As college students, my roommates and I mostly buy groceries individually, cooking and eating what we each like. But, understandably, most food isn’t geared for a single person to finish by him or herself, and because of this, it’s hard to go through an entire loaf of bread or a whole carton of eggs before expiration time.
There is a solution to this, however, and it comes in the form of comfort foods: elegant french toast, and homey bread pudding. Both are delicious and easy ways to get rid of stale loaves of bread and eggs that are questionably dated.
Today, a recipe for a delicious, comforting bread pudding:
(adapted by a dear friend, Liz)
7 slices day-old bread
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk (fat-free milk for more healthy; or 1 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup half-and-half for richer taste)
3/4 cup sugar (I mix 1/4 cup brown and 1/2 cup white)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins and/or thinly sliced Granny Smith apples (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Break bread into small pieces into an 8-inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins or Granny Smith apples. (Tip: while breaking bread, melt butter.)
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.
