Happy Valentine’s Day — What the world needs now is love sweet love or heart shaped Eggs.
I had Beignets on the patio at Café Du Monde in New Orleans about seven years ago. Café Du Monde is the Original French Market Coffee Stand that serves Café Au Lait and Hot Beignets aka French Doughnuts 24 Hours a day, year round. Love ’em when they’re HOT!
Café Du Monde has been a familiar New Orleans landmark in the French Market since 1862.
You can get Café Du Monde Beignet Mix at Cost Plus World Market just in time for Mardi Gras (on March 8th) or any time of the year — I celebrate with special indulgences on a whim.
Although I don’t love frying things, every now and then it’s necessary to make certain tasty treats, such as Onion Rings, Tortilla Chips, Fried Chicken and these French Doughnuts. They’re easy to make — Just Mix, Roll, Fry and Enjoy, as the package states.
Roll and cut into 2 1/4 inch squares as the original or into any shape you want.
A few Beignets were oddly shaped, but tasted the same.
Fry until golden brown, then sprinkle generously with Powdered Sugar. YUM!
And since it’s easy to make and tastes so good, I prepared fresh Whipped Cream too.
All was served as an after dinner dessert with previously prepared Lemon Curd, Coffee & Milk.
It’s as simple as Un, Deux, Trois, Quatre — Check the back of the box. Au revoir.
With little time to spare, I was recently tasked with bringing dessert on a camping trip. After scouting out potential mixes at the local grocery store, I chose Krusteaz Cinnamon Crumb Cake & Muffin Mix and a Ghiradelli Fudge Brownie Mix. The Brownies were good, but the Crumb Cake was amazing — Yes, amazing. The Cake was moist and the Crumb Topping stayed crisp. We wrestled over who got the last piece and it wasn’t me.
I’ve since gone back to the store to purchase several boxes — A couple boxes will be tacked on to Christmas gifts (hopefully the recipients don’t read this), a few others are reserved for future preparation, and one box was prepared for co-workers. Seven out of seven co-workers fell in love with it this morning. And again, I missed out on the last piece. It went fast. I’m telling ya, it’s good stuff.
And since it’s soooo good, we’re anxious to try other Krusteaz products. I currently have my eye on the Raspberry Bars, Key Lime Bars and the Berry Cobbler mixes. The results of those tastings will soon be reported here. One co-worker says their Pancake mixes are first-rate too, but we’ve yet to try ’em. FYI: If you’re too fabulous to prepare a simple mix, recipes using the pictured product (and others) are available on Krusteaz website.
Hurry, hurry, step right up to see the ‘Easiest Belgian Waffles in the World’ (or wannabes). The pictured Lemon Luxury Waffles were created for another contest, blah, blah, blah — I’m now up against the last hour deadline, thus there’s no time to explain. See an earlier entry here for more information. All week I’d been working on recipe creations using Nature’s Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread and this was a favorite!
They’re named Lemon Luxury Waffles because it’s a luxury that they’re so easy to make and they taste luxurious with Lemon Zest throughout the recipe. The above is a mixture of 1 Egg, 1 tsp. of Vanilla and Sugar (each) and 1/4 tsp. of Lemon Zest. It makes 2 – 3 Waffles using Nature’s Pride Bread (cut into the largest circles possible) and a Belgian Waffle Maker.
The warm Waffles are topped with fresh Whipped Cream (1 Cup) that’s beat with Powdered Sugar (2 -3 tbsp.) and 1/8 tsp. of Lemon Zest (or just a pinch).
If you don’t have a Belgian Waffle Maker, any will do.
Luxury Lemon Waffles are made similar to French Toast, without turning. Cut the Bread into the largest rounds possible, then dip each into the above mixture before placing rounds on the Waffle Maker. Cook until done throughout and golden brown. Plate and top with the Lemon Zest Cream. Garnish with a slice of Lemon Rind, Mint Leaf, or pretty Lemon Candy of some sort — I didn’t have the time or resources to jazz this one up, thus opted for available Lemon Rind.
