Habanero-Cheddar Bread Pudding

I love having breakfast for dinner. Actually, I could easily have breakfast foods at every single meal (and on somedays, I do). So when Quirk Books asked me if I'd like to review a copy of Lindsay Landis' and Taylor Hackbarth's (of Love and Olive Oil's) new cookbook, "Breakfast for Dinner," I quickly said yes.

The cookbook itself is beautiful - a hardcover chocked full of gorgeous photos, featuring innovative and more traditional breakfast dishes. Recipe variations and cooking tips are also provided along the way. Some recipes that immediately caught my eye were the Pizza Over Easy, Savory Lentil & Carrot Stuffed Crepes, and the Rosemary & Olive Oil Scones. The book also features some drink and dessert recipes, including Grapefruit Herb Sodas and a Bananas Fosters Crepe Cake.

I also love how the cookbook devotes a page to the authors' three favorite ways to poach eggs. As someone who has yet to attempt the intimidating task, their tips made the process seem much easier. 

Last weekend, my family came over for brunch, and I knew I wanted to make something from Breakfast for Dinner. Since I was cooking for a crowd, I decided to go with the Habanero-Cheddar Bread Pudding, but changed a few ingredients to use up what I already had on hand (see revisions in recipe below).

Habanero-Cheddar Bread Pudding

Yields: 6-8 servings

From Breakfast for Dinner (my revisions are marked in parentheses)

-1 (10-12 ounce) loaf day-old French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 9 cups)

-1 poblano pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered (I used two small Anaheim chilis)

-1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

-1 large yellow onion, chopped (I used a white onion)

-4 garlic cloves, minced

-4 slices of prosciutto, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces (I obviously skipped this ingredient altogether)

-1 habanero pepper, cored, seeded, and minced (I used 8 jarred jalapeno slices)

-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces), divided

-5 large eggs

-2 1/2 cups whole milk

-1/2 teaspoon salt (I also added black pepper)

-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

1.) Preheat broiler to high. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. (I used the same baking sheet, to cut down on dishes). Broil, 1 sheet at a time, until bread is toasted and lightly golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with second sheet. Transfer toasted cubes to a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2.) Arrange poblanos (or Anaheim chilis) on a baking sheet, skin side up. Broil until skin starts to blister and darken. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle, and then roughly chop.
3.) Turn oven temperature to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add prosciutto (if using) and habaneros (or jalapenos) and cook until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Finally, add roasted poblanos (or Anaheim chilis) and toss to incorporate. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.
4.) Sprinkle onion mixture evenly over bread cubes, followed by 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt (and pepper), and oregano and pour over bread mixture. Toss to combine. (I also added a little extra salt and pepper to the pan after tossing). Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.
5.) Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until top of pudding is puffed and golden brown and center is set. Remove pan from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

My brother, who rarely admits my cooking is good, admitted he liked this dish. The small variations I made were probably not enough to make a big difference from the original recipe, either. This will definitely become my new go-to brunch recipe for when we have a larger group over!

Plus, what can be bad about baking cheese, bread, and peppers together? Absolutely nothing.

Do you like having breakfast for dinner?

I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook, but the opinions expressed in this post are 100 percent my own.

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