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.)

Sometimes I Feel Like This (xkcd comic)

Rice Pudding

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: I bought this seasoning "Chai Spice" about a year back and haven't had a chance to use it. Turns out this pudding was the perfect opportunity. Additionally... I had really screwed up a Sweet n Sour Chicken recipe (I won't even dignify it by posting it ... I'd give it a  0 of 5) and had all this leftover rice... hence the rice pudding.


Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup medium-grain rice (white), or long grain white rice
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Chai Spice


Directions:
1. Bring 2 cups water to boil in large, heavy-bottomed pot (at least 3 quarts) or small soup kettle (4 to 5 quarts). Stir in salt and rice; cover and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice until water is almost fully absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Add milk, half-and-half and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high to bring to simmer, then reduce heat to maintain simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until mixture starts to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking and scorching, until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding, about 15 minutes longer.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cool and serve at room temperature or chilled. (Can be covered with plastic wrap on surface of pudding and then refrigerated up to 2 days.)

Fudge Brownies with Salted Caramel topping

Rating: 3 of 5

Notes: It isn't a true caramel that you put on top. Sad panda.

Brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 cups AP Flour
2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees,  prepare 9×13 pan

1. Melt butter in a sauce pot. Add sugar and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until sugar has melted slightly and liquid is silky.
2. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Use a spatula to scrape all butter into bowl.
3. Add eggs one at a time, stirring between each one. Add cocoa powder and stir until fully combined.
4. Add baking powder, salt and flour. Stir until just combined, though make sure there are no lumps or ‘pockets’ full of flour in the batter. Add the chocolate chips.
5. Pour into a prepared 9×13 pan and use the back of a spoon to spread out evenly. Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool at least one hour before cutting.


Salted Caramel Topping
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Whole Milk
2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
Salt, for topping

Directions:
1. In a sauce pot, combine butter and brown sugar and turn heat to medium heat until comes to a slow boil. Add milk and bring back to boil.
2. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar. Use a wooden spoon to stir until powdered sugar is fully combined and mixture is creamy. If the mixture has some clumps, then strain before using.
3. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before pouring (all) of the mixture on top of the brownies. Sprinkle immediately with sea salt or kosher salt. Let set up, around 10 minutes, before cutting into squares.

Spicy Beef (Nacho Condiment)

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons corn oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion , chopped fine
1 large clove garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)

Directions:
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering, but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and combined with onions, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

One-Minute Salsa

Ingredients:
1/2 small jalapeño chile or 1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 small red onion , peeled and root end removed
1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
2  small tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

Directions:
Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.