Cognac Raisin Bread Pudding

My family LOVES a good bread pudding!  There are 2 restaurants in our area where we specifically make sure we save room for dessert because their bread pudding is so good.  I have tried several recipes for bread pudding and I just never like them.  So today I just decided to do my own thing and see if it worked...and it was a family hit!  Seriously, we almost ate an entire 10 X 14 dish full of it!

My husband's favorite ice cream is rum raisin ice cream. And I have seen people use rum raisins in bread pudding, but sometimes I find that rum can taste a little bitter.  I decided to use cognac instead of rum because cognac has a fruity flavor with hints of caramel and vanilla.  It was a perfect choice!

Bread Pudding Ingredients:
1 loaf french bread (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1/2 raisins
1/2 cup cognac
4 eggs
2 cups Half and Half
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
splash of cognac (about a tablespoon)
pinch of salt (about a teaspoon)

Step 1:  Cut up your loaf of french bread, put it in your baking dish, and let it sit out on the counter for several hours or over night (if you are baking it for breakfast).  Technically, when making bread pudding, you are suppose to use day-old bread, but I am too impatient and this step worked great to "stale" the bread.  At the same time, put raisins in a small glass and cover with cognac.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter.

Step 2:  After the bread and raisins have sat out for several hours (about 6 hours).  Pour melted butter on top of the bread.  Use your hands to rub the bread around in it a little bit.  Take the raisin out of the cognac and drop them evenly over the bread.  Save the cognac for the sauce!!!

Step 3:  Whisk together eggs, half and half, cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, white sugar, and splash of cognac until well incorporated.  Evenly pour over bread.  Let sit for about 10 minutes.

Step 4:  Sprinkle brown sugar over the top and bake for 35-45 minutes at 350°.

Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cognac (used the same 1/2 cup that you used to soak the raisins in)

When the bread pudding is finished make the sauce.  Melt butter, sugar, and vanilla in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a low boil, remove from burner, add cognac.  Place back on the burner and reduce slightly to thicken.  EVENLY pour over the bread pudding.

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Crock Pot Chicken Tingas

This is one of my kids' FAVORITE dinners!  I use to make these on the stove (not the crock pot) but I hate to shred chicken!  So I just threw everything in the crock pot, making my life easier!

  Caution...it is a very messy dinner!  But it is so good, who cares?  Just lean over the plate and have lots of napkins!  

Crock Pot Ingredients:

2 Large Boneless Chicken Breast 

2 15oz. Cans of Stewed Tomatoes

2-3 Tablespoons Chipotle Peppers (crushed) or 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder or 1 clove of garlic chopped

1 Large Onion (quartered and sliced) 

~Place onions in the bottom of the crock pot.  Add chicken breast (mine are usually frozen...I just stick them in frozen!).  Blend or food process stewed tomatoes, chipotle peppers and garlic powder until well incorporated and pour over the chicken and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  This really can be cooked on the low or high setting.  I usually just put mine in the crock pot in the morning and cook it on low so it is ready for dinner.

For the Tinga:
*A tinga is just another word for tostada.  You can find these pre-made in the grociery store, but I usually fry up my own.

1 package of corn tortillas
Corn oil

~I set my burner to medium high and fry for about 1 minute on each side, until crisp.  Set aside to drain.

I like to serve my tingas with sour cream, sliced green onions, and a Mexican blend of shredded cheese.

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Crock Pot Spicy Beef

So...I made this whole crock pot full of spicy beef and forgot to take a picture so this picture is of the leftovers.  This is a simple recipe that takes minimal effort.  I stick it in the crock pot in the morning before I leave for school, and then finish it up in about 15 minutes when I get home.  

Crock Pot Ingredients:

3lb Chuck Roast

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

2 beef bouillon cubes (or substitute a can or 2 of beef broth instead of water...I just didn't have any)

4 bay leaves

2 stalks of celery (cut in 1/2)

1 onion (quartered and sliced)

4-5 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

Generously salt and peppper

Water to cover

~Place celery, onions, bay leaves and beef bouillon cubes in the bottom of your crock pot.  Place chuck roast on top.  Add the remaining ingredients and cover with water.  Cook on the lowest setting (8-10 hours).  

