Southern Living Cook-off Recipe

Monday, October 15Th, 2007

October 15Th, 2007

Hello everyone, thank you for checking out our blog. My wife, Jacque, and I just got back from a little vacation. We visited historic Williamsburg, VA and had a great time. Wow, how cool it was to walk on the same floors that men such as Thomas Jefferson walked on and visit the law library where he first studied. It is a beautiful area and I highly recommend the trip if you get the chance.

Today we visited one of the 15 finalists in the Southern Living 2007 Cook-Off. Ann Taylor from Harvest was one of three entries selected in the Sweet Endings portion of the competition. By the way, the overall winner won $100,000...hmmm, now where is that recipe book of mine. Ann shared her recipe for Coconut-Cream Bread Pudding with us and now, I'm going to share it with you. It is outstanding!!!!

Coconut-Cream Bread Pudding
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Prep:20 min., Stand: 5 min., Bake: 43 min.
Cook: 6 min.

1 (8oz.) package PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups DOMINO granulated sugar,divided
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature and divided
1 (15oz.) can cream of coconut, divided
8 Tbsp.butter,melted and divided
1(8oz.) French bread loaf, cut into 1 inch cubes
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

STEPS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Beat cream cheese at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.Add 1 cup sugar and eggs, and beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream of coconut, and 3 Tbsp. melted butter. Stir in bread cubes. Let stand 5 minutes.

3. Coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour bread mixture into dish.

4. Bake at 350 degree for 35 minute or until set.

5. Stir together flaked coconut, pecans, and 3 Tbsp. melted butter. Sprinkle coconut mixture over baked pudding, and bake 5 to 8 more minutes or until browned.

6. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream of coconut.

7. Cook remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until sugar is caramelized and mixture becomes a light brown syrup. Stir in milk mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly and sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

8. Cut bread pudding into 8 to 10 servings and serve with caramelized sugar sauce.

Ann Taylor says the recipe is great anytime and I have to agree.

October 4, 2007

Good morning everyone. Today we are heading out to Tate Farms to check out the pumpkin patch. Every Year Tate Farms has hundreds of kids and adults visit the farm and go through the pumpkin patch, the corn maze, ride the cotton wagon, pick their very own pumpkin...play in the corn bin, you name it their's tons of fun for the kids. Tate Farms is located at 8414-A Moores Mill Rd and you can call (256) 828-7200 for tour times and any other info you might need.I have put a link to their website, just click on pumpkin. I hope you enjoyed our program as much as I did.