Friday, October 24, 2008

Bread Stuffing and Bread Pudding

Well, some dope allowed her house to run out of potatoes, pasta and rice. Just how difficult is that to accomplish? OK, to be fair, I knew it would happen; I can count, after all. So the plan was roast chicken with stuffing Thursday night. Then I found a recipe for bread pudding in that Fanny Farmer cookbook, and I knew I needed that, too! So, an extra large batch of one kind of bread Tuesday, and a different kind Wednesday were in order.

HARVEST BREAD STUFFING

Toasted Bread Cubes - 1-1/2 to 2 pounds
2 sticks butter
1 large onion, minced
1 large carrot, minced
2 apples, shredded
1 cup chopped walnuts
Poultry Seasoning - 1 or more tbsp
Sage - 1 or more tbsp

Pepper - plenty
6 or more cups chicken broth


I used Italian bread for this (and it doesn't appear I've ever written about it - huh!). Dice the bread into pretty large cubes, let it dry out on a rack overnight, and toast the cubes in the oven. Note: learn from me. Do not become impatient with the toasting, and put the cubes under the broiler. Bad things happen to good bread left too long under the broiler. But I digress.

Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, and saute until soft. Stir in the apple, walnuts and seasonings, cook for another minute, then pour in 6 cups of broth, and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the bread cubes, add more broth if the stuffing isn't wet enough for you, cover and let sit for a few minutes off the burner. This is great for Thanksgiving, and you can bet that's what I'll be serving, although I plan to buy my bread cubes. I figure I have enough to do without chopping up bread. Note that most recipes call for the crust to be removed from the bread. I left it on; no one should object to a little crust on their stale, toasted, wet bread. Although my stuffing was still dark, even after I removed the most offensive over-broiled cubes, I also noted that there was very little stuffing left for Thor.

Which leads us to dessert, and....

BREAD PUDDING

4 to 6 slices of bread, crusts removed, cut into triangles
2 to 3 apples, cored and shredded
1/4 cup sugar
cinnamon to taste

2 eggs
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Grease a baking dish (I used a 7x10 glass dish). Spread the apple in the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon (Grace, use plenty). Arrange the bread triangles atop the apples - create a pretty pattern, if you wish. I used Portuguese Sweet Bread for this; it's dessert, and supposed to be sweet!


In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, 1/2 cup sugar and salt until com
bined. Pour over the apples and bread in the baking dish. Let it sit for 30 minutes so the bread will absorb the milk and egg mixture. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and a touch of sugar, if desired.
Preheat the oven; after the 30 minutes have elapsed, put the baking dish in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top of the pudding is browned. Let it sit to cool somewhat before serving. This can be served warm or cold, with whipped cream on top.

This is a variation on the recipe I found in the Fanny Farmer cookbook. The recipe was written as I have shown it, without the apples, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon, with a variation noted that applesauce can be put in the bottom of the pan before putting the bread in the pan. Given our good stock of apples, I created this variation. It must have been good, because my dearly beloved finished it for breakfast, even without whipped cream!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

I haven't really read the post yet, just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday and let everyone who follow know: It's your birthday!! I hope you don't have to cook tonight. Have a fabulous day. g

Paula said...

Hi Marjie! Happy Birthday! Wish I could pop over and make you some lunch on your special day! What fun we'd have!

I really like your stuffing. I laughed when I read the bit about the broiler! I LOVE stuffing and the flecks of carrot in this stuffing really make it look pretty. I bet the apples went really well with the carrots and onion flavors, too. I really like the look of your roasted chicken as well.

I love the custardy (is that a word?) texture on that pudding. My hubby would devour it in seconds without sharing a single bite. He's not a rude man; he just looooves that type of thing! Once again, he can never know you provide this type of goody on a regular basis. I need to do something nice for my family in the dessert department!

The Blonde Duck said...

Happy Birthday! You should make them take you out to celebrate! Who's going to make your cake?

Anonymous said...

Happiest of birthdays!!! :oD

How on earth do you cook like that and NOT gain weight?!

Pam said...

That is the perfect dinner. The stuffing sounds so good with the apples and walnuts. I LOVE bread pudding and your recipe is amazing. Can't wait to make this meal.

Happy, happy birthday!

Claire S. said...

Happy Birthday Marjie, I hope it's a good one !!!

pam said...

Happy birthday!!! Be happy...I know you're not as old as me!

Anonymous said...

Hey someone ratted your Birthday out! Happy Birthday and I hope you got the night off...all the bread everything sounds like a treat!

Christo Gonzales said...

is it your birthday? Have a happy one.

Linda said...

Happy Birthday!

test it comm said...

I have been wanting to try making stuffing and bred pudding for a while. They both look good!

Anonymous said...

This looks really tasty! Happy Birthday.

Anonymous said...

These recipes look great. What is it about moistened baked bread that is so delicious? I would think that "soggy bread" would turn me off, but no. I love stuffings and bread puddings!

grace said...

why didn't you tell us it was your birthday? you stinker. :)
both of these creations look terrific, but my sweet tooth far overpowers my need to be healthy--more pudding for me. :)

Prudy said...

Hey Happy Birthday! And how easy it would be to run out of things when there are 11 mouths to feed! I run out of everything when there are only four or us and no Thor, either. Both bread recipes look fantastic. I'm planning to make yet again the portuguese bread and try for leftovers. Maybe but I doubt it!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

You are so resourceful Margie. Your dinner and dessert look top notch, ok they have me drooling.

Peter M said...

Happy B-day Marjie...all the best!

I luv me a good stuffing...any chance of leftovers? Who am i kidding!