Under My Nose
Edward Cullen sets a deadline of six months to find his true love before he turns thirty. Leaving his successful restaurant to drive a mule-drawn carriage in the French Quarter of New Orleans, he searches for the meaning of true love, because he has yet to understand it. Will he know when he finds her or will she be right under his nose? Can bubbly, buxom Bella tantalize his taste buds with beignets and an abundant
booty?
A/N: Thank you to the readers who review every chapter. There are a handful of you. I appreciate the love, and I find your input very helpful. When we get into further chapters, I will send you another surprise. Again, thank you for your constant support in bringing those review numbers up.
And thank you to the readers who follow and favorite that I am unable to send a thank you PM.
Okay, this chapter we experience the Krewe of Endymion Parade on Canal Street. It is a main event and one of the three super Krewes with over twenty-seven hundred masked riders that throw out beads, stuffed animals, frisbees, plastic cups, coins, and lighted trinkets of Endymion. People always shout out, "Hey, can you throw me something, Mister?" Endymion gets it's name from Greek mythology, the most handsome men and the God of youth and fertility. The Grand Marshal for this year is Carrie Underwood.
One last thing: Fran is on vacation, so this is unbeta'd … Yeah, I'm on my own.
Chapter 33:
EPOV: February
From the corner of my eye, I see Bella walk into the kitchen. Her eyes are down, passing her work station and heading for the large, walk-in refrigerator.
It's just the two of us in the kitchen, since everyone else is at parades. Tomorrow is Endymion and we have a few days off for Mardi Gras.
I lay my knife on the table, wipe my hands on a towel and follow her.
On the tips of her toes, Bella struggles to grab the case of butter on the top shelf.
"Let me get that for you." I reach up and easily grab the tray. "How much do you want?"
She doesn't look at me, her eyes fixed on the butter. "About four pounds, thank you."
"What are you preparing?" I'm awkward with this small talk and she doesn't look like she's going to budge.
She snorts. "Don't you have any skeletons in your closet here? I feel as though it's my ass dragging this relationship down."
Placing the tray on a shelf, I grab her into a hug. "This relationship's not dragging anywhere. You want to tell me what's going on?"
She buries her face into my chest. "You know when I moved here I thought I just had a crazy mother. All was normal. But my mother is really my aunt, and my aunt is my mother. And my father feels once he confesses these hidden truths, I will hate him."
"We can't take blame for our parents' mistakes, Baby."
She pleadingly begs, "Please, have something wrong with your family, Edward." She huffs. "That's sounds terrible, I'm sorry." She shivers.
"Aw, let's get out of the refrigerator." I take her to the office, close the door and lock it by habit.
Bella sits on a chair, as I pace. "Last year, we thought my dad was cheating on my mom. Well, Mom and Emmett thought."
"What, Carlisle? No way!" She protests.
"For a few months, he would disappear for hours, not call and show up smelling of maple and chocolate. My mom would question him, but he would say nothing or he would explain that he went out to do an errand or take a drive."
"So what was going on?" she asks.
"You know Mom is into a healthy lifestyle. She grows most of the restaurant's herbs, she plans healthy meals at home, and uses very little sugar in their diet. Dad has a sweet tooth, yet his triglycerides are low. No diabetes, but he craves pastries." I snicker. "Dad was cheating with … sugar. His body needed sweets and he couldn't fucking bring himself to tell her."
Bella sits up. "So, how did you find out?"
"I didn't do anything. I wouldn't feed into their fucking lunacy. Plus, I was so wrapped up with my obsession with Julia, I didn't pay any attention to Mom's pleas. It was Emmett. He followed him."
Bella puffs out her lips. "Woooow."
I laugh. "Emmett played stakeout and laid low down the street from their complex. He saw Dad drive out around one-thirty in the afternoon. He stayed behind him the entire, fucking way over the Causeway and into the city. Dad never knew. Yeah, he drove from the North Shore to the Quarter for beignets and pralines, Blue Dot Doughnuts on Canal Street for their bacon, maple doughnuts, and Gracious Bakery on Jeff Davis for the mini Black Forest cakes." I grin. "All over the fucking place for pastry. Mom hysterically laughed when Emmett told her what Dad was up to."
Bella giggles, "She was probably deliriously relieved."
I stand in front of Bella, lean on my desk, cross my arms over my chest and cross my legs at the ankles. "I guess."
She looks up at me. "Well, now I understand your dad's love of cookies."
