NOT what Baby Jesus would do

MiniMac is quite fascinated with Star Wars. Weeks ago, I purchased a Star Wars egg coloring kit for our Easter eggs. Because nothing says EASTER like Jabba the Hut and light sabers. The kit has been sitting on our kitchen counter for weeks like a little cardboard carrot prompting MiniMac to ask me "Can we color the Star Wars eggs?" approximately, oh, I don't know, 200 times since he laid eyes on the kit. Noted: hide that box until you are ready for it. So we color eggs and envelope them in Star Wars 'wrappits'. Nothing about these eggs seems cuddly, bunnyish or Easter-like. However, MiniMac is quite thrilled with them and wanted to take one in his pocket to school. Denied. You know what else doesnt seem Easter-like? Hiding meds in plastic Easter eggs right before the egg hunt.

Thanks Christ the King in Alabama, because you just made Star Wars eggs that much more alluring to me.

Last weekend, a volunteer at Christ the King Catholic Church in Daphne, Alabama held an egg hunt for the kiddos. You know how kids are at egg hunts right? Like a hundred giddy, swarming bees. OOOPS, said C the King, one of those eggs had a volunteers meds inside of it. Really, volunteer at Christ the King? That is your secret hiding spot? The plastic egg in which pounds of candy was to be inserted and placed in nooks and crannies for beforementioned giddy, swarming bees to find? You hid your 'potentially lethal if ingested by children' meds inside the plastic egg. I am no James Bond but I think I could quickly develop a list of better ideas. Maybe I will do that now and suggest a few other secret, hiding places for your pill collection, Joan Crawford.

Places to puts your meds instead of in the plastic Easter eggs to be given to children:
1. Your pocket (jacket, pants, vest, fanny pack. Its your choice.)
2. Your car
3. Your medicine cabinet
4. Your pill bottle
5. Your purse if you have one or your manbag.
6. A plastic bag marked MEDS you hide in a knothole in a tree.
7. A baby powder bottle like the cartels do it.

The church has requested all eggs be returned, unopened. Yes, that is exactly what the kids like. "Give me all your eggs back and don't touch what is inside." WHY MOMMY? "Because you can't have Xanax on Easter."

 

Take A Bite Of: Bourbon Butterscotch Pudding

Its currently 42 degrees in Atlanta. Maybe for some of you in the Midwest, that temp has you putting on your short-sleeves and heading out to play tennis. In the South, this is sub-par weather when it is officially Spring. Oh, and it is pouring out. So MiniMac's soccer game was cancelled and we are staying in the house. I was out of town three days last week in balmy Texas so a day in the house sounds quite appealing. I am making Ginger Beer (more on that to come) and this fabulous concoction for the mouth I found in Bon Appetit. From my kitchen to yours, enjoy every bite.

Bourbon Butterscotch Pudding 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon bourbon or Scotch
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Crème fraîche and crushed gingersnap cookies (for serving; optional)

Special Equipment

• Eight 6-ounce ramekins or bowls

Preparation

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until butter begins to brown and smell nutty, about 3 minutes. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is starting to dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add cream, milk, bourbon, and salt; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually add hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Wipe out saucepan. Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until custard bubbles occasionally and starts to thicken, 5-6 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and transfer mixture to a blender. Blend briefly on low speed until smooth. Place ramekins or bowls on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide custard evenly among ramekins and chill until set, at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Puddings can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• Top each pudding with crème fraîche and crushed gingersnaps, if desired.

Cheers for actual Customer Service

I received the following correspondence after ordering MiniMac some awesome pint-sized aviator sunglasses from Goggles and Glasses:


"Your item has been gently taken from our shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.
A team of 50 employees inspected your product and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.
Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your product into the finest cardboard box that money can buy.
We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party is set to march down the street to the post office (72501) where the entire town of Batesville will wave "Bon Voyage!!" to your package.
I hope you had a wonderful time shopping with us on Gogglesandglasses. We sure did.  Your picture is on our wall as "Customer Of The Year". We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to us soon."

In an environment where customer service is no longer a guaranteed part of any consumer transaction, I love it when someone not only does it well but has a hilarious sense of humor in the process.

Have an awesome Saturday and don't get yourselves pinched today.