Greetings!  How have you been?!  What’s new with the fam??  Have you taken any trips abroad this summer?  Seen any new movies?  We’ve been so busy I can barely keep my head on straight!

And I haven’t posted anything on my blog in over a month so hopefully I can find the time since there are currently 19 drafts in my queue!  For now I hope you enjoy this great little recipe for savory bread pudding!  🙂

 

Him:  You haven’t blogged in a long time.

 

Her:  Yeah, you’re right.  I might finish my BBQ chicken recipe and publish it tonight.

 

Narrator:  Regardless of her intentions, she would not publish the recipe that night.  He knew it, she knew it, we all knew it.

 

So there’s a large cast iron tub in my backyard.  LOL

It was already here when we bought the house but it’s eclectic and I like it, so we kept it!  I filled it with dirt and use it as a vegetable planter.

This Summer it’s got Neon Lights Swiss Chard and let me tell you what… this variety of swiss chard is SO beautiful!  It’s bright and cheery and all things happy.  Kind of like having stained glass in the garden!

 

But the best part is I can walk outside and pick fresh ingredients for any meal… pretty special, right?  🙂

 

I’m making a brunch style savory bread pudding big enough to feed a crowd.  The ingredients are simple including Swiss Chard, a loaf of bread, green onions/shallots, bacon, eggs, cheese, heavy cream, and seasonings.

 

To begin, break the bread into 1″ pieces with your hands, and toast the pieces in the oven.

If you don’t like sourdough bread then Italian bread makes a nice substitute.  You can find a large loaf of either kind in the bakery aisle of your grocery store for under $2.

 

I had a couple pieces after toasting and realized it would be great dipped in minced garlic olive oil!

 

The recipe calls for bacon which adds depth and great flavor!

 

Adding fresh nutmeg to the egg/cream mixture is mandatory.

Seriously.  😎

 

The recipe comes together really fast after you prep a few things.  Just layer everything twice and bake, that’s it!

 

It makes enough to fill a 9×13″ baking dish.  It’s a real treat for your brunch guests, but if you’re only feeding your small family you can easily cut the recipe in half.

 

Onion, bacon, chard, and cheese make a very savory pudding.  Honey baked ham was a great pairing decision!  If you’re growing Swiss chard and looking for ways to use it, look no further, this one’s a keeper! 🙂

 

Swiss Chard Bread Pudding

• 1 Large Loaf Sourdough or Italian Bread, 1″ pieces
• 6 slices (6 oz.) thick cut Bacon, fried and rough chopped
• 4 cups chopped Swiss Chard including ribs
• 1 tablespoon Shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup Green Onions, sliced
• 4 large Eggs
• 3 cups Heavy Cream
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Fresh ground Pepper to taste
• 1-1/4 cups Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 1-1/4 cups Colby Jack Cheese, shredded

Prep:  Preheat oven to 350º F.  Break the bread into 1″ pieces and toast for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and dry, set aside.  Fry the bacon, blot away oil, rough chop into small pieces, set aside.  Rinse and dry the chard, rough chop into small pieces including the ribs, set aside.  Mince the shallot and thinly slice the green onion, set aside.  In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and then add heavy cream, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper; the mixture needs to be thoroughly combined.  Toss the two cheeses together, set aside.

Assemble:  Butter a 9×13″ baking dish.  Spread half of the bread in the bottom, followed by half of the chard, half of the bacon, half of the shallot and green onion, and half of the cheese mixture.  Pour half of the egg mixture over it.  Now repeat with the remaining ingredients and press the bread down to help it absorb the liquid.  Sprinkle with the last half of the cheese mixture.  Bake until the pudding is lightly browned on top and no longer runs into the corners of the pan when tilted, about 45 minutes.  Let it rest for 10 minutes and then serve warm.

Makes 8-10 servings

Recipe adapted from The Four Season Farm Gardener’s Cookbook, Broccoli Bread Pudding, page 339.  Link to purchase the book can be found here:  amazon.com