I wasn’t sure if this recipe would work, but it did and beautifully — And the Lemon Zest makes it extra special tasting, kinda like old fashioned homemade Ice Cream. These Lemon Luxury Waffles were terrific. I hope I covered it all. If any questions, just ask.
The challenge continues in Morocco, where I’ve mentally traveled the past few days. As a lucky contender still kicking my way through Project Food Blog, I’m now asked to “tackle a classic dish from another culture” that’s “outside [my] comfort zone” — I can’t wait! I’m excited to advance to Challenge #2. Thank you judges, voters, God, family and friends.
During international cookbook immersion, a spark ignited for Kefta with Eggs and Tomato. I had sought to find a dish we really wanted to eat, one that had unique ingredients, yet not a ridiculous amount, and one that didn’t take too long to make, and it had to be colorful — I initially thought about Rogan Josh, but it didn’t pass the color test. Another time for that. Selecting an “ethnic classic” I wasn’t familiar with led me on a journey, as the prompt likely intended. Before understanding my chosen dish, I thought I’d be dining in the Middle East, then came to realize that I’d actually be in North Africa, most specifically Morocco having the pictured Kefta with Eggs and Tomato for supper with Moroccan friends. It’s also a classic brunch dish and it’s served as a snack at bus and train stations in between both destinations.
Kefta with Eggs and Tomato (with Ras El Hanout) is pin-pointedly Moroccan and satisfies all self-imposed and set standards of this challenge. What’s Ras El Hanout? Last week I had no clue and I’m still not sure how to pronounce it, but now know what it is. After calling all over town to purchase it off the shelf, I learned one jar was available 40 miles away. At that moment I realized that it wasn’t necessary to drive there, since [it] is a somewhat subjective spice — Meaning Ras El Hanout is not one spice. It’s sold in countless spice variations.
In Arabic, Ras El Hanout means “top of the shop” and refers to the best spices a seller has to offer. It usually contains no less than a dozen spices and sometimes up to a hundred. It’s also believed to be an aphrodisiac. Does it mean that each Ras El Hanout combination magically morphs into an aphrodisiac? I’m not sure about that, but it’s fun to wonder about. Since I had all ingredients on hand, I made my own Ras El Hanout to find out. I found several recipes on the web and chose one that sounded best to me. I halved the recipe and added two ingredients that were common in similar recipes. Nibbles of Tidbits’ Ras El Hanout Recipe is posted here:
1 Teaspoon of Cumin
1 Teaspoon of Ginger
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric
1 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Allspice
1/2 Teaspoon of Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon of Red Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Saffron Threads
1/2 Teaspoon of Cardamom
1/4 Teaspoon of Cloves
1/8 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
1 1/2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
Toast and grind spices if whole, then combine all and keep in an airtight container. I reused a saved spice jar and slapped a new label over it.
Kefta is basically ground meat, most commonly Lamb and/or Beef that’s mixed with a variety of herbs and spices — It’s then formed into balls, sticks or loaves, and grilled, fried or baked, etc. The recipe made here is based on one from The African and Middle Eastern Cookbook (pg. 103). I stayed true to authenticity, yet made it a little tastier by caramelizing the Onions before adding them to the Meatball mixture, and easier by baking them instead of frying ’em. In addition, I added Garlic, as seen in many Moroccan Kefta recipes, and I used fresh Tomatoes instead of canned. Nibbles of Tidbits’ Kefta with Eggs and Tomato Recipe is posted here:
1 lb. of Ground Lamb
1 small chopped Sweet Onion
1 Cup of Bread Crumbs
4 – 5 Eggs
1 large minced Garlic Clove
6 large fresh chopped Tomatoes
2 + 1 Teaspoon(s) of Ras El Hanout
1/4 Cup of chopped fresh Cilantro
1/2 Cup of Water* (1/4 + 1/4)
Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped), a little for Sauce and garnish
Salt and freshly ground Pepper
Olive Oil for baking sheet and Onion sauté
Sauté Onion until caramelized. Add Garlic, cook two minutes longer and set aside. Combine the Lamb, Bread Crumbs, 1 Egg, Ras El Hanout (2 tsps.), Onions and Garlic, Cilantro and S & P. Mix together well, then add Water, 1/4 cup at a time until incorporated. Form into medium sized Meatballs and bake in a preheated 400° oven for 25 – 30 minutes.
