My Most Favorite Valentine's Day

Oh geez, I got my pictures inserted all out of order. Sorry, Jack has nothing to do with my most favorite Valentine's Day ever.

Valentine's Day 2000. I was 6 months pregnant with blonde rascal. We had tickets to see Elton John in concert. Just Sir Elton and his piano. No band, just raw talent. Sure, throw in some crazy sunglasses and sparkly jackets too!

It was incredible. The man is good I'm telling ya. All the songs you know and love with his incredible piano playing.

Hubs, who was still a police officer (homicide detective) at the time, got paged about an hour into the concert. Somebody murdered on Valentine's Day? During our date??? They are dead, can't the investigating WAIT until after the concert???

Hubs had another officer come pick him up so I would have the car to drive home...alone...from our date. Hubs kissed me and went off to look at dead people.

I was sad, fat, alone...but those emotions all passed because Elton was soooo good and entertaining.

Then that crazy bedazzled Elton said "Are there any pregnant women in the audience?" and I was thinking WHA... HE is talking to me!!! It sounded like maybe 3 people responded including myself but it was hard to tell with the arena being sold out. I yelled "WOOOO-HOOOO" and started clapping. Elton then said "This song is dedicated to your unborn child" .....oh my gosh Elton just threw me a bone because he knows I am sad and alone at this awesome concert while my Valentine is off tracking down some butt head criminal!!!

So he proceeded to sing "Blessed" which I had never heard, but it is now one of my all time favorites. I have it on my i-pod and it still gives me chills....

"I know you're still a dream/your eyes might be green/or the bluest that I've ever seen/Anyway you'll be blessed/And you, you'll be blessed/You'll have the best/I promise you that/I'll pick a star from the sky/Pull your name from a hat/I promise you that you'll be blessed"

I was spellbound, in my emotional pregnant state the beautiful words of his song washed over me like a wave. The tears rolled down my checks and I am sure I would have been described as a glowing pregnant woman at that moment!

And yes he was correct, my boy is blessed...and I am even more blessed by having him.

In case you are wondering, it was not a murder. A death yes, but natural causes. No foul play. So hubs came back to the concert and got to hear the last 2 songs.

There you have it, my favorite Valentine's Day just me and Elton John...oh and hubs too for a few hours of that evening anyway!



Now back to this...


We went to a restaurant last month in Buffalo Gap, TX. "Huh?" you say, yes it is a SMALL town! But they have a family owned steakhouse there called Perini Ranch Steakhouse. It had to have been one of the best meals I have had, topped only by an Italian restaurant in Chicago that was divine. Anyway a delicious meal at the Perini Ranch followed by bread pudding. Hub's aunt and uncle were with us and they had both eaten there before and insisted that we get the bread pudding. We were all miserably stuffed but they AND the waitress said we could not miss out on the bread pudding. So hubs and I split one.

For the love of all things sacred...I don't think I have ever been that close to euphoria. That was the best, most incredible dessert ever created. A taste bud amusement park! I said I could have bathed it it!!!

So that is what I am making for hubs for dessert this here Valentine's day! I bought the recipe book at the ranch just for this dish! Don't worry, blonde rascal gets his own little Valentine cake and vanilla ice cream with sprinkles.

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce:
2 eggs
2T. melted butter
2T. vanilla
2 1/2 C. milk
2C. sugar
2C. sourdough bread, cut into 1" cubes.
1/3C. chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325. Beat eggs, add the butter, vanilla and milk. Gradually add the sugar and mix thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved. Place bread cubes in the bottom of 9" round baking dish. Pour liquid over bread, making sure the pieces are fully saturated. Sprinkle pecans over the bread and push them down into the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Serves 8-10.
Whiskey Sauce:
1/2C. sugar
1 stick butter
1/2C. cream
1/4C. Jack Daniels
Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture reaches a low rolling boil. Pour a small amount over individual servings of bread pudding.
(Edited to say I cooked for 50 minutes, but next time will cook for and hour or more if needed. Also I just poured the sauce all over the pudding instead of following the directions. Whoa, that was too much so next time I will just pour a little over each serving)
Then say a prayer because it is all going directly to your ass!