Green Shoots
The Figs
I love the The Figs, no not Newtons, not fruit and not pudding - I'm talking about the band. Six lovely ladies from a unique South Louisiana city, Lafayette, have combined their talents to form this charming yet sassy musical group. They are a perfect mix of old timey bluegrass, swing and folk with their own twist of tradition, learning as they go.
New Orleans Bread Pudding
BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE WITH WHISKEY SAUCE
Yields 6
BREAD PUDDING
3/4 cups Sugar
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg
3 Medium Eggs
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 cups New Orleans French Bread, 1" cubed (see note)
1/3 cup Raisins
(18: in length or approximately 1 1/3 G/ sliced thin)
WHISKEY SAUCE
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Tbsp. Corn Starch
1 Tbsp. Water
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1/4 cup Bourbon
MERINGUE
9 Medium Egg Whites
3/4 cups Sugar
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
To make the bread pudding, first preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8" square baking pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs until smooth, then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, then the bread cubes. Allow bread to soak up custard.
Place the raisins in a greased pan. Top with the egg mixture, which prevents the raisins from burning. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the pudding has a golden brown color and is firm to the touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. The mixture of pudding should be nice and moist, not runny or dry. Cool to room temperature.
To make the whiskey sauce, place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk corn starch and water together, and add to cream while whisking. Bring to a boil. Whisk and let simmer for a few seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Remove from heat.
Stir in the sugar and the bourbon. Taste to make sure the sauce has a thick consistency, a sufficiently sweet taste, and a good bourbon flavor. Cool to room temperature.
To make the meringue, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 6 ounce ramekins. First, be certain that the bowl and whisk are clean. The egg whites should be completely free of yolk, and they will whip better if the chill is off them. This dish needs a good, stiff meringue. In a large bowl or mixer, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar gradually, and continue whipping until shiny and thick. Test with a clean spoon. If the whites stand up stiff, like shaving cream, when you pull out the spoon, the meringue is ready. Do not overwhip, or the whites will break down and the soufflé will not work.
In a large bowl, break half the bread pudding into pieces using your hands or a spoon. Gently fold in one-quarter of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites. Add a portion of this base to each of the ramekins.
Place the remaining bread pudding in the bowl, break into pieces, and carefully fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the soufflés with this lighter mixture, to about 1 1/2 inches. Smooth and shape tops with spoon into a dome over the ramekin rim. Bake immediately for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon, poke a hole in the top of each soufflé, at the table, and pour the room temperature whiskey sauce inside the soufflé.
Note: New Orleans French bread is very light and tender. If substitute bread is used that is too dense, it will soak up all the custard and the recipe will not work.
Hope for America
Spooky Cute Recycled Pouches
Halloween is soon approaching and we have fully decorated our front entrance way. Costumes are ready and treats prepared for the little ones. We already have a pumpkin waiting to be carved. In the spirit of the season, I thought I'd find some Etsy items suited for the occasion.
Arctic Friends
polar bear original aceo by RobsDoodles
Scientists believe that the polar bear evolved from a group of brown bears that became isolated by glaciers in an area near Siberia. The stranded bears underwent a rapid series of evolutionary changes in order to survive on the ice. Today's polar bear is superbly adapted to life in the Arctic.
Bear Ancestry ACEO Limited Edition 2 by scarlettcatClimate change is the main threat to polar bears today. A diminishing ice pack directly affects polar bears, as sea ice is the platform from which they hunt seals. Although the Arctic has experienced warm periods before, the present shrinking of the Arctic's sea ice is rapid and unprecedented.
Who Cares About Global Warming Button by thedogcoatladyPolar bears are the world's largest land predators They top the food chain in the Arctic, where they prey primarily on seals.
In all of Canada, only seven people have been killed by polar bears in the past 30 years.In the U. S. (Alaska) during the same time period, only one person was killed.
Trouble woodblock print by Cakeasaurus
Adult male polar bears weigh from 775 to more than 1,500 pounds. Females are considerably smaller, normally weighing 330 to 550 pounds.
Mr. Stemke - 100 Percent Organic Cotton - Alternative Apparel - 6032 V-Neck T-Shirt by partybotsPregnant female polar bears den up in the fall after feeding heavily in August and September. Most choose den sites in snowdrifts along mountain slopes or hills near the sea ice. Others den in banks of snow on the frozen sea.To build her den, the female scrapes a tunnel into the snow and digs two chambers. She gives birth to her cubs in November or December.
Polar bears are fastidious about staying clean. In the summer, the bears typically feed for twenty or thirty minutes and then head for a pool of water in which to wash off.
Follow Your heart - Lets Swing 7"x7" print by krisblues
Hurricane Gustav
Wow, what a week this has been. Hurricane Gustav blew through this state and wreaked havoc on us for quite some time! What was thought to be a safe haven for some Gulf Coast residents turned out to be one of the hardest hit areas of the state here in Louisiana. This was the worst recorded storm to ever hit Baton Rouge and the most damage I have ever seen in my city.
Our property didn't sustain much damage since we don't have any tall trees but my Mom didn't fair as well as us. A 100' pine tree fell into her bedroom.
