Monthly Archives: November 2012

Mediterranean Cashew Spread | A Friendship Link Up

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Today Becca over at The Dabblist and I are linking up to give you some cashew magic.  Did you know that you can make cheese and dips and spreads out of cashews?  I sure didn’t.  It’s just a little magic that happens when you soak your nuts. I could edit that to sound less dirty, but I am just going with it. Call me Tobias Funke.

The truth is, I was scared.

Becca and I started doing something called The Friend Diet. In short, we would send each other texts of all of the meals and snacks we ate during the day. The goal was just to be held accountable for all of things we decided to put in our faces. It turns out that we are just really good friends and support each other through our love of cheese, baked goods and the occasional milkshake. In times of green juice or in times of cookie cake, I got your back friend. You my girl. :)

Some days would look like this:

Other days would look like this:

Almost every day would look something like this:

It was during one week on The Friend Diet that the words cashew and cheese came out of Becca’s mouth in the same sentence. I paused, slightly horrified.  She expressed wanting to go vegan for at least a week to try it out. I couldn’t wrap this around my cheese-loving, carnivorous,  egg-guzzling brain. I gave her mad props, and figured that if anyone could tackle veganism for a week it would be my lovely friend. She does juice cleanses, people. Those are terrifying. Nay, rather I AM terrifying on them. See below actual diagram.

Truth.

So, even with the knowledge that Becca could totally be a vegan or a juicitarian or basically anything she wanted to be, I was still horrified by the idea of anything called cheese that did not factor in some sort of dairy.  I have tried pre-packaged almond cheese before, and no matter what you say… that is truly horrifying. It does not melt. It tastes like the sole of a shoe.  I could only assume that cashew cheese would be the same. Boy, was I wrong.

For my birthday, I received one copy of Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Kitchen.  Game changer. All the food looked beautiful.  I actually found myself lusting over a picture of her Artichoke Aioli made with… you guessed it! CASHEWS! Becca has been a devoted fan-girl of Ms. Carr for some time now.  I started to get it.  What I imagined as being awful and scary and potentially gag-worthy actually looked delish. No wonder she was thinking about going vegan. This book makes vegan food look lust-worthy.

So, long story short, we both soaked our nuts (yep, did it again.)  and made you all some fancy ( yet, easy) vegan fare.  You can find her recipe for Cashew Cheese here.

Let’s get to this. I tried this spread two ways.  As a sandwich topping, as well as with crackers.  Both are great.  I even got the Husband’s stamp of approval   He’s even more skeptical of cashew cheese than I am…so that says something. :)

Mediterranean Cashew Spread Ingredients:

2 cups raw cashews (soaked for a few hours or overnight)

1/4 cup water

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tbs honey (sub out honey for agave to make it truly vegan)

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 jar of marinated artichokes (chopped)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)

handful of fresh basil leaves (chopped)

fresh cracked pepper

Drain your soaked cashews.

In a high-power blender, combine your cashews, water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and honey.  Blend on high until it becomes a thick but spreadable consistency  If it’s not thinning out to your liking, you can add water in small increments.

Transfer your cashew mixture to a bowl.  Fold in your chopped artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and your basil leaves.  Mix it all together until it is well combined throughout.  Top it all off with some fresh cracked pepper.

I enjoyed mine like this for lunch:

Two toasted pieces of Udi’s gluten-free sandwich bread, cashew spread, spinach and a balsamic reduction.  A balsamic reduction sounds fancy… but really it is just a schmancy way of saying “heat up some balsamic vinegar until it gets a little bit syrupy then put it on stuff.”  You got this.

I also enjoyed it simply with a few tasty rice crackers. Yum.

Don’t be scared.

Love you all!

Sincerely,

Cashew Cheese Skeptic Turned Believer

(Inspired by Friendship & Kris Carr)

Stormy Weather | A Time For Unapologetic Footwear

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It’s raining.  It’s cold.

I’ve spoiled myself with one of those salted-caramel hot chocolates and am on the sleepy-side of a sugar coma. Both of the pets are sleeping. It’s a stormy weather sleep-fest in here.

