Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I promised: Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding!

I'll give you the link for the recipe, you have to make it-it's AMaZiNg!  You really have to make this at least once this fall season.  I made it once to practice last year-ahh..wonderful!-then made it for Bunko and again for my family.  I haven't made it since last year, but I've already been thinking about it for two weeks..I just can't forget that amazing flavor.  (and it uses two cans of pumpkin-which is so healthy!) (extremely good source of vitamins A and C, essential for maintaining good eyesight and a healthy immune system, among other functions. It is also high in potassium, manganese, copper and one of the B vitamins, riboflavin. Not enough for you?  Then consider the fact that pumpkin contains considerable amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, folate, vitamins E and B6, niacin, thiamin and pantothenic acid — and is low in salt, cholesterol and saturated fat. Phew!  from here)  So you really need some pumpkin bread pudding! : )

Ok, here's how you start (I did this part last night):

Ingredients:

• 4  large eggs
• 2  (15-oz.) cans pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1  cup half-and-half   (I use fat free)
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  (12-oz.) French bread loaf, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)  (if you get a big loaf at Wal-Mart, you only need 3/4 of it, they are 16 oz. loaves)

• CARAMEL-PECAN SAUCE:
• 1  cup pecans, chopped
• 1  cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2  cup butter
• 1  tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by whisking the eggs with the pumpkin, then add the next seven ingredients and mix well.  Then, add the bread pieces (I just let the kids tear up the bread!), cover with plastic wrap, and let sit over night (8-24 hours).

This is the torn-up bread (it was recommended that you use stale bread so the mixture would absorb better, but I had just bought it-so it may be more soupy, less firm.  We'll see!)

Here is the pumpkin mixture.

She's adding the bread! (so easy!)

I promise it gets better!  (It doesn't look so amazing right now.)

Then, the next day (maybe right before you sit down to dinner? Perfect for Thanksgiving!), you take out the mixture, and put it into lightly greased 9x13 dish (or you can use 12 ramekins, or two 8x8 dishes if you want to share your dessert-your choice!).  Cover with foil and bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes.

While the bread pudding is baking for the last 15 minutes, make your sauce (after dinner).  Heat the pecans over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes-keep stirring!  Then, I put them back in their measuring cup, and use the same pan for heating the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup 3-4 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla and pecans.
Remove the bread pudding from the oven, drizzle the sauce over it (or them-if you made more than one!), and bake again for five minutes.

Here is the sauce, all lumpy:

Ethan grabbed my camera (I'll spare you all the pictures of my counter, bar stool, ceiling, floors...)

This is the latest, greatest thing, if you are wanting to get the "it" thing for your child for Christmas!  Hex bug nanos!  They are tiny vibrating things on rubber legs, and they vibrate around their "paths".  Ethan loves his (yes, he took the picture!):

Here is the sauce done:

And...Ready to Eat! : )

Here is a close-up of the yummy goodness:

We still have about 1/3 of our half. (1/6 of the whole-hahaha-I love math!)  It'll be gone tomorrow...now who to gift with the other half?? : )


Tomorrow: Double Delicious and purees and Chicken Rice Soup!

