Bread Pudding from Debra Caudill *****

This is so so good. I love it to pieces. Suzie

14 oz. loaf challah bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

¾ cup granulated sugar

9 large egg yolks

4 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp table salt

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 1/2 cups milk

2 t unsalted butter, melted

2 T light brown sugar

1 T granulated sugar

1. Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine brown sugar and 1 T granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside. ( I double the sugars and I use dark brown sugar )

2. Spread bread cubes in single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until just dry, 10 –15 minutes, stirring and rotating trays from top to bottom racks halfway through. Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes, set aside 2 cups.

3. Whisk yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in cream and milk until combined. Add remaining 8 cups cooled bread and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to 9x13 pan and let stand, occasionally pressing bread into custard, until cubes are thoroughly saturated, about 30 minutes.

4. Spread reserved 2 cups of bread evenly over top of soaked bread and gently press into custard. Using pastry brush, dab melted butter over top of unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over top. Place bread pudding on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has just set and pressing center of pudding with finger reveals no runny liquid, about 45 to 50 minutes ( 170 °) . Serve warm with Bourbon Brown Sugar sauce.

Bourbon Brown Sugar sauce

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

7 T heavy cream

2 1/2 T unsalted butter

1 1/2 T bourbon (or rum) ( I omit this )

Whisk brown sugar and heavy cream in small saucepan over medium heat until combined. Continue to

cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter and bring

mixture back to boil; about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon. Cool to just warm; serve

Saint Paddy's Irish Sandwich

This recipe is from allrecipes.com

1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 medium head cabbage, cored and sliced thin
spicy brown mustard
12 slices sourdough bread, lighly toasted

Directions

Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came witht the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound until tender. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes. Slice meat across the grain.

Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and pour the dressing over it; toss to coat the cabbage with the dressing.

Spread a layer of mustard on 6 slices of toasted bread. Place some shredded cabbage and corned beef on each slice and top with remaining slices of bread.

Colcannon by Heather Goodman

This is a recipe from County Mayo, Ireland. Kale can be substituted for cabbage.

Ingredients:
1 pound cabbage, chopped or shredded (I used half of one large head of green cabbage)
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used 4 medium russet potatoes, probably more than a pound)
2 leeks, finely chopped
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
- Saute kale/cabbage in a little olive oil and chicken stock until tender. Keep warm.
- Boil potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and drain.
- Chop leeks, green parts as well as white, and simmer them in the milk until soft (about 10 minutes).
- While leeks are simmering, season potatoes with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mash well. Stir in cooked leeks and milk. Mix in the kale/cabbage. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Make a well in the center and pour in melted butter, mix well.

Note about leeks:
I had never cooked with leeks until I made this recipe, so I had to learn how to get them ready for chopping. So if you're in the same boat I was, this is one method I learned, I'm sure there are others. Cut the roots off the white part, plus about 1/4 inch of white. Then cut the greens down to the light green. There are recipes out there that use the dark greens if you don't want to waste them. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then place cut-side down in a bowl of water to soak. Agitate ocassionally and slightly separate layers to loosen and remove sandy soil that is trapped inside the leek. Once clean, shake dry and chop.

Light Whole Wheat Artisan Bread from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day by Rachel Davis

3 cups lukewarm water 1 ½ tablespoons yeast 1 ½ tablespoons Kosher salt

1 cup whole wheat flour 5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour for the pizza peel

1. Mixing and storing dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a lidded (not airtight) food container (I use a 2 gallon rubbermaid, and it's only slightly too big). (You can easily half this recipe and keep it in a loosely covered mixing bowl.)

2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a wooden spoon or wet hands.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold (at least 3 hours refrigeration). Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.

5. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour (I never do this) and cut off a 1 pound (grapefruit size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour (I don't do this either) and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Allow to rest and rise on a whole wheat flour-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.

6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray (I use an old cookie sheet.) on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising bread.

7. Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour (I don't do this) and slash a cross, scallop, or tic tac toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before eating.

8. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of steaming hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.

9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Potato-Cheese Soup by Courtney Baird

4 cups potatoes, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup onion, diced

1 can chicken broth

1 qt. half & half

¾ cup flour

1 cube butter

1 tbsp salt & pepper

8 oz. Velveeta Cheese

Add potatoes, celery, onion and chicken broth to pan. Add water until covered. Simmer until tender.

In another pan, add half & half, flour, butter and salt & pepper. Stir until thick. Combine with potato mixture and Velveeta Cheese. Cook until cheese melts.

Broccoli cheddar soup by Chrissy Evans

INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon butter,melted 1/2 medium onion,chopped 1/4 cup melted butter 1/4 cup flour 2 cups half-and-half 2 cups chicken stock or bouillon 1/2 pound fresh broccoli 1 cup carrots,julienned salt and pepper,to taste 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

PREPARATION: Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux). Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Potato-Cheddar Soup by Elisabeth Upton

Ingredients:

• 4 bacon slices
• 1 leek, white portion only, halved, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

Cook the bacon and vegetables
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

Discard all but 2 Tbs. of the bacon drippings from the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the leek and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and the broth and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Puree the soup
Increase the heat to medium, add the milk and the 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring just to a simmer.

Using a food processor or blender, process the soup to a smooth puree. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat to serving temperature. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, crumble the bacon on top and serve immediately. Serves 4.