auld lang syne pudding

 Happy New Year.  I'm not much into  resolutions and year-in-reviews, but I still feel something a little stirring about the changing of the year. Perhaps, this year, it is because in less than a month and a half we will be leaving our beautiful island home to embark on a new adventure.  Moving from Oahu is going to be really, really difficult- but I'm putting on my big girl panties and looking at that brighter side.  Family closer.  Mountains that won't crumble when you climb them.  Fall.  Schools for my kids that well, teach them things.  Sweaters.  Ikea.  Going to school full time to BE something when I grow up.
Sigh, but I love Hawaii like I have never loved a place before in my life.  I think from the moment I stepped off the plane from Maryland almost four years ago, I knew it was home.
And you know what?
We'll come back :)

I'm sure I'm sharing an experience with many, many others today in feeling a bit nostalgic. It feels good.
Like sitting in front of a warm fire playing Scrabble.  Jammies fresh from the dryer.  My daughter giving me a face massage.
Like bread pudding.

(How's THAT for a lead-in?)

The Bestest Bread Pudding Eva Recipe

*with tipsy brandy sauce*

(from a self-proclaimed bread pudding connoisseur)

Ingredients:

3/4 a loaf of Hawaiian Sweet Bread  (or if you can't find this, a sweet challah would work.  Maybe even potato bread?  hmm...)

half cup raisins

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 a stick of buttah, softened

5 eggs

cinnamon
brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

For sauce:

1 cup sugar

1 stick buttah, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp vanilla 
1/4 cup brandy

Tear apart the bread into inch/inch and a half chunks.  Use a light touch- you want to bread to retain its loft.  Layer into a casserole dish with raisins.  In bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in between.  Add cream, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Carefully pour over bread, ensuring all the bread is moistened.  Sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon over the top. Let sit for half an hour.  Preheat oven to 350.  Cook for 40 minutes.  

Meanwhile, add butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla to a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until all melted/mixed.  Add brandy and stir well. 

When pudding is cooked, let sit another 30 mins before serving.  Pour sauce (to taste- there will be extra) over pudding and nomnomnom.  

I've made this today to share with some friends for New Years dinner.
One of the bestest things about this place is the friends that I have made here.  I will miss them.
But we'll come back :)

We'll bring these guys with us.