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Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)...The  last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lenten (Ash Wednesday)! Bourbon Street will be alive with music, laughter and celebration on this day!

When I was a tween I remember visiting my Aunt Lori in Mississippi. She took my family to New Orleans where we walked down Bourbon Street, and soaked in the history of this beautiful city. For lunch we ate alligator on a stick, yum! It tasted like chicken! We devoured red beans and rice smothered with cajun seasonings. For dessert we ate these dainty square-shaped fried pastries, called Beignets, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.  I will never forget that summer. It was one of the most memorable family vacations we took.

For years I've searched for a Beignet recipe that tasted similar to those scrumptious pastries I ate when I was a kid. To my delight I finally found one person who's recipe comes to an almost perfect match to what I tasted as a kid. And why shouldn't it be an almost perfect match, this person is a southern belle who knows her stuff.  If you are looking for a Beignet recipe, Paula Deen's French Quarter Beignets is the recipe you want!

Here is Paula Deen's recipe taken from The Food Network website:

French Quarter Beignets

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• Nonstick spray
• Oil, for deep-frying
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.
Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.