This recipe video is inspired by a Lebanese yogurt cheese spread called Labneh, but I decided to call it homemade cream cheese because my sources deep inside Google tell me that “cream cheese” is searched for more often than “labneh.” In fairness, and with apologies to my Lebanese fans, it really is almost identical in texture and mouthfeel.
Like I say in the video, the taste is a bit bolder and tangier than that stuff from Philly, but when is that ever a bad thing? Michele found some amazing sheep’s milk yogurt at a local farmer’s market, and it was incredible in this, but I've used regular yogurt and it works wonderfully as well.
You can use it as you would any commercial cream cheese, but the honey and pistachio variation I tacked on to the end would make for a memorable holiday brunch addition. On the savory side, you can’t beat simply drizzling over some olive oil and eating as a spread with crispy bread or pita chips.
Most recipes for this say you can eat it after one day, but I really think the two-day “aging” and pressing process does great things. The taste mellows out a bit, and the texture gets even denser and richer feeling. Besides, if you don’t press it, you won’t get those signature, and ultra sexy cheesecloth fabric marks! I hope you give this homemade cream cheese a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about two heaping cups of cream cheese:
1 quart yogurt, try to get something really nice from a dairy, or use Greek-style
1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
cheesecloth *If needed, use a paper towel to blot off any additional moisture that come to the top during the 2-day pressing in the fridge.
Note: I’ve only made this one way, so I’m not sure what happens if you deviate from the recipe and use low-fat yogurt, etc. Let me know if you try something different!
I absolutely love fig jam and preserves served with cheese, so delicious. So when I picked a few more figs this morning this was the first thing I wanted to make. Not sure if this technically classifies as jam or preserves because there is no pectin in this recipe but it's sweet and thick and perfect to spread on toast so in my book it's close enough :) It definitely won't have the shelf life of the preserves that you buy in the store so make it just a day or so ahead of the time you want to use it.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh figs, diced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Preparation:
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender directly in hot pan to puree the fig mixture into a smoother (but not completely smooth) consistency. Pour into a small bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.
I was so excited to discover a gorgeous fig tree in my backyard this year that I didn't even know I had. A friend of mine pointed it out to me one day at the end of the summer and to my surprise at closer inspection the tree was covered with about a hundred figs which in a few weeks would be ready to pick. Ever since that moment I have been slightly obsessed with this tree and going out daily to inspect it and impatiently waiting for one of those hard little green figs to ripen to a big, juicy purple fruit. Well the other day I was so thrilled to find about a dozen beautiful ripe figs ready to be picked. So now over the next few weeks I will be testing as many fig recipes as I can find!! The first of which is this delicious super moist Fig Banana Bread!! YUM YUM YUM!
My fig tree!
Figs before they start to ripen
Figs starting to ripen
Nice ripe figs ready to be picked!!
Perfect
The most deliciously moist Fig Banana Bread straight from the oven.....it smells amazing!
Ingredients:
4 small very ripe bananas
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ripe figs, quartered
6 ripe figs, diced
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup white flour 1 cup whole wheat flour)
Preparation:
In a large bowl beat together coconut oil, brown sugar, bananas and vanilla until combined well. Add to the mixture 6 figs which have been quartered and beat into the mixture until they are broken down and part of the batter. Next, beat in eggs until combined. Sprinkle in baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix. Add flour one cup at a time until batter is smooth. Lastly to add more fig flavor and texture mix in the final 6 figs that you have diced. Mix these in with a spoon to avoid breaking them up completely. Pour batter into a loaf pan that has been greased with non-stick cooking spray ( I use coconut oil spray). Bake at 350 degrees F until bread is set in the middle, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing.
My daughter wanted french toast for breakfast so I took out the huge frying pan and then I thought.....I don't want to stand at my stove and make french toast for everyone and then they are all done eating while I'm still cooking. So I decided to make a casserole instead. The only problem is usually you need to soak the bread in the custard overnight before you bake it and I needed something to be done from start to finish in 30 minutes. So I decided to break the french toast casserole rules and just wing it. It came out delicious and you would never know that it wasn't soaked overnight.