~When meat is tender (or in my case, when you get home from work), drain all the liquid.  Place beef and onions back in the crock pot and add the sauce below.

Spicy Beef Sauce:

1-15oz can stewed tomatoes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (or just regular chili powder is fine too)

1 tablespoon crushed chipotle peppers in adobe (1 pepper or if you crush the whole can, like I do, 1 tablespoon)

Salt and pepper 

~Put all ingredients in a blender and blend away!  (My blender is my BEST friend in the kitchen!  I use it almost everyday...I just hope it lasts until Christmas!)  Be sure to taste test the sauce to make sure you have enough salt and pepper.  Add it to the beef and then shred beef with a fork or I like to use my potato masher.  I let it cook on the highest setting for about 30 minutes so that the flavors marry together.

Serving Suggestions:

~On crunchy tacos or tortillas...for some reason, I like the crunchy tacos for this beef.  Top with Simply Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.

~On a sub roll...tonight I melted a few slices of smoked Gouda cheese on top of the bread under the broiler and added the beef!  It had a nice smokey flavor...so good!

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Open Faced Eggplant Parm Sandwiches on Texas Toast

Well, today is the last day of summer.  I can't believe that all 3 of my boys will be in elementary school!  I was planning to make something special for the first day of school dinner, but the more I thought about, I more I realized that was just crazy thinking because I am going to be exhausted...so leftovers it is!  And good ones at that!

This is a pretty easy and money saving dinner.  I did "spice it up" a little and I am going to share what I did, but I have made it with only store bought spaghetti sauce and it is good too.  Now, I know, frying is a process...it is messy, you have dredging stations, and your hands look like they have monster fingers when you are done...but it so worth it.  Trust me!

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (remove the skin and slice 1/4 inch thick rounds)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I like the Bertoli Sauces)
1 1/2 cup Italian Panko Bread Crumbs*
1/3 cup flour (add salt and pepper)
2 eggs plus a Tbsp of water (add salt and pepper)
Vegetable Oil for frying
Italian seasoning-Oregano, Garlic, Basil (to taste)
Mozzarella cheese (I used shredded this time because it is all I had, but I think the fresh ball of mozzarella would be better)

*If you can't find Italian Panko Bread Crumbs, just get plain and season it with Italian seasoning.

Optional:  I like to spice up my store bought spaghetti sauce, especially because eggplant is a bland vegetable.  I had some Kalamata olives and capers in my fridge that I didn't want to go bad so I chopped up about 1/4 cup of the olives and about 2 tablespoons of the capers.  I also chopped up 1 garlic clove and 1/2 of a onion (or shallot would be good too).  I heated some olive oil in a sauce pan with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, added the onions and garlic and cooked for about 2 minutes.  Then I added the olives and capers and cooked for another 2 minutes.  Last, I added the jarred spaghetti sauce and fresh basil and let simmer about 30 minutes.  This makes your sauce soooooooo flavorful and goes perfectly with the eggplant!

Step 1:  Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat until the oil looks to be moving slightly on top (that's how you know it is ready to go).  Set up your frying stations.  I use 3 round cake pans or pie dishes for my
stations.  In 1st I put the flour, in the 2nd I put eggs and water (beat them), and in the 3rd I put the Panko Bread Crumbs.  Season both the flour and eggs with salt and pepper.

Step 2:  Dip eggplant rounds in to the flour (shake excess off).  Then dip into the egg and water mixture.  Next coat the eggplant in bread crumbs.  Carefully drop into the oil and fry until golden brown (your favorite color when frying).  Remove from the oil and set aside.  Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (I just use what I have...a little garlic and basil).

Step 3:  While eggplants are frying, cook the Texas Toast according to package direction.  You want them firm so you may need to add a few minutes.

Step 4:  Assemble you sandwich!!!  Turn your broiler on.  Put 1 slice of eggplant on each piece of toast.  Top with spaghetti sauce and cheese.  Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.  And there you have it!

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