The 12 Days of Christmas Cooking...Day 4

I'm playing catch up! I know, I know. I've missed 4 days. That means there will be 4 posts in a row. I apologize for the mass blogging (especially to those I know with RSS feeds that will get flooded).

I do have a pretty good reason for not blogging the past few days. I catered a nice little Christmas party for my church. While I only had to feed about 25 people, it's still a lot of work. I made fried chicken, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, broccoli, haricot vert, honey-glazed carrots, corn bread muffins, white chocolate bread pudding with white chocolate sauce, mixed berry crisp with whipped cream, cheese and crackers, grapes, apples, and cranberry punch. It was a lot of cooking, but we got it all done and it all turned out wonderfully! I also had to do the decorating, which took a little creativity and planning. I couldn't have pulled it off without the help of my sous chef, my Daddy, and my Momma. They were awesome help in the cooking and set-up processes as well as breaking everything down and cleaning up. Everyone really enjoyed the food and it was nice to spend time together without the distraction of kids, work, or school. If anyone from SCoC is reading this, thanks for coming! I hope you enjoyed it :)

My inspiration for the belated 4th day of Christmas Cooking actually comes from this party. My good friend Liz asked if I would put the recipe for my white chocolate bread pudding up on my blog. So this one's for you, Liz!
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On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

A white chocolate bread pudding recipe!


Elle's White Chocolate Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Sauce

1 loaf (about 5 cups) of french bread, torn or cut into 3-inch pieces
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. high-fat cocoa powder (regular unsweetened cocoa powder will work just fine)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1, 12 oz. package white chocolate chip morsels

Tear or cut the french bread into large pieces (about 3 inches). Place them in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. In a bowl whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and vanilla. When that mixture is blended well and beginning to look frothy, whisk in the milk. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread. Using your hands (even you, Liz!) press the bread down into the baking dish to help it absorb all the liquid. If everything still looks a bit dry, you can add a few splashes of milk. Cover and refrigerated for at least 2 hours. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and continue baking for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until set. While the bread pudding is baking, you can make the sauce.

White Chocolate Sauce

1 pkg white chocolate morsels
1 pt. heavy cream

In a sauce pan, slowly heat the cream on medium heat. When cream is barely simmering, add the whole package of white chocolate morsels. The sauce is ready when the white chocolate has melted completely into the cream.

The bread pudding is best served warm with the warm sauce drizzled over it. Both the pudding and the sauce reheat very well.

Enjoy!

Elle

PS If you don't care for white chocolate, you can replace the white chocolate morsels with milk or dark chocolate morsels in both the pudding and the sauce.

The 12 Days of Christmas Cooking...Day 3

I'm sorry Day 3 is late. Yesterday was not a nice day and I had a lot of errands to get done. But I'll make up for it, I promise!

It's getting colder where I live. We've actually had some frozen precipitation and school closings in my area, which is pretty unusual in December. Normally, our coldest month is January. So in attempts to keep myself cozy and warm, I've been drinking lots of hot beverages like tea, hot chocolate and coffee. With that in mind, I bring you day number 3 in the 12 Days of Christmas Cooking (and drinking).
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On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

3 Lovely Hot Beverages!

Coffee: Red Sea Blend by Allegro Coffee
Howie, my co-host on The Geeky Gourmet and coffee guru extraodinaire, suggests the Red Sea Blend by Allegro Coffee, sold at Whole Foods Markets around the US. It's one of his favorites because it's not over-roasted, like Starbucks coffees tend to be. He says, "It's a good, solid blend that is consistent. It's as good as you're going to get on a normal basis." The company that roasts this blend describes it as a fragrant, exotic flavor with notes of cherry, strawberry, tobacco, and nutmeg. Howie also encourages you to do a little research for local places that roast their own beans and offer sample packs. That way you can try a few different varieties to decided what you like best.

Tea: Imperial Republic Snow Rose Full-Leaf Herbal Tea
This is one of my favorite teas. It comes from The Republic of Tea- an awesome company for tea enthusiasts. It's made from a native Chinese herb called Snow Rose, as well rose petals and other fragrant herbs. It's light and soothing. I've only had it a few times because it's a bit pricey at $31.00 per 3.5 ounce tin (that makes about 50 cups), but a nice treat. But in all honesty The Republic of Tea offers something for everyone. They have a wide variety of black, green, red, oolong, and herbal teas. There's even a tea of the month club and a tea blog that is full of information to help you better understand traditions and new trends in tea.

Hot Chocolate: I love them all!
Okay, I don't know that I love them all. However, I do like so many that no particular type sticks out in mind. I just enjoyed a cup of white hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts the other day. Starbucks has a really tasty salted caramel hot chocolate. I love the Mexican hot chocolate from my local coffee shop. And I make a mean homemade version, myself. So I think that's what I'll share.

Elle's Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet...it's up to you)
3 C. whole milk or half and half
Marshmallow fluff or whipped cream for topping

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and water into a smooth paste. When this mixture is well combined and starting to heat through, add the chocolate chips and gently melt them into the cocoa powder mixture. When everything is completely melted, slowly whisk in the milk. Bring the milk and chocolate mixture up to a simmer, whisking often. Simmer for about 5 minutes to help thicken. Pour into mugs and top with marshmallow fluff or whipped cream. Oh! If you add a bit of cinnamon and a teeny pinch of cayenne, the flavor of this drink changes in wonderful ways!

Stay warm and enjoy!

Elle