**Update 9/7/13 - This is the most popular recipe that we have on our blog. It continues to be a big hit so I thought I'd update the pictures and re-post it for anyone who is looking for something simple and quick to make for breakfast or brunch. It's great for your family or a big crowd!! Enjoy, Ellen :)
Ingredients:
4-5 cups of torn challah bread (or any thick sliced bread) 5 eggs 2 cups milk 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup maple syrup *optional - sprinkle some brown sugar over the top before you bake for a nice sweet crusty top!
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease 9x13 casserole dish. Pour about 1/2 cup of syrup in the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer torn bread on top of the syrup. In a large bowl beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread in casserole dish and press bread down to make sure it's completely soaked. Drizzle remaining syrup over top of bread and custard. Bake for 30-40 minutes until casserole is puffed up and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and drizzle additional maple syrup on top and serve while hot. Read More »
I made this breakfast sandwich the other morning using leftover crust less asparagus quiche that I had made the day before. My kids LOVED it.
Ingredients:
for crust less quiche: 7 eggs 1 bunch of asparagus 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup milk 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped salt and pepper to taste
for grilled cheese sandwich: 2 slices of any kind of cheese you like (I used American cheese) 2 slices of any kind of bread you like (I used whole wheat bread) butter or margarine, softened
Preparation:
Cut off bottom 1/3 of asparagus and discard. Cut asparagus into small bite size pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl and add a tablespoon of water. Steam in microwave on high for 60 seconds. Meanwhile, beat eggs with milk in a large bowl. To egg mixture add chopped sage, salt and pepper to taste. Now add steamed asparagus pieces and shredded cheese. Mix everything together and pour into a small casserole dish that has been greased with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 45 minutes, remove from oven and let cool slightly.
To assemble sandwich; cut a small square of quiche and set aside. Spread softened butter or margarine on one side of each slice of bread. Place a small frying pan on stove on med/high heat. Add one slice of bread butter side down in hot pan. Next, add one slice of cheese, then a square of crust less quiche, another slice of cheese and lastly add the second piece of bread butter side up. Brown bread for a minute or two and flip and then brown the other side of bread. Watch this carefully so you don't burn the bread. Once both sides of bread are brown and cheese is melted remove from pan and cut sandwich in half or quarters and Enjoy!
I always get a ton of food wishes this time of year for creative brunch ideas, and I was thinking about doing some new type of eggs Benedict, when I happened to see a photo of a Monte Cristo sandwich. At first, it just made me want a Monte Cristo sandwich, but after that wore off, I started thinking about how I’d seen these topped with fried eggs before.
Long story short, I decided to simply make an open-faced version of the famous stuffed sandwich, and top it with poached eggs, and hopefully a new American brunch classic was born. Of course, I'll let you decide, but there was nothing I didn’t love about this plate of food. Okay, the salad was kind of phoned in, but the rest was awesome.
The base is a variation of our famous Restaurant Style French Toast recipe, which marries perfectly with the ham, cheddar and havarti. It was so tasty you really don’t even need the poached eggs. Actually, forget I said that. Do the eggs. If only so you can pop those yolks, and watch them run. Besides the eating, that has to be the best part.
I’ve also re-posted a poached eggs demo below, since poaching your eggs ahead of time is the only way to go, especially if you have a larger group. By the way, you can hold the Monte Cristo bases in a warm oven while you pull the rest of the meal together. I hope you give this new Benedict a try soon. Enjoy!
Breakfast items are one of the most popular food wishes around here, and while this isn’t technically a recipe, it is a critical technique to learn if you want to enjoy blueberry pancakes at their most delicious.
Not only does this simple method ensure even distribution, but instead of dry, barely warm fruit, your blueberries will be hot, sweet, and bursting with juice. As far as the batter goes, you are on your own, but if you get stuck, try this old fashioned pancake recipe we posted a few years ago. It gets great reviews!
This video was actually inspired by a recent visit to a diner where I heard someone nearby order blueberry pancakes. That sounds pretty good, I thought to myself, momentarily regretting my corned beef hash decision. Well, good thing I stuck with the hash, as what came out was not blueberry pancakes, but pancakes with a handful of fresh blueberries tossed over the top.
