Hanging onto the Carb Overload

Tonight for dinner I pulled a classic "Marissa Move" - major carb overload!  I decided to make Pork Tenderloin, with sweet potatoes, twice baked potatoes and bread pudding for dessert.  I tried to rectify my mistake by adding a healthy spinach salad into the menu, but Brandon or our bellies have not been fooled.  Tight would be an understatement in description of the skin across my abdomen at this point in time.  

The events of the evening started all together innocently.  A need to cook some yams, and an attempt for redemption.  The potatoes suddenly sounded good when I saw them under the sink and they called out to me - in my excitement of hearing the pleas of the potatoes, I forgot about the sweet potatoes already cooking on the stove.  ADD much?  

Redemption needed to come in the form of my failure to my people.  I cannot figure out how to make the perfect challah.  Everytime I make the bread it turns out too eggy or too dry, this time it's simply too dense.  Again, epic fail on the part of bread making.  

Challah of Denseness

So, I attempted to make better what I had destroyed: Bread Pudding

Easiest Bread Pudding Ever:

Old Bread you need to get rid of - cut into cubes to fill casserole dish, DO NOT stuff bread into casserole dish, this will not end well despite how much bread you hope to get rid of.

Whisk together:
4 eggs
2 cups milk (anything works, I use skim)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt 

Pour over top of bread.  Dot top with 1 Tbsp butter cut into pieces.

Ready for the Oven

Bake 350 for 50-55 minutes.

Beauty of this recipe - add dried fruit, apples, raisins, chocolate, booze, whatever flavor you so desire and it works great!  Also great for breakfast the next morning.

Crispy on Top, Custardy Goodness inside!

The sweet potatoes also turned out well.   I love this recipe because it creates a light texture to the potatoes and isn't too sweet.  I like the potatoes to speak for themselves.  I add walnuts to the top for a little extra sweetness and crunch - totally optional!

Cover 3 cubed sweet potatoes with water and boil until tender.

Puree with:
1 egg
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp butter
pinch salt
4 Tbsp milk (I use skim)
1/4 tsp vanilla

Place into casserole dish. 

You can create a sweet topping with:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup brown sugar

Bake in oven at 350 for 25 minutes

Will you be my Sweet Potato?

There you have it - a sure fire way to carb overload your loved ones.  Tomorrow we'll move beyond the carb load, I promise!!