* Adding Water or Milk to a Meatball recipe lightens them up, whereas they cut like butta. There’s no reason for a Meatball to be tough, unless you’re a biker named One Tough Meatball.
To make the Sauce, combine the Tomatoes, Sugar, reserved Ras El Hanout (1 tsp.) and a handful of Flat Leaf Parsley. Simmer until reduced, then add the baked Meatballs to the Sauce. Form 3 – 4 wells for the Eggs. Crack ’em directly into the skillet, cover and cook until Eggs are set. Serve straight from the skillet with Crusty Bread.
For continued authenticity, we served the Kefta with Sweet Mint Green Tea, Orange Juice and Olives, popular beverages and a snack in Morocco. I properly mixed the Tea too.
Kefta with Eggs and Tomato turned out to be a flavorful, hearty and beautiful dish. For this challenge, I read 15 – 20 recipes to create an adaptation that kept the dish authentic, yet made it easier to prepare and better to eat. I can’t help it — It’s all I know. 🙂
Could this post be worthy of (1) of your (200) votes? I hope so! I’m exhausted, yet still wanting to line up standby guests for the Discovery Dinner Party, in the event there’s reason to celebrate. My brain is on the last flight back from Morocco.
You may VOTE FOR ME here.
Although the pictured isn’t truly a Trifle, since no Sponge Cake, Custard or Fruit Juice is used, and not technically a Parfait, since no Ice Cream or Granola is included, we’re still calling it a Cinnamon & Sugar Toast Breakfast Trifle. It’s simple to make and the second recipe created for entry in Nature’s Pride Bread Ambassadorship program. Nibbles of Tidbits’ first recipe submission for Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast is linked here. Both are delicious and thus hope one sends me to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in style. We’ll see. If not, we’d still make ’em again.
Cinnamon & Sugar Toast Breakfast Trifle
Recipe Ingredients, Instructions & Tips:
* Nature’s Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread * Cinnamon * Sugar * Butter *Yogurt * Fruit
Butter one slice of Wheat Bread per person, then sprinkle each with Cinnamon and Sugar and cut into squares as shown above. Toss all in a large baggie with a little more Cinnamon and Sugar to liberally coat all sides. Bake all in the oven (or toaster oven) at 300° until golden brown (10 – 15 minutes). Be careful not to burn ’em, like the first batch I made. Once the Cinnamon and Sugar Croutons are prepared, you can build the pseudo-Trifle using your favorite Yogurt and Fruit. The above Cinnamon & Sugar Toast Breakfast Trifle started with a layer of Cinnamon and Sugar Croutons followed by a layer of fresh Blueberries, then Raspberry Yogurt (repeat ending with Yogurt on top). It was then garnished with a fresh, fanned Strawberry and a few choice Croutons. Any combination of Yogurt and Fruit may be used.
We made another (above) using alternating layers of fresh Blueberries and Strawberries with Vanilla Yogurt in between and it was just as good. They are easy to make and a terrific way to enjoy your morning Toast, Yogurt and Fruit. Measurements aren’t provided, since it depends on the serving glass size — Generally each should receive one slice of Bread and roughly six ounces of Yogurt, along with the Cinnamon and Sugar Croutons and the freshest Fruit available at the time. Add just enough Cinnamon and Sugar to adhere to the Bread squares before baking.