Sorry, but those aren’t blueberry pancakes. No, the blueberries must be cooked inside the batter…but, just not too inside. By “throwing down” you’ll guarantee perfect cake/fruit integration every time. Of course this will work with other berries or cut up fruit, so feel free to try with anything you can grip. I hope you give this great technique a try soon. Enjoy!
To all of you that have been requesting mini-cupcake videos: this mini quiche recipe may be as close as I get. I’m sorry, but it’s hard for me to get excited about buttercream when I have chorizo, potato and manchego in the house. Okay, one’s a sweet treat and other is a savory snack, so it’s not a fair comparison, but on the bright side, this intro paragraph is done.
This little baked bite is very loosely based on the Spanish Tortilla, and not only is it dead simple to make, but the versatility of the technique allows this to be adapted to any occasion. From ruckus Super Bowl celebration to black tie Oscar party, these mini quiches will always be a crowd-pleaser.
I’d almost be insulted if you didn’t make changes to the ingredients to tailor this to your tastes, but I do recommend that little dab of aioli on the top. I spiked a classic, garlicky aioli with some smoked paprika and chive, and it really made these treats even more special. I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 24 Mini Quiche:
4 oz Spanish chorizo sausage, small dice
2 tsp olive oil
1 russet potato, small dice
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable spray, as needed
8 large eggs, beaten with pinch of cayenne and 1/2 tsp salt
(Note: there are 10 eggs shown in the video, but it made too much, so I cut down to 8)
I think the combination of peanut butter and toffee is so delicious so I wanted to incorporate both of the flavors somehow. The obvious thing would be to put them into cookies but I wanted to do something a little different. I've been wanting to make homemade coffee cake for awhile so I thought that it would be a perfect combination and I was really right! This cake is fantastic. The cake is super moist with the perfect flavor combination of peanut butter and toffee. The crumb topping is is thick and super crunchy and crumbly with the same flavor combo of peanut butter and toffee. This cake is seriously dangerous and I have to get it out of my house before I gain 5 lbs just from looking at it. This cake would make a great addition to breakfast or brunch menu or it's a delicious after school snack for the kids.
When I was asked to take part in a special holiday YouTube playlist called, “Christmas Morning Breakfast,” I started thinking about seasonal variation on things like eggs benedict, quiche, and French toast. But then I realized…you can’t wrap those things up and give them as an edible gift, so I decided to do this granola instead.
We’ve covered the edible gift topic before, and discussed the fine line between, “Wow, what a creative and thoughtful gift!” and “Wow, what a cheapskate!” Happily, when it comes to this delicious, crunchy treat, one taste and the lucky recipient will forget about any ulterior economic motivations.
Since this was a Christmas-themed recipe, I went with lots of festively colored dried fruit, but the beauty of the granola technique is that it pretty much works with anything. I love the looks of the green pumpkin seeds, but things like hazelnuts and pecans would also work wonderfully.
As I mentioned in the video, it’s really up to you to determine the cooking time. I tend to like mine just golden-brown, but many enjoy the deeper, nuttier flavor of a longer roasting. Since you are pulling and tossing every 10 minutes, this is pretty easy to monitor, but just be careful towards the end, as it can get bitter if you go too far.
Anyway, whether this is for a quick and easy holiday breakfast, with milk or over Greek yogurt; or you are going to package some up as a stocking stuffer for the foodies in your life, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 6 cups of Granola
3 cups rolled oats 1 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup shredded coconut (pure coconut, not candied)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup maple syrup 3 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped candy covered chocolate pieces (like M&M’s)
1/2 cup golden raisins, chopped
1 cup mixed dried fruit (any combo of cranberries, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, etc.)
*Bake at 325 degrees F. for 30-40 minutes or until browned.
I have no intention of giving up the best job in the world anytime soon, but if I do, I’d try and get a job in the marketing department of a pumpkin puree company.
I’m guessing that like 97% of the canned pumpkin in this country is used during the time from Halloween until Thanksgiving. So if I could figure out a way to get people to use this in recipes all year round, I’d be a total superstar in pumpkin puree marketing circles.
