Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding

I LOVE this bread pudding!  I had never tried or thought I would like bread pudding before I made this, but I am now a fan!  I found this recipe at cdkitchen. 

Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

12 caramel candies
1 can Sweetened condensed milk (14 oz size)
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
3 eggs
8 slices Bread; torn into 1-inch pieces (I used approx. 3/4 of a loaf of French Bread)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:  Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the caramels, sweetened condensed milk, butter, vanilla, and salt over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramels are melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.

Place the water in a large bowl and beat the eggs into the water. Add the caramel mixture and mix well. Stir in the bread cubes and the pecans. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir again.

Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

**I baked mine in oven-safe coffee mugs.

Crusty Rolls

I made these rolls to make bbq chicken sandwiches the other night.  Everyone LOVED them!!

Crusty Rolls

recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
2 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg whites
Cornmeal

Directions:

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add shortening, sugar, salt and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Add egg whites; mix well. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes (dough will be stiff). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Punch dough down; divide into 24 pieces and shape into balls. Sprinkle greased baking sheets with cornmeal. Place rolls 2 in. apart on baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Place a large shallow pan filled with boiling water on lowest rack in oven. Bake rolls on middle rack at 425° for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 2 dozen.

Paula Deen's Volcano Cake

I LOVE this cake!!  I first had it when my sister-in-law made it.  Hers looked prettier though.  She is REALLY good at making food look pretty.  This cake is rich and I think that next time I will make it in two square pans, so that I can give one away...it's really good and my will power is not that good!  I really like the pecan, coconut 'crust' ... mmmmm....really!  Thanks Paula Deen!

those holes left by the cream cheese....they soak up the glaze nicely.....

I split this piece open so that you could see the yummy insides:)

I used my small cookie scoop to distribute the cream cheese mixture. (I had a lot of the cream cheese mixture leftover, you could do your scoops closer together if you would like)

Paula Deen's Volcano Cake

Ingredients

Cream mixture:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 cups 4X or 10X sugar(I don't know what 4X and 10X sugar is, I used powdered sugar)

Cake:
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup pecans
1 (18.25-ounce) box German chocolate cake mix, prepare by following directions on box
10 bite-sized almond and chocolate covered candy or candy of choice

Glaze:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

For the cream mixture:
Beat ingredients together with an electric mixer. Set aside until ready to use.

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch cake pan.

Line bottom of greased pan with coconut flakes. Sprinkle pecans on top of coconut. Set aside.

Follow directions on back of box to prepare cake. Beat for approximately 2 minutes, using an electric mixer. Fold in bite-sized candy. Pour into cake pan. Evenly space dollops of cream mixture on top of the cake. When the cake cooks, the cream will sink down to the bottom. This will be your "volcano" of flavor. Place in oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While cake is still hot spread the glaze evenly over the cake.

For the glaze:

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in cocoa powder and add milk until you get a thin consistency. If glaze is too thick, add more milk. While bringing the butter and milk mixture to a boil, whisk in confectioners' sugar and almond extract. Glaze should be thin. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.