Asparagus Bread Pudding

Asparagus Bread Pudding

It's Spring......
For me that means Asparagus.
I grow it in my garden along with every possible herb I can.

We live in Texas and It's difficult to grow "food".
I can't seem to grow tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, etc.
Either the extreme heat takes it all or the birds and squirrels eat it before it matures.

However, I can grow Asparagus. It took several years to get a crop going, but it's doing well now.

Spring also takes me back to the South of France.
We have many friends in France and we try to get there every two years.
We stay with our amazing friends Jean and Irene in Provence and I've learned so much from Irene's style of cooking.

In Provence summer means fresh vegetables and fresh herbs.
Food goes from garden to table!
Recipes are filled with the essential flavors of the garden that are fresh and seasonal.

Every village has it's weekly outdoor market.
The stalls are filled with Spring Vegetables and Fruits.

My wife and I have a lifetime of memories with our family in France when we've packed the car, including a portable picnic table and headed off to the countryside, visiting village after village, stopping along the way to pick cherries along the side of the road or stopping to set up the table in a field, to enjoy a picnic in the Provencal Sun.

Here's one of my favorite recipes utilizing garden fresh asparagus.

Asparagus Bread Pudding:

12 or more thick pieces of sliced day old artisan French Bread. Pain de Campagne Francaise is a good choice. This is not a recipe for Baguettes.
3 C Whole Milk
1 Pound of Asparagus
5 Eggs
1 tsp Fleur de Sel
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 C Freshly Grated Romano Cheese
1/4 C Freshly Shredded Fontina Cheese
1/2 C Freshly Shredded Swiss or Emmenthal Cheese
1/2 C Freshly chopped and mixed Herbs:
Chives
Parsley
Tarragon
Thyme
Rosemary
1 TBS Butter, cut into pieces.

Put the bread in a single layer in a shallow dish.
Pour 2 1/2 C of the MIlk in the pan and let the bread soak up the milk., about 30 minutes.
Press the bread to extract the milk. There should be 1/2 C of milk left.
If not, make up the difference with remaining 1/2 C of milk.

Trim the Asparagus.
Cut the stalks into 2" pieces.
Steam the Asparagus for a few minutes until tender.
Immediately cool the Asparagus in ice water, drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 10" Cast Iron Skillet, a Bram or a Souffle Dish can be used .

In a bowl, beat:
Eggs
Salt
Pepper
The reserved 1/2 C of Milk.
Blend well

Layer 1/3 of the Bread in the Skillet.
Reserve about 6 pieces of Asparagus for later and top the bread with 1/2 of the remaining pieces.
Top with 1/2 of the Herbs.
Sprinkle with 1/3 of each of the Cheeses

Repeat using:
1/2 of the remaining bread
The rest of the Asparagus, except the 6 reserved pieces .
The rest of the Herbs
1/2 of the remaining Cheese

Place the final pieces of Bread on top.
Cover with remaining Cheese
Garnish with the 6 remaining pieces of Asparagus

Stir the Egg mixture and pour it over the layers.
Dot the entire surface with pieces of the Butter.

Bake for 45 minutes.
The top should be crusty and golden brown.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

French Bread Pudding / Bourbon Bread Pudding / Rum, Brandy or Bourbon Sauce !

I love Bread Pudding......

I could stop here and say nothing more and post my favorite Best of the Best Recipe that I've been making for over 20 years.
However, I discovered another version that I later embraced , but my original is still my favorite.

Today, I decided to post both recipes and give you 2 options, my simple version and a more decadant one from The Neely's Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Neely.

Terry's French Bread Pudding:

350 degree oven
10" Cast Iron Skillet

1 Day Old French Baguette, sliced

 ( I get the Baguette fresh, sliced, and let the slices dry overnight) This method is easier than trying to slice a day old Baquette.... either way works just fine!

