This is good.
If you find yourself with a bit of a loaf of Tuscan-style bread that's past its prime (the artisan type you find put up in paper bags at the grocery store's bakery department, or home-made with a nice slow fermentation rise), this is a good way to use it up.
1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut the bread into bite-sized cubes. Don't bother de-crusting it. You'll need two good-size slices' worth of it. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix four or five eggs, rather more cream than you would normally use for scrambled eggs (here you can substitute half-and-half or milk), a good handful of sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions; season the mix with salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of grated nutmeg.
2. Cut up raw bacon into bits. Fry it down in a skillet that is oven-safe. Remove it to drain on paper towels, but leave a few tablespoons of the grease. If you're vegetarian or don't have any bacon on hand, just heat oil and butter in the pan.
3. Toast half the bread cubes in the oil/grease until they're nice and browned. Remove and mix up with the "raw" cubes and the bacon, if you used it.
4. Pour in the custard you made and stir it around just for a minute. You want it just barely starting to set. Mix in the cubes REALLY FAST and get it good and mixed up. (The only place you can mess this dish up is letting the eggs get too set before you pour in the bread, but even then it'll taste good, just won't soften the bread as much.)
5. Immediately put the skillet into the oven. It'll cook about 15 minutes, until the eggs are done. Remove and cut into slices. Grate more cheese on top if you must. Sour cream might not be amiss here either.
If this sounds a lot like "breakfast casserole," you're right, but this doesn't take near as much prep time or cooking. This recipe makes enough for two very hungry people and takes only about a half hour to make. The eggs soften the bread into a delicious, soft pudding, but the toasted cubes give it a most toothsome texture. MMMMMMM! Adapted from a Cook's Country piece.
1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut the bread into bite-sized cubes. Don't bother de-crusting it. You'll need two good-size slices' worth of it. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix four or five eggs, rather more cream than you would normally use for scrambled eggs (here you can substitute half-and-half or milk), a good handful of sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions; season the mix with salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of grated nutmeg.
2. Cut up raw bacon into bits. Fry it down in a skillet that is oven-safe. Remove it to drain on paper towels, but leave a few tablespoons of the grease. If you're vegetarian or don't have any bacon on hand, just heat oil and butter in the pan.
3. Toast half the bread cubes in the oil/grease until they're nice and browned. Remove and mix up with the "raw" cubes and the bacon, if you used it.
4. Pour in the custard you made and stir it around just for a minute. You want it just barely starting to set. Mix in the cubes REALLY FAST and get it good and mixed up. (The only place you can mess this dish up is letting the eggs get too set before you pour in the bread, but even then it'll taste good, just won't soften the bread as much.)
5. Immediately put the skillet into the oven. It'll cook about 15 minutes, until the eggs are done. Remove and cut into slices. Grate more cheese on top if you must. Sour cream might not be amiss here either.
If this sounds a lot like "breakfast casserole," you're right, but this doesn't take near as much prep time or cooking. This recipe makes enough for two very hungry people and takes only about a half hour to make. The eggs soften the bread into a delicious, soft pudding, but the toasted cubes give it a most toothsome texture. MMMMMMM! Adapted from a Cook's Country piece.