This will wrap up another year as this is the last edition of the year 2015. It has been a very fast year for me it seems as if it was just last week that we celebrated New Year. We have had our ups and down, good and bad, but we made it through to celebrate another year on this big beautiful planet. Momma Said, “Celebrate every day as if it is your last.” You just never know, it could be.
I now know what it is like to celebrate Christmas in Miami. Here in the great state of West Virginia, we just celebrated a record breaking Christmas with temperatures well, well above the norm. I think Santa had a heat stroke. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and got to spend quality time with your loved ones.
Our weather has been so mild it seems as if it is April instead of December. I actually pulled a tick off one of my cats the other day. That should not be happening in December. So if you are in an area that should be cold this time of year and it is not, be sure to check your fur babies for creepy crawlies.
I hope everyone starts out the new year with a bang and don’t forget to eat your cabbage. That is supposed to bring you prosperity for the year. I don’t know where that started but Gran always had a big pot of cooked cabbage or sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. Momma Said, “We never got rich but we sure got full.”
I leave you this week and this year with a good recipe for New Year’s dessert so I hope you enjoy!
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
Ingredients
· 8 cups bite-sized bread pieces
· 3 large eggs
· 1 1/4 cup light corn syrup
· 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
· 1/4 cup granulated sugar
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
· 1 teaspoon maple or vanilla extract
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 tsp. cinnamon
· 1 cup pecans, halved or chopped
Instructions
Prepare an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and spraying well with a non-stick cooking spray.
Place all of the bread pieces into the baking dish.
Pour the melted butter over the bread.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple or vanilla extract, cinnamon, and the salt.
Stir in the pecans. Pour evenly over the bread pieces. Use a rubber spatula to push and “prod” the bread pieces around in the dish until all are coated in the syrupy mixture.
Bake at 375º for 45 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream!