A Use for Stale Bread

I love pudding. It’s something I’ve always known I like, but it’s more of a love. All sorts, chocolate especially, but from tapioca to banana to flan and creme brulee. Just, yum. I maybe like it more than–get this: ice cream.

I also love great (simple) recipes. & more over, great recipe books that are a delight just to flip through & not on account of their beautiful photography, but on the rustic charm that adorns each page. Simple drawings & hand written directions make ANY recipe one worth taking a second look at. Plus, with no picture there’s always the thrill of seeing the final result & the curiosity of knowing whether it has turned out as it should. Obviously I have a cookbook in mind…

Having just re-seen Julie & Julia, I almost feel obligated to commit to this far-less involved & much simpler & more Lacey-style version of cooking in 1 year. Plus, there’s got to be like 1/8th as many recipes as Julia Child’s anthology…so. I have no more excuses. There will be list making & ingredient having until every last recipe has been tried. Should be good. This book is chock-full of wholesome goodness, down-home style, veggie needing concoctions that will broaden our favorite recipe list–no doubt. So, 1 recipe a week. That’s the goal, & a dessert. We’ll see–I may up the anty.

The bread-pudding was great. I used fresh blueberries instead of apples or dried fruit & would recommend cooking it until you are positive it is thoroughly cooked. Ours was a bit soggy, but much better with whipped cream (& cold, i’m a cold pudding type) & hot with ice cream would have been a treat… I’m going to share this one, but because I believe EVERYONE should have a copy anyway, just go order it if you want them all (& I think you do).

Mollie Katzen‘s Moosewood Cookbook Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding:
10 minutes to prepare
35 minutes to bake
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
 4 cups coarsely crumbled bread, 3 eggs (large), 3 cups milk, 3tbsp honey, 
2tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, juice from 1/2 lemon
1.5cup freshly grated apple and/or 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (we did blueberries), 
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Have ready a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Spread the bread & fruit in the pan.
3. Beat together remaining ingredients. Pour this custard over the bread.
4. Bake about 35 minutes, or until firm but not dry. Serve warm or at room temperature.

13 Comments

  • Joy Posted June 14, 2010 1:00 am

    I'm a pudding girl myself. I used to be more of an ice cream girl, but pregnancy #1 killed that somehow. I have and LOVE that cookbook, but somehow haven't tried that recipe. Must add to the list to try soon! Yum!

  • Mon Posted June 14, 2010 6:18 am

    other than tapioca (GROSS!) i'm a pudding gal. it was my move to england that opened up a world ofhot puds, like bread and butter. YUM

    thanks for sharing this recipe.

  • Melissa Posted June 14, 2010 10:29 am

    Drat you. Now I have to go make this. I might even have a half-cup of blueberries on my bushes. I've always wanted to know more about this cookbook– you've piqued my interest.

  • Naturalearthfarm Posted June 14, 2010 2:38 pm

    Oh, my husband loves bread pudding – he remembers from his childhood – and I have been wanting to make it with the leftover bits of bread – thank you for the reminder and I even have that cookbook.
    Warm wishes, Tonya

  • Heather Posted June 14, 2010 2:58 pm

    Oh I have never thought about this, especially since going GF. What a perfect way to enjoy bread once it has started to go. Thanks for the idea.

  • naqahdahnellie Posted June 14, 2010 11:44 pm

    I've always heard good things about the Moosewood books. However, I had one of her other books (The Enchanted Broccoli Forest) and hated it. Not a single recipe I tried did I like. I finally gave it away last month after almost 6 years. I might have to give her other books a try after all, though.

  • school house oils Posted June 15, 2010 1:03 am

    oh anelle. that is funny!! Well, we'll see, but I haven't ever had something I didn't love. I guess we'll find out for sure!

  • Amanda Posted June 15, 2010 2:21 am

    Yum! That looks so good! Thank you for the recipe- I will definitely be making some soon 🙂

  • Campbell Jane Posted June 15, 2010 2:26 am

    Blueberries in bread pudding! Oh man that looks good. I WILL try it! Thanks for sharing!

  • Alix Posted June 15, 2010 2:50 am

    Mmmmm this looks so good! It reminds me of this other recipe I've been meaning to try:

    http://www.visionsofsugarplum.com/2009/07/mixed-berry-bread-pudding-with-lemon.html

  • gardenmama Posted June 15, 2010 3:07 am

    wow! this is all so gorgeous!
    the moosewood is one of my favorite cookbooks : )

  • Teresa Posted June 15, 2010 4:10 am

    That looks absolutely yummy! 🙂

  • Sidonie Posted June 25, 2010 6:16 pm

    This is uncanny…about 2 decades ago I was cooking from this book, and this bread pudding was one of our all time favorites…We like adding whatever wild berry we can gather in season. Chopped walnuts/ripe bananas/cinnamon is another favorite addition. I just started following your farm blog…you story is soooo similar to ours…hugs…

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