Cinnamon Apple Bread Pudding

This is another perfect fall dish from "Our Best Bites".  Click the link for exact details and wonderful pictures.  This is my basic interpretation.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding 
1 loaf of stale French Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (the original recipe used 5-6 cups and stated it was about 1/2 of a loaf, but my whole loaf was about 7 cups so I went for the whole thing)
3 c. apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces ( 4 medium apples)
4 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. heavy cream (too be healthier you could replace this with milk, but it's quite delish with the wicked heavy cream)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning
1 Tbsp. butter

*If possible, cut the bread into cubes and leave it out for several hours or overnight. If not, place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the bread cubes are dried out but not toasted. 

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease or spray a 9x13" baking dish with shortening or non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss together the bread cubes and the apple pieces. Transfer to the baking dish. In the same large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the butter. When combined, continue to whisk while pouring over the bread/apple mixture (just to make sure the spices are evenly distributed). Gently combine the bread and egg mixture, making sure each piece of bread is soaking in part of the egg and milk mixture. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes (I covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated over night so this could be an  breakfast dish).   When the egg/milk mixture has mostly soaked into the bread, put the butter over the bread (My butter was frozen so I grated it with a cheese grater from the stick until I had used approx. 1 Tbsp.  It distributed more evenly this way.  Other wise you would just cut it into small pieces and sprinkle it on top.) and place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set but not dry or burned.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve with warm Buttermilk Syrup.

I could have sworn I posted Buttermilk Syrup before but since I can't find it here it is!  This  syrup is especially delish over German pancakes with strawberries.  Really over anything!

Buttermilk Syrup

3/4 cup buttermilk (1 of those small cartons that are like 40 cents at the store is perfect)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter (no substitutions here, I just used what was left over I grated butter for the bread pudding)
2 Tbsp karo syrup
1 tsp baking soda

Choose a pot that is twice the size as you think you will need.  I used a 2 quart pot and had to be extremely careful while making not to let it spill over as this recipe foams and triples in volume while cooking.

Mix ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce to medium heat and stir for 8 minutes.  Do not look away, just diligently stir as this can boil over easily or harden if neglected.  Enjoy pouring it over anything and everything or even eat it with a spoon.

Sin-sational treat

These tasty fall treat is wickedly good.  They come from the blog "Our Best Bites" and I keep finding more and more things there I want to make!  Definitely check it out and for very detailed pictures with fantastic step-by-step instructions check out the recipe's link.  I am just posting basics here for my own records.


Cinnamon Caramel Corn

12 cups popped plain popcorn (This is 1 1/2 bags of microwave popcorn or 1/2 cup of traditional popcorn kernals).
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup Karo syrup
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
white chocolate chips

Pop popcorn and mix with pecans in LARGE bowl.  In a 2 quart microwave save dish stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.  Chop butter and place on top of brown sugar.  Pour over Karo Syrup.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir together.  Microwave for 2 minutes and stir again.  Then microwave for 2 more minutes until bubbly.  Add in baking soda and vanilla (this will make mixture froth.  If you want to see this, then check out the actual link).  Pour mixture over popcorn and pecans, stirring constantly until all pieces are incorporated. Spread over a foil lined baking sheet (one with sides).  Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Remove a piece from oven and allow to cool.  Is it crunchy enough?  If yes then pull out of oven and transfer to a large piece of waxed paper.  If not bake another 5 minutes.  Melt white chocolate (or almond bark) in the microwave or with a double boiler.  I used 3 pieces of almond bark.  Drizzle over popcorn on waxed paper and allow to cool.  Break into pieces and serve.

Pumpkin Seeds

Tonight we carved pumpkins and I decided to save the seeds and roast them.  Super easy and delicious. 

Collect the seeds (super slimy, I feel bad for the people who get them out for a living).  Wash them well and lay them out to dry.  I only dried mine for about 15 minutes.  I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, sprayed it with cooking spray and laid out the seeds.  I sprayed those with cooking spray and then seasoned and salted them.  I just used some Season-All.  Stirred them around and put them in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.  You know they are done when they are sizzling.
Cool completely.

Coconut Thai Beef Stew

This is an adaption to a recipe that was in the Deseret News yesterday Oct. 13, 2010. 

1 cup of onion chopped
5 minced cloves of garlic (or 5 Tbsp pre-minced garlic)
1 Tbsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
salt and pepper

2 lbs beef steak cut into chunks
1 can (13-14 oz) lite coconut milk
1 tsp lime peel zest
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
bay leaves
1-2 cups baby carrots
2 cups chopped potato (I didn't do this but thought after the fact it would be a good addition)

rice or rice noodles
chopped peanuts (optional to top)
lime wedges
coconut (optional to top)

Heat some veg. oil in a skillet and sautee onions for 5 minutes.  Add in garlic and seasonings (ginger, coriander, cumin, tumeric, salt and pepper).  Cook about a minute, until fragerant and transfer to a bowel.  Sautee beef until cooked through adding more oil as needed.  Add in onion/spice/garlic mix and beef into a stock pot.  Pour in coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, a few bay leaves, and carrots/potatoes.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer on low heat until slightly thickened and carrots and beef is tender (approx 30 minutes).  Serve over rice and garnish with peanuts, lime, and coconut.

Awesome Halloween Printable

"Eat, Drink, and Be Scary" is my new favorite Halloween catchphrase.  For a cute FREE printable of this check out Craftily Ever After.

And Craftily Ever After did a "Keep Calm and Scary on" one as well.