Imagine that. It would be…awesome? Anyway, maybe I should rethink this whole post-Foodwishes career path, but in the meantime, here’s just one example of how I would convince the public that pumpkin is great for anytime of the year. Ironically, I did this because I had leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving, but still.
I may have covered this in the last scones post, but I’ve never been a huge fan of the scone. I’ve always considered it some sort of effeminate biscuit, but I’m starting to come around in my old age. There’s nothing like a freshly baked scone with a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee, especially one tricked out with pumpkin, toasted pine nuts, and maple glaze. I hope you give this a try soon…or anytime! Enjoy.
Ingredients for 12 Pumpkin Scones:
8 ounces by weight all-purpose flour (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup white sugar 1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1/3 cup buttermilk
additional flour as needed 1 egg beaten with a few drops of milk or water to brush scones before baking.
When I was asked to join some of my fellow foodies on YouTube, to produce a video for a special seasonal playlist called “Halloween Sweet Treats,” I sat down and considered all thescary sweets recipes in my repertoire. After several minutes of deep thought, I realized I had nothing.
Not to sound like a curmudgeon, but sticking broken pretzels into a marshmallow and calling it a “scary spider,” just isn’t my thing. So, instead of trying to figure out how to make a chocolate truffle look like a bleeding eyeball, Imade a batch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They may not be scary (what’s the opposite of scary?), but they are seasonal, and incredibly delicious.
I used to joke that when Halloween/Thanksgiving time rolls around, the only thing a chef has to do to make a recipe seasonal is to add some pumpkin to it. Chili with a spoon of pumpkinstirred in? Halloween chili! Dinner rolls with a spoon of pumpkin kneaded into the dough? Thanksgiving dinner rolls!
Well, that’s exactly what I did here, and while it may be formulaic, it also produced the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted. One key is a nice soft, sticky dough. Be sure to only add enough flour so that the dough just barely pulls away from the side of the bowl as it kneads.
You can certainly embellish by adding some chopped walnuts or pecans to the cinnamon-sugar layer, but since I decided to garnish with pumpkin seeds, I went sans nuts. Anyway, despite not being very horrifying, these really would make aspecial treat at any Halloween party. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 16 Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:
(I used a deep 13 x 9 baking dish) Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes
For the dough:
1 package of dry yeast
1/4 cup very warm water (about 100-105 degrees F.)
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup heavy cream (can sub milk, but cream is better)
1 tsp fine salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp allspice)
1 large egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 to 4cups all purpose flour (divided), as needed (add enough flour to mixer so that dough just barely pulls away from sides, and a very soft, slightly sticky dough is formed)
*knead for at least 6-7 minutes
For the filling:
5 tbsp melted butter, brushed on rolled dough
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
*For the glaze:
1/4 cup room temperature cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk, or as needed
1/4 tsp vanilla extract, optional
*adjust glaze by adding more powdered sugar or milk to achieve desired consistency
Another yummy treat that Susan made while we were over for lunch recently. Our whole family LOVES banana bread and we often make it lots of different ways in order to find the perfect recipe This one is really great because not only is it moist and delicious and not to mention chocolately but it's also happens to be low calorie and good for you. You can find this recipe and other low calorie recipes at Slender Kitchen
Ingredients:
4 ripe medium bananas, mashed 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 3/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 2 tbsp butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 2 large egg whites 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup Nutella
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg whites. Add the banana, vanilla, and apple sauce and mix together. Set aside. 3. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. 4. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. 5. Warm the Nutella up in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until it is softer and melted. 6. Pour the banana bread batter into a bread pan. Then slowly spoon the nutella on top and swirl into the bread using a knife until all of the Nutella has been worked in. 7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through. Enjoy! Read More »
After using Merguez sausage in this beautiful stuffed acorn squash recipe last year, I got a bunch of emails saying, “I can’t find that anywhere! Can you show us how to make it?!” I generally ignore those, since it’s usually just people not looking hard enough (I’m looking at you, Mr. “I can’t find Panko”).
