Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale

Tags

asiago, bacon, bread, cheese, kale, main dish, parmesan, pudding, savory, side dish

I just love the photo below. I don’t mean to brag. It just looks so inviting, comforting, nourishing. Like home. This dish was very tasty. The only change I would make is to add about 8 ounces of sauteed mushrooms. And maybe some onions. It could be a main dish with a small salad or a side dish. I reheated the leftovers and served it with Easter morning’s Eggs Benedict.

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale (inspired by this recipe)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 5 oz kale, large ribs and stems removed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 8 cups of good crusty bread, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used sourdough)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until getting a touch crispy. Add the kale, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the kale in the grease and allow to wilt.

In a large bowl, whisk together red pepper flakes, eggs, milk, pepper to taste, and the rosemary. Add the bread cubes; toss to evenly coat. Add the kale, bacon, 1/2 cup of parmesan, and 1/3 cup of asiago.  Toss again and be sure everything is even distributed. Transfer the contents of the bowl into the cast iron skillet. Spread out evenly. Top with the remaining parmesan and more salt/pepper if you desire. Bake for 40 minutes until the top layer of bread is beginning to brown and the egg is set. Top with additional parmesan.  Serves 6 to 8.

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Coconut Chia Pudding with Raspberry Lavender Compote

Tags

cardamom, chia seeds, coconut milk, compote, lavender, pudding, raspberry

The first time I saw chia seeds they were in some drink from Whole Food. Chunky drinks don’t do it for me. It seems so weird. In this dish, the chia seeds are kind of like tapioca but crunchier. If you don’t like seeds in your blackberry jam, you won’t probably like this. I personally like the added texture and it mixes right in with the raspberry seeds. I was also surprised by how filling this pudding was. I could totally see myself eating it for breakfast. I’ll definitely be making this again.

Coconut Chia Pudding with Raspberry Lavender Compote (inspired by YumUniverse)

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 to 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• sweetener of your choice to taste
• 1 tsp of lavender flowers

Whisk together the coconut milk and the cardamom. Pour the coconut milk mixture over the chia seeds. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes to thicken up. In a saucepot, combine the raspberries, lavender flowers, and any sweetener you want. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid to half. Spoon over the chia pudding. Serves 4.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Tags

bourbon, bread, caramel, dessert, food, pudding, pumpkin, sauce, Southern

One of my favorite people in the world – Ms. Claire – is my buddy in exploring the local restaurants of Richmond. So far we have tried Babylon Gyros, Purdy’s Coffee Company, and  The Big Easy (Cajun themed!). At The Big Easy, we shared a serving of their bread pudding with caramel sauce. I had never been interested in trying bread pudding before this lunch. Boy was I wrong!! It was delicious! Since then I have been wanting to make my own at home. I added bourbon to this caramel sauce to make it even more delectable and smack of Southern charm.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce (inspired by this recipe)

Bread Pudding:

• 5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old crusty bread
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cups canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves

Bourbon Caramel Sauce:

• 10 to 15 caramels, unwrapped
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp bourbon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss bread cubes with butter in a bowl and set aside. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients in another bowl and pour over the bread. Coat the bread well with the mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquids. Transfer into a greased glass 8 inch baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

While the pudding is baking, place the caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each time. When all the caramels are melted smooth, stir in the bourbon. Spoon the caramel sauce over the baked bread pudding. Serve warm.