Rise 'n Shine

This month, I'm sharing a recipe I put together to surprise my husband on the morning of his birthday. It's a special treat that combines the creamy goodness of bread pudding with fresh fruit and crunchy almonds. What's really wonderful about this recipe is the fact that you can put most of it together the night before serving. Letting it rest in the refrigerator overnight means the creamy egg mixture has a chance to soak into the bread properly before you bake it in the morning. The result is a soft, creamy texture that offers sweet, syrupy fruit and crunchy almonds and peaks of bread that have caramelized with coarse sugar.

This is a meal in a bowl, but hot coffee, fresh orange juice and perhaps a simple fruit salad would make it a great brunch offering. For me, it's enough to curl up on the couch with a bowl and a latte and call it breakfast!

As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!

Almond-Blueberry-Peach Bread Pudding

  • Cooking spray
  • 6 c. cubed white bread
  • 1 c. fresh blueberries
  • 1 peach - pitted and chopped
  • 6 eggs
  • 6 oz. vanilla or peach yogurt
  • 1/4 c. skim milk
  • 1/3 c. coarse sugar
  • 1/3 c. sliced almonds

Coat a 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and arrange the bread and fruit in the pan, favoring the fruit near the top of the pan. Combine the eggs, yogurt and milk and whisk to combine evenly. Pour the mixture over the bread and fruit. Allow to rest in the refrigerator one hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle the top of the bread mixture with the coarse sugar and sliced almonds. Bake for 30 minutes or until the bread is golden and the egg mixture is set. Serve warm.

  • Yields: 6-8 servings
  • Preparation Time: 40 minutes, plus soaking time