MAPLE PECAN BREAD PUDDING

my grandparents [mom’s side] have been visiting from South Africa (the motherland) for almost 8 weeks now

& to top it all off my fab boyfriend has officially moved back to North Carolina (his original home) and moved in with none other than yours truly!

I think those reasons suffice a little back log in blog posts… But stay tuned because I have many blogs coming your way (as fast as I can possibly type)!

Tonights blog post was not made tonight, I dare say it was so long ago that it was Mother’s day (yikes). But this blog post is definitely worth that wait because it is the most decadent breakfast you are going to eat not in a restaurant!

and yes there were mimosas.

This is a Martha Stewart recipe, and man that’s my girl. I love her recipes and photography! The best cookbook I own is hers, Great Food Fast. Check that book out and while you’re at it, go ahead and purchase it. It will be the best cookbook you ever buy/own, trust me!

The original breakfast recipe can be found on her website, Maple-Pecan Bread Pudding.

What I really like about this bread pudding/french toast dish is that it is easy and care free. The most complicated part is drying out the bread (drying means that you toast the bread to remove all moisture without the bread becoming brown or golden).

maple pecan bread pudding

ingredients:

1 8 ounce baguette
2 cups half & half (fat free or full cream)
2 large eggs
2/3 cup maple syrup (high quality please- glass bottle instead of plastic for more maple flavor)
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 vanilla extract

directions:
1. spray a 2 quart baking dish, preheat the oven to 325
2. cut baguette at an angle, about 1 inch pieces
3. lay bread on a baking sheet and bake until dried, flipping half way through
4. dont let bread brown, only about 15 minutes in total
5. once bread is dried remove and let cool
6. in a large bowl mix all other ingredients, except pecans
7. mix custard with a big whisk
8. put bread pieces into bowl and mix into custard
9. lay out bread pieces overlapping each other in baking dish, pour custard over the bread
10. let stand 10 minutes
11. cover custard and bread with pecans evenly
12. bake for 30 minutes (until the custard is no longer runny in the center)
13. pour cream and maple syrup over to serve!

And just for a little extra googly eyes, I had to post the most delicious burger I had tonight. Although I can’t take credit for this one, my mom made these burgers from scratch and they are heavenly. I made some caramelized onions and my special burger sauce. I mean if you’re going to do it, do it right!

Now you can salivate over them as well ;)