Peach Bread Pudding

Have you ever had bread pudding?

I was going to make a sandwich with the bread that my dad picked up from the Farmer’s Market a week (or so) ago.  I pulled out the bread and it was pretty dry and hard… and on the verge of molding.  Not sandwich material.  I didn’t want to waste it, though, and I remembered that bread pudding uses day (or so) old bread.

I never had bread pudding before.  I’d seen a bunch of recipes for it before, but it never looked appealing, so I never wanted to try it.  I found a pretty basic recipe and decided to try it.

Since I’d never made it before, I didn’t even know what to expect.  I wasn’t sure what the texture or taste or anything was going to taste like.  It has a kind of crunchy top and a custardy base.  Although I have nothing to compare it to, I thought it turned out pretty yummy!

The recipe is easy! Give it a try! 🙂

Peach Bread Pudding
Adapted from: AllRecipes

Ingredients

•  10 slices day-old bread (Half a loaf)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ½ cup raisins (optional)
• 2 peaches, diced and mixed w/ 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ cup  brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Incorporate peaches. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.

 

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

 

*Optional* Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. 

 

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped. 

Peach Bread Pudding

Have you ever had bread pudding?

I was going to make a sandwich with the bread that my dad picked up from the Farmer’s Market a week (or so) ago.  I pulled out the bread and it was pretty dry and hard… and on the verge of molding.  Not sandwich material.  I didn’t want to waste it, though, and I remembered that bread pudding uses day (or so) old bread.

I never had bread pudding before.  I’d seen a bunch of recipes for it before, but it never looked appealing, so I never wanted to try it.  I found a pretty basic recipe and decided to try it.

Since I’d never made it before, I didn’t even know what to expect.  I wasn’t sure what the texture or taste or anything was going to taste like.  It has a kind of crunchy top and a custardy base.  Although I have nothing to compare it to, I thought it turned out pretty yummy!

The recipe is easy! Give it a try! 🙂

Peach Bread Pudding
Adapted from: AllRecipes

Ingredients

•  10 slices day-old bread (Half a loaf)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 2 peaches, diced and mixed w/ 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup  brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Incorporate peaches. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.

 

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

 

*Optional* Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. 

 

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped. 

Peach Bread Pudding

Have you ever had bread pudding?

I was going to make a sandwich with the bread that my dad picked up from the Farmer’s Market a week (or so) ago.  I pulled out the bread and it was pretty dry and hard… and on the verge of molding.  Not sandwich material.  I didn’t want to waste it, though, and I remembered that bread pudding uses day (or so) old bread.

I never had bread pudding before.  I’d seen a bunch of recipes for it before, but it never looked appealing, so I never wanted to try it.  I found a pretty basic recipe and decided to try it.

Since I’d never made it before, I didn’t even know what to expect.  I wasn’t sure what the texture or taste or anything was going to taste like.  It has a kind of crunchy top and a custardy base.  Although I have nothing to compare it to, I thought it turned out pretty yummy!

The recipe is easy! Give it a try! 🙂

Peach Bread Pudding
Adapted from: AllRecipes

Ingredients

•  10 slices day-old bread (Half a loaf)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 2 peaches, diced and mixed w/ 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup  brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Incorporate peaches. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.

 

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

 

*Optional* Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. 

 

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped. 

Frozen Oreo Pie

I don’t know why, but I’ve been craving Oreo’s ALL week.

I didn’t know what I wanted to make, but I knew I had to have something, so I went to the store and bought Oreo’s.  I also bought Oreo’s Cookies ‘N’ Cream pudding because I was sure I could use that for something, too.  And some marshmallow fluff… because I love it and I was sure I could incorporate it in somewhere.  And whipped cream, because I was sure it would need a topping.

Once I got home, I started looking at some recipes and I saw this OREO and Fudge Ice Cream Cake and I really wanted to make it, but, remember?  I bought marshmallow fluff… and I was going to use it.  Also, I didn’t have ice cream sandwiches, but that’s just a minor detail.

