Bread Pudding with Brandy Sauce

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 (14-ounce) loaf challah brioche bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
9 large egg yolks
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon table salt
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine brown sugar and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside.

2. Spread bread cubes in single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes, switching trays from top to bottom racks halfway through. Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes; set aside 2 cups.

3. Whisk yolks, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in cream and milk until combined. Add remaining 8 cups cooled bread cubes and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and let stand, occasionally pressing bread cubes into custard, until cubes are thoroughly saturated, about 30 minutes.

4. Spread reserved bread cubes evenly over top of soaked bread mixture and gently press into custard. Using pastry brush, dab melted butter over top of unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle brown-sugar mixture evenly over top. Place bread pudding on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has just set, and pressing center of pudding with finger reveals no runny liquid, 45 to 50 minutes. (Instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding should read 170 degrees.) Transfer to wire rack and cool until pudding is set and just warm, about 45 minutes. Serve.

Brandy Sauce
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 7 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 1/4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon brandy

Directions:
Whisk brown sugar and heavy cream in small saucepan set over medium heat until combined. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter and bring mixture back to boil, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon. Cool to just warm; serve with bread pudding.

Top Sirloin with Roquefort Butter, Broiled Asparagus, & Oven Fries

Roquefort Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , at room temperature
• 1/2 ounce Roquefort gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon brandy 

 Directions:
Mash together butter, cheese, and brandy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each cooked steak with portion of flavored butter and serve immediately.

Oven Fries

 Ingredients:

• 3 russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each), peeled, each potato cut lengthwise into 10 to 12 evenly sized wedges
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil olive oil

Directions: 
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes in large bowl and cover with hot tap water; soak 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coat 18 by 12-inch heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet (see note) with 4 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
2. Drain potatoes. Spread potatoes out on triple layer of paper towels and thoroughly pat dry with additional paper towels. Rinse and wipe out now-empty bowl; return potatoes to bowl and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet; cover tightly with foil and bake 5 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottoms of potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using metal spatula and tongs, scrape to loosen potatoes from pan, then flip each wedge, keeping potatoes in single layer. Continue baking until fries are golden and crisp, 5 to 15 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed if fries are browning unevenly. 
3. Transfer fries to second baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

Broiled Asparagus

Liberally coat in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, bake until just about finished, and then broil for a minute or two. (I baked it at 325 deg F for maybe 20 minutes until it was starting to look done, took out the bread pudding for a moment, and broiled the asparagus until it was finished.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rating: 5 of 5

Tips: Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Avoid using nonstick baking pans, the Teflon makes the cookies less fluffy. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2    cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• 1    teaspoon baking soda
• 28    tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
• 1    cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 1 1/2    cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
• 2    teaspoon table salt
• 4    teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2    large egg
• 2    large egg yolk
• 1    bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1.    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2.    Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
3.    Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
4.    Round out about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, (Avoid making small cookies unless it is for a party, otherwise they will go stale quickly.)
5.    Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.