Wednesday, March 6, 2019

New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

I am often amused at the things that inspire me. I am currently involved in the sad task of clearing out the house that my mother and dad shared for over 30 years. As you can imagine, it is quite a challenge. It’s not just 30 years of memories, but a lifetime of memories, as many of them had been moved from their previous home. On the plus side, I have uncovered some real treasures. My mother, though not the dish-collecting enthusiast that I am, did manage to hold her own. I will end up with some beautiful sets of dishes.

While cleaning out the hutch in the breakfast nook I came upon a darling little wavy-edged, yellow, square Italian baking dish. I thought it was as cute as a button, and the first thing I that I wanted to make in it was bread pudding. Don’t ask me why, it’s small, and only makes servings for four, but it was so darned cute, that I couldn’t resist.

The result was excellent! I was put onto this recipe by fellow blogger Alycia Nichols from Tablescapes at Table 21. I’m sure a lot of you know her. She had made rice pudding (that still sounds good to me) and sent me her recipe for rice pudding, and the whiskey sauce that she used to top it. The whiskey sauce was a part of this bigger recipe. I tinkered with it a little bit to make it more flavorful, and it really is delicious. Add more whiskey if you like, it’s cold and flu season, you’re probably doing yourself a favor in the long run.

New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Adapted from One Dish Kitchen

5 cups cubed challah bread

1 tablespoon butter

2 large eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup whiskey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

WHISKEY SAUCE

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup whiskey

½ teaspoon whiskey flavoring

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 x 6 - inch baking dish with the tablespoon of butter; set aside.

Place the cubes of bread in a large bowl; set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, whiskey, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour over the bread and gently stir to combine. Allow the mixture to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Transfer the bread mixture to the baking dish and bake until the center of the bread pudding is set, 45 to 50 minutes.

While the bread pudding is baking, make the whiskey sauce.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, and sugar. Place the cornstarch, whiskey, and whiskey flavoring into a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

Pour the whiskey mixture into the cream mixture and bring to a boil. Once the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat, add the salt, and stir in the butter.

After the bread pudding has finished baking, remove from the oven and pour Whiskey Sauce over the top; serve warm.

Makes 2 massive appetite servings or 4 regular ones.

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If you like your bread pudding with a bit of chocolate added, then you will love Sunset 44 Bistro's Bread Pudding.

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Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Inspirational Sloppy Joes

Facebook friend Alycia of the Tablescapes at Table 21 blog recently posted a blurb and photo that had my mouthwatering. She had decided to make homemade Sloppy Joes, adapting her recipe from four or five recipes that she had found on Pinterest, playing with it until it tasted right. She added that they were so delicious that her husband didn't stop at two of them.

I couldn't remember the last time I had made Sloppy Joes, so was intent upon doing just that. She told me that her basic recipe was one from Pioneer Woman, but that she added a number of extra ingredients. I took the same recipe and, like she did, made it my own with numerous additions and deletions. They were so good, undoubtedly the best Sloppy Joes that I had ever eaten. Because I cut the original recipe in half as it would have made way too many for my interest, you can feel free to double this one if you like.

I think one of the reasons why I liked this version so much is because I used one of my favorite Melissa's products, yup, you guessed it, Fire Roast Sweet Red Bell Peppers instead of the called for fresh green pepper. There is a need, I think, to have peppers in a Sloppy Joe, but I have always found that green peppers tend to overwhelm the taste. These complemented rather than overwhelmed, and I will never make another Sloppy Joe without them. You have to try this recipe. With fall coming up it will be a mealtime staple, and is perfect for gatherings for football season.

Inspirational Sloppy Joes

1 Tablespoon butter

1-1/4 pounds ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup Melissa's Fire Roast Sweet Red Bell Peppers, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 cup ketchup (I used equal portions of regular and Sriracha ketchup)

1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Stubbs)

1/2 cup beef broth

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder (more or less, to taste)

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch red pepper flakes (more or less, to taste)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (more or less, to taste)

1 Tablespoon tomato paste (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (more or less, to taste)

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain fat on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add onions, red peppers, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until onion begins to soften.

Stir in ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and broth. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper, to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve on toasted buns.

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