09/19/10 Update: It appears this recipe won’t be securing me a spot as Ambassador, since I just saw a similar recipe published by Nature’s Pride a year earlier than this one — I guess it’s a pretty simple assumption. I have a better idea to be posted soon.
I’ve always wanted to make Heart Shaped Eggs & Toast and just learned that it’s hard to get the Egg Yolk to perch in the center of the Bread — It tends to settle in one curve of the heart or the other. Oh well, does it matter? I think so, since the results look more spooky than romantic. Did the freshly ground Pepper land perfectly to form eyeballs? No, they’re fun props once employed for another project. It’s funny how they instantly bring things to life. 🙂
I used Nature’s Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread and large fresh (recall proof) Eggs. To view other Nature’s Pride Bread recipes and info, check out this link. Should the above be made again for Valentine’s Day or Halloween? I wonder what Rorschach would say?
I concur with the message in this video by the Bulk is Green Council. You can save time and money buying certain items in the bulk aisle, rather than elsewhere scattered throughout the store. I recently experienced its benefits at Henry’s Farmers Market — A great store for bulk.
Above is just a sliver of Henry’s bulk foods selection — Don’t forget to write the item number on each tag / bag sealer, so the checker will know how to ring it up. Many items look the same, especially the powdered goods. It can be a fair amount of writing if you get a variety. This day we tried a little of a lot (about 15 items). It was entertaining and we did see that money can be saved when needing a little or a lot of certain things.
I’m advised that it’s National Bulk Foods Day on October 23rd — Hhhmmm, it seems there’s a day for everything now. Did you know it’s National Nibbles of Tidbits Day on December 3rd? It is! Until then, buy from the bulk foods aisle.
I’m pondering why I want to try this? It looks kinda cool. No disrespect to Eggs or Chickens or God, although what’s worse than eating ’em? I do that. Hhhhmmm, too deep right now and a downer topic for a food blog — Instead, check out more unique, interesting and funny food photos and videos at My Food Looks Funny. They’ve collected some good stuff.
When cooked, there’s a hidden Spinach surprise beneath each Egg. This recipe was inspired by one prepared by Chef Jamie Gwen and my love of Eggs Florentine as an alternate to Eggs Benedict, another breakfast favorite — I combined aspects of each, along with Nature’s Pride 100% Wheat Bread to create the best marriage of all. I’m calling this one Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast. They’re easy to make and produce a remarkable presentation of flavor.
This recipe was fashioned for potential Bread Ambassadorship to be bestowed by Nature’s Pride, an official Sponsor of the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco this November. It would be a tremendous honor to be one of the chosen six — I’ll stress later about demoing it at the Pavilion, if selected. Can I get a volunteer to dice the Onions and crack the Eggs? 🙂
As shown in photos (l – r) downward, I used Nature’s Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread, and to be honest I’m not a big Wheat Bread gal, but do enjoy the double-wrapped freshness, texture and taste of Nature’s Pride Breads in general. In my experience, the one’s I’ve tried have been exceptional — I’m happy to report. This recipe was developed with it as the base.
The Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast does rest on the “Toast” — First cut the Bread slices into rounds with a well-sized Cookie or Biscuit cutter, then toast them (light – medium) in the oven or toaster oven. Both work well if you don’t burn ’em. No neglect can happen.
Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast
Recipe Ingredients, Instructions & Tips:
* Nature’s Pride 100% Wheat Bread * Baby Spinach * Eggs * Sweet Onion
*Deli Ham Slices * Lemon Zest * Green Onions * Olive Oil * Cooking Spray
Dice and caramelize Onions until golden brown, then stuff the same large pot with washed fresh Spinach. Cook down the Spinach* and all liquid, stir in the Lemon Zest** and set mixture aside to drain. Spray Cupcake/Muffin pans with preferred Cooking Spray and place one Toast round in each cup, then arrange the Ham*** slices formed into a cup over each Toast. Add a portion of the drained Spinach mixture on top of the the Ham, crack an Egg over each, season with Salt and freshly ground Pepper, and then bake all in a preheated oven at 375° for 15 minutes. Remove and transfer to a serving platter and/or awaiting plates and garnish with Green Onions.