Look at those party animals.

I am indoors under a blanket wearing a very comfortable yet unfortunate pair of Ugg-style boots that have cats all over them.

Not only are there cats on these boots, but these cats appear to be in Paris. They are wearing hats and make-up, and having tea by the Eiffel Tower. Those are some cultured felines. Are you judging me right now? Maybe you should be. I will tell you though, that if you slipped these unique gems on your footsies, you would get it. They are insanely comfortable. Fluffy and warm. It’s like walking around with cat-clad pillows on your feet.

I will make this more comfortable for you by telling you that these have become solely indoor shoes. Was there a time I wore them out?  Yes.  Yes, there was.  Fashion risk-taking (they can’t all be wins, right?) I will also tell you that when I was teaching in a kindergarten classroom they were a very huge hit. My fashion audience was different then, and they thought I pretty much ruled. These boots once inspired a make-believe game between a couple of five-year old girls called  ”French Cats.”  In this game you are a cat living in France who gets to carry a purse and be fancy. You have a fancy French cat tail you get to swing around. You live in a fancy French house made out of silk cloth and clothes pins.  It’s the classiest of role play.

By the time my husband comes home at night, the boots are almost always on.  I will be wearing a seemingly respectable outfit on top. Maybe a sweater and a black pair of pants and then on bottom it is just an all-bets-are-off-fiesta. CAT BOOTS!! Poor husband. My evening time wardrobe is the fashion equivalent of a mullet. Business on top, party on the bottom.

You are probably curious now.  Most of my friends have seen these bad boys. Either I will get cold and slip them on, or you have known me long enough to see me be a brave, fashion-fail foot soldier and wear them out of the confines of my own home. I will show them to you.

Fancy. Warm. Unapologetic in their pinkness.

Did I mention that I got a two hours too early visit from a City Inspector today in order to approve our new water heater?  He got to see these boots.  Also, I had peanut butter on my face and mascara under my eyes.  There was an unfortunate baggy sweatpants situation going on as well.  Real life.

That is basically all, friends.  This seems to be all I can get myself together enough to do today.  Drawing a picture of a sad little cloud and drinking hot cocoa in questionable footwear. Maybe send the occasional g-chat message to my friend about the floral print pants that I will not be purchasing this season, or the chair made of sticks that they are selling at Anthro that seems to be going for around $10k. Holy cannoli.  I will continue looking for good memes with angry looking cats or dogs wearing sweat suits. That is what this stormy weather seems to be all about today.

Tomorrow is another day.  :)

Keep cozy, my friends.

Curried Delicata And Sweet Potato Bisque

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Let me be straight with you.

This recipe was created for the sole purpose of using my brand new immersion blender.

I had a very domestic birthday. I received a sewing machine (note: I totally sewed that place mat you see there. The hems are ALMOST straight. Pretty much a professional.) a three piece cupcake carrier, an immersion blender, tart pans, ramekins and a collection of amazing cooking and food styling books. (Oh, and a hangover. We will get to that in another post. Coming to you soon.)  Serious jackpot. I had never used an immersion blender before, but knew it was something that I wanted to try.  Who likes to puree their soups two cups at a time in a semi functional blender?  Not this girl.  I’ve scalded myself multiple times.  I have hot soup battle scars. I can be kind of a hot mess. My parents always said, “there’s a reason we didn’t name you Grace.”  I would like to say that comment is rude, but it is just ever so true. Darn it.

Anyway… I digress.

The result of this need for culinary adventure was a beautifully easy and creamy soup!

It was so delicious, in fact, that one of the sneaky creatures I live with tried to get in on the action.  So sneaky.  That girl loves squash more than anything ever.  More than peanut butter or hot dogs…or peanut butter and hot dogs combined. Yes, I’ve mixed them together.  We like to get creative.

