Savory Bread Pudding

Okay, so I don't have a photo of this but trust me, it's delicious.  Basically a glorified egg bake that is easy and super super delicious.

You'll need (for 2 servings):

• 4 eggs, beaten until light
• 1 cup milk (use half & half or cream for thicker or richer)
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 leaf of chard, chopped with kitchen shears
• 2-3 leaves of spinach, chopped with kitchen shears
• a few ounces of Swiss cheese, shredded or in small chunks
• 1-2 thick slices of delicious bread, cubed.  I used a garlic herb bread from the farmer's market that is to die for.  Another good choice is dill bread.  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• a few dashes salt
• a dash paprika
• 1 extra teaspoon dried basil

The steps:

• Preheat oven to 425
• In a large bowl, combine eggs and milk.
• Add seasonings and stir.
• Add cubes of bread and stir gently so that they absorb the liquids
• Add remaining ingredients and gently combine
• Pour ingredients into a grease square corningware baking dish, with a lid.
• Add more milk if the liquid mixture doesn't mostly cover the dry ingredients
• Bake 10-15 minutes, or until puffed up and the bread begins to brown.
• Let stand 5-10 minutes and enjoy

This is a very versatile recipe that, like quiche, can be made with many different kinds of ingredients.  Try it with various combinations of carrots, spinach, chard, peppers, mushrooms, onions, sun dried tomatoes, etc.

Delicious Nutritious Breakfast

Wondering what to do with you chard, carrots or other fall crops?  I'm telling you, I've been making some seriously delicious breakfasts lately.  I've just signed up for a 3 week fall CSA share that includes all kinds of greens, chard, carrots, spinach, beets, and onions.  It can be hard to use up all these greens because I'm just not always in the mood for salad.  I also, usually, am rushed in the morning because I have to get to work (and have a hard time getting up early).  Anyhow, here is the basic delicious, 5 minute egg breakfast.

You'll need (for one serving):**

• 2 eggs
• 1/2-1tablespoon skim milk
• half a carrot stick
• one big leaf of chard
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 dash seasoned salt
• a couple dashes Italian seasoning
• olive oil to coat the pan

The Steps:

• Pour some olive oil in a small, nonstick skillet
• Use your vegetable peeler to grate thin strips of carrot directly into the skillet.  This recipe is also great for not creating many dishes (the bane to my existence).
• Use your kitchen shears to cut the chard into small strips directly into the skillet
• Use a large knife to crush the garlic clove and place it in the skillet
• Turn heat to high and crack in eggs.  
• Add milk and seasonings.
• Stir constantly to avoid burning and cook until your desired done-ness.  Serve and eat.  Delicious with a little salsa, hot sauce, or parmesan cheese.

**The caveat to this recipe is that every single ingredient is organic and local (aside from oil) and the eggs are fresh from a local farm where the chickens run around and get chased by children.  This makes a world of difference in the flavor.

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Super Easy Scones

Blueberry scones closest, chocolate chip scones farther.

I've just been craving scones, so this seemed a good idea.  Easy, pretty quick, and versatile.

You'll need (for 8 good sized scones):

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or another nice seasoning, depending upon your add-ins)
• dash salt
• 3/4 cups butter (at room temperature)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup half 'n half (if you don't have half 'n half, just sub milk)
• something tasty to add.  

The steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients
• Cut in butter using a pastry cutter, fork, hands, or food processor.  Easiest if you cut the butter into smaller pieces before adding.
• In a measuring cup, beat together egg & milk
• Make a well in the dry mixture and gradually add egg & milk mixture.  You likely will not use all of the liquid mixture.  Add it little bits at a time, mix in using a fork, and just keep adding until moist.  The consistency should be conducive to rolling out.
• Add your goodies.  I added blueberries to some and chocolate chips to others.  Cranberries and orange zest is a good choice.  If you want something not so sweet, try dill or cardamom.  
• You can either roll out the dough and cut it into triangle pieces or just grab it by the handful and shape it into triangles (I chose the latter).
• Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
• Enjoy for breakfast, brunch, mid-morning snack, mid-afternoon snack.