Savory Bread Pudding

I am enticed by all things British. Lush landscapes, perfect gardens, historic churches, little villages, narrow lanes, and manor houses. Of course we learned to love tea the first time we were in England.  The meals we had were wonderful. I don't understand why British food is panned. A quick supper Mr. C  loves is Beans on Toast.  I always keep a can of Heinz Vegetarian Beans in the cupboard for when I need a quick 5 minute meal.  The U.S. version. The British version of doesn't have enough vinegar to suit.


One dish I have never tasted is Bread Pudding.  It is a concoction of eggs, dry bread, cream, and most often made with fruit, vanilla and sugar. The bread that need using up was a few slices of frozen round herb bread. I am an adventuresome eater, but sage and thyme wouldn't make a very palatable bread pudding.  I found this recipe for Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms and Parmesan Cheese and adapted it for our Saturday afternoon meal.

Savory Bread Pudding

3-4 slices of crusty herb bread, cubed
a little olive oil for toasting
 
2 Tbs. butter
4 ounces fresh mini bella mushrooms, diced
4-6 Tbs. onion, finely chopped
4-6 Tbs.  celery, sliced
4 slices Morningstar breakfast strips, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely diced
freshly ground sea salt and pepper

1 1/4-1/2 cupa 1% organic milk
1/2 cup powdered skim milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/3 cup asiago cheese finely grated

Cut bread into small cubes.  Heat olive oil in wok. 

Put bread cubes in the wok and toss to coat with oil.  

Heat and toss until bread is toasted on several sides.

Prepare vegetables and breakfast strips.

Melt butter in skillet.

Saute mushrooms, onion, celery and breakfast strips in butter until soft.  

Add finely diced garlic to warm. 

Toss vegetables with toasted bread.  

Place in an oiled dish.

Mix together milk, eggs and salt. Add cayenne pepper to taste. 

Pour over bread-vegetable mixture covering most of the bread. 

Top with grated Asiago cheese.

I baked this at 350 about 15 minutes,  

turned down the temperature to 300 . . .

and went for a walk with Sweet Girl and Mr. C.  

The bread pudding baked about an hour total.  

It would normally bake at one temperature for about 45 minutes. 

Mr. C likes toasty food, 

but I would prefer a thicker layer of pudding baked a smaller dish. 

Sweet Girl was ready to eat too.