Seduced by Bacon: Recipes & Lore About America's Favorite Indulgence
By Joanna Pruess with Bob Lape
Coffee Cakes: Simple, Sweet and Savory
By Lou Seibert Pappas
Chronicle Books / 2006 / $18.95
This pretty little book is dedicated mostly to sweet morning morsels - though there is a chapter of interesting savory breads. Veteran cookbook author Lou Seibert Pappas separates the "everyday" coffeecakes from the more decadent, specialty cakes, a few of which are really after-dinner desserts.
The pecan-streusel coffeecake we tried was both easy and guest-worthy, with a moist body and enough sweet, nutty topping to make everybody happy.
kate.shatzkin@baltsun.com
Savory Bread Pudding With Canadian Bacon, Wild Mushrooms and Feta
Serves 4 to 6
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon white pepper or to taste
3 cups stale firm-textured multigrain bread, torn into 1 1/2 -inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced wild mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
5 ounces sliced Canadian bacon, finely chopped (1 cup)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, beat the half-and-half, milk, eggs, salt and pepper together until smooth. Add the bread and let stand for 15 minutes to absorb the liquid.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic and thyme and saute until the onion is lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally.
Combine the mushroom mixture, Canadian bacon, feta and tarragon with the bread, gently turning until just blended. Do not overmix. Scrape into the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle on the grated cheese; return the dish to the oven and bake until the top is puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Remove and let stand for a few minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
From "Seduced by Bacon"
Per serving (based on 6 servings): 271 calories, 15 grams protein, 17 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 15 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 144 milligrams cholesterol, 1,044 milligrams sodium