A Very Merry Breakfast Bake

I don't know about you, but the smell of gingerbread cooking in our house is one of my favorite smells.  It reminds me of all things holiday and cozy.  Since I'd made some gingerbread the other day, I thought it'd be fun to try making a traditional breakfast bake using the gingerbread. 

The result was pretty amazing.  I think I'm going to have to make this the night before Christmas, and put it in to bake while we open presents!

Gingerbread Breakfast Bake
serves 4-6, or 3.5 very hungry people

You'll need:

• 5 slices of gingerbread (You want them to be about 2 in thick.)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk (I used whole milk for this recipe)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions:

• In a medium sized bowl, beat your eggs, cinnamon, heavy cream, milk, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and sugar together until well mixed.
• Spray some Pam or non-stick baking spray into an 8x8 square cake pan (I used a glass pyrex pan).  If you choose to double the recipe, use a 9x11 cake pan.
• Place the slices of gingerbread in the pan.
• Pour the mixture over the gingerbread.
• Let soak for at least 10 minutes.  I like to let this sit for longer, but no worries if you're in a rush.  You can also let is soak overnight and bake it in the morning.  Just let it sit out for ten minutes or so before you bake it (it's better for it to be closer to room temperature before baking.)
• Preheat your oven to 350-degrees. 
• Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the bake looks like a solid custard, and the bread is slightly golden on the sides of the pan.  (If it still feels soppy when you touch the top of it, it's not ready.  The inside should be a bit custardy, while the outside is lightly toasted.)
• Shake a bit of powdered sugar on top.
• Serve!

Nigella's Caramel Croissant Pudding

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love breakfast.  When I came across this Nigella's Express recipe with stale croissants, caramel and custard, well, I have to say I swooned.  While I'm not normally a sweets person, especially not for breakfast, I love caramel, and I just knew Kyle and Laela would really enjoy it.  After all, does Nigella ever share bad recipes?  I think not.

I'm going to warn you.  This is one seriously decadent breakfast, and I'm pretty sure it's in NO way healthy.  But it's totally worth the indulgence.

Nigella's Caramel Croissant Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 stale croissants
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 2 eggs, beaten

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350- degrees.
• Tear the croissants into pieces and put ina  small gratin dish; I use a cast-iron oval one with a capacity of about 2 cups for this.
• Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, and swirl around to help desolve teh sugar before putting the saucepan on the burner over medium high heat.
• Carmelize the sugar and water mixture by letting it bubble away until it al turns a deep amber color; this will take 3-5 minutes.  Keep looking, but don't be too timid.
• Turn the heat down to low and add the cream- ignoring all spluttering- and, whisking, the mnilk and bourbon.  Any solid toffee that forms in the pan will dissolve easily if you keep whisking over low heat.  Take off the heat, and still whisking, add the beaten eggs.  Pour the caramel bourbon custard over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes if the croissants are very stale.
• Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes and prepare to swoon.

Nigella says this serves 2 greedy people, but I think it could serve 4 with a salad, since it's so rich.

And no, I didn't get any pictures of this one.  It disappeared faster than I could get the camera!

If you've got English grandparents, or have ever been to an English restaurant, there's no doubt you've had peas and cream.  I think they're one of those things that the English decided that they'd use to bribe unruly, picky children to eat peas (or in my case, a husband that has lackluster feelings towards vegetables).  They're a great side for steak, chicken, or pretty much anything roasted.  The best part?  Your friends and family will swear you're a gourmet cook when all it took is less than ten minutes and very, very little work.

This recipe is going to be a bit different than some of my other recipes in that I'm not going to give you exact amounts. 

Ingredients:

• Peas (I prefer frozen.)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (fresh if you have it on hand, but really out of the jar is fine too!)
• Heavy Cream
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, pour the amount of peas that you want to make.  Pour in the heavy cream until it is just covering the peas.  Shake in a big heap of the parmesan.  Add a few good shakes of garlic and onion powder into the saucepan, and then mix the whole thing together really well.  As the mixture begins to simmer, give it a good stir to make sure the ingredients are fully mixed.  When you can pick up a pea and pop it in between your fingers with no effort, see how it tastes, and then and add salt and pepper to your liking.  You want your peas to be coated with thick, cheesy, silky cream.

Enjoy!