I love leftovers. I love the satisfaction of knowing nothing has gone to waste, and the way the flavors mellow and develop after a night or so in the fridge.
The other night, I bought a loaf of French bread to go with dinner. It was the perfect complement to the spaghetti I was making, but we only ate about half the loaf, and it seemed a shame to let such delicious bread dry out, only to be tossed like a giant brick into the trash after few days. So the next day, I looked around my mostly-empty cupboards and came up with a few other leftovers. Voila! (That's the extent of my knowledge of the French language, to go with the French bread.)
Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
- ½ large loaf of day-old French bread (or any other kind of bread)
- 1 ½ cups milk (I used coconut milk)
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup Craisins, or dried cranberries
- ½ cup orange juice
- Cream or Half & Half to garnish, if desired.
To Prepare:
- In a cup or small bowl, pour the orange juice over the cranberries, to start plumping them up.
- Preheat oven to 325. Spray or butter a casserole dish.
- Cut or rip bread into 1 inch pieces. Toss into the casserole dish.
- Mix eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla. Add cranberries and orange juice.
- Pour mixture evenly over the bread pieces.
- Bake 1 hour or so, until tops of bread turn golden brown.
- Serve immediately, drizzled with cream.
To reheat later, set oven to 325 and remove casserole from fridge for 30 minutes. Then bake for 15-20 minutes.
Now, I would argue that with all those eggs, fruit, milk, and bread, this should be classified as a healthy breakfast food, rather than dessert, but then I've been known to have chocolate cake for breakfast, and bacon and eggs for dinner, so you probably don't want to take my advice on that point.
Anyway, whenever you choose to eat it, Bon Appetit! Oh look, turns out I do know more French!
Sandey says
Cranberries and oranges are one of my favorite combinations! Thanks for the great recipe!
Meredith says
You're welcome! 🙂
Aimee says
Sigh... I'm still pouting over my lack of brownies in this house after reading your last post! This looks delicious!
Meredith says
Mmmm, brownies and bread pudding. Sounds like a well-rounded meal!
Jeri Walker-Bickett (@JeriWB) says
Totally pinning this. I love any and all types of bread pudding with a passion.
Meredith says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one!
Anita says
Je pense que ce serait délicieux!
Meredith says
Ummm... Merci? 🙂
maxwell ivey says
hi meredith; thanks for sharing your love of food skill at managing leftovers and mastery of the french language. 🙂 got several good laughs out of this post. it does sound like a yummy recipe but i doubt its something i would want to have unless i was sure there were enough people so i would only get a small piece. i recently discovered craizons and found that i love them. and this does sound like a great blending of flavors. not my grandmother's bread pudding but still very good. thanks for sharing my friend. xoxo max
Meredith says
Yes, Max, you definitely do not want a whole pan of this stuff sitting around. It's pretty hard to resist. 🙂
lenie5860 says
Meredith, I have all the ingredients in the house for this recipe and will make it this afternoon and serve it to my husband tonight. Will make him fall in love all over again LOL.
Meredith says
LOL Lenie, hope it works!
Donna Janke says
I have never made a bread pudding. This sounds like a recipe to try. I too like putting leftovers to use. Merci.
Meredith says
It's so easy! I hope you try it, and like it!
Tim says
This is really not very fair. As I sit here drooling about the concept of cranberry bread pudding, all hot and delicious and I am beyond its reach. Cruel, very cruel 🙂
Meredith says
So sorry Tim! 🙂
julia klimek@ HappyHouse and Home says
WOW - this looks sooooo good! I do not have these things in my cupboard, but I will add them to my shopping list now! I love bread pudding and I love cranberries!!! So glad you linked up to Merry Monday ~ I simply can not wait to make this!!! Julia
Meredith says
Thanks Julia! Hope you like it!
Lorraine Marie Reguly says
This reminds me of the bread pudding my mom makes. Yummy, yummy, yummy!
I can't wait to try this recipe! 🙂
Meredith says
Ahh, the ultimate compliment in comfort food...like Mom makes!
jacquiegum says
I have never met a bread pudding that I didn't like... but admit that I have never tasted one with these ingredients. It's now copied and printed because I can't wait to get the stuff and try it. I'm not waiting for any leftovers!!!!
Meredith says
Me too, Jacquie! There's a restaurant in town that makes a bourbon bread pudding that's on a whole 'nother level of goodness. This was as close as my humble baking skills could get me. 🙂 Hope you like it!
Anita says
What restaurant? Where? When does it open tomorrow? And why have you been holding out on me?
Meredith says
Haha! It's Nexus Brewery on Montgomery and the I-25 frontage road. Try their fish tacos too.
Lea Grover (@bcmgsupermommy) says
Oooooh! Beautiful AND delicious? I think I'll have to try this...
Meredith says
Thanks Lea! I hope you like it!
Jason @ TheButlerJournal.com says
That bread pudding looks delicious.
Meredith says
It's great comfort food!
Candice says
Just dropping in from Blogger Brags Pinterest Party to let you know I pinned this!
Meredith says
Thanks Candice, for visiting and pinning!
Brittany says
I've never made bread pudding, but this recipe makes me want to start! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty !
Meredith says
You should try it, it's so easy and yummy!