Busy Bee

Collage of weekly farmers market 

I’ve been a busy little bee this month! Lots of events, parties, farmers market every week and anything else that comes up. I work at a SEC college campus (LSU to be specific). Football season is in full swing so that means preparing for home football games on the weekends and keeping up with other events that are going on around campus. LSU’s first SEC game was a couple of weekends ago. Full swing SEC schedule starts up now... Luckily the next two games are away so get a little breather.
               

Collage of weekly farmers market 

The dining facilities on the LSU campus, has an on campus restaurant that I work out of. It serves lunch Monday through Friday and open on home football game Saturdays till kick-off.

We have a special game day menu that is themed. Different dishes represent the different football teams that LSU plays this season. For example, we have chicken on a stick served with a red wine honey mustard sauce. This dish is to represent my alma mater, Ole Miss. There is a corner gas station, 4 Corners Chevron, that is walking distance from the downtown area, the Square. The Square is where all night life takes place in Oxford. Well, this gas station serves, most famously, chicken on a stick, and many other late night greasy eatings to help curb your potential hangover.  

Back to the LSU gameday menu. There are three desserts on the menu… An Alabama Slammer Sundae, Blueberry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding and a Sweet Potato Pie.

Alabama Slammer Sundae w/grilled peaches 

Alabama Slammer Sundae (I can’t help but say that in a Longhorn Foghorn voice). Sounds intense, right? Kinda like the team it represents. It consists of a blonde brownie topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, “slammer sauce” and grilled peaches. This one has been popular mainly b/c of the sauce… The “slammer sauce” is made up of all the alcohol that is in an Alabama Slammer.

To make the sauce I started with a base of butter and brown sugar and let those melt together, then I added in all the alcohol (Southern Comfort, Amaretto, Cherry liquor, Peach Schnapps and Triple Sec). I let it simmer for a bit so to let some of the alcohol cook off. The blondie is warmed up and then topped with all the goodness… The blondie just soaks up the sauce and the melting ice cream and it all just goes together beautifully.

Blueberry and White Chocolate Bread pudding topped with Candied Bacon, New Orleans Rum Sauce and fresh blueberries and white chocolate pieces 

The bread pudding is a favorite down in the South and even more so in Louisiana. I try to make “layers” meaning that I get a base of bread down before I put the blueberries and white chocolate in the mix. I keep that action going then after I got all the bread, berries and white chocolate I can fit in my pan… that is when I pour my custard over top and let the bread soak up the yummy-ness.

Now the fun thing about this bread pudding is that it is topped with a delicious New Orleans butter rum sauce and candied bacon. Yesssss. I said candied bacon. I know this isn’t some new thing… I love putting typically savory items in a sweets application. It usually works and this so does. The bacon has a sweet and smoky flavor to it and it pulls out those smoky notes out of the rum… It is just… mmmm.

Sweet Potato Pie topped with Grand Marnier whipped cream and fresh grated nutmeg

                                        

The Sweet Potato pie is my favorite to make. Labor of love. Rolling out the dough for the individual pies, roasting the sweet potatoes, mixing the sweet potato filling and baking them all off… Lovely fluffy outcome. I grew up making sweet potato pies for the holidays, so it always reminds me of my family, and working with the pie dough and methodically rolling it out is calming to me. Not to mention, and good arm workout.

Rolling out the pie dough

                               

I know I’m not the only one that has struggled with the little strings that come from the sweet potatoes. Not very appetizing, if you ask me. I put mine in a food processor to blend them after I’ve roasted them. This gets them very smooth and easier to mix in the rest of the ingredients.

I also use a food processor to cut my cold butter into my flour… it does save time. Here’s the kicker… only pulse it don’t let the processor just run. It’ll heat up the butter too much and the butter will get way too soft. Keep it quick and if the pieces are still too big for your liking; continue to cut the butter in with your fingers… But use just the end of your fingers so less of your body heat is transferred to the butter pieces.

Putting these desserts together has been fun I've enjoyed it. I'm excited to welcome the changing of the seasons because that means I'm going to be able to do change up my everyday dessert menu for the restaurant. I'll be posting soon on the new desserts coming up!

Happy Eating!