Stale Bread

When you've been given lemons make lemonade, but what it you don't have lemons, but stale bread? Today was just that case. We had left almost a whole loaf (home made) out and it was very stale. I just couldn't see wasting a other wise good loaf of bread by throwing it out or giving it to the birds.

So I made yummy French bread and bread pudding.

Today I was able to make bread, bread pudding, French toast and meals for my husband. Thank goodness for the person who invented the bread machine and the crock pot. Whoever they are I certainly hope they won the Nobel Peace Prize.

While reading a crock pot recipe for bread pudding, I read the words "eggs, beaten"---and than I thought to myself jokingly "why should I beat the eggs they haven't done any thing bad" and than I must confess, I laughed out loud----if any one was looking into my kitchen at that moment they would have thought I had gone insane, at least I wasn't talking to myself, well at least I don't think I was---you know those voices in my head get so loud some times, hahahaha.

The whole scenario reminded me of one of my math professors back at UB. I'm not mentioning any names, because well I'm sure they are a very well know public personality in the math world. They are probably very well know for some kind of genius math formula that I will never be able to figure out in my life time. Any way this math professor to me looked some what like a witch, long flowing grey hair and a very long skirt, vibrant colors that at the time to me didn't match. She also wore slippers to class (granted she may have had foot problems, but to a 20 something this really looked weird). There were 2 over head projectors set up on both sides of the room with carpets remnants running from one to the other. She would write copious notes very fast on one projector and than leave the one over head projector to go to the next one. As she left the one she would do a little skipping motion and she would tell a joke that only she could hear and than would proceed to laugh out loud. Looking back now I wonder if she was just laughing at us.


Sweet and Simple Bread Pudding
(p. 125 Gooseberry Patch recipe book called "Slower Cooker Recipes" copyright 2005)
3 c bread cubes (I used whole wheat)
1/2c raisins (Dan doesn't like them so I omitted them)
3/4 brown sugar, packed
3 eggs, beaten
3 1/2c milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together until bread cubes are thoroughly soaked. Place in a lightly greased slow cooker (crock pot). cover and cook on high setting for 3-4 hours, until knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve warm or cold. Serves 8

YUMMY FRENCH BREAD
3 eggs
1/4 c milk (or a little more)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon

Beat all ingredients together and soak the pieces of bread one at a time and than cook them in a frying pan.