Savory Bread Pudding

This was one of those dishes that I created on a whim, not even sure if it would turn out. 

Which means did I measure things exactly?....ummmmmm, no. 

I have had several requests on Facebook for the recipe of this dish since I posted the picture above.
So here goes...hopefully I can recreate the madness that went on in my head last night.

:: Ingredients ::

French bread

Fresh spinach leaves

Bacon crumbles

Canned artichokes

Butter/margarine

2 different kinds of cheeses

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups of milk 

1 tsp red pepper

1 tsp onion salt

Two 9 in. round pans 
One 9 in square pan

Pam cooking spray

:: Directions ::

Turn on the oven to 375 degrees.
Get out one of your pans and cut the french bread into cubed pieces until there is a nice tight layer in the bottom of your pan, you shouldn't be able to see the bottom of that pan!

Mix eggs, milk, red pepper and onion salt together until thoroughly blended. 

Then pour the mixture evenly over the bread and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

While that mixture is working, get a skillet out and melt some butter, like a tablespoon or so.

Grab two or three handfuls of spinach leaves, put them in the pan and let them cook down, stirring the entire time. Reduce heat and add your bacon. Cover the pan.

Pull out your container of canned artichokes, get out 5-6 chokes, then squeeze them to remove the juices. Add those to the spinach and bacon. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from the heat.

Here's where you add one of your cheeses. 

I went with a sharp cheddar that I grated directly into the skillet and folded it into the mixture of spinach, artichokes and bacon. It was probably close to a cup in measurement. I think it depends on the kind of cheese how much you should add. Cheeses that are more powerful in taste you would probably want to scale back a little. 

Now grab a small saucepan and boil 2 to 3 cups of water.  You'll see why below.

Now prepare your other pan with cooking spray. Get your bread, eggs and milk mixture from the refrigerator and add it your skillet. Fold it in so everything is evenly distributed and then add everything to the new pan.

Now it's time add a second cheese to the top. I went with an Asiago cheese and grated enough so it covered the top of the dish.  

Grab your 9 in. square pan and pour in the boiling water. Place your round pan in the water bath and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes. The last two minutes turn the oven to broil to brown it a little.

This recipe will make 4 servings like the one below.

Edamame & Tomato Salad

:: Ingredients ::

2 large fresh roma tomatoes, chopped

One 8 oz. pkg of edamame, cooked and shelled

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt

fresh basil

asiago cheese

:: Directions ::

Cook frozen edamame pouch in the microwave for about 3 minutes, 
let it cool and slip the seeds out of the pods. 

Chop roma tomatoes into bite size pieces. 

Use a vegetable peeler and slice off some pieces of asiago cheese. 

Chop 5-6 large basil leaves. 

Sprinkle with sea salt.

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Fold ingredients together and enjoy!

{Makes a great lunch for one or a dinner side dish for two people}