your own bread pudding

i call this recipe "your own" bread pudding because there is a little bit of room to really make this your own! i had a few different types of bread around the house, so decided to put them to use! i used some leftover bits of a loaf of banana bread i had made and of some challah bread. i think the recipe is so delicious because these two breads made the pudding very moist and the flavor was just a bit sweeter than usual. but, you could use whatever types of bread you feel fitting... i think someone should experiment and replace the banana bread with pumpkin bread! mmm!

ingredients:

3 cups banana bread (1 inch cubes)
3 cups challah bread (1 inch cubes)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
---
to sprinkle on top (optional):
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

directions:

grease a casserole dish (mine was oddly shaped, but around 8 inches by 11 inches). preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
put the cubed bread mixture in the greased casserole dish.
in a separate bowl, beat the eggs. whisk in the milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. the cinnamon may look clumpy, but it soaks into the bread and tastes fine when cooked. pour this mixture over the bread. make sure all the bread is wet.






put the dish in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. after you take it out, fluff it up a little with a fork so it isn't all flat and weighed down by the liquid.



put it in the oven, and after 20 minutes, take it out and sprinkle the turbinado sugar and cinnamon over the top.
put the dish back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes (so, if you aren't sprinkling sugar and cinnamon over the top, just cook for 40 minutes).
take out, let cool, and enjoy!



i made this in the morning, so i wasn't really in the mood for rap. i was listening to more mellow music this time.
songs i was listening to:

bat for lashes- prescilla
broken social scene- i'm still your fag
bloc party- two more years (MSTRKRFT remix)
cassino- the gin war
cesare cremonini- figlio di un re
margot & the nuclear so and so's- skeleton key
andrew bird- skin is, my
minus the bear- el torrente

m&m cookies

i thought that my first post should have to do with a recipe that involves m&ms, because i love them. i would have to say that my favorite thing to bake is cookies, so... i bring you m&m cookies! these are the perfect balance between sweet and salty, and super moist.

ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup m&ms
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees
use either a silpat, parchment paper, greased cookie sheet, or non-stick cookie sheet.

microwave butter for 20 seconds, then beat together with the sugars.
add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and continue beating until the mixture is super smooth.
over the mixture, sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. fold in with wooden spoon or spatula.
stir in m&ms and chocolate chips.







drop rounded tablespoon balls onto cookie sheet. cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly brown and still look a tad doughy. when they harden, they will be delicious and moist and chewy.




while i was doing my baking, it was more towards the afternoon and i had already had my coffee. so, i was pretty awake and my music was upbeat.
here is what i was listening to:

ratatat- seventeen years
la roux- fascination
boys noize- my moon my man (feist)
adam tensta ft. dr. alban- my cool (al azif 94 remix)
asher roth ft. cee-lo- be by myself
the dream ft. kanye west- walking on the moon
david rush- shooting star (party rock remix)
kid cudi- day 'n' nite (crookers remix)
talib kweli- ms. hill

preview

this is just a little picture of some of the things i will begin to post about!



song right now:
yelle- mal poli

listen&bake

i have always loved to bake and make my own creations. usually i like to watch desperate housewives or brothers and sisters while baking, because it makes me feel all domestic and whatnot.
but, lately, i have enjoyed listening to my favorite tunes while dancing around the kitchen and baking!
so, i decided i should finally start bringing my recipes and creations to the public... and why not share the creative process while i am at it?!
once i get posting, i hope you enjoy!