Eggnog Bread Pudding

When the Christmas season is over, I don't want to see another drop of eggnog for a long time.  As a matter of fact, I always have bits and pieces of "holiday" treats that I need to get rid of...brilliant idea...dump it all in a pan and bake it off!  I try to keep the ends of seasonal breads, like panettone and the crust from brioche we used for Breakfast Casserole, I put them on a sheet tray in the oven and dry them for bread pudding. 

My recipe varies, depending on how much eggnog I have left on New Years Day.  If you have a favorite Bread Pudding recipe, replace the milk/ cream with eggnog or you can try my super easy version.

EGGNOG BREAD  PUDDING

6 slices of leftover bread

1/4 cup chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts (optional)

4 eggs

2 cups eggnog or milk

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat to 350 degrees.

Butter and 8-inch square pan.  Break bread in chunks and put in pan.  If you have any chocolate chips, apricots, dried cranberries or nuts leftover from holiday baking, sprinkle on the bread.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour on the bread.  Press the bread down so all the pieces are soaked.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Let the bread pudding sit for 5 minutes.  Slice and serve. 

ENJOY!

Hangover Prevention 101

Getting ready for NYE festivities? Well, here's what we're doing.  Blitzing up some "Good-For-You" green veggie juice, then crossing our fingers!

We put raw tomatoes, broccoli, celery, and baby spinach in the juicer, then finish with a squeeze of lime.  John put salt, ground black pepper and a dash of Frank's Red Hot in his...hm mm...sounds more like the makings of a delicious Bloody Mary, right?

Make sure to drink water, they (whoever "they" are) always say your body is fighting dehydration due to the alcohol, thus the big fat headache, however, alcohol consumption in mass quantities is what it is.

Cheers to everyone.  Be safe tonight and see you in 2012!

RELAX...have a STEAK at Jak's Grill




The best part of Jak's Grill is leftovers the next day!!!

 

OK, there is so much going on in December, sometimes I just want to bury my head and disappear.  Best place to do this is Jak's Grill.  Not stuffy, not pretentious, just fun, Fun, FUN!!!  I love the dark atmosphere, even in the Summer, and I welcome all the noise.  Seating is mostly booths, so if you don't mind waiting a few minutes with one of their beers on draft or hand shaken cocktails, it's all worth it!

My husband and son always get the dry aged center cup New York with the garlic mashed potatoes.

As for me, I like the skewers served with the BAKER with THE WORKS.  The Skewers are a bargain at Jak's Grill, but don't be fooled. This brochette of New York & Filet pieces is seasoned with Moroccan spices and topped with Gorgonzola sauce, delicious!  If it sounds weird, ask for the sauce on the side.

I don't have a favorite dessert at Jak's Grill, but like most steak houses, a chocolate dessert and creme brulee are always available, so save some room and enjoy!

The Best Tortilla EVER!

BREAKFAST IS SERVED!
Lucky me, my husband is the BEST Tortilla maker EVER!!!   OK, traditionally, tortilla is topped with meat or fish (here's a tortilla recipe I've used before), so this version is a little different with the meat added in.
A few eggs, caramelized onions, leftover roasted potatoes, last night's steamed broccoli and Basque-style chorizo...YUMMY.

Macrina

It's too cold and I am too lazy to leave the house this morning, but I still woke up to a perfectly toasted slice of Macrina bread with little pools of butter and my homemade jam and a cup of coffee from the French press.  Lucky for me, while I was at work yesterday, John picked up Sunday provisions at Whole Foods.  OK, so he didn't go to Macrina Bakery, but aren't you glad you can get Macrina products from the store?!? 

He also picked up Basque-style chorizo, which is now hanging with the pots and pans near the window, but that's a different story.

If you plan to venture out on this cold and foggy morning, take a trip to Macrina Bakery.  My favorite spot is probably still the one in Belltown, but the tiny space is always packed.  Good for Macrina, bad for me on a cold morning.  The location in SODO doesn't have as many seats, but it's less busy, Good Thing!  The coffee is always perfect and there are a few delicious choices for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, depending on when you get out of bed.

Grab the paper or your kindle and head down to Macrina, oh, there's also pleanty of parking.  Enjoy!!

I've shared many lunches and dinners with my son at La Cocina.

So I'm over in VERY COLD Pullman this weekend visiting my son.  It's actually Dad's Weekend at Washington State University, but I only have one child, so try to stop me.  Don't worry WSU dads, I have no intention on ruining your fun! 

On to the food crisis...Not to be disrespectful, but there are very few places to get good food in Pullman.  So far we've found one Mexican place we like, a cute cafe, and the other eating is done in Moscow, ID.

Maybe by the time my son graduates, we'll find a "go-to" place for a quick bite in Pullman...doubtful.  For now, I want to share the "go-to" place I use to go to with my son.  La Cocina, located on the north end of Broadway.  Casual, nothing fancy, friendly, inxpensive, and the servers there have always been so nice and kind, even when my son was younger and a little messier.

OK, I have to be honest...for all the years I have been going ot La Cocina, I've never ordered off the menu.  There is a buffet there every day, is it there all day?  I have no idea, but there is always a buffet when I go there.  Alright, this place ain't nothin' special.  The chips are always warm and I think the salsas are all housemade.  Seriously, not going to be featured on any food shows soon, but I always go back AND I drag my son and husband everytime I can.  Ha, ha. 

Here's the deal.  There's always a table, the food is fine, cheap, and on a sunny day, GREAT PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH!

TGIF, ALL DAY: Palomino

I was first introduced to Palomino years ago in their "then" swanky digs in downtown Seattle.  What did I have?  A Manhattan and those damn fatty, dripping with cheese and other stuff, fries!  I don't know if the "loaded" fries are still on the menu.

I don't go to Palomino often, unless I want breakfast.  Not bad.  Nothing special, but very Northwest.  Not too expensive, but not cheap either.  OK, their "Happy Hour" all day is a good idea and the Pomegranate Margarita goes well with everything on the menu.

Pomegranate Margarita