Chocolate Bread Pudding

This is so delicious. Especially warm from the oven. It's chocolaty, gooey goodness.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
click here for a printable version
1 loaf Italian Bread - cut into cubes
¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
3 cups milk
½ cup coffee liqueur
1 Tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder (natural & dutched process blend)
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
6 eggs , lightly beaten
8 oz mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325° F

Butter a 13" x 9" backing dish. Fill with bread cubes.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In another bowl, whisk together milk, cream, coffee liqueur, chocolate syrup and vanilla.

Add sugar & cocoa mixture to milk mixture and whisk to combine.

Add eggs and whisk to combine.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour evenly over bread cubes.

Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 20 - 30 minutes until bread has absorbed most of the liquid.

Bake for 1 hour, or until set.

Serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream and, or caramel sauce.

Servings: 10

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Until next creation ---
Take Care & God Bless,
Alaine

Macaroni & (3) Cheese with Bacon, Onion and Tomato

OK guys - Here you go.......

My YUMMY Mac 'N Cheese. This is soooo good that I made it twice last week.

OK...... I made it twice because I was so excited to eat it the first time that I FORGOT to take pictures for the Blog. LOL

But I enjoyed it just as much the second time.

Ingredients:

(There is a link for the Printer Friendly recipe at end of post)

2 cups Elbow Macaroni, uncooked
¾ cup medium cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup smoked gouda cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmigiano-Romano cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon, diced
4 green onion chopped
½ cup sliced grape tomatoes or ¼ cup canned diced tomatoes with liquid squeezed out
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put large pot of water on to boil for pasta.

Take a couple of Tbls of each cheese and combine in small bowl with bread crumbs, set aside.

In a medium frying pan over medium high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and most of drippings, leaving about 2 Tbsl in pan. Add green onions and tomatoes and cook until onions are soft or if using fresh tomatoes, until tomatoes have burst and are soft. Add bacon back to pan, remove from heat and set aside.

Put pasta in boiling salted water and cook according to package directions. Do not rinse pasta.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour, paprika and cayenne and cook 1 minute. Turn up heat to medium and add chicken stock; then add milk and continue cooking until slightly thickened. Stir often so that sauce does not stick to bottom of pan. When thickened, add cheese, a handful at a time, to mixture while stirring to combine. remove from heat. Do not worry if the sauce is not completely smooth. After all the cheese is stirred in, add some fresh grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and put back into pot. Add bacon mixture and cheese sauce and stir to combine. Pour into 2 qt casserole dish. (I spray mine with Pam), top with cheese and breadcrumb mixture and bake at 500° F for 5 - 10 minute to brown top.

Oven Temperature: 500°F

Enjoy!!!!
Click here for Printer Friendly recipe.

Til Next Time,
Take Care & God Bless
Alaine

Ancho Pork Posole

Here is my Pork Posole recipe. Not sure just how authentic it is, but it works for us.

Ingredients:
(Printer Friendly recipe link at end of post)

1 lb pork loin, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Cloves fresh garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 can Hominy (29 oz) drained and rinsed
1 can Tomatillos (28 oz) drained
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can diced green chiles (4 oz)
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
¾ tsp Ancho Chile powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium high heat; sauté onions til transparent,

add garlic and pork.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook until pork is browned.

Add cumin, oregano and chili powder,

stir to coat meat with seasonings.

Add green chiles, diced tomatoes, hominy and tomatillos. Breaking up tomatillos as they are added

(I crush them in my hand as I add them, this way I can remove the stem end).

Do you have any idea how hard it is to add ingredients, hold the camera, focus and take a picture? All without burning what you are trying to cook?

Add chicken stock and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve with sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, minced onion and lemon wedges.

Don't ask me why some of these pictures decided to load sideways??? You should still get the "picture".

That's it - enjoy!!!
For Printer Friendly recipe, click here.

Til Next Time,
Take Care & God Bless your kitchen
Alaine

Ultimate S'mores Brownie Pie

Way better than any Girl Scout S'mores or brownie I ever had!

This is soooooo rich that I cut this in 1½ inch slices. But OOOOHHHHH so good!! Worth every calorie. LOL

Ingredients
(Printer friendly link at end of post)

1 Graham Cracker Crust (recipe follows or you can use a store bought one)
1 Box Ghiradelli Ultimate Brownie mix
1 Jar Marshmallow fluff
10 lrg marshmallows

Make crust:

Graham Cracker Crust -
1½ cups crushed graham crackers
2 Tbls brown sugar
4 Tbls butter, melted

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Pat into a pie plate. (I used a glass one) Pat it down firmly. Set aside.

Make Brownies:
Mix brownies as directed on box. Set fudge sauce aside. Pour into graham cracker crust and bake at 325° F for approx. 55 minutes. Until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely. When cool, heat oven to 500° F. Spread marshmallow fluff on top, I used a baggie as a piping bag so as not to pull off the crust of the brownie. Be careful when doing this as the crust is very delicate. Then cut marshmallows in half and place on top of fluff.

Place in HOT oven to brown marshmallows. Keep an eye on it!! You don't want burnt marshmallows.

When nice and brown, remove from oven and COOL. Then warm up the fudge sauce packet in a bowl of HOT water. Cut a TINY hole in the corner (I used a baggie so it was easier to handle) and "decorate" your pie.

VOILA!! The most delicious, moist, fudgy, gooey, marshmallowy goodness in a crispy crust EVER!!!

ENJOY!!!!
Click here for printer friendly recipe.

Mom's Kick-Butt Chili with Black Beans

I like to serve this over Angel Hair pasta. Put a pot of water on to boil before starting the chili. While the chili simmers, put the pasta in the boiling water. Everything will be ready at the same time. YAY! While the pasta cooks and the chili simmers, you can be prepping your toppings: diced onion or sliced green onion, chopped avocado, minced cilantro and maybe some crushed tortilla chips or Fritos? However you like your chili topped, this is an earthy flavorful and not too spicy chili your whole family will enjoy. If you would like it a little spicier you could add some minced jalapeño chilies when you add the carrots.

Prep & Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 - 6
(Printable recipe at bottom of page)
Ingredients
1
lb. ground beef (I use 22%)
2 Tbls Olive Oil
¾ c onion – small chop
1 Large Carrot – grated fine or pulsed in food processor
1 large clove garlic – minced or grated
1 small can tomato paste
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (NOT drained)
1 can low-fat refried black beans
2 c beef stock
1½ tsp Ancho chili powder
1½ tsp New Mexico chili powder
3 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cocoa powder
½ tsp paprika
Salt and Pepper

In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté onion in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper. Cook until brown (just until pink is gone) breaking it up as it cooks. (I take a potato masher to it) Stir in carrots then add seasonings and stir to coat meat. Add tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes while stirring (so it doesn’t burn). Add diced tomatoes (juice and all) and stock. Reduce heat and simmer 10 – 15 minutes. Stir in refried black beans and cook another 5 minutes; until beans are melded into chili.

To serve; ladle into bowls, top with cheese and fresh diced onion. Other toppings that work well with this are: sour cream and avocado.

Click here for printable recipe.