FOODIE FRIDAY - Giving Thanks for the Pumpkin

All this turkey talk from my friends in the US of A is making me crave another delicious turkey dinner.

So tomorrow that's what we're having for dinner.  Iiii know.  Call me coconuts.  It'll be the second time in my life I've cooked a turkey with all the fixin's and I am looking forward to the challenge and most importantly, the eating!

Unlike like some crazy people I know I will not be deep frying my turkey.  I will be doing the exact opposite and brining it.  If I can find a bucket big enough that doesn't have PCB's or PVC's or whatever those chemicals are that cause cancer.

Among the turkey there will be potatoes and stuffin', cranberry sauce and gravy....I might have to throw a salad and some veggies in there to make it somewhat healthy but I haven't thought that far ahead yet.

It's a very spontaneous turkey dinner.  Is there such a thing?  Apparently.  In my world anyway.

Along with Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas dinners there's always dessert of-course (a tip if you can't remember how to spell dessert that I learned from my grade nine teacher - "you can always go for seconds when it comes to dessert but you'd never want to cross a desert more than once" - or ever is my thought)


Anyway, most people are all about the pies.  Pumpkin, apple, pecan.  Nothing against the pie but, personally, I'm not a big fan.  I do love me some pumpkin flavah though.

About 6 or 7 years ago I was in charge of bringing dessert at a family Thanksgiving dinner...I scoured the cookbooks I had and searched all over the internet for hours.  


Obsessive much? you ask.  


Why yes.  Yes I am.

Eventually I found the one.  


Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

Bread Pudding is one of my Mum's all time favourite things to eat and since we were going there that particular year I made it with her in mind.

Because I love her.

Everyone loved it.  


I've made it every year since.  My sister-in-law even went so far as to say that it took her back to her childhood in Costa Rica - apparently they eat pumpkin bread pudding there!  - who knew?


This is a great recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It's super easy too.  You must not forget about the caramel sauce.  How could you forget about the caramel sauce???!!!  (I did one year)

And if you really want to be decadent, throw some Haagan Daz vanilla bean ice cream on there.

Now we're talking.

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING


2 cups half and half
1 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin (for the love of baby Jesus - NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING!!)
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tbsp brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
10 cups egg bread (cubed)

CARAMEL SAUCE


1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions

*Whisk h&h, pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, spices and vanilla in a large bowl.

*Fold in bread

*Transfer to 11x7 inch glass baking dish

*Let stand for 15 minutes

*Bake @ 350 F for 40 minutes

Now wasn't that easy???? 

Caramel Sauce


*Whisk brown sugar and butter in a medium sized pan or pot until butter melts.

*Whisk in cream and stir until smooth and thick - about 5 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the bread pudding and serve immediately.