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When Life Gives You Stale Bread…Make Bread Pudding ;)

March 27, 2020 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

I’ll say this…we are using what we have, and I am loving it. My children aren’t big fans of leftovers. Yet, here we are eating them. This momma made a fresh loaf of bread because, bread is life and therapy for me. I took the uneaten bread, cubed it up, along with the rest of the borderline-toss-bread and made this little treasure. You too can make this magic with whatever you have on hand.

Bread pudding is the ultimate comfort food. It is warm, and sweet. It has crunchy parts (my favorite) and the soft parts (my daughter’s favorite). This one is literally a hodgepodge of the stuff I had to use in my pantry. No complaints friends, no complaints.

The basics in the recipe are: old bread, eggs, milk, sugar. I used part 2% milk and part almond milk, because it is what I had. You can alter the recipe to suit your supplies. I also added Vanilla Bourbon because, why not add booze to your bread pudding? I threw in chocolate chunks because I always have some sort of bagged chocolate in my baking stash. I sprinkled straight brown sugar on top, without nuts or anything else mixed in. Think little rivers of melty brown sugar puddled in the mix. But, if you have walnuts or pecans on hand, add away. You can even melt some butter and add that to the topping, if you want. There is nothing spectacular in making bread pudding, and yet…it is glorious.

You could share your stale bread with the critters outside… or you could take a few minutes and make this dessert. Which, by the way, could also be considered a breakfast of sorts…think French toast casserole.

Cube up your older bread and leave to get stale overnight. Butter a casserole pan of choice. Mix together eggs, milk, bourbon, vanilla extract, sugar. Add your goodies, chocolate chunks, pecans, raisins (never in my world but you do you), what have you. Sprinkle a topping on top if you want. Then bake. It is that simple.

I find that depending on the size dish you use to bake, you may have to cook a little longer. I do not like the idea of raw egg mix hanging out in the middle of my bread pudding. I bake it for additional 5-7 minute increments based on how it looks. It should not be runny, it should not look done. The edges should be golden and it will smell like deliciousness.

I will say that in this time of being home the salty has called out to me, the sweet has not. I also just haven’t wanted to bake. One, I am taking this meal-by-meal. Two, I can’t have an abundance of sweets in this house to be divided by three people, two of whom are new to leftovers. That said, when I did pull this out of the oven the kids emerged from their spaces and we all had a dish, warm from the oven. It was lovely.

Right now life is imperfect and different. We are making some things up as we go. And there are soft bits and crunchy bits. We mix and match and do the best we can. So hey, why not give that crusty bread a second chance to be something warm and delicious? You won’t regret it. I promise.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always…thank you for coming to the table.

Love, Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

When Life Gives You Stale Bread…Make Bread Pudding 😉

Print Recipe

This is a throw together, left over, waste-not-want-not dessert that is making the best of this time of COVID-19. There is no wrong path here…

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

5 Large Beaten Eggs
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Almond Milk
3 Cups Cubed Stale Bread
1 Bag of Chocolate Chunks/Chips (or whatever you want to throw in)
Butter to coat inside of casserole paper
Additional Brown sugar to top

Instructions

Cube bread and leave out to get stale overnight.
Preheat oven to 350* and lightly butter a casserole dish (I used an oval Corelle ware white casserole, you can use anything up to a 13×9″ baking pan).
Mix together eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl, incorporate sugars and mix thoroughly.
Pour egg mixture over bread mixture and combine. Let sit for 10 minutes to soak in.
Add chocolate chunks or other mix ins and put in casserole dish. (I actually poured the egg mixture over the bread in the casserole dish and let it sit…whatever is easier for you).
Sprinkle additional brown sugar over the top of the saturated bread.
Bake for 45 minutes minimally- check and continue to bake until it is set.

Step Away from the Cheez-its and make yourself this Coconut Quinoa…

March 18, 2020 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Hello from the world different than it was when we rang it in. I saw a funny post today that said, “I didn’t intend to give up this much for Lent.” Which, was the humor I needed after the last week.

