Yard-sale bread pudding celebrates weekend ritual

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.

Boston Marathon Bread Pudding is a winner

It’s a rite of spring.

One of my favorite happenings of the year is the Boston Marathon. No I don’t participate, but I do admire the spirit of those who do take part. Many of them, year after year, in weather that ranges from cold and drizzly to hot and steamy, and even, this being New England, snow.

I often join the spectators who watch at the five-mile-point in Framingham, often fighting back tears as the wheelchair entrants go by. And then I’m amazed as hundreds and hundreds of runners dash past, too many and too quickly for me to even pick out a friend who is running.

The enthusiasm and bigheartedness of the people who watch this race in Boston is outstanding, according to Lisa Cecchi of RI, a mother of six who will be running the race again this year along with her husband Michael. She said the onlookers are most generous in handing out water and oranges to the runners and cheering them on as they pass by.

In honor of this great event we’ve created Boston Marathon Bread Pudding – full of carbs and with the healthful addition of granola. I made this BP with one percent milk instead of the usual calorie-laden cream or whole milk, and the result was excellent. And, as a reward for outstanding Marathon effort, I added chunks of chocolate and cherries too. Hooray for all the Boston Marathon participants – you are all winners!!

BOSTON MARATHON BREAD PUDDING (with Granola and Chocolate)

2-3/4 cups Italian bread chunks (or bread of your choice)
1/2 cup granola mix (with fruit, nuts, and oatmeal)
1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
1/3 cup dried cherries
2 cups 1 percent milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Cinnamon-sugar for sprinkling on top

Place bread cubes into buttered or cooking-sprayed 2-quart baking dish, or 8- or 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle with granola, chocolate chunks, and dried cherries. In saucepan, heat milk with butter until milk reaches scalding point and butter melts.
In large bowl, whisk eggs together with sugar and extract. Slowly pour hot milk/butter into egg mixture, stirring to combine. Pour liquid over bread mixture in baking pan. Let stand about 20 minutes for bread to absorb liquid.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle top of pudding with cinnamon/sugar. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until top is crisp and pudding puffs up.
Serve warm or at room temp topped with whipped cream, topping, or ice cream. Serves 8.
© 2008, Recipe by Portia Little.