A Good Imagination is Totally Underrated

I woke up this morning and was shocked to find myself at home.

Well, you know what I mean. Like I was shocked to discover I wasn't at the Rusty Parrot Lodge in Jackson Hole.

Like I had been just a few minutes before in my dream.

A gentle snow wasn't falling outside my window and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and just-baked muffins wasn't wafting through the clear air. A fluffy white heated robe did not await me in the bathroom and I was pretty sure that no one beside myself was going to unobtrusively arrive to make the bed.

The antique sideboard wasn't laden with an assortment of fruits and berries, crunchy granola, fresh-squeezed juices, and creamy yogurt. There were no made-to-order daily breakfast specials written on the blackboard menu. I wasn't forced to struggle with a decision between ordering a thinly sliced flatiron steak with crisp-tender roasted fingerling potatoes with a sun-dried tomato-leek butter or waffles studded with crunchy pecans and a decadent bananas flambe'.

No, my choices were somewhat more limited and frankly much less exciting.

But, instead of feeling sorry for myself I made Cinnamon Beignets.

And pretended.


You can too. They're super easy and really tasty.

Rusty Parrot Cinnamon Beignets

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 T. butter, melted

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

oil for frying

cinnamon and extra sugar

Beat the sugar and the egg until light, fluffy, and pale yellow.  Add the buttermilk and butter to the mixture. Combine the flour and baking powder in a small bowl then add to the mixture; stir until just combined but do not overmix. Let rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. On a floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with small rounds (any shape will do). Heat the oil to about 375 degrees and fry the beignets in small batches for about one minute per side until golden brown.  Mix about 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small paper bag. Place the warm beignets in the bag and shake to coat.

Serve warm with chocolate sauce and fruit!

(I made a chocolate sauce with heavy cream and dark chocolate and a little Mexican Barra chocolate)

Now pretend you're enjoying them in front of a crackling fire while your bed is being unobtrusively made.

But don't dally. We're going on a sleigh ride through the National Elk refuge in just a few minutes.

Bundle up!

Lu