However, in this case, I realized that Merguez is not commonly stocked at the grocery store, so I decided to come up with an easy home version. I didn’t bother with the casing, as these were originally going to be breakfast patties, but as I mention in the video, I was seduced by a brioche roll, and ended up going full burger. Happily, it made for a very memorable lunch.
If you do happen to give this Merguez recipe a try, I hope you make a double batch and not only experience the amazing burger it produces, but also use it in/on a number of things. It is wonderful in beans, frittatas, pastas, soups, and especially crumbled on pizza or flatbread. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Four (4 oz) Patties:
1 pound ground lamb (rec., 85% lean, 15% fat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp fennel seed 1/4 tsp turmeric
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp Harissa (a spice red pepper paste), we did a version here. I didn’t add cayenne since my Harissa was very spicy, but feel free.
1 tbsp tomato paste
*Note: To check seasoning, fry a small piece and check for salt and heat. View the complete recipe
Someone asked recently, what's the most requested recipe that I've still not done on the blog? That's an easy one...cinnamon rolls or buns!
I'm not exactly sure why these sweet, sticky treats haven't made an appearance yet, and I'm sure they will eventually, in one form or another, but in the meantime I'd like to present this very sexy version from my friends at Allrecipes.
One of my earliest and fondest food memories is that of my grandfather making frittata. It wasn’t the taste of this hearty, Italian omelet that made such an impression, although that was always wonderful, it was the excitement surrounding “the flip.”
Traditionally, a frittata is cooked about three-quarters of the way, flipped over on to a plate, and slid back into the pan to finish cooking the other side. It’s an hot, slippery exercise fraught with danger, and more than one of his magnificent creations ended up a broken mess. Come to think of it, this is where I first learned how to curse in Italian.
The funny thing is, as long as you have a broiler to finish cooking the top, which he did, you don’t need to flip anything. Just pop it in for a few minutes to firm up the eggs, and brown the cheese, and you’re ready to eat. So, why did he insist on the always risky flip-n-slid?
I’m not exactly sure, but I imagine it was because his father flipped frittatas, and so did his grandfather. That’s just the way they were done, so that’s how he did it. Regardless whether you’re flipping or not, this rustic egg pie was invented for late summer’s vegetable bounty.
If you can fry it in olive oil, it tastes great in a frittata, especially leftover vegetables that would otherwise end up in the trash. It’s also amazing with any kind of summer squash. Just remember that the veggies need to be tender before the eggs go in, since they cook so fast. I hope you give this “memorable” recipe a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 servings:
12 large eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
6 slices of bacon or pancetta
1 1/2 cups sliced peppers
1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked potatoes
OR about 3 cups of any summer veggies
dry or fresh herbs to taste
salt and pepper to taste
hot pepper flakes to taste
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
*Remember to drain oil before adding potatoes and eggs!
This is one of my kids favorite breakfast recipes. It's fun to make and to eat and of course it's easy and delicious!
Ingredients:
4 whole eggs 4 slices of bread (any kind you like) butter or margarine salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Take 4 slices of bread and using a circle cookie cutter or the rim of a round glass cut out a circle from the center of each slice of bread. In a large skillet or on a flat griddle melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Place bread slices on to buttered skillet and then crack an egg into the center of each slice of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook on med/hi heat on the first side for a few minutes until the bread becomes golden brown and the bottom of the egg begins to set. Then carefully flip over each egg/bread slice using a large spatula. (I like to re-butter the skillet before cooking the other side. I just lift up the bread slice slightly and slide another small pat of butter under each bread slice and then flip over). Cook on second side for another 3 minutes until egg is set to medium. You want the yolk to be soft and run slightly but not be under cooked.
If you’re wondering why I called this recipe “baked eggs with eggs,” I didn’t. No, “huevos” has another meaning, and any of your Spanish-speaking friends will be happy to tell/show you what that is. Anyway, as I said in the video intro, don’t let the generic name fool you; this “baked eggs” recipe is way more delicious than it sounds!
If you enjoy huevos rancheros, you will love this. The way the spicy sauce mingles with just barely set eggs is very similar, and when you start scooping this up with toasted chunks of bread, it gets borderline magical.