Silence.
She makes that cute pouty face. "My dad said before he left with your parents that he was divorcing Renee."
"Well, he dropped a fucking bomb on you." I kneel between her legs and wrap my arms around her waist kissing her neck. "You okay with this?"
"I don't know. I get the feeling there is a lot more behind this. He kept saying he didn't want me to hate him." She tells me.
"Sounds as though it's a confession of guilt." I kiss down her neck and rub her back. She runs her hands up my arms, into my hair and scratches the back of my head. I moan, "I like when you do that."
She scratches all over. "You mean this?"
"Yeah." I twist my neck and lean in to kiss her warm lips. "Will you do me a favor?"
She pecks three times. "Sure."
"When he does talk with you, let me be there. Whatever he is going to confess to you I don't want you to go through this alone."
Bella runs her hands down my neck to my shoulders and squeezes. "My protector."
"Damn straight." I grab her left hand and rub the ring finger. "We're in this together."
We hear the doorknob jiggle and Jasper whines from the other side of the door. "Go upstairs man, I work in that office."
"Get a grip, Jazz. Nothing's fucking going on." I shout, getting up from the floor and opening the door. "Bella and I are just talking."
Jasper peeks in and gives Bella a short wave. "Hey, Bella."
She wiggles her fingers, "Hey, Jazz."
"I have some work I have to do in here." He looks from me to Bella. "Aren't you two supposed to be cheffing for Endymion? Oh, are we taking your BBQ or mine to Aunt Sally's?"
"She has one, and she wants us there very early in the morning, too," Bella adds.
Both Jazz and I question at the same time, "How early?"
"She'll be on the neutral* ground at seven am, securing her roped off area and setting up the BBQ. Richard will be there with her." She giggles. "And Miss Evie isn't coming."
Edward rubs his tush. "Good, she pinches hard."
Jasper walks into the office and sits behind the desk. "I have work to do." He waves us off. "You two go cook something."
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Bella and I get into a cooking groove that leads us into acapella duets. I offer to get my ipod, but she wants to blend our voices without the music.
So, she dances around her station to our rhythmic renditions of random Beatles songs.
"Baby, you can drive my car!" She bellows grabbing a king cake, using it as a steering wheel and shuffling around her tables. "Yes, I'm gonna be a star. Baby, you can drive my car. And baby I love you."
She throws me kisses and makes me laugh.
She segues into 'Norwegian Wood' and I start in with the harmony. "She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere, So I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair."
She stops singing. "You know that song was about an affair John Lennon was having with some girl."
I look up and grin at her. "Really?"
"Yeah, and she made him sleep in bath tub, hence the reference of sleeping in the bath. Norwegian wood was a cheap way to decorate a place, hence cheap, groupie girls that ran after the Beatles," she explains.
"Aren't you a Beatles expert!" I taunt.
She makes a face at me. "I am. I love the Beatles."
"And I love you." I walk over to her, cup her face and sing,
"Here, making each day of the year,
Changing my life with a wave of her hand.
Nobody can deny that there's something there.
There, running my hands through her hair.
Both of us thinking how good it can be.
Someone is speaking but she doesn't know he's there.
I want her everywhere and if she's beside me
I know I need never care.
But to love her is to need her everywhere
Knowing that love is to share.
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there."
And I kiss her quivering lips and tear-stained cheeks.
She smiles up at me, "Wow, you're good."
Emmett bangs open the doors. "You two are goddamn lovebugs!" He laughs loudly and looks thoughtful at Bella. "How are you doing?"
We pull apart and Bella smiles at Emmett. "I'm fine. You?"
"Always good. But ah … Well, I'm here and I can play interference with mommy dearest," he proudly offers.
"Yeah, I heard all about your stealth activities." She kids him.
I interject, "I told Bella about you following Dad, last year."
Emmett laughs boldly. "Oh man, he had me going. At first, I thought he was buying sweets for a sweet. But when he drove on to another bakery and bought cakes and doughnuts, I realized Dad was on a sugar high. Fucking lunatic. Are they upstairs?"
Bella answers, "No, they took my dad sightseeing."
Emmett groans. "Don't count on them coming back anytime soon. When Mom gets into the Quarter, she's possessed."
Jasper enters the kitchen with my cell in his hands. "Hey Edward, your mom's on the phone." He hands me my phone, and nods at Emmett. "Hey, Em."