4 C Heavy Cream
3 Eggs, beaten
2 C Sugar
2 TBS Vanilla
3 TBS Butter
1 C Raisins

In a large bowl, Mix:
Bread
Heavy Cream
Eggs
Sugar
Vanilla
Raisins
Mix by hand

Place a 10"Cast Iron Skillet in a pre heated oven at 350 degrees
Melt the Butter in the pan and coat it well
Add the Batter
Bake for 45 minutes

Serve with either Rum or Brandy Sauce:

1 C Sugar
1/2 C Butter, melted
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 C Brandy or Dark Rum ( my preference for Rum is Mount Gay Eclipse Dark Rum) Use Bourbon for the Bourbon Bread Pudding Recipe that follows.
1 tsp Vanilla

Heat Sugar and Butter in a saucepan
Add Egg, whisk well
Remove from heat
Add Rum or Brandy
Whisk well and return to heat until it thickens, whisking
Remove from heat and add Vanilla


Bourbon Bread Pudding


French Bread Pudding / Bourbon Bread Pudding / Rum, Brandy or Bourbon Sauce!

Here we go back to New Orleans.... with a Bourbon Street Flair!
Southern Bourbon soaked Brioche Bread in a delicious Bread Pudding.

2 TBS Butter + more for greasing the pan
10 C cubed Brioche Bread  ( a 1lb. loaf)
1 C Chopped Pecans
4 C Half and Half
1 C Whole Milk
5 Eggs, beaten
1 C Packed Dark Brown Sugar
3 TBS Bourbon
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp Grated Nutmeg

Butter a 9"X13" Casserole Dish and put the Bread in it
Sprinkle with Pecans

Whisk together:
Half and Half
Milk
Eggs
2 TBS melted Butter
Brown Sugar
Bourbon
Vanilla
Cinnamon
Salt
Nutmeg

Pour the Custard into the pan.
Stir it to coat the bread well
Let the Pudding sit for 1 hour

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until puffy and set.
Remove and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with Bourbon Sauce and Whipped Cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pineapple Cake

I've posted several Pineapple Recipes.
Pie, Biscuits, Margaritas, Angel Food Cake.

I have a recipe from my handwritten books in 1974 for traditional Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I just assumed that there were so many recipes for it.

This recipe is made in a 10" Cast Iron Skillet, it's not turned upside down and it's not made with Pineapple Rings.

Pineapple Cake:

1 Stick of Butter, melted
1 C Brown Sugar
1 20 oz. can of Pineapple Chunks in Juice. ( reserve juice + water to equal 1 C)
1 box of Yellow Cake Mix ( I only use Duncan Hines cake mixes)
1 3.4oz. box of Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
4 Eggs
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
1 small jar of Maraschino Cherries, well drained
Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream to serve with the cake.

Pour melted Butter in the 10" skillet
Sprinkle Brown Sugar ove the Butter and press down with a fork to moisten the Sugar.
Cover with Pineapple
Spread the Cherries over the Pineapple.
Set aside

In a Stand Mixer:
Cake Mix
Pudding Mix
Eggs
Oil
Pineapple Liquid
Mix well and beat for a few minutes.

Pour the batter evenly into the skillet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 55 minutes.
Serve warm with Ice Cream or Whipped Cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Crispy Roast Potatoes

I was doing some research for the blog this morning when I accidentally found a picture of these potatoes on another blog.
I researched the recipe and discovered that it was originally from Martha Stewart.

I would make it in a 9" - 10" Cast Iron Skillet or even a Dutch Oven.
Since I don't have the rights to re post the picture, I would suggest that you research the recipe to see how they're made. They're standing up in the skillet and not layered. The tops of the slices become crispy........ pure genius!

Here's a note that I found at the end of the research:
Keep the slices together as you slice them so that they can be arranged easily in the skillet.

3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 pounds potatoes, peeled
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
a pinch paprika
a few springs of thyme, and

a mandoline or a sharp knife

x

Prepare:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the potatoes on thinnest setting of a mandoline or as thin as you can with a knife. (The thinner the potatoes, the crispier they will bake up.) You can prevent them from browning by putting them in a bowl of water as you slice.