So I decided to just make something with what I had and made this Frozen Oreo Pie.  I don’t regret not making the Ice Cream Cake, even though I’m sure it’s delicious.  This was so good.  And SO easy!! You should try it. 🙂

Ingredients:

• 20 Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 (heaping) tablespoons marshmallow fluff
• 1 package Oreo Cookies N Cream pudding
• 1 cup milk
• (approximately) 3 cups whipped topping
• (optional) 1 package Nabisco’s Oreo Thin Crisps (for sprinkling)
• 1 tablespoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

Instructions:

Crush Oreo’s with a food processor (or whatever chopping tool available) until you have fine crumbs.  

Mix with tablespoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff until fully incorporated.  Once mixed, form the mixture to a pie plate.  (Doesn’t have to go all the way to the top of pie plate).

 

Mix together pudding and milk for 2 minutes.

Once your pudding is made, fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping.  Spread this over your Oreo “pie crust”.  Then, (optional) crush up some more Oreo’s and mix in with remaining cup of whipped topping.
Spread the whipped topping/Oreo mixture over pudding mixture.

Sprinkle with extra Oreo’s or Oreo Thin Crisps and Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup.  
Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

 
When you cut the pie, run the knife under hot water.  It’ll make it so much easier to cut.

Frozen Oreo Pie

I don’t know why, but I’ve been craving Oreo’s ALL week.

I didn’t know what I wanted to make, but I knew I had to have something, so I went to the store and bought Oreo’s.  I also bought Oreo’s Cookies ‘N’ Cream pudding because I was sure I could use that for something, too.  And some marshmallow fluff… because I love it and I was sure I could incorporate it in somewhere.  And whipped cream, because I was sure it would need a topping.

Once I got home, I started looking at some recipes and I saw this OREO and Fudge Ice Cream Cake and I really wanted to make it, but, remember?  I bought marshmallow fluff… and I was going to use it.  Also, I didn’t have ice cream sandwiches, but that’s just a minor detail.

So I decided to just make something with what I had and made this Frozen Oreo Pie.  I don’t regret not making the Ice Cream Cake, even though I’m sure it’s delicious.  This was so good.  And SO easy!! You should try it. 🙂

Ingredients:

• 20 Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 (heaping) tablespoons marshmallow fluff
• 1 package Oreo Cookies N Cream pudding
• 1 cup milk
• (approximately) 3 cups whipped topping
• (optional) 1 package Nabisco’s Oreo Thin Crisps (for sprinkling)
• 1 tablespoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

Instructions:

Crush Oreo’s with a food processor (or whatever chopping tool available) until you have fine crumbs.  

Mix with tablespoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff until fully incorporated.  Once mixed, form the mixture to a pie plate.  (Doesn’t have to go all the way to the top of pie plate).

 

Mix together pudding and milk for 2 minutes.

Once your pudding is made, fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping.  Spread this over your Oreo “pie crust”.  Then, (optional) crush up some more Oreo’s and mix in with remaining cup of whipped topping.
Spread the whipped topping/Oreo mixture over pudding mixture.

Sprinkle with extra Oreo’s or Oreo Thin Crisps and Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup.  
Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

 
When you cut the pie, run the knife under hot water.  It’ll make it so much easier to cut.

Frozen Oreo Pie

I don’t know why, but I’ve been craving Oreo’s ALL week.

I didn’t know what I wanted to make, but I knew I had to have something, so I went to the store and bought Oreo’s.  I also bought Oreo’s Cookies ‘N’ Cream pudding because I was sure I could use that for something, too.  And some marshmallow fluff… because I love it and I was sure I could incorporate it in somewhere.  And whipped cream, because I was sure it would need a topping.

Once I got home, I started looking at some recipes and I saw this OREO and Fudge Ice Cream Cake and I really wanted to make it, but, remember?  I bought marshmallow fluff… and I was going to use it.  Also, I didn’t have ice cream sandwiches, but that’s just a minor detail.

So I decided to just make something with what I had and made this Frozen Oreo Pie.  I don’t regret not making the Ice Cream Cake, even though I’m sure it’s delicious.  This was so good.  And SO easy!! You should try it. 🙂

Ingredients:

• 20 Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 (heaping) tablespoons marshmallow fluff
• 1 package Oreo Cookies N Cream pudding
• 1 cup milk
• (approximately) 3 cups whipped topping
• (optional) 1 package Nabisco’s Oreo Thin Crisps (for sprinkling)
• 1 tablespoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

Instructions:

Crush Oreo’s with a food processor (or whatever chopping tool available) until you have fine crumbs.  