Ingredients:

3-4 medium delicata squash

3 medium sweet potatoes

64 ounces chicken stock (veggie can be substituted, and would make the recipe vegan)

1 can of coconut milk

olive oil (to coat the pot)

1 medium onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbs curry powder

1/2 tbs cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cardamom

salt and pepper to taste

Walnuts and spinach to garnish

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Wash, cut and de-seed your delicata squash.

Wash your sweet potatoes and cut off the ends. Make an X on the top of your sweet potatoes with a knife.

Cover a baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean-up (I didn’t do this. Whoops.). Place your delicata squash and sweet potatoes on the same baking sheet. You will have your squash flesh side up.  Add some olive oil to your squash and salt and pepper it to your liking.

Bake your squash and sweet potatoes for 40-45 minutes.  They should both be tender.  The sweet potatoes should separate easily from their skins.

While your squash and potatoes are cooling, get out your soup pot and heat up enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pot.

Add in your diced-up onion and garlic. Saute until the onion becomes translucent.

Add in your spices and cook together with your onions for a couple of minutes until it becomes really fragrant.

Add in your broth and your coconut milk.

At this time, you can start to scoop the flesh from your delicata squash into your soup.

Once all of the squash is added, remove the skins from your sweet potatoes and add the orange meat to the soup as well.

Let your soup come to a boil.  Once it has boiled, turn your heat down and allow it to simmer for 25-30 minutes  stirring occasionally.

When your soup has simmered…. It’s immersion time.

Blend with your immersion blender until your soup is a creamy texture.

(If you don’t have an immersion blender you can blend the soup a couple of cups at a time in a regular blender and transfer it into a new pot.)

That’s all.  A nice simple and warming bisque for a chilly season.

I garnished mine with toasted walnuts and a little bit of spinach.

It’s the perfect soup to share with a friend on a brisk fall day! Even if they are covered in golden fur.  Sneaky soup thief.

Beet and Parsnip Chocolate Cake | Gluten Free

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It’s good to have creative friends.

My friend Becca over at The Dabblist posted a recipe for Chocolate Almond Molten Beet Cakes.  I died. They looked so gooey and wonderful.  The color of red velvet.  Oh, and they are made with beets.  No big deal.  When I saw that post I got really fired up.  I wanted to bake with my beets.  I wanted to beet it. Does that sound dirty?  Stop it.  Get your mind out of the gutter.  I immediately went to my pantry and surveyed my ingredients. I didn’t have all of the things that I needed to make her exact cakes.  I did a quick google search.  No, I didn’t google search “Beet It”.  I suggest you don’t either.  Or do.  Tell me what you find.

I came across a recipe from Elana over at Elana’s pantry.  For all of you gluten-free paleo loving honeys out there, she is quite simply one of the best.  Her site has changed the way I bake gluten-free.  Her use of almond flour and coconut flour produces such moist and wonderful products!  I cannot recommend her recipes enough. I found a recipe on her site  for a cake that used beets.  I surveyed my pantry again… I did not have all of those ingredients either.  Looks like I was on my own on this one. No matter… nothing could put out this fire.  I came up with an adapted version based on what I DID have in my fridge.  The result was kind of magical.  Did I mention there is no flour in this cake?  Impressed? Totally.

Ingredients:

3 medium sized beets

3-4 parsnips

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup agave

1/2 cup maple syrup

4 eggs

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tbs vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp of salt

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Wash your beets and your parsnips thoroughly making sure to scrub the skins well.  Dry them off.  Cut them into small manageable pieces and place them into a medium saucepan.

Add your maple syrup and agave mixture.  Sprinkle your cinnamon on top.  Allow the beets, parsnips, agave, maple syrup and cinnamon to come to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.  The beets and parsnips will start to break down and become soft.

Once your beets and parsnips are soft, you are going to transfer your mixture into a high powered blender.  Blend it on high until your mixture is smooth and liquid.

Add in your eggs, oil, vanilla and amond extracts as well as your cocoa powder and salt.  Process on high until it is fully combined with your beet and parsnip mixture.

Transfer your mixture into a bowl and fold in one cup of chocolate chips.

Grease your 9 inch baking dish.

