Mom's Bread Pudding

Like many things, Mom didn't really have a set recipe for bread pudding. It was just a little of this and a little of that. She knew just about how much of everything needed and that was that. This is sort of a guestimate she gave me once when I asked her how to make bread pudding.

2 cups of milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp butter

2 eggs

vanilla

7-9 slices stale bread

Heat milk, sugar, and butter until hot. I usually heat it until it is just about to boil. Remove from heat. Separate eggs, slightly beat yolks, set whites aside. Add a small amount of hot milk to the egg yolks so it won't curdle, then add to the milk mixture. Add vanilla - as much as you like. (1-2 tbsp)

Tear slices of stale bread to fill a medium sized baking dish. French bread or dinner rolls work great also. If you like raisins, stir them in. Pour milk over bread and let it sit for a few minutes. Place baking dish in another pan and fill that pan with water about half way up the side of the dish. This keeps the bread pudding from drying out. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add a little sugar, spread on top bread pudding. Bake another 10 minutes until browned.

Sometimes it comes out perfect, sometimes not. Mom's was always great of course.

Cookies n cream cupcakes

I made these a few weeks ago for the kids. And Wow...these were SO good!! Very sweet, but simply awesome. I'll be making them again! Cookies n cream icing is the best also and would make a good cake filling. hmmm!

The original recipe called for a cake from scratch. I cheated and used a chocolate cake mix because I had one. Here's the original recipe:

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup hot water
24 Oreos, plus more for crumbs

Frosting:
1 cup shortening
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-6 Tablespoons milk
2 or more teaspoons Oreo cookie crumbs

For the cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line tray with 12 baking cups.
• Place one whole cookie in each cup or break apart at least 12 cookies and place the broken pieces into each cup.
• Mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl using a wire whisk.
• Add the eggs, oil, vanilla and milk and mix well until thoroughly combined. Add the hot water and mix until combined.
• Transfer the batter (it will be very liquid) to a large measuring cup and then pour batter into each baking cup so it’s about three quarters full. You should have a little left over.
• Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Makes at least 12 cupcakes

For the frosting:

• Beat the shortening in a mixer until smooth.
• Add vanilla and mix until combined.
• Add the powdered sugar in three additions, scraping down the sides after each addition.
• Add a Tablespoon of milk at a time and mix together until you achieve the consistency you like.
• Add the cookie crumbs and mix until completely combined. You can add more if you like, but I just wanted a light speckling to show off the white frosting.
• Place frosting in a decorator bag with a 1M tip and swirl on top of each cupcake.
• Insert a cookie on top of each cupcake.
• You can also apply frosting on each cupcake in a mounded shape. Turn upside down and roll the top around in a small bowl of cookie crumbs to coat.