Lazy Sunday Open Thread: Talking Kat Head Edition

…because, frankly, I’m tired of the current news chatter ….

Here’s what’s up in New Orleans Today:

They brought down the House at Grand Palace Hotel today … you could really feel it

Trombone Shorty played at my big 5-0 party at Vaughn’s right after Katrina.  He’s doing really well, with that funky Nawlins, jazzy, brassy sound …

We’ve had epic rain and now we learn we’re coming back in population.  There goes the parking spot in front of the kathouse again!  You needed a pirogue to navigate the French Quarter two days ago. I stupidly went out to get groceries and got blocked at nearly every turn.

NBC says “New Orleans tops fastest growing cities in America list”.  Finally, we’re at number one for something other than our murder rate.  BTW, Ralph, Austin is #2.   …

1. New Orleans, Louisiana

•  Change in population: 4.9 percent
•  Population in July of 2011: 360,740
•  Population in April 2010: 343,829
•  Average annual city unemployment (2011): 8.8 percent
•  Increase in jobs (2010 to 2011): 6,900 (1.3 percent)

Continuing to rebound from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had the highest population growth in the country for any city over the size of 100,000. The city’s rate of population growth (4.9 percent) is more than six times the national average of 0.73 percent. The Big Easy’s MSA (New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner) had significant growth in information jobs and education and health services, at 7 percent and 3.6 percent respectively. Despite this growth, the city’s population is at just 80 percent of pre-Katrina levels.

Here’s something to cool you off for dinner tonight!  It’s the recipe for Brennan’s Bananas Foster.

Bananas Foster
(Serves 4)

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup banana liqueur
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 4 bananas, cut in half, lengthwise, then halved

Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

Just in case you’re not feeling it yet, I’m going to plug a reality show that’s got me completely addicted right now: Cajun Justice.  I just grab a 6 pack of Abita, some boiled crawfish and corn, and watch our crazy neighbors go at it.  Where else but south of the I-10 cher, aieyyyyeee?

So, what’s up in your neck of the bayou woods?