Pour the batter into the dish and pop it into the oven.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.  You will know it is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let it cool.

Serve naked or with whipped cream.

Take that, flour! :)  I call that beeting the odds.  Yup.  Can’t stop.

(Adapted from Elana’s Pantry)

 

So…Thanksgiving Happened | A Pie Recovery Salad

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So…Thanksgiving happened.

Like most years it started off with my early day mantra of “I’m so not going to overeat this year”.  Fast forward to 6pm.  I am breathing heavily with a case of the ham sweats. Fast forward even further to 10pm. I am sitting at home eating my second piece of leftover cake.  It got real. The big sweatpants came out.

The next morning I had gluten-free stuffing and eggs.  Later that evening my husband threw me a birthday party where I decided it would be wise to stuff my face with tortilla chips and spinach dip and then drink like I was peg-legged sailor. Super real. Did I mention there was a dark chocolate and peanut butter cup gluten-free masterpiece of a cake AND creme brulee? I totally ate both.

I’m not going to lie to you guys.  I’ve been celebrating for four days straight.  Between Thanksgiving and my birthday, I feel like I’ve been hit by a holiday hurricane. I’m sporting an intense holiday hangover.  It was all fantastic and tons of fun.  I have so many stories and recipes and little tidbits to share with you from my long weekend of celebration…but all I can muster for now is “Kale…someone get me some KALE!!”

Let’s all recover from that pie hangover together.  I’ve made you a spinach salad with delicata squash, pomegranate seeds, a little bit of cheese and some crispy kale.  It could serve four… but in my house it serves two.

 Pie Recovery Salad:

1 bunch of curly leaf kale

Seeds from 1 small pomegranate

2 medium delicata squash

6 cups of baby spinach

1/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Honey Dijon Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbs Dijon mustard

1 tbs honey

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Wash and dry your kale. Cut out the spines and then cut into small pieces. Place it into a mixing bowl with the juice of half of a lemon and a couple tablespoons of olive oil.  Toss well and place on a baking sheet.  Once the oven has heated, put in your pan and bake for 20 minutes of until your kale is crispy.  Set aside.

If you have a double or stacked oven you can roast your delicata squash at the same time.  Preheat your second oven to 400 degrees.

Wash your squash.  Cut it open lengthwise and seed it. Rub some olive oil over the surface and place face down on a baking sheet. Bake it for 25-30 minutes or until it is soft and easily pierced by a fork.

Wash your spinach and place it in a mixing bowl.

Seed your pomegranate and layer the seeds on top of the spinach.

Cut up your squash and add it to the bowl.  Add your cheese and your crispy lemon kale chips to the top.

Now for the dressing…

Wisk together all of your dressing ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let the pie recovery begin.

 

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

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Just a quick post to wish you all the most fabulous of Turkey Days.  I am so thankful for all of you!  Thanks for dropping by and hanging out with me here, whether it be on the daily (Hi, Mom!) or just a visit every now and then.  You all rock my socks, like whoa.

Wishing each of you happy, sleepy and contented turkey comas.  Oh, and pie.  Lots of pie.  And seriously, if you are making a Turkducken let me know how that goes.  I am too curious.

Like that pilgrim-clad bear says, “HAPPY THANKSGIVING”!  And when a bear goes through the trouble of dressing up in a period-appropriate costume… you listen.

xoxox

Apple Coffee Cake | Gluten Free

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I can’t really take credit for this one. This would be the brain child of one Betty Crocker. No joke.  I googled what I could do with the remains of my Gluten Free Bisquick and I found a recipe that has the words “Impossibly Easy” in the title.  It was a done deal.  Not only were they claiming that it would be easy, but impossibly so.

This could make a lovely Thanksgiving breakfast.

I figured all of you lovely people could use something IMPOSSIBLY easy right about now. Heck, I could use something easy, and I am only making cranberry sauce. Between getting your turkey in a brine, or lacing up your turkducken and the stuffing prep and the three different types of pie you got going on you deserve something that pretty much makes itself.  Do you have flour on your face right now? That is how I imagine everyone today. Perhaps because that is pretty much what I look like in the kitchen…Nay, in life. I am the girl that takes a shower and then manages to get salsa in her hair two minutes later. What am I doing eating salsa two minutes after showering? Great question.  I wish I had an answer for you other than…snacks.

