Warm Cherry Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients
Bread Pudding
18 1/2-inch slices (1 pound loaf) Challah or other egg bread
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup water
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 package (6 ounces) dried cherries (about 1 1/3 cups)

Chocolate Sauce
1 cup (6 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2/3 cup (5 fluid-ounce can) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
For Bread Pudding: PREHEAT oven to 400° F. Grease six 6-ounce ramekins.

USE a 2 1/2-inch-round cookie cutter or glass to cut circles in bread slices (save remnants for another use). Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350° F.

COMBINE evaporated milk, water and sugar in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Gradually whisk warm milk mixture into eggs. Stir in rum and vanilla extract.

PLACE prepared ramekins on baking sheet. Place one bread round in each ramekin. Top with level tablespoon of cherries. Repeat layers, then top each ramekin with a third bread round. Divide custard mixture among ramekins. Let stand for 30 minutes, pressing down on bread occasionally.

BAKE for 25 to 27 minutes or until tops are puffed and brown. (Puddings will rise over edge of ramekin but shrink slightly on cooling.) Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve with Chocolate Sauce.

For Chocolate Sauce: COMBINE morsels and evaporated milk in small, heavy-duty saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until morsels are melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Makes about 1 cup. Store any remaining sauce tightly covered in refrigerator.

Sausage Mushroom Quiche

Serves: Yield 8 servings

Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) Johnsonville Original Breakfast Sausage Patties
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1/3 cup half-and-half cream
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash ground nutmeg
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked

Preparation
In skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, chopping into small pieces. Add mushrooms, onion and peppers. Cook and stir 5 minutes longer or until sausage is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender; drain well and set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in eggs and cream.

Stir in cheeses, salt, pepper, nutmeg and sausage mixture. Pour into baked pastry shell. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edges of crust with foil to prevent over-browning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Blueberry & Peach Shortcake

Serves: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice from concentrate, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (6.5-ounce) prepared sponge cake layer
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Sliced peaches

Preparation
In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.

Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice and vanilla. Spread on cake; chill 2 hours.

In small saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, water and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook and stir until thickened. Add blueberries; cook until bubbly. Chill 1 hour.

Before serving, top cake with peach slices and blueberry sauce. Refrigerate leftovers.

Grilled Pork Pie

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8 single-serving pies

Ingredients
Dough
2 sticks butter
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water

Soaking Sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup cola
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
3/4 pound chopped barbecued pork

Preparation
Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes; refrigerate. In small mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Slowly add water, mixing continuously, until a dough ball is formed. Seal dough ball in cling wrap; place in refrigerator overnight.

Sprinkle countertop generously with flour. On floured area, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Cut dough into five-inch diameter circles. Immediately peel, lift and flip dough circles, making sure they don't stick. Yield should be eight pie shells.

In small sauce pan, combine soaking sauce ingredients. Bring sauce to a light boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and set aside.

Preheat grill using Kingsford charcoal, until internal temperature reaches 400°F.

Combine chopped pork and 1/2 cup of soaking sauce in medium bowl. Spread three tablespoons of sauced pork onto one-half of each dough circle, making sure outer edge of the shell is uncovered. Lightly moisten edges of dough with water. Fold dough in half creating a half-moon with filling. Gently press pie edges together and crimp with a fork.

Prep the charcoal grill grate with a grill brush and a light coat of oil. Transfer pies to the grill and cook at 400°F over direct heat for two to three minutes on each side, or until dough turns a crispy golden brown. Remove from grill and serve with remaining soaking sauce and coleslaw.

Banana and Bacon Stuffed French Toast

France comes to Savannah in this French toast stuffed with crispy bacon, ripe banana and creamy mascarpone.

Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
Serving Suggestions: Cafe au lait and fresh clementine juice make this breakfast complete.

Ingredients
1 (500 grams) loaf brioche (substitute egg bread)
1 package mascarpone (substitute cream cheese)
3 to 4 bananas, sliced lengthwise (each banana should yield 4 slices)
1 pound Smithfield Bacon, cooked until crisp
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
6 tablespoons butter
Pure maple syrup, warmed
1 pint fresh berries for garnish
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation
Slice brioche into 6 slices approximately 1 inch wide. Cut each slice almost all the way in half leaving a "hinged" edge. Spread thin layer of mascarpone on inside of one side of each slice. Lay two banana slices and cooked bacon on mascarpone. Press brioche together. In large bowl add eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Melt butter in large skillet or on griddle. Working in batches, dip each stuffed brioche into egg mixture, being careful not to allow bacon and bananas to fall out. Grill on each side until golden brown.

Pool maple syrup on large plate and place 1 piece stuffed brioche on syrup. Sprinkle fresh berries on top of brioche and dust entire plate with powdered sugar.