Ohana's Bread Pudding

This is the dessert that the Howles have been talking about for as long as I have known them. They LOVE it and it is probably the main reason they love Ohana so much. Once I finally got to try it for myself, I was not disappointed. It is the best bread pudding I have ever eaten. When they serve it at Ohana, they pour the the bananas foster sauce over the top at the table. The sauce really makes it. I may have to try making it at home for Jeff's birthday.

Ingredients
5 eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cup sugar
8 cups French bread

1. In bowl mix eggs, milk , salt, sugar and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Cut bread in medium pieces, place on cookie sheet pan put in 350 degree oven.
3. Bake bread until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Remove bread and place in egg and milk mixture.
4. Place mixture in a greased 10-inch cake pan and bake at 325 degree for 1 hour.
5. Let stand 5 minutes, serve hot with ice cream and top with Banana Foster Sauce

Banana Foster Sauce
4 oz sugar
4 oz brown sugar
4 oz corn syrup
4 oz unsalted butter
1cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1cup spiced rum
1cup banana slices

1. Combine sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and half of heavy cream in a large pan. Bring to a boil and slowly add remaining heavy cream keeping mixture at a steady boil.

2. Add spiced rum and flambe.

3. Candy will brown slightly; cook 3 minutes until candy forms into a firm ball in cold water. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Add sliced bananas. Serve warm.

It is delicious! -Joy

Pumpkin Gingerbread Triffle

I haven't made this yet but it looks great! It is going to be one of three desserts on our Thanksgiving table.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

9 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

30 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

20 servings

Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
• 1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Our friend Mary Katherine brought these into work today. Oh my goodness! These are to die for! Here is the recipe that she got from Bon Appetit. Thanks for sharing MKat!





Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients
FILLING
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons maple extract
CAKE
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Preparation
FILLING
Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add marshmallow creme and maple extract; beat until blended and smooth. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
CAKE
Sift first 7 ingredients into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in another large bowl until blended. Gradually beat in oil. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients in 2 additions alternately with milk in 1 addition, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Cover and chill batter 1 hour.
Arrange 1 rack in bottom third of oven and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment; spray lightly with nonstick spray. Spoon batter onto baking sheet to form cakes (about 3 level tablespoons each; about 12 per baking sheet), spacing apart. Let stand 10 minutes.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool cakes completely on baking sheets on rack. Using metal spatula, remove cakes from parchment.
Line cooled baking sheets with clean parchment; spray with nonstick spray, and repeat baking with remaining batter.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling on flat side of 1 cake. Top with another cake, flat side down. Repeat with remaining cakes and filling. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.

Crepes

I love crepes and I have finally (somewhat) mastered making them. It really isn't that hard but I definitely recommend a crepe pan, a non-stick shallow pan about 8 inches wide. Here is the basic recipe that works with sweet or savory fillings:

1 C all purpose flour

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 C low-fat milk-1%

1/2 C water

2 tsp butter, melted

2 large eggs

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, sugar, salt). Put remaining wet ingredients in a blender and process on low until just mixed. Then add dry ingredients and process until smooth. Cover batter and chill for 1 hour.

Once it has set for an hour you are ready to make crepes. Heat your non-stick pan over medium heat and pour 1/4 C batter into pan, quickly tilting the pan so that the batter thinly, evenly coats the bottom of the pan. That is the part that takes a little bit of practice. I usually eat the first few before I make pretty ones.

Cook for a minute. It is ready to flip when it can be shaken loose from the pan. Flip and cook for 30 seconds on the other side. Stack finished crepes between a single layer of wax or parchment paper until you have finished the batch. This recipe should yield 12 crepes.

Once done, you can do a variety of recipes. I like eating them for breakfast or dessert with a little honey or pumpkin butter or jam. They are an excellent dessert with a little Nutella. When we made a batch this weekend, we ate a few for breakfast then saved the rest for dinner.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I found this recipe on Cooking Light's website and made it this weekend. Awesome! I highly recommend!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread


2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla pudding
4 large egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 32 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 152 (30% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.1g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 10mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.5g; SODIUM 137mg; PROTEIN 2g; FIBER 1.1g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2004