We are officially home from school, and I have thrown myself into a tailspin of bleaching and organizing and sorting. I haven’t been a good sleeper ever, and this hasn’t helped. For some reason controlling the list of crap I need to do in my house is helping. Only the people I love know how long my list is…and the fact that its typed out. Because, yeah… I don’t know. I’ve embraced my nerdness. Love it or leave it.

Now, in the light of all that is going on in the world I am very aware that I am blessed. I have a career where I am home, can still work, and do my part of social distancing. At this moment we are healthy, and if I can keep us this way and prevent us from causing harm to others, that’s the goal. I get that I am fortunate. I do. Wholeheartedly.

That said, I have kind of broken up with Weight Watchers. I have beenhosting a food-party that calls for every processed cheez-product-and-salt-carbs- chocolate-ice-cream-peanut-butter-standing-in-the-kitchen-alone-zone. I haven’t enjoyed bread for real in months. Game on. I baked bread last night and stood there with my children, real salted butter and real homemade strawberry jam and we had a party. I have eaten processed packaged cookies while making a puzzle. We have ordered take out unlike ever before.

I am essentially the swipe right of online dating with food.

However, we are in the “this is going to be for awhile” part of this process. We are five days in. This can not be my new lifestyle. I have worked too hard to eat my way through anxiety and grief. No matter how precious the Cheez its are in my world. (Think Gollum. That’s how I treat that big red box).

I am for using what I have on hand. I am for not wasting the food in my refrigerator. I want to be the culinary project runway and “make it work.” So when I saw a recipe for a creamy coconut quinoa on @kristydenney’s instagram story…I snapped that screenshot as fast as my fingers could.

The idea of quinoa being slowly cooked in coconut milk, with a hint of cinnamon sounded amazing. I changed up the recipe a bit to include shredded coconut, and almond milk. It’s a fairly simple recipe to follow. Similar to steel cut oats, but changed up. I feel like many of my readers may have half a container of quinoa around, so go ahead and grab it and make yourself a comforting breakfast that isn’t processed or fake cheese orange. (Wait, what…you don’t eat snack food for breakfast when you are stressed? Gold star for you…).

This recipe requires you to bring the coconut milk, water, and almond milk to a simmer with coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon, then slowly cook the quinoa. I added a little more almond milk because I didn’t want a crunchy texture…but you can cook it as you like.

Literally the options here are endless. I threw some more coconut and frozen blueberries on mine. Bananas, berries, maple syrup, peanut butter, nuts, more almond milk, whatever makes your heart happy here…go for it. Because, we need a little comfort today. We also need to nourish our hearts and souls and bodies.

Truthfully, most of last week I didn’t cook. Thursday night when we were told we were not going back to school I think my heart broke. As teachers we love our kids. We love our jobs. We love the routine of life as we know it. For some of us we extend our momma hearts to the students who need a momma’s heart. And now…everything looks different.

For a person who finds solace in cooking and feeding others, my heart kind of said, “why bother?”

But, my heart and your heart are resilient. And our kitchens need someone to create in it. Because we have people to feed, and will feed more and soon…because we live with hope, not despair.

My family, I am sending you so much love right now. I am sending you health and comfort, joy in seclusion, and a sense of wonder. I am sending you nourishment for your bodies, and hopefully, your hearts.

Put down the cheez its. They will be waiting for you later. I promise.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Much love,

Chrissy

Click below for printable recipe.

Creamy Coconut Quinoa

Print Recipe

Creamy coconut quinoa to serve as a base for a breakfast bowl or to eat on its own!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com modified from Kristy Denney’s recipe

Ingredients

Scale

1 Cup uncooked quinoa (I used tricolor because it is what I had on hand) rinse if necessary
13.5 ounce unsweetened Coconut Milk
1/4–1/3 Cup of Water
1/4–1/3 Cup of unsweetened Almond milk (I use the almond cashew blend because its what was in my refrigerator)
1 heaping teaspoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, cinnamon, and vanilla extract together and bring to a boil.
Reduce liquid to a simmer and add quinoa. Stir to combine, and lower heat to simmer.
Add almond milk and shredded coconut and cook until liquid is absorbed. I stirred frequently but not like you would with risotto.
(In Kristy’s recipe here is where she added collagen peptides…I did not)
Scoop into a bowl and top with whatever your heart desires.
Give yourself a hug from me.