Here’s how to make your own Mardi Gras king cake

Today, Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras Day are the last hurrahs of Carnival 2020, so enjoy the parties while you can.

Come Wednesday, Lent begins. Yes, Ash Wednesday will be here, and the 40 days of sacrifice begin. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. Some denominations ask members or parishioners to give up something they enjoy during Lent as a sacrifice, a remembrance of Christ’s sufferings.

Since the revelry is still going on for the next couple of days, I thought I would share an easy King Cake recipe that can be shared for a royalty brunch or along the parade routes.

With Lent approaching, I thought I would offer a couple of dishes that leave off the beef and make seafood the star of the meals.

A Christian friend of mine fasts from Coca-Cola and cinnamon buns during Lent. “Those are two of my favorite things,” she said. “They are hard to give up because they are my Sunday breakfast.” Another one refrains from eating meat throughout Lent. Many Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. Others give up sugar or caffeine, and, honestly lose a few pounds.

So, here are two pre-Lent King cakes, and the healthier and lighter Lenten meals.

In honor of Mardi Gras Day, I offer two King cake recipes, including a quick one that is made with refrigerated crescent dough. The second version is one I adapted from the quick king cake recipe so that diabetics can have a slice of King cake, too.

I used the powdered sugar replacement, which I am repeating that recipe later in this column, instead of the powdered sugar called for in the recipe. Low-sugar or no-sugar preserves can be substituted for the pie-filling. The powdered sugar replacement can be used for the icing, too.

Quick king cake

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 to 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, depending on sweetness desired

2 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 can pie filling, your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks and extract together until smooth. Remove rolls from cans and arrange pieces around cookie sheet with points toward the center. Push the dough together, leaving center open.

Spread cream cheese mixture on dough. Top with pie filling. Fold dough over mixture and seal. Brush with beaten egg whites. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with glaze and sprinkle with colored sugar.

And here’s a diabetic version:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar replacement (recipe follows), depending on sweetness desired

2 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 jar low-sugar or no-sugar preserves (the Smucker’s apricot ones are good) or no-sugar added canned pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar replacement, egg yolks and extract together until smooth. Remove rolls from cans and arrange pieces around cookie sheet with points toward the center. Push the dough together, leaving center open.

Spread cream cheese mixture on dough. Top with preserves. Fold dough over mixture and seal. Brush with beaten egg whites. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with glaze made of powdered sugar replacement and water. Color sugar substitute with food coloring and sprinkle over the cake.

Powered sugar replacement

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder

2 cups cornstarch

1 cup granulated sugar replacement

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Whip until well blended and powdered. Transfer to airtight container. Yield: 4 cups replacement for use in making desserts.

Diabetic exchange: 1 bread or 1/2 nonfat milk and 1/2 bread. Calories for 1/4 cup: 81.

Salmon with herbs and tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 pound fresh salmon fillet, cut into 2 inch square pieces

1/4 tablespoon fresh basil, minced

1/4 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced

1/4 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

3 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the salmon pieces, the herbs and the tomato paste and stir. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the water, walnuts, lemon juice, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until salmon is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Serves 2.

She crab soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 quart milk

1/4 pint cream

1/8 teaspoon mace

Few drops onion juice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon flour

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons dry sherry wine

2 cups white crab meat and crab eggs

Melt butter in top of double boiler and blend with flour until smooth. Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly. To this add crabmeat and eggs and all seasonings except sherry. Cook slowly over hot water for 20 minutes.

To serve, place 1 tablespoon of warmed sherry in individual soup bowls, then add soup and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with paprika or finely chopped parsley.

Note: If unable to obtain she crabs, crumble yolk of hard boiled eggs in bottom of soup plates. Serves 4-6.

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.

This story was originally published February 23, 2020 at 12:00 AM.