Best Banana Nut Bread Pudding with Buttery Cream Sauce

Best Banana Nut Bread Pudding with Buttery Cream Sauce

Serves 12

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter

8 cups day-old white bread, such as French or Italian, cut into 1-inch cubes (toast if fresh)

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

4 large eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch salt

5 tablespoons banana liqueur, optional

2 cups mashed ripe bananas, about 4 small

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Buttery Rum Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

Place the cubed bread in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and pour the butter over the bread cubes. Using a rubber spatula, toss to evenly distribute the butter.

Combine the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and banana liqueur in a medium mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Pour the cream mixture over the bread cubes and stir to combine. 

Let sit for 30 for 45 minutes, or until the bread is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.

Stir in the mashed bananas and nuts. 

Pour the mixture into prepared dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy and the pudding is firm in the center. Prepare the Buttery Rum Sauce while the pudding is baking.

Remove the pudding from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with Buttery Rum Sauce and vanilla ice cream,  if desired.

Buttery Cream Sauce:

8 tablespoons butter,melted

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks, beaten lightly

1 T of vanilla or 1/4 to 1/ cup rum, to taste 

In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients except the vanilla or rum and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat immediately; do not allow the sauce to boil. Add the rum or vanilla extract, stir to combine, and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm with Banana Walnut Bread Pudding. (The sauce can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container. Warm before serving, do not let boil.)

Best Ever Brisket with Jalapeño Horseradish Sauce

Best Ever Brisket with Jalapeño Horseradish sauce serves 6-8

brisket ingredients  8 Cloves Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp kosher salt 1 Tbsp freshly gorund pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp Molasses 2 Tbsp yellow mustard  4-5 lbs Flat cut Brisket

1 onion, thinly sliced
1Tbsp olive oil 1 cup beef broth
Jalapeno Horseradish sauce 2 tsp Horseradish  1 cup sour cream 1 clove garlic, minced 1-2 Tbsp pickled jalapeno, finely chopped  1/2 teaspoon pepper salt to taste

Directions: To make the brisket, mince garlic, and combine 2 cloves worth of garlic with salt, pepper, cayenne, molasses, and mustard into a small bowl and stir to form a paste. Rub all over the brisket, and allow the brisket to rest on a plate, unrefrigerated for 1 hour.

Cut onion into thin slices, I use a mandolin.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. or can be prepared and placed in a slow cooker for 8 hrs on low. 

In a oven proof pot, or Dutch oven, head oil over medium high heat, add in the onions, and cook until they begin to just brown at the tips. Add in the remaining garlic, and beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pan of any stuck bits.

If using a crockpot follow above directions but use a large frying pan,instead of dutch oven for onion mixture. Place brisket in crockpot fat side up then add onion mixture on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. 

Add in the brisket, fat side up, and spoon onions on top of the brisket. Cover the pot, and place in the oven for 5-6 hours, until the brisket falls apart with a fork.

To serve, uncover the pot, and allow the brisket to rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.

FOR HORSERADISH SAUCE:

Stir to combine all ingredients. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate until needed.