The recipe was originally for a French Apple Pie.  When I put it in the oven I expected it to come out pie-like.  I found that title to be grossly misleading.  It’s a coffee cake. Plain and simple. It has a crumbly sugar-crusted top and would pair nicely with a festive warm beverage.

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups of peeled and thinly sliced apples (I used gala)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup Gluten Free Bisquick

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk (I used vanilla almond milk)

2 tbs butter

3 eggs

Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup Gluten Free Bisquick

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tbs butter

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  

Grease a 9-inch pie dish.

In a small mixing bowl, combine your apples with your cinnamon and nutmeg.  Toss them until the apples are coated with the spices.

Place the apples in the bottom of your well greased baking dish.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the rest of your cake ingredients: Gluten Free Bisquick, sugar, milk, butter and eggs. Whisk it together until it’s well-combined and there are few to no lumps.

Pour the cake mixture over your apples.

In another dish combine all of your topping ingredients together.  Using your fingers, mix them until they become a crumble.

Evenly distribute the crumble mixture over the top of the cake batter.

Put in oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Your cake is done when a knife is inserted in the center and comes out clean.

Done.

Impossibly easy.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve.

(Thank you, Betty Crocker) 

 

Gobble Prep | A Recipe Perv Fest

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Thanksgiving is a mere two days away.  It’s crunch time.  I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year and have only been tasked with the job of bringing the cranberry sauce.  This is both delightful and a little bit disappointing.  On one hand, I have been lusting after all of the wonderful recipes floating around out there.  One day I want a reason to make a Turducken.  I honestly don’t know if I want to eat it, but I feel like it is something that is on my culinary bucket list. How many meats can we Frankenstein together into a turkey? Sounds like a challenge, and I like a healthy challenge.

On the flip side of this thanksgiving hosting conundrum I basically get to show up, pop my cranberry sauce in the fridge, perhaps stir some gravy and then stuff my face with succulent meats and their delicious counterparts.  It’s a sweet deal.  I haven’t blogged much about my thanksgiving preparations and now you know why… cranberry sauce.  That’s it folks.  Did I mention that I had to ask if I could bring the cranberry sauce?  Yes, that is right… I could have shown up with nothing…or maybe just a four pack of Martinelli’s.  I am living a cushy Thanksgiving dream here.

We are however hosting Christmas, which seems to be approaching about as subtly as a steam roller.  You will most likely hear more from me on this topic.  For now I am in a blissful holiday season denial, stirring a pot of boiling cranberries.

I have had some time to think up/ogle  all of the things that I would LOVE to make if I had my own thanksgiving table and I was a magical hostess. I have spent the past month food perving on some of my favorite food blogs.  I know it is turkey day crunch time, but if you are looking for some deliciousness to fill some holes in your line up, let me help you.  I am sure you have your turkey, or turducken, or Tofurkey or Quorn log all under control…so we will perv out on sides and desserts.

 Soups:

Vegan Curried Pumpkin Soup// Joy The Baker 

Butternut Squash Soup With Cannelinni Beans and Greens// Yummy Supper

Carrot Ginger Soup// Stove In The Attic

Salad:

Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad With Cranberry Vinegarette// Kitchen Confidante 

Roasted Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad// Shutterbean

Seriously Addictive Brussels Sprout Salad// Shutterbean

Brussels Sprouts Salad With Red Onion and Peccorino// Not Without Salt

Sides:

Winter Squash Procciutto and Sage Risotto// Cannelle et Vanille

Cauliflower Gratin// Smitten Kichen

 Mashed Potatoes With Kale and Scallions// The Parsley Thief

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes// Recipe Girl 

Mushroom Cassarole // 101 Cookbooks

Roasted Sweet Potato Purre// The Family Kitchen 

Wild Rice Salad// Gluten Free Girl

Dessert:

Bourbon Baked Apples//How Sweet It Is  (I would sub gluten free flour)

Warm Apple Pie Pots// Roost

Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits// The Gourmand Mom (sub with gluten free gingersnaps, I recommend the ones from Trader Joes.)

