The King Comes to Casa!

The stories, the hits, that hair, those hips! The King is coming to Casa Mañana!

This spectacular tribute to the King of Rock-n-Roll will have you singing and dancing to “Hound Dog,” “Love Me Tender,” Jailhouse Rock” and more! Unwind and enjoy as Taylor Rodriguez lights up the Reid Cabaret Theatre with his infectious energy and the songs that take you back to the time of the King.

Here’s a guide of what to expect at Casa Mañana during the pandemic:

In honor of A Tribute to the King: Taylor Rodriguez opening August 18, we thought we would go ahead and get in the mood with some Elvis-inspired fair. So dust off your blue suede shoes, put on your records, and whip up these recipes!

Elvis Ice Cream Sandwiches
Inspired by his most famous concoction
Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

• ½ cup peanut butter cups
• 2 tsp vegetable shortening
• 2 cups peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter pieces, softened
• 8 slices banana bread
• 4 slices bacon, cooked
• 1 Tbsp honey

In the microwave, melt the chips and shortening and stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Spread the softened ice cream over half of the banana bread slices and top with the bacon. Drizzle the melted chips and the honey over the bacon. Top with the remaining bread slices. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze on a baking sheet for at least 1 hour. Slice and serve!

Almost-Famous Fried Pickles
A favorite Southern dish!
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp drained horseradish
• 2 tsp ketchup
• ¼ tsp Cajun seasoning

For the pickles:

• Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
• ½ cup all-purpose flou
• 1 ¾ tsp Cajun seasoning
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups sliced dill pickles, drained and patted dry with paper towels

To make the sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. To make the pickles, heat 1 inch of oil in a Dutch oven or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 375°. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, ½ tsp. kosher salt and ½ cup water in a large bowl until smooth. Add half the pickles to the batter and toss to coat. Remove from the batter with a slotted spoon, letting the excess batter drip off, and add to the hot oil one at a time. Don’t add to many at one time to prevent sticking. Fry until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Return oil to 375° and repeat with remaining pickle slices. Serve immediately with the prepared sauce.

Monkey Bread
A favorite of the King’s at Christmas
Recipe courtesy of Lindsey Rushen

• 1 package (24-count) frozen dinner roll dough
• 1 small box cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
• ¾ tsp cinnamon

Grease a fluted bundt pan well, and place frozen rolls into the pan. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the pudding, sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Pour over the rolls. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let sit overnight. Bake the next morning at 350° for 30 minutes. To serve, place a large plate over the pan and flip.

Oysters Rockefeller
This rich, buttery dish was served at the King’s wedding to Priscilla in 1967.
Recipe courtesy of Kat Boytosova on delish.com

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach
• ½ roughly chopped green onions
• ½ cup roughly chopped parsley, leaves and stems
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur
• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb coarse salt, for baking
• 24 fresh oysters, shucked, shells reserved
• Lemon wedges for serving

Position oven rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450°. Add the garlic, spinach, green onions, parsley, lemon juice, butter, and Pernod to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. In a medium bowl, combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Sprinkle coarse salt over a large baking sheet to a depth of ½ inch. Arrange the oysters in a half shell on the salt and divide the spinach mixture over the oysters. Sprinkle with the panko mixture and bake until bubbling and deeply golden, about 8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Not in the mood to cook? We found some Elvis-inspired menu items from restaurants near Casa Mañana. J&J Oyster Bar has the decadent “Oysters Rockafella;” the Social House has “The Elvis” on their brunch menu – a caramelized banana waffle with crisp applewood bacon and warm peanut butter. Grab some fried pickles at Fred’s before you chow down on your Fredburger.

Well, we’re definitely hungry now!

Buy your tickets to A Tribute to the King: Taylor Rodgriguez before they’re all gone!