Creole Breakfast Bread Pudding

1/2 lb sausage
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup dry white wine
8 cups french bread cut into 1" cubes (day old or stale is ideal)
2.5 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup melted butter
8 large eggs, beaten
8 ounces peperjack cheese, shredded
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp each black and cayenne peppers
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 325. Cook the sausage in a skiller. Add onions and peppers. Cook for 3 min more. Stir in the green onions, add wine and cook over high heat for 1 min. Set aside.

Place bread on a mixing bowl. Add milk and cream. Stir well. Let sit for 5 min.

Pour melted butter into a 9x13" pan and coat sides. Pour extra butter in with the bread.

Mix sausage and bread mixtures. Add eggs, jack cheeses and seasonings. Put in the pan and cover with foil.

Bake 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 min more. Remove from oven and increase the temp to 375. Spread sour cream and parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 10-15 min. Serve hot.

Spicy Avocado-Stuffed Deviled Eggs

10 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish paste)*
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 firm-ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and diced

*Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets

Hard boil the eggs. Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and mash in large bowl with fork. Add mayonnaise, lime juice, wasabi paste, salt, and pepper and stir with fork until smooth. Fold in tomato, scallion, and chile. Fold in avocado. Spoon mixture into whites.

Chipotle Deviled Eggs

12 large eggs
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles*
24 fresh cilantro leaves

*Available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Latin markets.

Hard boil the eggs. Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Spoon yolks into small bowl; arrange whites on platter. Finely grate yolks on small holes of box grater into medium bowl. Mix in mayonnaise, then 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chiles. Add more chopped chiles, if desired, for more heat. Season filling to taste with salt, if desired. Spoon filling into egg whites. Cover and chill eggs at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Press 1 cilantro leaf into filling in each egg and serve.

Quiche Lorraine

2 frozen pie crusts
1 pound bacon
1.5 cups swiss cheese, shredded
1 onion, chopped
2 cups half and half
6 eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Fry the bacon in a skillet. Remove and crumble, distribute into crusts. Sautee the onion in the leftover grease until translucent. Drain and divide into crusts. Divide swiss into crusts.

Whisk half and half, seasonings and eggs together. Divide into crusts.

Bake for 15 min. Reduce heat to 300 and bake 10 min more, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to sit 10 min before serving.

Serves 12

Serving Size 146 g

Amount Per Serving
Calories 452
Calories from Fat 300

Total Fat 33.3g (51%)
Saturated Fat 12.2g (61%)
Cholesterol 162mg (54%)
Sodium 1083mg (45%)
Total Carbohydrates 14.5g (5%)
Sugars 1.7g
Protein 22.6g

Vitamin A 8% • Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 17% • Iron 8%

Nutrition Grade C-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet