Dayrecipe Food Community

“I have never been a bread-pudding fan,” writes Marie Hernandez of Chicago. “But after trying the pumpkin bread pudding at Wildfire restaurant in Oak Brook, Illinois, I think I’ve changed my mind. Had I know that this dessert could be so good, I would have started eating it long ago.”

Do as the restaurant does, and serve this with sweetened whipped cream.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• bread pudding
• 2cups half and half
• 115-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2large eggs
• 1 1/2teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 10cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)
• 1/2cup golden raisinscaramel sauce
• 1 1/4cups (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2cup whipping creampowdered sugar

DIRECTIONS For bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins. Transfer mixture to 11×7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce: Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

Here is a quick and healthy pasta thats both easy to make and enjoy.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb dried pasta (I used lemon pepper linguine)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion,chopped
• 16 ounces fresh salmon fillet, skinned, de-boned and cut into cubes
• 3 medium red ripe tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, washed
• coarse sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or shallow saucepan.
3. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent and just starting to color.
4. Add the salmon and stir with the onion for a couple of mins on med high heat.
5. Add the garlic, wedged tomatoes, and oregano them lower heat to med.
6. Cook while stirring for about 5 minutes and add the baby spinach.
7. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the flavors developed.
8. Add salt & pepper to taste.
9. When the sauce is nearly done (about the time you add the spinach).
10. Check the pasta and drain when cooked to your liking (remove sauce from heat if pasta needs more time).
11. Add drained pasta to the pan with the sauce and mix.
12. Serve at once.

Cream of coconut is added to the batter and the whipped cream frosting. You can make and chill the cake up to one day ahead.

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• cake
• 2 3/4cups all purpose flour
• 1teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 3/4cup buttermilk
• 1/4cup sour cream
• 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 2/3cups sugar
• 1cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as coco lópez)*
• 4large eggs, separated
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract3cups sweetened flaked coconutfilling
• 1/2cup peach preserves
• 3pounds peaches, peeled, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1/2cup sugar
• 2tablespoons fresh lemon juicefrosting
• 3cups chilled whipping cream
• 1/4cup plus 2 tablespoons canned sweetened cream of coconut
• 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract1peach, peeled, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk and sour cream in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in cream of coconut, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

Spread flaked coconut on large baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring once, about 14 minutes. Cool. (Cakes and coconut can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.)

For filling:
Stir preserves in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Toss peaches, sugar, and lemon juice in large bowl. Add preserves and toss to combine.

For frosting: Beat first 3 ingredients in large bowl until peaks form.

Drain peach filling of excess juices. Cut cakes horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Top with 1/3 of peach filling. Spread 1 cup frosting over filling. Repeat layering 2 more times, then top with final cake layer, cut side down. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Cover cake completely with toasted coconut. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Fan peach slices atop center of cake before serving.

* Cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

Salmon and cod also work well.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 12ounces plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
• 1small cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1cup chopped red onion
• 1/2cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8tablespoons olive oil
• 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice65- to 6-ounce halibut fillets
• all purpose flour
• 3large eggs, beaten to blend

DIRECTIONS Combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, parsley, garlic, lemon peel and cayenne in large bowl. Mix in 4 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season relish with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dust fish all over with flour to coat. Place eggs in 11×7-inch glass baking dish. Add fish to eggs; turn to coat. Let stand 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes, turning fish occasionally.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add half of fish with egg coating to skillet; sauté until coating is golden and fish is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer fish to plates. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and fish. Top fish with relish.

To most Americans, Ischia, off the coast of Naples, is relatively unknown. That’s a shame, because for centuries this island’s thermal springs have been luring savvy travelers for restorative dips; plus, the locals produce some of the best wine in the region. At La Pergola, a family-run inn located on a hill just outside of Forio, guests enjoy some of that homemade wine, along with artisanal jams and olive oil. La Pergola also serves one of the island’s most popular dishes, rabbit cacciatore, or hunter’s rabbit.

Chicken may be substituted for rabbit in this hearty dish.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3tablespoons olive oil
• 13 1/4-pound frozen rabbit, thawed, cut into 8 pieces
• 5garlic cloves, minced
• 1pound tomatoes, chopped, with seeds and juices (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/3cups dry white wine
• 2tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Sprinkle rabbit with salt and pepper. Add rabbit to pot and sauté until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes and wine. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until rabbit is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer rabbit pieces to plate. Add herbs to sauce in pot. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Return rabbit to pot. Stir until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.