Jane's King Cake

 

I used to teach with Jane and she'd always make one of these to share in the teacher's lounge.  She's a Yankee, but gets a pass for making such a yummy King Cake.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 TBSP. sugar
• 2 pkgs. yeast
• 1/3 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 1 stick butter
• 2/3 c. evaporated milk (small can)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 6 c. flour
• Filling: 
  
  • ½ box light brown sugar
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 2 TBSP. cinnamon
  • 1 stick butter melted

Directions:

1. Combine 2 TBSP sugar, yeast, and warm water in large mixing bowl. Let stand until foaming. (Stir slightly to blend first). 
2. Place butter, milk, sugar, and salt in small pan. On low heat setting, heat mixture to lukewarm (105-115 degrees). Butter should melt. 
3. Beat eggs into foaming yeast mixture. 
4.  Add lukewarm milk mixture. 
5. Add flour a cup at a time. After adding 4-4 ½ cups, it will be easier to add the rest of the flour and mix with your hands, either in the bowl or on a large wooden board. 
6. Knead 5-10 minutes until dough is no longer sticky. It will be soft and pliable. 
7. Lightly grease a large bowl, put ball of dough in bowl and turn to grease all around. 
8. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double (about 1 hour)
9. Mix sugars and cinnamon for filling
10. When dough has risen, punch down. Roll out dough on large floured surface to about 18”x 36”.
11.  Brush dough with melted butter and spread evenly with sugar mixture. 
12. Slice lengthwise in three 6” strips. Roll each like a jellyroll, sealing seams tightly. 
13. Braid and form into an oval shape. 
14. Pinch the ends together. Put on large greased baking sheet, like a jellyroll pan-sides are important! There will be seepage of sugar. 
15. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise about 1 hour.
16. Beat 1 egg with a little water. 
17. Into 3 bowls, combine ¼ c. sugar each colored purple, green, and yellow. 
18.  When dough has risen, brush top with beaten egg. Sprinkle sugars in alternate patterns.
19. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. 
20. After cake has cooled, insert the MG baby in the bottom.

Notes::

• I didn't do steps 16, 17, and 18.  Instead I made a frosting with 3-4 cups powdered sugar and a few tablespoons milk.  I poured the frosting over the top after the cake had cooked and then sprinkled with colored sugars.  The purple is hard to achieve.  Any tips?
• If you have a stand mixer with dough hook, use that-much easier.
• Jellyroll pan is best, or you’ll have to clean up sugar mess in the oven.
• Use a covered jar to shake sugar and food coloring to mix thoroughly.

Mardi Gras 2012

This is the quickie, picture post of the past 10 days, and it is half ass at that.  The longer I wait the worse it'd get so this is it.

 
I didn't take many pictures and haven't the time to give an appropriate redux with two runny nosed boys who quickly got used to LOTS of attention from Mama and Dada and every white haired yatty lady on the parade route.  

Averil, Joe, and Joseph

Vacationing with children...er, I mean TRAVELING with children was exhausting.  Drinking and parading and traveling with children was deliciously exhausting.  It just meant an abundance of coffee, fewer beers to make room for sippy cups in the cooler, and the booze sharing counter space with diapers.  Somehow Charlie managed to come close his 60 beers in 6 days pace. We're all very proud.

 Our hotel was on St. Charles Ave. along the parade route, so partaking in every single parade (except Endymion) was as easy as taking the elevator down and stepping out the front door.  Well, it was that easy for me, anyway. 

Charlie set up the ladders and the chairs to make us nice and comfy on the neutral ground for parade viewing.  

He was able to sleep through it all.

The boys were in heaven.  They had front row seats in the ladder.  Freddie pretended to play the trombone as the bands marched by.  Hans learned to clap and got his hands up to cheer for beads with the rest of us. 

Worn out!

Mama was in her yes zone...yes, you may have king cake for breakfast...yes, you can run around in the street.... yes, you can skip nap.

Even Tigey got in on the action, and didn't get lost!  Freddie got Tigey at his very first parade in 2010.

There was sister time, playing with cousins, and visiting old friends. 

We ate crawfish and shrimp and poboys, and toasted each day with an Abita.

Throw me something, Mister!

Super Heros Gotta Nurse

See ya next year, y'all.  We wouldn't dream of missing it.

It's Carnival Time

We're off to a soggy start, but our spirits haven't been dampened.  We stood out in the rain for two parades last night as both boys were totally content.  Actually, giddy may be a better description of their moods.  Both were wide eyed and dancing to the bands. Charlie and I were smiling all night.  It feels good to be home.

King's Day

Freddie's godmother made certain there would be cake on King's Day.  And it's a Haydel's kingcake!

I did get a little misty eyed this morning looking over all the facebook status updates about king cake.  Thank goodness for Fairy Godmothers. 

Chowing down!

 After having our fill we played "Throw me something mister" to kick off the Carnival season. 

Don't worry, only the toddler was running around naked!

That's naturally New Orleans, y'all.  Ain't nothing better.

Carnival 2010, The Quickie Picture Post

We're worn out. Glitter fills every nook and cranny of the floor. The dining room table has been turned into a mass of beads and stuffed animals. But it's all good.




Mardi Gras is a great time for us and actually not much different now that we've got Freddie. Still lots of beers and bloody marys (maybe not 60 of them over four days though, but 40 perhaps?), still Popeye's for lunch, still costuming and the hunt for the Zulu coconut.



We've had a great few days.



Charlie made sure we were well taken care of, loading up the potty and parking it in just the right spot. It does make life on the parade route much easier.


He also got our ladders, and chairs, and snacks, and drinks, and blankets to make sure we were comfy.




We made it out each night for the parades. Perfect attendance. We're serious about some parading on Bordeaux Street. Having so many parades pass on the end of the block is nice, but living 4 blocks from Napoleon where all of the parades pass is even nicer.

Thanks, Holly, for this shot!

Freddie fit right in and knew the parade day drill. He napped on cue and didn't mind being given a gentle nudge to get him up at at 'em for the evening shift of parades.



We made it through four parades on Sunday and late into the night for Bacchus. The crowd for Bacchus is always thick, but it was especially packed because everyone wanted another glimpse of our hero, Drew Brees.



Charlie *had* to have one of Drew's signature throws, a black football with a fleur de lis. He got his ball from the float although he didn't get to catch the pass from Drew.



It was cold, really, really cold on Monday but we still went out. We needed to see Coach Sean Payton. And get more beads. Duh.


Somehow we missed Sean Payton but Charlie caught an autographed football from Reggie Bush. He's pretty pleased with himself.


This morning Freddie decided to sleep in and the poor child had to be roused from his Lundi Gras slumber to get suited up for Fat Tuesday.


We made it to Zulu, secured a couple coconuts, watched Rex roll along St. Charles under the oaks, and made a beeline for some fried chicken for lunch.


Whew. If Freddie is *really* on this Mardi Gras vibe, he'll sleep until 9am tomorrow.

Happy Mardi Gras! Sweet dreams.