Mix with tablespoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff until fully incorporated.  Once mixed, form the mixture to a pie plate.  (Doesn’t have to go all the way to the top of pie plate).

 

Mix together pudding and milk for 2 minutes.

Once your pudding is made, fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping.  Spread this over your Oreo “pie crust”.  Then, (optional) crush up some more Oreo’s and mix in with remaining cup of whipped topping.
Spread the whipped topping/Oreo mixture over pudding mixture.

Sprinkle with extra Oreo’s or Oreo Thin Crisps and Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup.  
Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

 
When you cut the pie, run the knife under hot water.  It’ll make it so much easier to cut.

Facing My Fear — Chunky Apple Cake

I said I’d never do it, but I did it.

I made a recipe with my absolute least favorite word in the title.

Do you guys have a word that you can’t stand?  It makes you uncomfortable every time you hear it?

Well, I do. 

Chunk.

Ew.  Even typing it makes me cringe.

It may be because, once, in elementary school, a kid named Bryant threw up on my desk.  He sat in the desk across from me and he didn’t even have the decency to turn his head.  He didn’t go home afterward, either.  Not only did he not go home, but he was playing at recess.  I was completely confused as to why he would want to stay at school when he had a perfectly good excuse to go home.  I was also not happy that there was a risk of him throwing up again.  So I went up to him and I asked him why he was still at school.  (Rude, maybe? Sorry, Bryant.)  He said “Sorry for blowing chunks on your desk.  It was probably because I had some old fish last night."  Really?!!?  Sick!!  Ever since then, I’ve had a fear of vomit and I feel totally uncomfortable every time someone mentions that word.  I hate it.

But, I was looking through some recipes for apples because I had some leftover, and I found this cake.  It looked really, really good and I was totally excited to make it until I realized what it was called.  But then I decided it would be stupid not to make it just because of it’s unfortunate name.

So I made it anyway. And I didn’t even think about the incident while I was eating the cake.  And it was good!

Chunky Apple Cake (with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting)
Adapted from: Southern Living

• 1/2  cup  butter, melted
• 2  cups  sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 4  Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 1  cup  chopped walnuts, toasted
• Chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1-2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients.

Add to butter mixture, stirring until blended. The mixture will be really thick.  Almost like a cookie dough consistency.  Stir in apple slices (I diced mine a little bit, but the pieces were still pretty big) and 1 cup walnuts. Spread into a greased 13- x 9-inch pan, or two cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

While cake is cooling, make the frosting.  Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until it’s creamy and smooth. 

After cake is completely cooled, spread first layer with frosting, and then top with other layer and frost the rest of the cake.  Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

 

The cream cheese frosting was pretty good on the cake, but can be left off, or another frosting can be used in place.  Any ideas on a different frosting that would taste good with it?

Facing My Fear — Chunky Apple Cake

I said I’d never do it, but I did it.

I made a recipe with my absolute least favorite word in the title.

Do you guys have a word that you can’t stand?  It makes you uncomfortable every time you hear it?

Well, I do. 

Chunk.

Ew.  Even typing it makes me cringe.

It may be because, once, in elementary school, a kid named Bryant threw up on my desk.  He sat in the desk across from me and he didn’t even have the decency to turn his head.  He didn’t go home afterward, either.  Not only did he not go home, but he was playing at recess.  I was completely confused as to why he would want to stay at school when he had a perfectly good excuse to go home.  I was also not happy that there was a risk of him throwing up again.  So I went up to him and I asked him why he was still at school.  (Rude, maybe? Sorry, Bryant.)  He said “Sorry for blowing chunks on your desk.  It was probably because I had some old fish last night.”  Really?!!?  Sick!!  Ever since then, I’ve had a fear of vomit and I feel totally uncomfortable every time someone mentions that word.  I hate it.

But, I was looking through some recipes for apples because I had some leftover, and I found this cake.  It looked really, really good and I was totally excited to make it until I realized what it was called.  But then I decided it would be stupid not to make it just because of it’s unfortunate name.

So I made it anyway. And I didn’t even think about the incident while I was eating the cake.  And it was good!

Chunky Apple Cake (with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting)
Adapted from: Southern Living

• 1/2  cup  butter, melted
• 2  cups  sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 4  Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 1  cup  chopped walnuts, toasted
• Chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients.

