Easy Bread Pudding

I love bread pudding. I used to be put off by just the name until someone convinced me to try it and my life has never been the same. I think one reason I liked it was because of how much it reminded me of french toast...which I love. This little recipe is easy and yummy and doesn't make a huge pan full of pudding but can easily be doubled if you need more. I love it warm from the oven or heated up in the microwave. The sauce MAKES this dish in my opinion....but to push it over the edge, add some sweetened whipped cream. Because, why not?

Easy Bread Pudding



1/2 loaf french bread (about 6 thick slices)
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter ~ melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray.

Cut bread into cubes and place bread and raisins into a medium bowl.

Combine the melted butter and the milk and pour over the bread/raisins.

Beat the eggs with the vanilla and pour into the bowl.

Add the sugars and nutmeg and gently stir.

Pour mixture into the prepared pan and bake about 45 minutes or until center is set and pudding is light golden brown.

Serve with sauce (recipe follows).


Bread Pudding Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half & half
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugars and half & half. Heat to boiling then reduce heat to simmer and cook about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Serve over bread pudding.

 

Okay...let's do it!

 

Place the bread cubes and raisins 

in a bowl.Then add the milk/butter mixture.

 

Beat the eggs with the vanilla and add 

it to the bowl along with the sugars and nutmeg.

 

Pour into the prepared pan.

 

Bake!

 

Mix up the stuff for the sauce.

 

And cook about 10 minutes.

 

Pour that yummy sauce over a piece 

of the bread pudding and enjoy!

Cookie Butter Banana Bread

Do you like cookie butter? How about banana bread? Well...I happen to love both so I figured this would be a great way to mix the two. If I'd had some Biscoff cookies I would have crumbled them into the batter....but alas...I did not. But YOU should remember that when it comes time for you to make this yummy bread. And you should make it soon...just sayin'.

Cookie Butter Banana Bread



1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Cookie Butter or Biscoff Spread (found in the peanut butter aisle)
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas ~ mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 loaf pan with cooking spray. (I line the bottom of mine with parchment paper to help ensure easy release.)

In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and cookie butter.

Add the eggs.

Add the mashed bananas.

Gently add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 45 - 50 minutes until light golden brown and center is done.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes the remove bread from pan and cool completely.

 
The line up!

 
Mix together the sugar, shortening 
and cookie butter until smooth.

 
Then add the eggs.

 
Then mashed bananas.

 
Then the dry ingredients.

 
Pour batter into a well greased 
bread pan and bake. Allow to 
cool completely.

 
Slice and eat! This is so good with 
a little....okay..a LOT of butter spread on it!

Mexican Cheese Bread

As you know...we love soup year 'round in the SFFS house. I normally like to serve some kind of bread with our soup so I'm always looking for ways to jazz it up a little bit. So when I made a yummy enchilada soup not long ago, I wanted a bread to match it. A little spice...a little cheese. This bread is SO good! If you're not a fan of cilantro, and I know lots of people are not...just leave it out. A few diced green chilies sprinkled on would be really good or if you're the brave type, throw on some sliced jalapenos for extra heat. Super yummy, guys!

Mexican Cheese Bread 



1 loaf french bread ~ sliced in half horizontally
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheese
2 - 3 green onions ~ chopped
1/4 cup cilantro ~ chopped (optional)
1 cup cherry tomatoes ~ sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayo and the taco seasoning.

Add the cheese and stir. 

Divide cheese mixture and spread half on each loaf half.

Place sliced tomatoes on top and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. 

Place bread on a baking sheet and cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes until heated through.

Turn oven to broil.

Remove foil and broil bread until the bubbly on top.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before slicing.

 
Okay.....here we go!

 
Mix together the mayo and the taco mix.

 
Add the cheese, onion, and 
the cilantro, if using.

 
Divide the mixture in half and 
spread onto horizontally sliced bread. 
Place tomatoes on top. Place on a 
cookie sheet, cover with foil and bake.

 
See how yummy???

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread

Sweet breads are one of my favorite things. Also? Cream cheese. So when the two are combined, I'm all about it. This yummy bread isn't overly sweet...but just sweet enough. Great lightly toasted and spread with...what else? A little butter and some strawberry jam! This is great for a quick out-the-door breakfast or throw some in a lunch for a treat.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread



1/2 cup butter ~ room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese ~ room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups strawberries ~ rinsed, dried, and diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat until fluffy.

Mix in eggs, one at a time then mix in vanilla.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently mix until just blended.