Candied Ginger Meringues// The Dabblist 

Sweet Potato S mores// The Novice Chef 

Chocolate Souffle Cake With Bourbon Caramel And Softly Whipped Cream// Sweet Francisco 

You could also try out my:

Pumpkin Custard Cake with Chocolate Chunks | Gluten Free

or

Mini Apple Pie Cheesecakes | Gluten Free 

Booze:

The Bourbon Bomber//The Boys Club

Fall Sangria//Lifestyle Maven

The J. Crew Cocktail// Bookcooker

Okay, friends.  I could go on forever and ever…

I would love to hear about your thanksgiving and what you are cooking up! Anyone making a Turducken? I want to know more.  Give me all the deets.

I will be sure to keep you abreast of any important cranberry sauce developments! :)

In the words of the hat-clad turkey… Gobble gobble.

If You Like It Then You Should Have Put An Egg On It…| A Brunch Time Recipe

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My husband has some solid beliefs when it comes to food.  His philosophy is strongly sandwich-based.  He believes that everything can be made into a sandwich. This has become such a thing in my family that I find myself texting my brother pictures of meals that my husband has turned into sandwiches. He is famous for it. In fact,  I have caught him daydreaming before while we are driving around and doing Sunday errands.  I asked him  ”Hey Hun, what are you thinking about?” to which he replied “I was just dreaming about a sandwich that I am going to make when we get home.  It has ham and salami and an egg on it.  Ooooh, and cheddar.”

He is a dreamer, what can I say.  He believes in breakfast.  He believes that everything is better with an egg on it.  I cannot entirely disagree with him.  Put an egg on almost anything and you got yourself a brunch.

*Note :I do not endorse putting eggs on anything with peanut butter or jelly. Or anything containing tuna fish.  Lessons learned.  Yes, that really happened in this house, my husband felt even a tuna melt could use an egg. It can’t. Take our advice, especially on the tuna fish.  That was rough.*

Here is a nice little brunch that I whipped up using last week’s chard and cashew pesto!  A healthy helping of wilted greens topped with pesto-covered roasted potatoes.  Throw in some sun-dried tomatoes, and for goodness sake, slap an egg on it!  A lovely brunch for two.

Ingredients: 

6 small Yukon gold potatoes, cubed

2 tbs olive oil

Salt, pepper, garlic (to taste)

1 bunch of rainbow chard

1/4 cup of chicken broth (or veggie broth to make it vegetarian)

3 tbs chard and cashew pesto

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

2 eggs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and cube your potatoes.  Coat them in olive oil and spice them with salt, pepper and granulated garlic to taste.  Lay them out on a baking pan covered in aluminum foil.  Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are soft inside and beginning to get crispy on the outside.

While your potatoes are cooking, wash and cut your chard.  Heat some olive oil up in your pan over medium heat and then drop in your greens.  Begin to cook down.  Add in your chicken broth and continue to cook down over a medium to low heat until they are lightly wilted but still remain vibrant and green.

After your potatoes are done cooking, put them into a bowl and mix in your pesto.  Stir your potatoes until the pesto has completely covered them.  Add in your sun died tomatoes and give them another stir.

Once your potatoes are all done, you can cook your eggs.

Prepare two eggs.  I think this meal pairs best with over-easy eggs.  The runny yolk is a nice addition to the crispy and flavorful potatoes.

Plate your meal.  Chard, potatoes and an egg on top.  Yum!

Enjoy.

Fantasize about the next meal you can put an egg on.  If you like it then you should totally put an egg on it…

Is it weird that I have been singing those lyrics to the tune of Beyoncé’s” Single Ladies” since I made this recipe?  Maybe chasing my husband around the house doing the dance that she does in the video? (particularly the section where the does the whole punching and moving forwards move…)  I regrettably do not have the black leotard or the fiercely baby-oiled haunches. Real life.  It can be awkward.

