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.

Sage Biscuit Sandwiches with Fried Eggs and Sugar Cured Bacon

Tags

bacon, biscuits, breakfast, food, sage, savory, Southern

I have eaten biscuits my whole life but have never been able to make them on my own. These turned out flaky and tender; if I can make these, then you know you can. They were too thin but that was operator error, not recipe error. I made mine an open faced sandwich but the hubby used two to make the more traditional sandwich.

To construct the sandwich, fry the bacon crispy and your egg as desired. Top with the cheese of your choice; extra sharp cheddar is always favorite cheese.

One Year Ago: Most Excellent Meat Marinade

Sage Biscuits (from Meatballs and Milkshakes)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 cold egg
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Scatter the butter pieces in and squeeze between your fingers so that they come together with the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix, you don’t want it to warm up either. The butter should still be in pea-sized pieces.

In another bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, cream, egg, sage, and scallion together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while  mixing with a handmixer, just until it comes together.

Gather the dough together and roll around in the bowl to pick up any loose flour. Pour out onto a floured surface and pat into a 1″ thickness. Cut out with a 3″ round cutter. Bring together the scraps until you’ve used all the dough. This should make 8 biscuits. If you want to freeze them, wrap them individually in plastic wrap now.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or 45 minutes if they were frozen.