Combine the butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the olive oil mixture on the inside of a cast iron skillet or other heavy baking dish. Arrange the potato slices in the skillet as you like. Wedge slices of shallot between slices of potato. Sprinkle with salt, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Bake for 75 minutes. Arrange a few sprigs of thyme on top of the potatoes and bake for another 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy on top. Serve.

Strawberry Pie

Yesterfood Fresh Strawberry Pie

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1 1/4 cups white sugar (less if berries are very sweet)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
2 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place one crust in a nine inch pie pan. 
2. Mix together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix lightly with the berries. Pour filling into pastry lined pan, and dot fruit with butter. Cover with top crust, and cut slits in the top. Seal and flute the edges.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.

Allrecipes.com

I reposted this recipe as soon as I read it on Yesterfood's Blog today. 
The thing that impressed me is the freshness and simplicity of the recipe.
Nothing fancy, nothing complicated!
I will absolutely make this pie.

Thank you for sharing!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Tex - Mex Layered Salad

Here's another classic American recipe.
I put a twist on the original Layered Salad Recipe by making it Tex - Mex.
There are many names and variations available.
It's served at any large family gathering.

It's the perfect light salad for a picnic.

When we get together, we often make a Tex - Mex meal that includes Tacos, Enchiladas,  Tamales or Quesadillas. We often serve a combination of all of them.
This salad is a nice side dish.

It's often served in a large glass bowl or Trifle dish.
The glass dishes are used if presentation is important, otherwise we simply use a plastic container that's transportable for a picnic.

The Dressing can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.
I put it in a Canning Jar to transport and keep it chilled in a cooler .

After the salad is layered, the dressing is spread evenly over the top.

The following is a list of ingredients:

1 Head of Lettuce, chopped and divided in half
1 can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of Corn, drained
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 C Shredded Queso Quesadilla Cheese ( Monterey Jack or Cheddar can be used)
1 small can of Sliced Black Olives, drained
1 Green Pepper, diced
4 Green Onions, sliced


Here's the order of layering:

1. Half of the Lettuce
2. Black Beans
3. Corn
4. Red Pepper
5. The remainder of the Lettuce
6. Cheese
7. Black Olives
8. Green Pepper
9. Green Onion


Dressing:

1 C (8oz.) Pace Chunky Salsa  ( or any other chunky Salsa )
1 C (8oz.) Sour Cream
1/2 C (4oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Adobo Seasoning ( or Garlic Powder)
Mix Sour Cream and Cream Cheese together in a bowl with an electric mixer. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Store refrigerated in a jar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Summer Berry Bundt Cake

Summer is coming!
Warmer weather
Cool Evenings
Blue Skies
Green Grass
Cool Breezes
Backyard Picnics
Picnics at the Lake
Berry Picking

These are all things that I remember from my childhood in Michigan.
I wrote about American Picnics and I should have included this recipe.

I decided to keep it separate so it would make it special.

Summer Berry Bundt Cake:

5 Eggs
1 2/3 C Sugar
1 1/4 C Butter, room temperature, cut into pieces.
2 TBS Kirsch or any Fruit Liqueur
2 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
a pinch of Salt
1 1/2 C Fresh Raspberries
1 1/2 C Fresh Blueberries or Blackberries ( or a combination of all three)
Powdered Sugar for presentation

Prepare a 9" Bundt Pan ( I use my Pan Release Recipe posted here on the blog under Hints and Tips)
I use a Bundt Pan with a simple design. This cake doesn't require a fancy design.

In a large bowl with a Hand Mixer, blend:
Eggs
Sugar
Add Butter and Liqueur and beat until creamy
Add Flour ( reserving 2 TBS for the Berries)
Baking Powder
Salt
Beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine:
Berries with the 2 TBS of reserved Flour
Toss to coat well
Gently fold the Berries into the Batter

Pour the Batter into the prepared pan
Bake at 325 degrees about 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Remove, Cool for 30 minutes and then un mold onto a rack to cool completely.

Transfer to a serving platter and dust with Powdered Sugar.
Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!