 

Chocolate Bread Pudding | Gluten Free

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I have a confession to make.  I have never eaten bread pudding before making this one.  All of those years of gluten eating, and bread pudding never made it on my radar.  It wasn’t until my husband ordered something called ” Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding” at our local bakery that my ears perked up.  It sounded amazing. I watched him eat it with a sense of gluten eaters envy.  That doesn’t happen too often anymore, since I am SO used to being gluten-free… but there he was eating this melty pot of flakey chocolate and butter and there I was eating yogurt.  It was a moment.  I felt an injustice and it had to be righted.

I have no basis for how a bread pudding tastes.  I didn’t really know what went in it.  I assumed.  I didn’t even do a google search.  This could have gone poorly. I will admit that I have a tendency to fly by the seat of my pants in the kitchen.  A dash of this and a dash of that.  I am not great a measuring things.  I keep on having to remind myself to write things down now that I am blogging and sharing things with you lovelies! That’s just how I learned to cook.  I call it the “Put Some” method.  Every time my Grammie or my Mom would give me a recipe and I would ask them “Wait…how much garlic?” or “How much shoyu?” they would always tell me “Oh, you know…just put some!”  So there it is.  My general philosophy in the kitchen.  Just put some.  Cooking by feeling it out.

I surveyed my pantry and my fridge.  I did not have gluten-free croissants (If you have some of these, please bring them to me immediately. Thank you.) However, I did have a trusted loaf of UDI’s bread.  That’ll do.  I had chocolate in the form of chocolate chips.  I had eggs.  I had cinnamon.  I had vanilla almond milk.  I had vanilla extract.  Those things sounded like they would do just fine.  I figured since there is only the two of us (plus two very furry children who should definitely not be eating chocolate) that we only needed to make a very small pan of this.  If we made a big pan I would probably gorge myself on it.  It would lead to a sugar mania followed by the inevitable sugar crash which includes me passed out in a puddle of my own tears.  Not an ideal way to spend a Saturday   For our wedding we had gotten a set of pretty Emile Henry pans and one of them was a 9 by 5.7 inch baker.  Perfect. If you want to make more of this just double, triple, the recipe…or do as I do and just put some. :)

Let’s start putting…

 

Ingredients:

5 slices of UDI’s gluten free bread

2 eggs

1/2 cup vanilla almond milk

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs vanilla extract

Butter (for greasing the pan, plus 1 tbs for on top)

This recipe will make enough for two.  Or, maybe four.  It depends on how hungry of a hippo you are.  I tend to be a hungry hungry hippo in the morning.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Chop your UDI’s into cubes and lay them out flat on a baking sheet.  When your oven had heated up, put your tray of bread cubes in the oven and lightly toast them. It won’t take long.  Check on them after two minutes.  If they are not toasting evenly give them a stir with a spatula and let them continue toasting a little longer.

Once your bread is toasted, remove it from the oven and set aside.

Crack your eggs in a small mixing bowl and whisk them together well.  Add in your almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract.  Whisk until all ingredients are combined thoroughly.

Grease your 9 by 5.7 inch pan with butter.

Place your toasted bread cubes in your 9 by 5.7 inch pan.  Pour your egg and milk mixture over the top.  With your clean hands mix the bread and the egg mixture together so that all of the pieces are coated.  This is a good time to assess if you have enough liquid.  If the mixture looks too dry add a tad bit more almond milk and then mix it again.  I would only add almond milk in very small increments.  Gluten-free bread isn’t as forgiving as regular bread and does better with a little less liquid.

Add in your chocolate chips and mix it up again.

Just before baking, take a tbs of butter, cut it into a few little cubes and place them evenly on top of your bread and egg mixture.

Pop it in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  It is done when the egg mixture is no longer runny and it has a beautiful golden brown crust on top.

Congratulations! There is no longer a bread pudding injustice.  Take that, yogurt.

Wishing you all a fabulous Friday!

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