Fold in strawberries.

Pour dough into prepared pan. Bake 45 - 50 minutes until done.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

 

Let's makes some bread!

 

Combine the butter, cream cheese 

and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Mix in 

eggs, one at a time.

 

Mix in the vanilla.

 

Gently mix in the flour, baking 

powder, baking soda and salt.

 

Add the buttermilk.

 

Fold in the berries.

 

Place the dough into a greased and floured pan.

 

Then bake!

 

Cool and slice.

Cheesy Hawaiian Pull-Apart Bread

Pull-apart bread is so great. Usually made with a round loaf of sourdough, there are just so many options to use to make it. Since IT Guy's not a big fan of sourdough, I decided to use King's Hawaiian instead. The sweet taste of the bread with the onion and the savory cheese makes a great side with spaghetti or lasagne...or even soup! Serve as an appetizer, too!

Cheesy Hawaiian Pull-Apart Bread



1 round loaf King's Hawaiian Bread
1 small red onion ~ finely diced
1/4 cup butter ~ melted
2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Leave bread in the foil pan in comes in and make slices 1 inch apart in a grid pattern. Let the foil pan be your guide as to how far down to cut but slice down into the middle of the bread so the pieces will come out easier.

Force the bread pieces open then drizzle the melted butter over the loaf.

Sprinkle with onions.

Scatter cheese onto the loaf, pressing some of it in between the slices then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Set the pan on a baking sheet and cover with foil. 

Allow bread to cook for 30 minutes until cheese is melted.

Remove foil, pull apart and eat.

 
The cast of characters for this yummy bread.

 
Slice...drizzle with melted butter 
then add the onion and cheese.

 
Cover and bake!

 
Pull apart and eat!

Cinnamon Orange Pull-apart Bread

What can I say about this easy and yummy little recipe except it's easy and yummy! Fix this as part of breakfast or for a dessert. When I make this, we just snack on it for a few days. It's delicious right out of the oven but you can heat up a piece in the microwave for a few seconds and it's also out of this world. Just a fun and simple and good little treat!

Cinnamon Orange Pull-apart Bread



2 containers Grands biscuits
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Juice and zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan very well with cooking spray.

Sprinkle pecans in the bottom of the pan.

In a small saucepan, combine the juice, zest, sugar and cinnamon. 

Cook mixture until just boiling. Remove from heat.

Add vanilla and stir.

Open biscuit cans and dip both sides of the biscuits in the orange mixture.

Arrange dipped biscuits in the bundt pan in one circular layer. 

Pour remaining sauce over the biscuits.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Place a large plate on top of the pan and carefully flip the pan over. 


Okay...let's get going! You see TWO oranges here. I only used ONE!

Spray your bundt pan really well with cooking spray then sprinkle in the pecans.

Then in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, orange juice and zest, the sugar and cinnamon. Heat to just boiling then remove from heat. Add the vanilla.

Then drop the biscuits in the orange juice mixture one at a time, turning over to coat both sides.

Then arrange in the pan. Pour remaining juice mixture over the biscuits.

Bake! Isn't that pretty!

Cool for a few minutes then place a plate on top of the pan and flip it over.

Like this!

Good, yes? YES!!

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Pecan pie? Bread pudding? Sounds like a winner to me! This is great not only for a dessert but as a breakfast casserole as well. It's something to keep in mind for New Year's day if you're having company and need something to serve. I'm pretty sure this will be a hit with everyone! It's stinkin' GOOD!


Pecan Pie Bread Pudding



1 14-ounce loaf french bread ~ cubed
4 eggs ~ beaten
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup half & half
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter ~ room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Spray a 8x11 inch baking dish with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cubed bread in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, milk, half & half, salt and sugar.

Pour mixture over bread cubes and press down to make sure bread soaks up the liquid. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and pecans.

Place half of the bread mixture in the prepared pan.

Top with half of the brown sugar mixture.

Top with remaining bread and remaining brown sugar mixtures.

Bake for 45 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Cool to room temp and serve with whipped cream.

 
Let's do it!

 
Cube the bread!

 
Mix together the milk, half & half, 
salt, sugar and vanilla.

 
Pour the milk mixture 
over the cubed bread. 
Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

 
Mix up the brown sugar, 
butter and pecans.

 
Start with half the bread mixture 
and half the pecan mixture in the 
bottom of the pan.

 
More bread mixture then 
the rest of the pecan mixture.

 
Bake it up and serve it warm 
with some whipped cream.