* The amount of Spinach to use is sometimes hard to estimate. For six Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast I used about 6 – 7 cups of fresh Spinach. Add approximately (2) tablespoons of the cooked Florentine mixture to each cup being sure to leave enough room for the Egg. As a test, I also prepared one Florentine combo (pictured above) with uncooked cut Spinach and Lemon Zest and it didn’t turn out nearly as flavorful, thus it’s not recommended. I’m always looking for a good tasting shortcut.
** Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of Lemon Zest after cooking the Spinach mixture. Its addition is meant to bring in the essence of a Hollandaise Sauce, which is usually included with Eggs Florentine and Benedict.
*** Ask your Deli Guy/Gal to slice their finest Ham into medium thick slices (not too thick). The pictured Ham slices were a bit too thin. It’s best to use thicker slices, so the Egg doesn’t leak through. If it does leak a little, it’s not the end of the world. And believe it or not, the Toast base does adhere to the Ham top for easy removal from the pan.
Note: I must state the following… As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I’ll receive a coupon good for a package of Bread. That’s it. The pictured loaf was on my dime, as I wanted to get started on this fun concoction. I’ve learned that Wheat Bread is good to eat too. Thanks for the consideration Foodbuzz and Nature’s Pride. Enjoy the recipe!
I recently saw a Dolphin Banana on a party fruit platter and was compelled to make the same out of this morning’s Banana and a Spinach Leaf. It’s not bad for a first attempt, but I think its nose is a (little) too short — Either way it made for an entertaining breakfast. Try it.
Thanks for the Parfaits on the Bay! It may have been my first. I’d enjoyed a Trifle or two, but not yet a Parfait, which I believe is roughly similar minus the Cake, as explained by my personal headless Chef. 🙂 He made these with layerings of Vanilla and Peach Yogurt, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Granola and Whipped Cream. We forgot to include the Banana, but it wasn’t necessary with all the fresh Berries that were included.
All ingredients were transported by backpack, while scouting out the best location to enjoy ’em. We ultimately decided on Parfaits on the Bay, a makeshift restaurant that’s open any time — Private outdoor seating for two. It was a beautiful day and a great idea for anyone.
I originally set out to find a good Pineapple Upside Down Cupcake recipe, when I came across Paula Deen’s Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits — Since the preparation couldn’t be easier and they seemed fun to make, I opted to try the Biscuits (Package of 10) before making the Cupcakes. I used fresh chopped Pineapple and halved, pitted Cherries instead of canned and jarred fruit.
The complete recipe is linked here, but you basically just — Add a combination of crushed Pineapple, softened Butter, Brown Sugar and halved Cherries to (10) greased Muffin/Cupcake cups, and then top each with a Biscuit and Pineapple Juice and bake at 400° for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Pineapple, Butter & Brown Sugar in Muffin/Cupcake cups.
Cherry added to the center.
Pineapple Juice added over the top of each Biscuit before cooking.
Let cool for 2 minutes, then invert over a plate or tray.
These Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits are best served warm and go fast. If any leftovers, reheat ’em in the microwave for about 30 seconds. They’re a good fix for a quick and easy Pineapple Upside treat.
I never considered making my own Pop-Tarts until contacted with the idea, then thought it’d be fun to give it a try. The pictured Pop-Tart was indeed good, but questionably worth the work. With respect to Pop-Tarts, I’d rather grab one out of the box and put it in the toaster oven. This one tasted like dessert — A scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream would’ve been right on with it.