Perfect Timing

Apple-Cheddar-Squash soup: I know it sounds all healthy-but it was delish!  It actually has two whole apples, a butternut squash (yes, here was me finding a butternut squash-first time-and then trying to cut/peel/dice it! Ha!), 2 cups of grated cheese, onion, apple juice/cider, and chicken broth.  I added some garlic (because I like it in all things).  Here's the recipe if you want to know more, but I loved it!  It tasted a little like a yummy corn chowder recipe I have, but maybe sweeter?  I got a new calendar Friday night after about 2 weeks of intense-calendar-shopping (yes, really!), and I was planning meals and making a grocery list...and googled easy summer meals.  Ha! Google delivers again.  I found about four new recipes, so HaPpY!  (Here's an old calendar like mine, I had trouble finding them online-I had one last year, but only found them in Borders this year, even though I have B&N gift cards to use!  Hmm..what to shop for..)
Mary Claire went to a surprise VBS tonight (well, she was invited right before it was time to be there, so I let her go!).  She was excited to go with a couple friends, so I think she'll have fun.  She was swimming at a friend's house today (after swimming with us twice-so yes, three suits wet!), and was invited to go along.  They brought her back to change, and she was out the door.  I feel like she's so much more grown up.  She put her own pump back on (please, God, keep her site good after so much soaking today..), and called to tell me what they were having at dinner (yes, they served food!), and gave herself a bolus.  My little girl.  So she missed out on my new soup, poor girl.  (heehee-her choice would've always been chicken nuggets and trail mix-Woo-hoo!)
Friday afternoon I got the opportunity to go to the church and straighten the books in the pews, put new envelopes in the holders, and clean up a little.  I was having a rough day when I got there, ran all the way to the door (since it'd started pouring down rain!), got a hug from Mrs. Sherry, then went into the church.  It was so quiet, and there were people getting ready for a wedding, rehearsing.  There was music on quietly, and it was so peaceful.  I finished the section I was supposed to do, and it was still pouring down rain-so I kept going.  The church emptied out, and I was alone.  It was perfect-I'd say God sent the rain to hold me closer, longer.  I needed it, and I went through all the sections, just perfecting books, then through the cry room, which didn't seem like it'd been touched in weeks (or else kids had destroyed it fast!).  There were NO envelopes in there (I know, I know, kids crumple them, play with them, and stuff them in crevices), but what if those kids want to take offering up in a sweet little envelope?  Well, now they can. (hope I don't get in trouble for giving them envelopes!)  Anyway, by the time I left it was dark, quiet, and I was ten million times calmer.  My arm had been hurting when I went in, but I totally forgot about me, and enjoyed my time.  Thank you for the opportunity-sometimes God gives us choices-and blesses us tremendously.
Thank you, God, for our wonderful friends, our church of peace, your sun to play in, and food to share.  Many blessings coming our way! : )

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

Thank you, God, for my friends

Hey ya'll!  Had a great, busy day getting ready for Bunco tonight! ..SO much fun!  I always have fun, but tonight was great.  We had good food-and dessert! Yum : )
Kids had another good day at VBS, and we remembered Clay's medicine, so he was better.  We dropped more clothes off at the church for some friends.  It feels SO good to see my dining room floor-that's what else Bunco is great for..cleaning my house!
Ches took the kids to eat at Chick-Fil-A and then to the movies to see Marmaduke.  It was crafty-family night, and they made the cutest little foam briefcase picture frames for Father's Day.  I am going to try to get some pictures printed at Wal-Mart for the kids to put in the frames.  So sweet.
Did I already tell you what we got Ches?  I will wait to tell you till Sunday afternoon-just in case he sees this! : )  We are being a little sneaky, and have a surprise for him.  Heehee  I just love surprises!
He told me what he wants for his next big birthday-a new Orbea bike!  I have to start saving now to buy it.  It's really expensive...so I will start a new savings account.  If I save about $125-$150 a month, I'll have enough.  Whew.  He also reminded me I have a big one coming up-and asked what I want.  Umm..what do I want?  A baby.  Can you buy those?  Just kidding.
Well, the kitchen is clean, dishes washed, dishwasher finally shut down, kids to bed (at 11!), and we are all tired.  I love going to sleep in a clean house.
I had turned on the pool lights and the twinkly lights around the pergola and the water/deck jets.  I went out there to shut them off, and it was so beautiful and peaceful.  I just wanted to sleep out there!  That water splashing makes me sleepy (but calm).  I had planned to swim tonight, but I'm too tired.  Once we hit really hot days and nights, the water warms right up, and it's like bath water at night!  It won't be long.
I hope you have friends to eat with, play games with, and to make you laugh.  What precious gifts they are.  God sends them to say the sweetest things, and it just fills my soul with love.  Now I have to send out more nice things..I gotta pay it forward!
Praying you have a handful of friends, and sending you hugs tonight!

ps-here's my luscious lemon bars from tonight-they were AmAziNG! : )
pps-be sure to follow the commenter, GingerZin's, instructions and use extra lemon zest and juice (I did, and they were awesome!!).  This is what I used.  (website recipe calls for only 1 t. lemon zest and 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice).
ppps-Just 'cause I like ps'ing..heehee  I squeezed the lemons over a colander over a bowl, and so I didn't have to pick out seeds.  That could be VERY problematic.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4  cups  all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2  cup  powdered sugar
• 1  cup  cold butter, cut into pieces
• 4  large eggs
• 2  cups  granulated sugar
• 2  teaspoons  lemon zest
• 1/2  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
• Powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
2. Stir together 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture over hot baked crust.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift from pan, using foil sides as handles. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Remove foil, and cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Note: To make ahead, prepare as directed. Cover tightly, and freeze up to 1 month.
Cook's Note: Make them on a night that you'll have company or you'll eat them all.  heehee