I am going to be so STRONG!

I dutifully shoveled all the paths again, cleared a foot of snow off my hoop houses, slogged out in hip-deep snow to rescue my little apple tree, and dug a path to my mailbox.  Then my farmer/neighbor came by to plow me out and told me that "they" are forecasting up to 18 more inches of snow by tomorrow night.  Wow.  I am going to be so very strong by the end of this winter - should I live through it, that is. 

To help perk myself up, I made my own version of custard - it's actually like a souffle/custard-y thing.  But it is very comforting!  And a lot of the comfort comes from the fact that I bake them in custard cups that my mother used to make her custard when we were feeling poorly.  Of course, you had to really be feeling poorly - there was no fooling my mother.  You had exactly one day to languish in your illness, then up on your feet you went. 

I float little pats of butter on top.  Just because I can.

Out of the oven.  Notice one's missing?  I am feeling very comforted.

Extremely adapted from Veggie Venture's Whole Pumpkin Baked with Custard (which I would high recommend trying if you want to impress your dinner guests):

Pumpkin Spiced Custard

4 eggs (original called for 3, but I'm up to my elbows in eggs at the moment)
1 1/2 C. cream/milk
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
small pat of butter, cut into 4 pieces (optional)

Whisk eggs thoroughly.  Whisk in cream/milk, molasses, brown sugar and spices.  Pour into custard cups and top with little pat of butter, if using.  Put in baking dish and fill halfway up sides of cups with boiling water.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until top is pouffy and set.  Using the extra egg tends to make it really pouf up.