Some sure signs of a spring weekend are posted on poles, trees, and in front lawns here in our Rhode Island seashore community. And even the Today Show had a feature this morning on that familiar ritual where folks attempt to get rid of the flotsam and jetsam that’s been tucked away in closets, basements, and shelves. Yard sales are in full swing.
In our own kitchen also we have odds and ends – a whole-grain-bread heel, a handful of granola, half a Gala apple sitting in a plastic bag in the fridge – that need to be either used or tossed. Tossed? Did we say tossed? Not when there’s a bread pudding panting to use up these ingredients. And, in fact, that was the idea behind the original bread puddings – a way to use up stale bread and other foods to provide an economical and tasty dish.
So, here goes. We cut up the bread heel into chunks and tossed it into a casserole dish along with some blueberry granola and some cut-up apple chunks. The granola, which I made a few weeks ago, contains rolled oats, cashew halves, sunflower seeds, molasses, and honey. And, because I added no additional sweetener to the custard mixture, I decided to add the remaining contents from a bag of mini chocolate chips. Okay, actually I can always find an excuse to use chocolate.
So this is oddball collection of ingredients. But isn’t that what yard sales are all about? Thebookcase with the warped shelves, the antique lamp with the crack in the base, and that collection of old National Geographics.
As I write this, the pudding is about to come out of the oven.It’s puffing up, looking good. Hooray for the yard sale for providing the inspiration for this new creation.
YARD SALE BREAD PUDDING
Cooking spray
1 end slice (heel) from 15-grain, whole grain bread (almost a cup)
1/2 cup blueberry granola (or granola of your choice)
1/3 cup chopped apple (with skins on if you’d like)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups 1 percent milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon melted butter
Cinnamon-sugar
Spray a 1-1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Scatter bottom of dish with bread cubes, granola, chopped apples, and chocolate chips. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour over bread mixture. Sprinkle top with melted butter, then cinnamon-sugar to taste. Let mixture stand about 30 minutes to let bread absorb liquid. Bake in preheated 350-degree F. oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until pudding is puffy, firm, and browned on top. Serve warm or at room temp with topping of your choice such as whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 4.
© 2008, Recipe by Portia Little.
In our own kitchen also we have odds and ends – a whole-grain-bread heel, a handful of granola, half a Gala apple sitting in a plastic bag in the fridge – that need to be either used or tossed. Tossed? Did we say tossed? Not when there’s a bread pudding panting to use up these ingredients. And, in fact, that was the idea behind the original bread puddings – a way to use up stale bread and other foods to provide an economical and tasty dish.
So, here goes. We cut up the bread heel into chunks and tossed it into a casserole dish along with some blueberry granola and some cut-up apple chunks. The granola, which I made a few weeks ago, contains rolled oats, cashew halves, sunflower seeds, molasses, and honey. And, because I added no additional sweetener to the custard mixture, I decided to add the remaining contents from a bag of mini chocolate chips. Okay, actually I can always find an excuse to use chocolate.
So this is oddball collection of ingredients. But isn’t that what yard sales are all about? Thebookcase with the warped shelves, the antique lamp with the crack in the base, and that collection of old National Geographics.
As I write this, the pudding is about to come out of the oven.It’s puffing up, looking good. Hooray for the yard sale for providing the inspiration for this new creation.
YARD SALE BREAD PUDDING
Cooking spray
1 end slice (heel) from 15-grain, whole grain bread (almost a cup)
1/2 cup blueberry granola (or granola of your choice)
1/3 cup chopped apple (with skins on if you’d like)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups 1 percent milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon melted butter
Cinnamon-sugar
Spray a 1-1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Scatter bottom of dish with bread cubes, granola, chopped apples, and chocolate chips. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour over bread mixture. Sprinkle top with melted butter, then cinnamon-sugar to taste. Let mixture stand about 30 minutes to let bread absorb liquid. Bake in preheated 350-degree F. oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until pudding is puffy, firm, and browned on top. Serve warm or at room temp with topping of your choice such as whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 4.
© 2008, Recipe by Portia Little.
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2 comments:
Portia, I love this! Being a yard sale addit myself I had to find out what a Yard Sale BP was. I sure enjoyed reading it and it sounds great too! Thanks for starting my day with a smile. Joan who's heading out soon to... what else? yard sales with my Mom and daughter.
Joan, enjoy your yard sales - hope you get some great cookbook bargains!
Portia
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