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Get that sticky rice crispy chew that kids and adults love

Thu, 07/18/2019 - 9:58am

By AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN

While almost everyone is familiar with the classic recipe for Rice Krispies Treats, slight variations on the original abound. We think our recipe gets them just right, with the perfect ratio of marshmallow and butter to cereal for a bar with the sticky chew that kids love and that adults remember fondly.
The basic procedure is the same as the back-of-the box recipe: Melt butter and marshmallows, mix in cereal, and press into a pan_it couldn’t be simpler. But we like a generous portion of these cereal treats; for thick, substantial squares, we pat the mixture into an 8-inch square pan instead of the usual 13-by-9 inch pan. Adding a little salt to the mix kept sweetness in check.
Greasing the knife we used to slice the bars ensured that we were able to produce neat, easy-to-cut squares. These rice crispy treats are delicious as is, but their simplicity also makes them an ideal backdrop for a whole host of flavorings and mix-ins, so we developed several variations sure to please any crowd. Any brand of toasted rice cereal will work in this recipe.
RICE CRISPY TREATS
Start to finish: 1 hour
3 Tbsps. unsalted butter
10 ounces marshmallows
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt
5 cups (5 ounces) crisped rice cereal
Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8-inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to one another, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray with vegetable oil spray.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat. Add marsh-mallows, vanilla and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth, about 6 minutes.
Off heat, stir in cereal until incorporated. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press into even layer with greased spatula. Let treats cool for 30 minutes. Using foil overhang, remove treats from pan. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
Variations:
—Almond Joy Rice Crispy Treats: Stir 1 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut; 1 cup toasted sliced almonds; and ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips into marshmallow mixture with cereal.
—Chocolate-Cherry Rice Crispy Treats: Add ½ cup white chocolate chips to pot with marshmallows. Stir 1 cup dried cherries, chopped, into marsh-mallow mixture with cereal. Microwave ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips in bowl at 50% power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Drizzle over cooled treats. Let set for 15 minutes before cutting treats.
—Double Chocolate Caramel Turtle Rice Crispy Treats: Add ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips to pot with marsh-mallows. Stir 4½ ounces quartered soft caramels and 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, into marshmallow mixture with cereal. Microwave additional ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips in bowl at 50% power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over cooled treats and let set for 15 minutes before cutting treats.
—Loaded Rice Crispy Treats: Stir 1 cup pretzels, broken into ½-inch pieces; ½ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts; ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, and ½ cup toffee bits into marshmallow mixture with cereal.
—Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats: Add ½ cup peanut butter chips to pot with marshmallows. Stir 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts into marshmallow mixture with cereal. Microwave additional ½ cup peanut butter chips in bowl at 50% power, stirring occasionally, until melted. Drizzle melted peanut butter chips over cooled treats and let set for 15 minutes before cutting treats.
—Salty Cashew-Caramel Rice Crispy Treats: Stir 1½ cups salted roasted cashews, chopped coarse, and 4½ ounces quartered soft caramels into marshmallow mixture with cereal.
Servings: 16
—Nutrition information per serving: 108 calories; 20 calories from fat; 2 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 96 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 1 g protein.

Revelation at bachelor party throws wedding into question

Thu, 07/18/2019 - 9:56am

DEAR ABBY: My sister-in-law “June” is being married soon. I will be the matron of honor. My husband, “Jake,” June’s brother, will be a groomsman for her fiancé, “Jimmy.” Not only is Jake going to be a groomsman, but he’s also supposed to officiate. Jake went to the bachelor party a couple weeks ago and Jimmy showed all the guys — including my husband — eight (!) naked pictures a girl from work had texted him. He asked my husband if he should tell June about it before the wedding or after, and Jake said he should tell her right away.

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Volunteers clean up storm debris around Central Catholic, Holy Cross

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 2:18pm

Austin Aucoin, left, and Michael Falgout cut tree limbs Wednesday on the campus of Central Catholic in Morgan City. They were among the many volunteers who helped clean up debris from Tropical Storm Barry around the school and Holy Cross Catholic Church. The facilities didn’t have any major damage, said the Rev. Brice Higginbotham, church administrator. (The Daily Review/Zachary Fitzgerald)

