Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

Last weekend it was sunny, with our Bay Area weather being just perfect. Last weekend I feasted with foodie friends at a very special brunch. Last weekend was a long holiday weekend.

This weekend it is rainy, cloudy and I feel as though we have been propelled into a new month called – “June-uary”. The hammering rain that inundated the Bay Area yesterday set plenty of records and put the kibosh on plenty of outdoor activities. By mid afternoon yesterday, a little over an inch of rain had fallen in San Francisco, smashing the record of 0.49 of an inch set for this date in 1934.

Hubby and I nestled inside for the majority of the day. We snacked on frozen breakfast sandwiches in the morning while sipping our coffee and watching the weekend edition of Good Morning America. It was quite a different weekend that just a week prior. Yes – I do like a bit of frozen food every now and then. :-)

Yesterday was my birthday. As one of my friends on Facebook commented, - “Happy birthday, Miss Lisa! You look stunning for 29!” - It brought a smile to my face. My hubby showered me with little gifts all day long – certainly made it special. He set reservations at a new Italian restaurant in our city for dinner for us and my parents. Can’t remember ever having a rainy birthday before, but overall it was a wonderful day.

For the brunch last weekend, I brought a savory breakfast bread pudding to share. I promised to post this tasty recipe. I have been making this for years and is typically always a crowd pleaser. The ingredients can vary with either additions, substitutions or deletions but the core dish is completely savory. Enjoy!

Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

2 Lbs. Ground Pork, cooked and crumbled
1 Loaf, French Bread (Semifreddi’s) – Cut into one inch cubes
2 Leeks, cleaned and finely diced
2 C. Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 C. Baby spinach leaves, tighly packed
½ C. Grated pecorino romano cheese
½ C. Grated parmesan cheese
2 C. Gruyere cheese, grated

Custard

7 Eggs
4 C. Half and half
1 t. Nutmeg
1 t. Salt
1 t. Garlic powder
8 to 10 grinds of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use a 9 x 13 ceramic pan that is oven proof. Spray with a non-stick spray prior to adding ingredients.

Cook the ground pork in a large skillet until cooked all the way through. Add the leeks and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Take off the heat.

In a large bowl add all of the custard ingredients together and mix well. Set aside.

In a super large bowl add the bread cubes, ground pork and leek mixture and toss well. Next add the the parmesan and pecorino cheese and toss. Now add the spinach and tomatoes and toss. Add the custard filling to the bread mixture and toss well until all is coated. Let sit about 30 minutes until will soaked.

Add all of the mixture to the 9 by 13 pan. Sprinkle the grated gruyere to the top of the breakfast break pudding. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes and then serve.