Chocolate Bread Pudding

This is so delicious. Especially warm from the oven. It's chocolaty, gooey goodness.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
click here for a printable version
1 loaf Italian Bread - cut into cubes
¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
3 cups milk
½ cup coffee liqueur
1 Tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder (natural & dutched process blend)
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
6 eggs , lightly beaten
8 oz mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325° F

Butter a 13" x 9" backing dish. Fill with bread cubes.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In another bowl, whisk together milk, cream, coffee liqueur, chocolate syrup and vanilla.

Add sugar & cocoa mixture to milk mixture and whisk to combine.

Add eggs and whisk to combine.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour evenly over bread cubes.

Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 20 - 30 minutes until bread has absorbed most of the liquid.

Bake for 1 hour, or until set.

Serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream and, or caramel sauce.

Servings: 10

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Until next creation ---
Take Care & God Bless,
Alaine

Macaroni & (3) Cheese with Bacon, Onion and Tomato

OK guys - Here you go.......

My YUMMY Mac 'N Cheese. This is soooo good that I made it twice last week.

OK...... I made it twice because I was so excited to eat it the first time that I FORGOT to take pictures for the Blog. LOL

But I enjoyed it just as much the second time.

Ingredients:

(There is a link for the Printer Friendly recipe at end of post)

2 cups Elbow Macaroni, uncooked
¾ cup medium cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup smoked gouda cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmigiano-Romano cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon, diced
4 green onion chopped
½ cup sliced grape tomatoes or ¼ cup canned diced tomatoes with liquid squeezed out
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put large pot of water on to boil for pasta.

Take a couple of Tbls of each cheese and combine in small bowl with bread crumbs, set aside.

In a medium frying pan over medium high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and most of drippings, leaving about 2 Tbsl in pan. Add green onions and tomatoes and cook until onions are soft or if using fresh tomatoes, until tomatoes have burst and are soft. Add bacon back to pan, remove from heat and set aside.

Put pasta in boiling salted water and cook according to package directions. Do not rinse pasta.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour, paprika and cayenne and cook 1 minute. Turn up heat to medium and add chicken stock; then add milk and continue cooking until slightly thickened. Stir often so that sauce does not stick to bottom of pan. When thickened, add cheese, a handful at a time, to mixture while stirring to combine. remove from heat. Do not worry if the sauce is not completely smooth. After all the cheese is stirred in, add some fresh grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and put back into pot. Add bacon mixture and cheese sauce and stir to combine. Pour into 2 qt casserole dish. (I spray mine with Pam), top with cheese and breadcrumb mixture and bake at 500° F for 5 - 10 minute to brown top.

Oven Temperature: 500°F

Enjoy!!!!
Click here for Printer Friendly recipe.

Til Next Time,
Take Care & God Bless
Alaine

Ancho Pork Posole

Here is my Pork Posole recipe. Not sure just how authentic it is, but it works for us.

Ingredients:
(Printer Friendly recipe link at end of post)

1 lb pork loin, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Cloves fresh garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 can Hominy (29 oz) drained and rinsed
1 can Tomatillos (28 oz) drained
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can diced green chiles (4 oz)
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
¾ tsp Ancho Chile powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium high heat; sauté onions til transparent,

add garlic and pork.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook until pork is browned.

Add cumin, oregano and chili powder,

stir to coat meat with seasonings.

Add green chiles, diced tomatoes, hominy and tomatillos. Breaking up tomatillos as they are added

(I crush them in my hand as I add them, this way I can remove the stem end).

Do you have any idea how hard it is to add ingredients, hold the camera, focus and take a picture? All without burning what you are trying to cook?

Add chicken stock and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve with sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, minced onion and lemon wedges.

Don't ask me why some of these pictures decided to load sideways??? You should still get the "picture".

That's it - enjoy!!!
For Printer Friendly recipe, click here.

Til Next Time,
Take Care & God Bless your kitchen
Alaine