From the Editor: Hack the grid? We got this

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 11:53am

By BILL DECKER

bdecker@daily-review.com

You may have read about it March 23. You lived it last weekend.
The story in the national media in March said the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that “Russian government cyber actors” have targeted “critical infrastructure and energy, nuclear and commercial facilities,” as NPR put it.
And: “Russia successfully hacked the U.S. power grid.”
Big deal. For us, that was just the weekend.
Tropical Storm Barry didn’t hack St. Mary, but it hacked us off. All of Morgan City and 17,000 of Cleco’s 19,000 St. Mary Parish customers lost power at some point starting Friday.
This is not to minimize the enormous irritation associated with the two or three days of Barry blackout. Employees lost hours. People with health problems were placed in jeopardy. Businesses lost business, including this newspaper, which couldn’t publish Monday.
And, as always with hurricanes, there was tension. Beginning July 9, the day organizers called off the BBQ Bash and Bikers on the Bayou events that were supposed to be Saturday, we had to watch maps showing Barry inch closer.
Then the parish hunkered down while the wind whistled and the branches fell as people tried to remember their insurance deductibles. Tropical storm winds strike, tease with brief pauses, then begin to knock things around again. It’s insidious.
But we exhibited some resilience, too.
Meche’s Donuts stayed open. Teche Regional Medical Center launched its emergency plan and patients at Patterson Healthcare Center were moved out of harm’s way.
We kept StMaryNow.com and our Facebook page up and running. KQKI kept theirs going to, despite some trouble that kept it off the air during the worst.
Wandering around the Tri-City area Sunday when the rain was still falling, you’d find people already clearing away limbs. A few were fortunate enough not to have lost power at all, and some considered themselves lucky to have lost power for only four or five hours.
Here in hurricane country, we call that “a flicker.”
Police officers, deputies, paramedics and firefighters worked long hours in rotten conditions. So did many of our elected officials.
No one stood taller than the people who worked to bring power back.
You always see it during hurricanes or other disasters that affect the grid. Local folks are joined by technicians from neighboring towns and other states.
They worked in cherry-pickers before the winds died completely. They worked in the rain to repair lines that usually carry enough current to turn your Phillips into a flathead. They worked in the dark.
Yeah, we complained. But we were complaining about the heat, the aggravation, the storm and no internet. We weren’t complaining about the utility people.
Thank you.
And hack that, Vladimir.
Bill Decker is the managing editor of The Daily Review.

JULIE DANTAGNAN STEARNS

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 11:47am

June 14, 1937 — July 13, 2019
New Iberia — Julie Dantagnan Stearns passed away peacefully at 5:30 Saturday morning July 13, 2019 after an extended battle with Cancer. The funeral service will be held at The Church of the Epiphany, New Iberia at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 20, 2019. Interment will follow in The Church of the Epiphany Garden. Visitation will be Friday, July 19, 2019 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Pellerin Funeral Home, New Iberia and from 9 a.m. to the time of the service at the church.
Julie was a longtime resident of New Iberia, her adopted home. She was born in New Orleans, LA on June 14, 1937. In 1948 she moved with her family to Bay Saint Louis, MS, where she graduated from Saint Joseph Academy. She attended Perkinston Jr. College in Wiggins, MS. In 1955 she married MD “Dickie” Shannon and moved to Morgan City, LA where her seven children were born. This marriage ended in divorce and in 1973 she and her children moved to Houston, TX where she met her future husband, Howard “Mac” Stearns. Julie inherited her mother’s love of travel and before she was married she was promised that she would indeed enjoy extensive travel. She was later to remark that she was not told that she would have to pack up the household and the children and take them with her. She lived in Philadelphia, PA, Ringwood, NJ, Dallas, TX and Miami, FL. While living in New Jersey she attended classes at Rutgers University and became a certified and licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and worked for the nationally known rehab hospital, Fair Oaks. Upon retirement, she and Mac moved to New Iberia and were quickly embraced by their adopted home.
Julie was active in the community in many ways. She was a member of The Church of the Epiphany and served as a member of the Vestry. At various times she was the Director of the “Brown Bag” program and member of the board of directors of Solomon House. Julie also served on the board of New Iberia’s Homeless Shelter. At IPAL (Iberia Performing Arts League) she was known as an honest critic, sometimes painfully so, and as a superb prop mistress. No matter where she was or what she was doing, Julie was first and foremost a loving wife and mother. Julie and Mac were happily married and deeply in love for 43 years. Julie loved and was fiercely proud of each and every one of her seven children as well as her two stepchildren. This same love and pride extended to her 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. At home she was an accomplished seamstress and she had few peers in the kitchen. One of Julie’s greatest qualities was her unflinching honesty and she expected it in return. Everyone within Julie’s orbit knew and understood this. The great part of this was that her criticism never in any way changed her love and respect for you. Julie loved deeply and there was always more than enough to go around.
Julie is survived by her husband, Howard M. Stearns of New Iberia; sister, Edith D. Piazza of Brooksville, FL; son, Maurice D “Rusdy” Shannon IV and wife Gwen of Possums Corner, MS; son, Patrick B Shannon and wife Connie of Youngsville, LA; daughter, Bridget S. Hancock and husband Walt of Georgetown, TX; daughter, Colleen L. Shannon of New Orleans, LA; daughter, Laurie A. Shannon of Houma, LA; son, Neal M Shannon of Midland, TX; son, Casey T. Shannon and wife Selena of Berwick, LA; stepson, Kenneth R. Stearns and wife Karen of Houston, TX; and stepdaughter, Carolyn S. Shean and husband Bill of Georgetown, TX.
Julie is also survived by 17 grandchildren: Erin, Maurice D. 5th and Thomas Shannon; Jessica, Allison and Matthew Hancock; Kyle Holms; Carli, Marcus and Bryanna Shannon; Brady Shannon; Nicholas, Katrina, Katherine and Kendal Stearns, Kasaundra S. White and Tyler Shean.
Julie is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous, loving nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, A.G. and Edith D. Dantagnan; brother, A.G. Dantagnan Jr.; and sister, Margaret D. Hayden.
Memorial donations can be made to Solomon House in New Iberia.
To view on-line obituary and sign guest book, please go to www.pellerinfuneralhome.com.
Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace, New Iberia, LA 70560, 337.365.3331, is in charge of arrangements.