If you happen to accompany this humble dish with copious amounts of ham and bacon, this would make for quite the Father’s Day treat. You can stay with my Italianesque version, but American, Latin, or Asian versions are only a couple tweaks away.
I gave a general time of about 12 minutes at 400 degrees F., but of course this is going to vary based on your exact dish size/shape, as well as how many you are making at once. I would start checking after 10 minutes, keeping in mind that the yolks will keep firming up even after they are out of the oven.
Anyway, whether you are trying to impress dad with your brunch skills (by the way, don’t call it brunch if it’s for Dad…go with “breakfast”), or simply want to shake up your personal egg recipe routine, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 1 Portion:
Shallow oven-proof dish, just large enough for 2 eggs 2 large fresh eggs
There are so many food-related ways to show mom love this Mother’s Day weekend, but none will be more delicious than this creamy quiche Lorraine! What are your plans?
Breakfast in bed? Great idea, until you consider the crumbs and numb legs. Maybe brunch out? Sure, less clean up, but a mediocre meal at the local casual dining complex says, “we like you, mom,” more than it says, “we love you.”
That brings us to the best option; cooking brunch for mom at home. Of course you’ll need something that’s very easy to make, even ahead of time if need be, as well as supremely special and memorable. This cheesy, bacon and onion pie is all that, and more!
In this chef’s opinion, a proper quiche should be rich, custardy, and luxurious – not some kind of dense, baked omelet. This has only enough eggs and yolks to hold things together, but that means you need to let it cool to just warm before serving, to fully enjoy the experience.
I know many will ask, so I’ll cover it now… yes, of course you can just use milk instead of cream, and more whites instead of yolks to cut down on the calories, BUT you will not get the same amazing results, and since this is such a special occasion, you should give any substitutions careful consideration.
As you’ll see, this is very simple, so the challenge isn’t construction (by the way, the layering procedure wasn’t a joke…do it), the real trick it to not overcook the custard. I show you what it should look like, but in case you aren’t great at reading jiggles, use a thermometer, and pull at between 160-165 degrees F. internal temp.
Anyway, I’d like to wish my mother, and first culinary instructor, Pauline, a very happy Mother’s Day. Unfortunately we can’t be together Sunday, but I promise I’ll make quiche for her the next time I see her. I’d also like to wish my mother-in-law, Peggy, a happy Mother’s Day. She was the original Food Wishes fan (even before it was called “Food Wishes”), and was integral to the blog’s growth and success! Thanks, moms! Enjoy!
Ingredients: Pie dough for a large, single-crust, deep dish pie dish or pan (click here for recipe!)
8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (I used a little more) diced leeks (just white/light parts) and/or onions, washed extremely well! big pinch of salt
cayenne and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese, divided (or other Swiss cheese)
For the custard:
3 large eggs, plus 2 additional egg yolks
1 cup cream
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
Steps:
- Line inside crust with foil, fill halfway up with dried beans, rice, or baking weights
- ”Blind bake” the crust for 5 minutes at 425 degrees F.
This incredibly delicious bacon and crab bread pudding Benedict almost never happened. The original request was for crab cake eggs Benedict, but since we’d already done crab cakes, poached eggs, and hollandaise videos, I decided to go in another direction, while still somewhat honoring the aforementioned food wish.
It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and that includes growing the mustache. Not only do I think this is far superior to crab cake eggs Benedict, it’s way easier, and you get a lot more mileage out of the same amount of crab.
I only used four-ounces of crab, which would have made just two small crab cakes. Here it was enough for two large ramekins that seemed to be loaded with crab. Instead of just sitting on top of the English muffin, the crab flavor permeated the bread cubes during the baking time, and the results were spectacular.
This would certainly make any brunch special, especially a Mother’s Day brunch, which will be here before you know it. So, whether you’re desperately trying to finally gain your mother’s approval, or just want something awesome for breakfast, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 portions (I used 10 oz ramekins):
3 cups small dry bread cubes or plain croutons
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 strip bacon, sliced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/3 cup chicken broth or water (more as needed)
1/3 cup cream
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon 1 large egg 4 oz fresh crab meat