I followed the Pop-Tart recipe forwarded to me and used the best Raspberry Preserves I could find. It’s suggested that one simply use their favorite Pie Crust recipe along with the best, thick Preserves to create the ultimate Pop-Tart. The recipe used to make the pictured Pop-Tart was thought to be a little too buttery for breakfast, but yummy for a desserty-ish treat.
Overall, it’s fun to make homemade Pop-Tarts once. It’s decided that we’d prefer to make a Pie rather than multiple Pop-Tarts. It’s less work and nicely cooked packaged Pop-Tarts are good enough.
Chef Kristine Subido’s Breakfast/Nourish Menu at Wave inspired our attempt at making the pictured homemade Pop-Tart. We’d love to travel to Chicago sometime to have the real goods. They say believe in breakfast again — We try.
* Our apologies for the quality of the pre-baked Pop-Tart photo directly above.
As a Tastemaker for Foodbuzz, we got to try the newest SoyJoy Baked Whole Soy & Fruit Bar. It’s Blueberry, one of our favorite flavors — Good start. And we generally appreciate a tasty and healthy breakfast bar. It was our first time (4 of us) trying a SoyJoy product. Unwrapped we all like how they look — Baked, fruity, easy to eat and toasted. After that we dueled over their taste. Two liked their flavor and texture and the other two found them a little too dense to finish and more bland than anticipated. Overall, no one here considers them bad, one might buy them, and Holly the Dog was hoping to catch a bite. Thanks SoyJoy and Foodbuzz. It’s always fun to try new high quality products.
* Bars have 0 Grams Trans Fat, No Hydrogenated Oils, 140 Calories, B Vitamins, etc. Go to SoyJoy for the rest.
For breakfast I recently enjoyed a simple Egg Salad (Eggs, Apple Cider Vinegar, Mayo, Mustard, Salt and Pepper) with a few strips of nutritious Bacon — Instead of making a Sandwich, I ate ’em together like Chips & Salsa. Why not?
Special K just added a couple new products to their repertoire. Over the years I’ve enjoyed many boxes of Special K’s Original Cereal, thus opted-in to try their latest products as a Tastemaker for Foodbuzz. This day four of us gathered together to sample Special K’s Fruit Crisps and Low-Fat Granola. We reached a consensus regarding one of Special K’s new products and were divided with respect to the other — Our assessment is noted below.
Immediately we ALL fell in love with the Blueberry Fruit Crisps. They are indeed crispy, light and slightly sweet as reported. Each pouch of (2) is only 100 calories, which makes for a great health conscious snack. We’d all buy them next time. They also come in Strawberry. And with respect to the Low-Fat Granola we were divided — Two think it’s terrific, one is on the fence and another didn’t care for its after-taste. Personally I’m a bigger fan of their Original, Cinnamon Pecan, Blueberry and Red Berries Cereals. Overall, Special K makes a lot of tasty products and we appreciate the opportunity to try their latest.
Have you ever made a Dutch Baby? It’s a German Pancake that’s easy to make and impressive to serve. It’ll definitely be on the menu at my next brunch party. I located several recipes for Dutch Baby Pancakes, but ultimately prepared the one in this video — Then served it with Powdered Sugar, Blackberries, Blueberries and Strawberries.
Above photos follow along with the video / recipe used to prepare this Dutch Baby. Next time I might squeeze in a little Lemon or a teaspoon of Cinnamon and Sugar to add more flavor to the batter (Eggs, Flour, Milk, Salt). Without much effort, Dutch Babies make special desserts and mid-morning treats that consistently wow guests.
I made French Toast with the last slice of Panettone. It’s not the best photo above, but the Panettone French Toast Recipe is a good one. It’s a taste combination of Bread Pudding and French Toast, if that makes sense. I often like adding citrus zest to recipes, thus appreciate the Orange Zest in this French Toast. And now I’m truly a Panettone lover — I want more. After all these years, I didn’t know this traditional Italian Sweet Bread was so delicious.