Wheel House for July 17

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 11:37am

BASKETBALL
Jimmie Johnson’s 22nd annual free Basketball Clinic, Shoot Baskets, Not Drugs is 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 20, at Morgan City High School gym, for ages 7-15. Biddy and AAU coaches assisting. Each player must bring signed permission slip. Slips available at M C Bank locations, Morgan City Recreation Department, Skippers For Sports or call 985-518-5005. Each player should bring own lunch. Some drinks provided. Awards follow clinic. Donations for drinks/snacks and school supplies appreciated.

Police: Woman committed battery on dating partner

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 11:30am

Staff Report

A 58-year-old woman was arrested in Berwick in connection with an incident where she committed a battery on a dating partner, injuring the man’s arm, Police Chief David Leonard Sr. said in a news release.

—Linda Falgout, 58, of Onstead Street in Morgan City was arrested at 11 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging her with battery of dating partner.

On Monday, officers received a complaint concerning a battery that had taken place at a home on Second Street in Berwick. During the investigation, the suspect who committed the battery was identified as Falgout. Police learned that the male victim had gone to Teche Regional Medical Center for treatment of an injury to his arm, Leonard said.

Falgout was later located, interviewed, and a warrant was prepared for her arrest. On Tuesday, Falgout walked in to Berwick Police Department and turned herself in on the warrant. She was jailed awaiting bail to be set.

Leonard reported the following arrest:

—Manuel Perez-Rodriguez, 34, of Cypress, Texas, was arrested at 4:44 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

On Tuesday, officers responded to the area of Country Club Estates in reference to two suspicious subjects going door to door looking for tree work. The complainant described both subjects and stated that both advised they were from Texas.

Officers responded to the area and located the two subjects fitting the descriptions given. They were located at a local business and identified. Upon making contact, officers detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, Leonard said.

Police conducted a search of the vehicle and located approx. 6 grams of marijuana in the vehicle and also items of drug paraphernalia. During the investigation, police learned that passenger Perez-Rodriguez admitted the marijuana belonged to him, and he was arrested, Leonard said. He was booked into jail and released on $3,500 bail.

Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported that officers responded to 51 calls and reported the following arrests:

—David Tyronne Francois, 47, of Barrow Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:32 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging him with remaining where forbidden.

Francois turned himself in at the police department on a warrant. The warrant stems from a July 12 incident. He was jailed.

—Tra Andrew Acosta, 22, of Cypress Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:27 p.m. Tuesday on charges of view outward or inward through windshield obscured and a warrant charging him with hit-and-run.

A patrol officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Federal Avenue and Terrebonne Street. A traffic stop was conducted, and the driver was identified as Acosta. Police had a warrant for his arrest. The warrant stems from a June 22 traffic crash investigation. He was jailed.

Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrest:

—Chance D. Mitchell, 51, of Mike Drive in Patterson, was arrested at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday on charges of two counts of theft by shoplifting and remaining where forbidden. Bail was set at $978.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported no arrests.