"Jasper, you got any of those little pretzels?" He follows Jasper to the other room.
I put my phone to my ear. "Hey, Mom, what's up?"
Bella watched as I nod my head and 'yes' her to death. I whisper to Bella, "They're going to a few parades and won't be back until late."
She looks disappointed and continues to sprinkle sugar over the King Cakes.
"Yeah, okay Mom, see you later."
I walk over to Bella, untie her apron and take it off. "You're done, I'm done. We have the whole upstairs to ourselves with a lot of fucking time." I run my hands down her sides, bend to her ear and breathlessly order, "Upstairs ... now!"
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
As we leave through the back door, we hear Jasper sing out, "Oh, young love!"
Emmett shouts, "Lovebugs!"
They continue their teasing rants as we climb the stairs.
Once inside the apartment, I pin her to the door. "All silliness aside, I want this our time, and I'm wide awake."
Bella hugs me closer with her arms around my waist. "Hmmm, I can feel your awake, Mr. Cullen." She kisses me full on the mouth her tongue swiping my bottom lip. "So, what do you have in mind?"
I kiss her hard and needy.
"Yeah, I think I can do that." She catches her breath and starts to lead me to the hallway, but I hold back.
"Not the bed." I look her straight in the eyes.
She gives me the widest smile.
We proceed to desecrate every open space in the living room, the dining room table, the kitchen island, the door to our room, the hallway to our ensuite, and the pièce de résistance; the shower. I love how her hair falls down her back and I can get a good grip of her thick, cascades of mane holding with control. I laugh. Then, Bella grabs my thickness and I falter to her dancing hand. She owns me. She commands me. She takes me.We tumble into bed to lie comfortably within our tangled arms and legs,
laughing together how we allowed Mom, Alice and Sally to believe they were handling the wedding. Fat chance … this is our wedding and we will make the decisions. Since they want to help, they can do the leg work.
We fall asleep with no sign or sounds of our parents.
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
The next morning we rush to pack the food, utensils and our camping chairs at the ripe hour of six am.
The weather is a cool forty-seven degrees, but will warm to a nice sixty-eight by midday. We wear sweaters and jeans with light jackets and our biker boots.
Mom, Dad and Charlie are downstairs with Alice and Jasper. Emmett is a no-show. He will meet us later in the day. Maybe.
Bella doesn't get a chance to say 'hello' to her father as my parents whisk him away in their car, and we drive with Jasper and Alice.
As we arrive at Aunt Sally's, she opens her side gate and we park on the side of the house. Across the way, Betsy's parking lot has an attendant ready to charge for a space.
Richard grabs Jasper and me to help with the roping off of our space on the neutral* ground. We take all the chairs, coolers, tables and ice chest.
People already claim their spots, setting up their BBQs. It's as though we all create an outdoor livingroom/kitchen, side by side.
We have an all day thing of mingling, getting to know your neighbor, wishing someone a 'Happy Birthday', sharing food and partying like rockstars.
Aunt Sally sets up her one-hundred and ten cup coffee urn, sharing coffee with the people next to us and across the street, trading their doughnuts, muffins, omelets and sausage.
"Breakfast in a flash!" Bella holds up an egg sandwich on a roll. "People, are so friendly." She shoves it into my mouth. "Take a bite."
Jasper walks past. "You haven't seen anything, yet Bella, wait until the alcohol hits." He squeals in a high-pitched melody, "People are hugging on you as though they have known you all of their lives."
Every hour, the excitement rises. Walking vendors sell all kinds of Mardi Gras paraphernalia, such as large glasses, stuffed animals, bubble guns, decorative headbands and boas with colorful carts of purple, green and gold. People love to dress up in tutus, striped legwarmers, wild hats and Mardi Gras costumes. The weather is cold, but some women will wear bare shoulders and low-cut blouses to temp a thrower for some beads. But not my girl, she'll temp me later and I'll throw her my beads.
Mom, Dad and Charlie finally arrive. Bella looks pensive, but she smiles her radiant smile. I grab her hand and squeeze. "You okay?" And she nods.
Alice takes a tray of jello shots and passes them around. Jasper follows with another tray. People are so very happy.
Charlie does stand next to us. He hugs Bella and I hear her say that they will talk later.
Dad helps himself to a handful of pralines and pops them into his mouth, one after the other. Mom pokes him in the side and he frowns.
Aunt Sally and Richard join us at the edge of the neutral ground. She shouts, "Are you enjoying this, JuJuBee?"