And the winner of the Giant Panettone, plus Bauducco’s amazing Panettone with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips is… Kat Foster. Congratulations Kat! We’ll be contacting you shortly to learn where to send your prize. Thanks to all who entered. We wish we could have given another Panettone to Vic, Alexis, Kathy and Jade for their diligent entries and touching stories. We sincerely appreciate all.
NOTE: Nibbles of Tidbits always draws its contest winners fair and square, which is out of a hat, box or jar of folded names of all who entered.
Still hoping to earn a Foodbuzz Blogger Festival Scholarship, I prepared this Bread Pudding recipe. It’s adapted from a recipe created about 10 years ago. This version is dubbed Rustic Bread Pudding— Recipe entries for a Nature’s Pride sponsorship to attend the festival are due today. Nature’s Pride’s Multi-Grain Bread was used in this recipe, since the 100% Whole Wheat and 12 Grain Bread I received as a Foodbuzz Tastemaker was gone. Click here to learn more about that. I subsequently purchased the Multi-Grain for this recipe, since the 12 Grain wasn’t available. The Bread was first toasted, which brings out its flavor and ultimately adds a marbled look to the finished Pudding.
Ingredients:
8 Bread slices (Nature’s Pride Multi-Grain or 12 Grain)
4 Eggs, beaten
2 Cups of Milk
1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
2 Tsps. of Butter (melted at room temperature)
1 Tsp. of Vanilla Extract
2 Tsps. of Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp. of Nutmeg
1 Tsp. of Orange Zest (or zest of one Orange)
Directions:
Place Bread slices on a cookie sheet and toast in a 325° oven until golden brown, turning slices once (about 10 minutes). Remove Bread from oven and let cool — Tear slices into rustic pieces, add to a baking dish and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the Eggs, Milk, Butter, Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Orange Zest, Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Mix well, then slowly pour over the toasted Bread until all are well moistened. Set aside to allow the liquid mixture to penetrate evenly before baking — Press down gently with the back of a large spoon. Once moistened throughout, bake in the 325° preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until set in the center. Remove from the oven, let cool a little and serve warm. It’s best that way.
NOTE: The pictured Bread Pudding was a little dry and definitely needed Powdered Sugar and/or an Orange Juice Glaze (OJ & Powdered Sugar). The above recipe was written to improve the taste and texture of this initial test. We regret to report this information, but believe it’s important to consider. No time is left for re-testing, but still want to join the festival. 🙂
UPDATE 10/22/09: Unfortunately I didn’t win this one, but you can check out the winning recipes here. Thanks for the opportunity Foodbuzz and Nature’s Pride.
As an occasional Tastemaker for Foodbuzz, I opted to try a new brand of 100% Natural Breads. And although not much of a Bread person, especially Wheat Bread, I’m now sold on Nature’s Pride. I didn’t expect to like their 100% Whole Wheat and 12 Grain Bread as much as I do — I most often prefer Sourdough, but was happily impressed from the start with the double wrapping and freshness. The texture and color of the 12 Grain reminded me of the best Amish Friendship Bread I once had, a very good thing. And the taste of the 100% Whole Wheat won me over. Once it was finished, I started falling for the 12 Grain. It appears Nature’s Pride makes high quality, tasty Bread. Two thumbs up by each of our four Tastemakers who enjoyed the meals prepared above and below. Hover over each photo for a brief description. This opportunity was a pleasure.
Since we also report about cooking mishaps, keep an eye on your Toast. We burnt way too many slices. 🙁
Donuts are available for breakfast every Sunday at Mariners Church in Irvine. It’s what I had for breakfast this morning — ALL these Donuts. I’m stuffed. 🙂 The middle photo is of their new Chapel, a beautiful setting for a wedding or funeral. And Rosemary bushes are planted throughout the campus, so I grabbed a sprig for dinner tonight.
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