Add to butter mixture, stirring until blended. The mixture will be really thick.  Almost like a cookie dough consistency.  Stir in apple slices (I diced mine a little bit, but the pieces were still pretty big) and 1 cup walnuts. Spread into a greased 13- x 9-inch pan, or two cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

While cake is cooling, make the frosting.  Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until it’s creamy and smooth. 

After cake is completely cooled, spread first layer with frosting, and then top with other layer and frost the rest of the cake.  Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

 

The cream cheese frosting was pretty good on the cake, but can be left off, or another frosting can be used in place.  Any ideas on a different frosting that would taste good with it?

Facing My Fear — Chunky Apple Cake

I said I’d never do it, but I did it.

I made a recipe with my absolute least favorite word in the title.

Do you guys have a word that you can’t stand?  It makes you uncomfortable every time you hear it?

Well, I do. 

Chunk.

Ew.  Even typing it makes me cringe.

It may be because, once, in elementary school, a kid named Bryant threw up on my desk.  He sat in the desk across from me and he didn’t even have the decency to turn his head.  He didn’t go home afterward, either.  Not only did he not go home, but he was playing at recess.  I was completely confused as to why he would want to stay at school when he had a perfectly good excuse to go home.  I was also not happy that there was a risk of him throwing up again.  So I went up to him and I asked him why he was still at school.  (Rude, maybe? Sorry, Bryant.)  He said “Sorry for blowing chunks on your desk.  It was probably because I had some old fish last night.”  Really?!!?  Sick!!  Ever since then, I’ve had a fear of vomit and I feel totally uncomfortable every time someone mentions that word.  I hate it.

But, I was looking through some recipes for apples because I had some leftover, and I found this cake.  It looked really, really good and I was totally excited to make it until I realized what it was called.  But then I decided it would be stupid not to make it just because of it’s unfortunate name.

So I made it anyway. And I didn’t even think about the incident while I was eating the cake.  And it was good!

Chunky Apple Cake (with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting)
Adapted from: Southern Living

• 1/2  cup  butter, melted
• 2  cups  sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 4  Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 1  cup  chopped walnuts, toasted
• Chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients.

Add to butter mixture, stirring until blended. The mixture will be really thick.  Almost like a cookie dough consistency.  Stir in apple slices (I diced mine a little bit, but the pieces were still pretty big) and 1 cup walnuts. Spread into a greased 13- x 9-inch pan, or two cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

While cake is cooling, make the frosting.  Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until it’s creamy and smooth. 

After cake is completely cooled, spread first layer with frosting, and then top with other layer and frost the rest of the cake.  Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

 

The cream cheese frosting was pretty good on the cake, but can be left off, or another frosting can be used in place.  Any ideas on a different frosting that would taste good with it?

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

FINALLY!  The week is OVER.  I’ve enjoyed my classes, but I am happy it’s over.  What about you guys?  Are you happy it’s Friday?

I’ve had a lot of homework this week and I’d like to think I’ve been working pretty hard.  I feel pretty accomplished now that the week is over. Has this week felt incredibly jam-packed to anybody else?!

I thought I’d rack up my accomplishments for the week by making cookies.  Cookies and I do NOT get along.  I try so hard to make them come out even halfway decent.  I’m not asking for perfection here, I would just like to make a cookie that doesn’t get rejected.  I would like to tell you all that I made my first good cookie.  Not only was it good, it was really, really good.  
A few days ago, I was reading Deb at Smitten Kitchen’s blog and I came across these Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate cookies.  Normally, oatmeal cookies are not my favorite.  Or white chocolate.  Or salted sweets.  But as I was reading her post, she wrote that they might have outranked her homemade oreos and that is the moment I knew I had to try them.  I couldn’t imagine how any cookie could outrank those… so I had to test it myself.

I’m glad I did because hese cookies are delicious!!  I still love the homemade oreos, but I can completely see how somebody might want to challenge these two cookies.  Even my boyfriend who doesn’t like sweets ate one… and another, and another.  Please make them…if I can do it, so can you!  Let me know how you like them.  🙂

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped (not “white chocolate” chips; they’re almost always artificial. I am adamant about this.) I used coconut white chocolate and I think the coconut added a really good flavor to the cookie.
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth.

Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

 
Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 ½ inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about ¾-inch thickness.

Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie.

Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

See the sea salt?