Bella shouts back, "It's amazing."
The police clear the pathway of the street to make room for the floats, dancers, bands and musicians. Most importantly, the Flambeaux* carriers. These men and women carry butane or kerosene torches that light the way for the parade-goers.
The jazzy music blasts through the street, and the first float finally gets to us. It's a double-decker of masked throwers wearing multi-colored satin crowns with faux, leopard-fur trim and satin robes. The float has rows and rows of pegged beads.
From the upper deck, beads fly out over the crowd and people cheer. On the lower deck, throwers will hand fistful of beads to a willing soul.
Bella catches a bunch of beads wrapped around a stuffed monkey. She jumps up and hugs me. "I caught something."
Aunt Sally pokes Bella in the side. "That's wonderful."
I laugh. "Oh Baby, there's more to come."
A school band performs in 'Babes in Toyland' uniforms, gyrating and twirling their instruments. Their drill team marches in formation and flip their flags as the skimpily-dressed dancers sway their hips. It's quite a sight. Bella asks, "They can dress like that in high school?"
I laugh, but shrug.
Another float comes our way and Bella readies herself. I catch a string of attached beads and hand them to her.
A small float with a jazz band plays Dixieland while a group of young girls throw beads.
The sky begins to turn dark, the crowds are closer together and between the music and the chatter, the noise levels are extremely loud.
Six, magnificent Clydesdale pull a large gold, stage coach draped in satin ribbons of purple, green and gold. The two drivers on top throw small stuffed Clydesdale into the crowd. I get one for Bella.
Adrenaline rushes, and the alcohol flows through my blood as I watch
Charlie move closer to Bella. So does Aunt Sally.
"I see you got yourself some beads, Bells." Charlie inches closer to her.
She's awkward and uncomfortable. "Dad, I feel so guarded. How could I hate you? Why would you say that?"
Aunt Sally frowns and grabs his arm. "Charlie?"
He looks at Sally. "She deserves to know the truth."
"I've wanted her to know from the beginning, but now is not the time," Sally begs.
Bella stands between the two of them. "I'm not a child. I never been one."
Charlie starts to speak, but Sally stops him. "Please, JuJuBee, just watch the parade and have fun."
"I'm sorry, Edward, I need to get out of here." She looks up at me and starts to cross the street. The Flambeaux carriers march along as Bella moves around them. Both Aunt Sally and Charlie follow her begging her to stop.
As I wind through the torches, I catch up to Bella and take her hand. "Together."
She smiles up at me.
"Bella!" Charlie yells.
She turns to her father. "You had better say something."
He looks Bella in the eye and sighs. "I left Sally for your mother."
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
I know, Charlie can really drop those bombs. Soooo, how are those Red Sox?
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Last Year, Endymion was absolutely amazing with a float that was 330 feet long with the cost of $1.2 million to build. The grand marshal was Kelly Clarkson who looked right at my daughter and threw her beads! And someone threw a large stuffed animal and broke one of our crock pots! Otherwise, we are hyped for March 1!
* neutral ground is the medium strip between each side of the street.
* Flambeaux carriers in the early beginnings of the parades were slaves and free men of color. They carried the torches to light the way. People would throw them coins for them to earn a wage for lighting the way. The tradition remains today.
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A/N: Thank you to my Beta, Sunflower Fran. I appreciate her time, her proper grammar and quick pen. Another great find by PAD!
To Robseve and Postapocalypticdepository (PAD), my pre-readers that give their unselfish time and creative input. Both of these ladies are inspirations and true friends.
Now, let me rec Postapocalypticdepository stories, since she so graciously rec'd mine.
Never Judge by the Cover: 9056924
Boys Will Be: 8868006
Rude Awakenings: 8876785
It's a New Dawn, It's a New Year: 8862243 (complete)
And a shout out rec to: BURN 8999279 by compass54
And to: Midnight-Confessions 9182601 by ohgeefantasy
Careless Hearts 9881551 by ohgeefantasy
And to: Edward Cullen FBI Special Agent and Psychic by 9626040 Dinia Steel
Also, found this story: Finally in Phoenix 9987411 by laughablelamb
AND: A Crack in the Door 8874295 by jane-with-a-y
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
And thank you to all the readers, whether you review or not. I enjoy every comment and suggestion. Yes, NOLA (New Orleans, LA) is an exciting place to live. And to combine the old world with the new is a challenge, but the humor is quite a serious business. My objective is for all of you to smile, after each chapter.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Recipes:
Armadillo eggs (stuffed jalapeno peppers)
15 fresh jalapenos
8 oz. cream cheese
2 tablespoon minced onion
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
thin sliced bacon
Slice jalapenos in half, cleaning thoroughly.
