with the lime and lemon juices, orange juice, and agave syrup. Chill thoroughly.

Combine the remaining teaspoon of lime zest with the salt and mix well.

When ready to serve drinks, rub the rim of each glass with a piece of lime, then dip the rims into the salt. Serve the margaritas over ice or straight up, as desired, garnished with a lime slice.

Emeril's Texas Toast Breakfast Casserole

* 6 eggs
* 1 cup half and half
* 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
* Salt and pepper
* Butter to grease pan
* 6 slices of Texas Toast (thick cut, crusty white bread)
* 1 pound spicy pork sausage, cooked and drained of fat
* 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until they loosen up. Add the half and half, and green onions. Mix well, highly season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Butter a 12 by 10-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the bread, cutting and rearranging, if needed. Sprinkle the bread with the cooked sausage and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the entire pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning

(also referred to as Bayou Blast):

* 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Emeril's Big Breakfast Burrito

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound crumbled chorizo sausage
* 1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 6 large eggs
* 3 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1/4 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
* 8 (12-inch) flour tortillas, lightly toasted and kept warm until ready to use
* 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, divided
* 2 cups cooked black beans, divided
* 2 cups cooked yellow rice, divided
* 1 cup sour cream, divided

Directions

Salsa, recipe follows

* 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos, for serving

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Set a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and once hot, place the sausage in the pan. Cook the sausage until most of the fat has rendered and the sausage is no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Once cooked, remove the sausage (leaving as much of the oil in the pan as possible), and set aside until ready to use. Return the pan to the heat and add the pepper. Saute the pepper until soft, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the pepper from the pan and set aside until ready to use.

Return the pan to the stove and add the butter. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, Essence, salt and pepper. Whisk thoroughly to combine all of the ingredients. Once the butter stops foaming, add the egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally using a rubber spatula. Scrape the bottom of the pan and fold the cooked egg over itself. Cook the eggs for about 2 minutes and remove from the heat.

To assemble the burritos, place 1/8 of the egg on the bottom 1/3 of a warmed tortilla. Top with an 1/8 of the sausage, followed with 2 tablespoons of cheese, 1/4 cup of the black beans, and 1/4 cup of the yellow rice. Top with 2 tablespoons of the sour cream and roll the burrito from the bottom up and rest in an oven-proof casserole dish with the seam down. Place the casserole in the oven. Continue with the remaining tortillas and place them in the casserole as well, to keep warm.

Serve the burritos with the salsa, and pickled jalapenos.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

* 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Published by William Morrow, 1993.
Salsa:

* 4 large tomatoes, about 2 1/2 pounds, seeded and roughly chopped
* 3/4 cup chopped white onions
* 5 teaspoons minced garlic
* 4 serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients and stir well. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Yield: about 3 cups

Emeril's Savory Breakfast Casserole

To view this recipe on the Foodnetwork channel click here


* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onions
* 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell peppers
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
* 6 ounces Canadian bacon or baked ham, trimmed and diced
* 2 links Emeril’s Kicked Up Smoked Sausage or 6 ounces hot
smoked sausage, chopped
* 8 large eggs
* 3 cups whole milk
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 1/4 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
* 8 cups (1-inch cubes) stale French or Italian bread, or rolls
* 8 ounces grated Gouda or Fontina cheese (about 2 cups)
* 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Lightly grease a 3-quart (9 by 13-inch) baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt 2 teaspoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green and red bell peppers, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the parsley, stir, and remove from the heat. Let cool.

In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 1 teaspoon butter over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk, cream, 1 teaspoon of the Essence, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and whisk to combine. Add the bread cubes and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the cooked Canadian bacon and sausage, the onion mixture, and the Gouda cheese and stir to incorporate the ingredients. Pour into the prepared dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake until almost completely set, 50 to 55 minutes.

(Alternatively, the bread pudding can be assembled up to this point, covered, and refrigerated 8 hours or overnight, and then baked. Let sit at room temperature while preheating the oven, before baking. )

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, melted butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Essence. Uncover the pudding and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top. Return to the oven, increase the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the pudding is completely set in the center, puffed, and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding from Emeril

Emeril Lagasse October 13, 2000
Fall foods, is there anything more comforting? Emeril’s pumpkin bread pudding will warm you like an electric blanket. Make it for your family and friends just once, and you’ll never hear the end of it. It’s a tasty and fitting dessert or snack for the month of October.

Ingredients for pumpkin bread (sauce recipe is below the bread recipe):
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
5 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
8 slices white bread, with crusts, torn into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups Kentucky Bourbon sauce (recipe below)

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Then lightly grease an 8-cup casserole or mold with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the half-and-half, cream, eggs, and orange zest. Add all of the granulated sugar, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and Grand Marnier, and whisk together vigorously until well incorporated.

Add pumpkin and whisk until incorporated. Fold in the bread and walnuts, and mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole, dot with the remaining tablespoon butter, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bake the bread pudding in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 1 hour (or 1 hour and 15 minutes;

While the bread pudding is in the oven, make the Kentucky Bourbon Sauce.) Serve warm at room temperature with the Kentucky Bourbon Sauce. Makes 8 generous servings

Ingredients for Kentucky bourbon sauce: Makes 2 cups

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon whisky

Directions for sauce :
1. Heat the cream, half-and-half, vanilla and sugar in a heavy saucepan over high heat, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into the bourbon to dissolve.

2. When bubbles form around the edges of the cream, whisk in the bourbon mixture. As the cream bubbles up, remove the pot from the heat and continue whisking vigorously until well blended and slightly thickened. Place the mixture over low heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Serve immediately with the Bread Pudding, or store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. NOTE: This sauce is not meant to be thick, but fairly thin.

Blue Ribbon Almond Roca Cookies

These are to die for! My sister first made these for Christmas a few years ago... yum. I believe they came from Emeril.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 package toffee bits
1 cup coarsely ground almonds
4 ounces milk chocolate
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sugars together on medium speed.
Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and then the toffee bits. Mix until just blended; do not over-mix.

Place ground nuts in a small bowl.

Using hands, roll balls of dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in the ground nuts. Place on cookie sheets several inches apart. Bake approximately 22 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and place in freezer or refrigerator until chocolate is firmly set.