This bread pudding was inspired by a recipe I found in “The Craft of Baking”. I picked up this cookbook at the library and as I thumbed through it I found myself drawn to the page with the berry brioche pudding. It looked so good with the crispy squares of bread on top fused together with juicy berries and a warm custard. With berries in the freezer and a loaf of brioche bread on hand I set about making this berry bread pudding.
This week everyone will be giving thanks and enjoying the holiday with family and friends. And many will be gathering around the table for a feast of traditional turkey, dressing and all the trimmings. One of our favorite side dishes is the cranberry sauce. I have nothing against the cranberry sauce in a can, but I do love this homemade sauce that combines tart cranberries with citrus orange and lemon flavors. It’s sweetened to perfection and a perfect compliment to any holiday meal. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
This is by far the best french toast I’ve ever had! It reminded me of the time Joe ordered french toast in Hawaii and they brought out a whole loaf of Hawaiian bread cut into thick slices of french toast and served with coconut syrup. It was massive and he loved every bite. I’m not a coconut fan but I do love tropical so I went with a banana pineapple topping and macadamia nut sprinkles. A drizzle of maple syrup tastes really good over the top, but not too much because you don’t want to mask the flavors of the caramelized fruit. I’m good for nothing in the morning so this was served for dinner but who wouldn’t love a plate of this tropical inspired french toast served any time of day!
I’ve found several recipes that include brioche bread so I decided to try out the artisan style brioche dough from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”. It is really easy to make and once you have the dough you can make it into anything you want. I made the sweet dough but there is also a savory variation. I had in mind french toast and bread pudding so I made loaves that I can slice or cut into pieces to fit my recipes but you can also make cinnamon rolls or individual rolls; really anything is possible. We toasted a couple slices and slathered some pumpkin butter on top. Umm, really good!
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Do you go savory or sweet when it comes to butternut squash? I am definitely the savory type. I like the buttery saltiness that comes from these fries. The natural sugars caramelize during the baking process and release the most wonderful flavors. They have a harder exterior which makes it more difficult to peel and slice but well worth the effort. Make a lot because they shrink when baked. It takes a little more time to get that crispy outer texture but it can be achieved. Since I’m in the minority when it comes to these vitamin enriched vegetables, I sometimes make a meal of butternut squash fries just for myself. No need for a fork, just dig in with your fingers and enjoy!
Time is winding down when I can get outside and grill. But this week we had a really nice day full of sunshine and I thought I’d better enjoy every minute of it! All summer I intended to make Margarita Chicken but somehow I never got around to it. I found these colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes that would make a beautiful pico to top my drunken chicken. It was pretty on a plate with salty and citrusy flavors coming through in every bite.
Black Bean Soup is a rare treat for me. You see, my husband doesn’t eat beans. I mean he doesn’t eat ANY beans of ANY kind, therefore I’ve gotten out of the habit of adding beans to our diet. He definitely did not grow up in NM where beans, chiles and tortillas are staple ingredients in every kitchen. It’s getting colder and I’ve been in the mood for a hearty soup. This recipe is definitely loaded with flavor with a variety of chiles, bacon, tomatoes, and seasonings. And of course I couldn’t go without my toppings. I couldn’t resist some crunchy corn tortilla strips with avocado slices and cilantro. It definitely warmed my soul and lifted my spirits on this cold dreary day.
I decided it’s time to post a few tips that I use in my daily cooking. I hope to reference these tips in my future recipes and add other tips as I go along. As many of you know I roast a variety of chiles often and have started roasting other foods as well such as tomatoes and corn. Roasting brings out the sugars in corn and tomatoes that you wouldn’t otherwise find. Find out for yourself how easy it is and how good it tastes!
Making pies in little canning jars are so much fun. There’s so many ways to decorate a pie when you make eight little pies. I was able to be creative and make each pie different and special. If I were to make these as gifts, I would make sure to decorate inside the jar so that I could place a lid on top but today I’m making them just for fun. A double crust pie crust is all you need to prepare the eight pies and I’m certain you could use just about any pie filling. I chose to make a fresh blackberry pie filling which turned out delicious. Wouldn’t these be great for a holiday dessert, presenting each person with their own individual pie! I may have to make these again soon!
I’ve been in a mood for muffins so in the spirit of October with pumpkins and ghouls I decided to take a popular recipe for Pumpkin Crunch Cake and turn them into muffins. I would describe it as a pumpkin custard bottom with a crunchy cake and walnut topping. My husbands mother Joan originally made this cake and it was scrumptious. It’s made with a yellow cake mix but I didn’t have a box on hand so I made my own with a little help from Suzanne McMinn’s blog “Chickens in the Road“. Continue reading
An Inspired Cook 