Mix cream cheese, onion and garlic salt together. Fill jalapenos with mixture. Wrap each with a half strip of bacon. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until bacon is crisp.
These are not hot, if you get all the seeds out.
Andouille Sausage Creole
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 large green pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped celery
¾ cup sliced green onions
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
Combine oil and flour in a Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is golden colored about 10 to 15 minutes. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, celery and green onions. Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or more until vegetables are tender.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, seasoning salt, bay leaves, 1 cup of water, hot sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and sausage. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and
cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves. Garnish with parsley and serve over grits or white rice.
Cajun BBQ chicken
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
In a bowl, mix the oil, white wine, and Cajun seasoning. Place chicken in the bowl, and coat with the mixture. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat the grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade, and place chicken on the grill. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.
Boiled peanuts
1 pound of raw peanuts
¼ cup kosher salt
4 cups water
Rinse raw unshelled peanuts in water.
Put water, salt, seasoning, peanuts in a large stockpot. Bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce the heat just enough to maintain a low boil. Boil for 2 to 3 hours or longer,, until peanuts reach desired level of softness.
Drain.
Louisiana Crawfish Boil
2 heads garlic, unpeeled
5 bay leaves
2 (3 ounce) packages dry crab boil
1 tablespoon liquid shrimp and crab boil seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
3 large oranges, halved
3 large lemons, halved
2 large whole artichokes
15 red potatoes, washed
30 pieces baby corn
2 large onions, sliced
2 (16 ounce) packages mushrooms, cleaned
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 (16 ounce) packages smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 pounds live crawfish, rinsed
Fit a large (5 gallon) pot with a strainer insert, and fill half full with water. Add the garlic, bay leaves, dry and liquid crab boil seasonings, salt, pepper, oranges, lemons, artichokes, and potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the corn, onions, mushrooms, and green beans; cook 15 minutes more. Stir in the sausage; cook 5 minutes more. Add the crawfish, return mixture to boil, then simmer until the crawfish shells turn bright red and the tails pull out easily, about 5 minutes. Test for doneness by peeling a crawfish. Be sure not to overcook, or crawfish will become tough.
Remove strainer basket from the pot and drain. Serve crawfish hot, Louisiana-style, spread over a picnic table covered with newspapers.
Boiled shrimp
1 gallon water
1 large lemon, quartered
1 large onion, quartered
¼ cup Cajun Chef Cayenne Pepper
3 lbs Gulf shrimp, unpeeled with heads
1 cup salt
1 cup cool water
Put the water, lemon, onion and cayenne in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for five minutes. Add the shrimp and bring the water back to boil. Boil for three minutes. Remove from heat and add the salt and the cool water. Cover and let stand for three to five minutes. Time will vary according to the size of the shrimp. Drain. Cool for a few minutes before serving.
Shrimp Stuffed Mirliton (Louisiana climbing squash)
2 Large Mirlitons
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ link Andouille Sausage (6-8 oz.), finely diced
½ large onion, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 Small red bell pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon homemade Creole Seasoning
2 tablespoons minced garlic
½ lb small raw shrimp, peeled and chopped
½ loaf, day old French Bread, sliced and baked in a 300 degree oven until crispy, but not browned. Ground in a food processor to make bread crumbs.
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste
For the Topping:
½ cup of the bread crumbs
⅛ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Cut the Mirlitons in half lengthwise, remove the seeds. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt as you would pasta water. Add a few Bay leaves and a bundle of fresh Thyme. When the water comes to a boil add the mirliton halves, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until tender. Cool.
When the mirlitons are cool scoop out most of the pulp, leaving a shell about 1/2 inch thick. Dry the shells by patting with a paper towel. Reserve 1/2 of the the pulp and drain on paper towels, as they hold a lot of water. When dry, chop.
For the stuffing:
In a large cast iron skillet melt the unsalted butter over medium heat, when hot add the andouille. Cook stirring often until slightly browned.
Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and the creole seasoning, cook for 8- 10 minutes stirring often until the onions start to caramelize and the vegetables are soft.