Jim Bradshaw: Atchafalaya put a stopper in spring water business

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 11:11am

By JIM BRADSHAW

Big plans were afoot in the late spring of 1915 “to promote and build up the town of Krotz Springs” by bottling and selling the spring water that gave the town its name. Selling bottled water was a radical idea in those days; no one had yet figured out how to make the plastic jugs that now line grocery store shelves.
C. W. Krotz came to Louisiana from his native Ohio about 1900 looking for land deals that would make him rich. After some speculation in Avoyelles Parish, he moved to St. Landry, where about 20,000 wooded acres in the Atchafalaya Basin were up for sale. He bought the land and set up a sawmill at a point where the Atchafalaya River had silted up and formed a slight rise.
The mill workers set up homes nearby, and pretty soon there was a little settlement named Latania (after a nearby bayou).
Krotz made good money on his investment, but when he heard about the fortunes that were being made from oil discoveries in east Texas and southwest Louisiana, he had geologists look at his land. They said he might be sitting on top of a huge pool of oil.
C. W. wasted no time setting up a drilling rig not far from the present Krotz Springs railroad bridge. When the well got down to about 2,400 feet, it blew a gusher.
But it wasn’t oil; it was pure, sweet water — which turned out to be almost as valuable to a promoter like Krotz.
He quickly began to sell it as a cure for practically anything. According to one of his advertisements, “The water from this well ... will cure all kinds of Stomach, Kidney, and Bowel trouble and Indigestion. It will cure Rheumatism, will Dissolve and Remove Gall Stones and Gravel from the Bladder and is a Sure Cure for Malaria.”
The well put the town on the map and the post office agreed to set up a branch there in 1909. But the town had to change its name. There was already a community named Latania in Rapides Parish. The obvious alternate was Krotz Springs.
Also in 1909, C.W. formed the Krotz Springs Mineral Water Company Limited, and began to seriously market the community and its healthy waters. An early advertisement urges: “Buy Lots in Krotz Springs, The Coming Health Resort of the South.”
C.W. had been bottling the water for some years when, in 1915, he and two partners, decided to expand the operation. They were “all hustling business men of ability and good judgment,” according to the St. Landry Clarion,
They formed the Standard Water Company, and planned to build a plant to carbonate the spring water, another one to make the bottles for it, and another one to use wood sawed at Krotz’s mill to make crates for the bottles. The Clarion predicted the combined operations would “quickly build up a little city at Krotz Springs.”
Krotz began to lobby for the railroad to come through his little town. Railroad officials finally agreed “after a thorough investigation of … the mineral water from the well and the future prospect of a mineral water resort town.” He must have done a good sales job; for a number of years Krotz’s bottled water was served on railroad cars
The Clarion predicted, “With sufficient funds to promote the town … with its mineral water well, and with Mr. Krotz at the head of the company, in a short time … the mineral well and town will develop into a fine paying proposition for the promoter and investors.”
But what nature gives, nature can take away. In those days before levees, the Atchafalaya River went pretty much where it wanted to go, and one day it decided it wanted to flow across the top of Krotz’s spring. It still does. The original well site is right about in the middle of the river.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, "Cajuns and Other Characters," is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

It's not about Barry...it's about When a Community Stands Together

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 9:51am

Year after year, decade after decade, St. Mary Parish shows that when the chips are down, the bright star is how we muscle through for each other. So we're not going to feature the damage on our community today...instead, here's just a few of the many random acts of kindness and the willingness to pitch in that make St. Mary Parish and its people heroes.

See today's edition of the Banner-Tribune for a front page photo montage of our community helping each other.

REVEREND MELVIN TURNER JR.

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 9:48am

The Reverend Melvin Turner Jr., 80, a native and resident of Morgan City, La. passed away peacefully at his residence on Friday July 12, 2019 at 3:35 p.m.
Visitation will be observed Saturday July 20, 2019 from 9 a.m. until funeral services beginning at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church 113 Federal Avenue Morgan City, La. at 11 a.m. Burial will follow funeral services in the Morgan City Cemetery. Reverend C. F. Smith will officiate the services.
Melvin Jr., leaves to cherish his memory: Doretha Turner and Judy Singleton; his children, Wayne (Tasha) Turner of Amelia La., Nelson Turner of Baton Rouge, La., Wanda (Al) Green, Gwendolyn (Michael) Turner, Reginald (Tamaikia) Turner, LaShundra Mayes all of Houston, Texas; Celeste (Leroy) Murray of Broussard, La.; Stephanie (Floyd) Bartley of Patterson, La., Tashekia Celestine and Koshia Singleton both of Morgan City, La. and Angelina Mack of Franklin, La.; his siblings, Harold Turner, Donald (Shelia) Turner, Wilbert (Lena) Turner, Fannie Garrett, and Linda Turner and a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Melvin, Jr., was preceded in death by Bessie Turner; his parents, Melvin Turner Sr. and Jeanetta Turner, his brothers, Calvin Joseph Turner and Benjamin Turner and his sister, Carolyn Dorsey.
Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.