Add the garlic, Mirliton flesh and Thyme, cook for 2 minutes more. Add the shrimp and green onions and cook until the shrimp turn pink. Add 1/2 Cup water (or Shrimp Stock if you have any on hand) and 1 Cup of the bread crumbs. Stir until the mixture comes together. More bread crumbs or water may be needed. The mixture should be thick, yet moist, and it should hold together. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne.
Divide the stuffing amongst the 4 mirliton shells and cover with the topping. Place into a 350 degrees oven until hot and the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.
Buttermilk King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
1 package rapid rise yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
3 eggs at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter
¾ cup Bulgarian-style buttermilk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Cream cheese filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg wash:
1 egg
1/4 cup water
Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons corn syrup
4 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice, or as needed
colored sugar, yellow, green and purple
Mix 4 cups of flour, white sugar, yeast, and salt together in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Whisk 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and whisk buttermilk into melted butter; heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 120 degrees F (49 degrees C). Whisk buttermilk mixture into beaten eggs and cool the mixture to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
Beat egg mixture into flour mixture on medium-low speed to make a firm, elastic dough, about 10 minutes. If dough doesn't separate from the sides of the mixing bowl during kneading, beat in 1/4 cup more flour.
Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead for 1 minute; form into a ball and place into a buttered bowl, turning dough around to lightly coat with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter the outer edge of an 8-inch cake pan.
Stir cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a bowl until filling is smooth.
Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 10x28-inch rectangle. Spread cream cheese filling over the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border along each edge. Lift an edge of the parchment paper sheet to roll dough into a log shape, starting at a 28-inch edge. Pinch seams closed to seal in filling, keeping roll on the parchment paper.
Wrap the filled dough around the outside of the buttered 8-inch cake pan to form the dough into a ring; pinch the edges closed. Use parchment paper to lift the cake and cake pan and slide a baking sheet beneath the parchment. Gently free cake pan, leaving the ring-shaped cake. Whisk 1 egg with water in a small bowl; brush cake with egg wash.
Bake king cake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cake cool.
Stir 1 cup confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and milk in a bowl; mix in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or amount needed to thin icing to a thick but slightly runny texture. Drizzle king cake with icing. Sprinkle with yellow, green and purple sugar.
3 Mardi Gras Jello Shots
Hurricane Jello Shots
4-serving size box of Kraft Orange Jello
½ cup boiling water
Dissolve Jello in boiling water for 2 minutes
Add
¾ cup Myers Dark Rum
½ cup Pineapple Juice
1 tablespoon Grenadine
Mix well and pour into Jello Shot cups for a great tasting treat.
Place the containers into the refrigerator until they are set (usually several hours).
Mardi Gras Flasher Jello Shot
4-serving size box of Kraft Cherry Jello
½ cup boiling water
Dissolve Jello in boiling water for 2 minutes
Add
½ cup Myers Dark Rum
½ cup Ginger Ale
¼ cup cold water
Mix well and pour into Jello Shot cups
Place the containers into the refrigerator until they are set (usually several hours).
Cajun Freddy Jello Shot
4-serving size box of Kraft Cranberry Jello
½ cup boiling water
Dissolve Jello in boiling water for 2 minutes
Add
½ cup Grey Goose Vodka
¼ cup Patron Tequila
½ cup cold water
Mix well and pour into Jello Shot cups
Place the containers into the refrigerator until they are set (usually several hours).
Pralines
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
4 tbsp butter, cubed
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and evaporated milk over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then insert a candy thermometer.
Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until the candy reaches 240 degrees on the thermometer.
Once the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and drop the chunks of butter on top, but do not stir. Allow the pan to sit for one minute.
After a minute, add the vanilla extract and the pecans, and begin to stir smoothly and constantly with a wooden spoon. Soon the candy will begin to get thicker and lighter in color.
Continue to stir until the candy starts to hold its shape. It should still be easy to stir, however. It is important not to stir too much, as pralines quickly go from fluid to rock-solid. Once it is a lighter, opaque brown and holds its shape, quickly begin to drop small spoonfuls of the candy onto the prepared baking sheet.
Work quickly to form the candies, as the pralines will start to set in the saucepan. If the candy stiffens before you're done scooping, add a spoonful of very hot water and stir until it loosens, then continue scooping until you have formed all the pralines.
Allow the candy to fully set at room temperature, for about 30 minutes. Store New Orleans Pralines in an airtight container at room temperature.
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