Leftover Remix: Glazed Donut Bread Pudding

Hello there fellow frugalistas!!  I am back after a long hiatus from blogging.  My life has changed drastically since my last blog post including a move back to my home town to join the family farm, several job changes (I can happily say I now LOVE LOVE LOVE my current job), and the addition of a second beautiful baby girl.

Even with all these changes, one thing has remained constant and unwavering.  I still believe in frugal living especially with more mouths to feed, a dream of building a new house, and the reality of needing a...VAN (gasp, choke, cough). With my return to blogging, I will be sharing new recipes, frugal living concepts, and other money-saving tips. 

My first frugal tip is to try to find ways to reuse leftovers.  The recipe that I am sharing today uses old, stale glazed donuts and converts them to a decadent, rich bread pudding. 

That's right.  Do not throw away those stale donuts!!!  Even if there is one lonely donut left in that bag or box, break it into small chunks and throw it in the freezer.

Once you have a large enough portion, try out this delicious recipe remix.  I followed a basic bread pudding recipe, but I cut down on the sugar since the donuts are so sweet themselves.  I also tweaked (not to be confused with twerked) this particular recipe by swapping Cinnamon Chips that I got on markdown after Christmas for regular cinnamon.  I have also been known to save those leftover breadsticks from Papa Johns and used this same recipe....YUM!

Glazed Donut Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6 cups leftover glazed donuts (or breadsticks, cinnamon rolls, or whatever else your heart desires)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup cinnamon chips or 1 tsp. cinnamon

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk 

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

SCORE...I love a good markdown!!!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Take the donuts that have been cut into chunks and spread out in an 8 inch baking pan.  Drizzle the melted butter over the donuts.  Sprinkle the cinnamon chips over the donuts.  Be sure to eat a good portion of the bag of chips while making this recipe.  This is a very important step. 

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.  Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla (this would be the step where you add the regular cinnamon if you do not have the cinnamon chips) and mix together.  Pour this wet mixture over the donuts and allow them to soak up the goodness.  I massaged the wet mixture into the donuts to be sure it was well absorbed.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool slightly before serving if you can manage that kind of willpower. 

 

Enjoy!

I Hosted a House Party!

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen hosts for a Breakstone's Sour Cream Flavor Lovers House Party!  What does this mean exactly?  It means that I received a Party Package full of goodies to help me host a party for all my friends and family to try the new Breakstone's Sour Cream Products.

The two new type of products that I got to try include Breakstone's Zesty Blends (flavored sour creams) and Sour Cream based dips.  I purchased Breakstone's Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream, Zesty Blends Chipotle Sour Cream, French Onion Dip and Ranch Dip. 

I set out the Ranch dip with lots of veggies and the French Onion Dip with Potato Chips.  They were both delicious and would definitely purchase them again.  I took the opportunity to make a couple yummy recipes with the Zesty Blends.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 can Grated Parm Cheese

1 can Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup Breakstone's Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients.  Pour into 9-inch pie plate. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

 

The dip was yummy but very garlicky!!

Aunt Peggy's Taco Dip

 

2 lbs ground beef

1 can refried beans

2 bottles Taco Sauce

1 16 oz container Breakstone's Zesty Blends Chipotle Sour Cream

2 cups cheddar cheese

Brown meat, drain.  Mix in beans and taco sauce.  Put in 9x13 pan.  Pour on sour cream and cheese.  Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

This dip recipe never fails to please and the chipotle sour cream enhances the yumminess!

A special thanks to Breakstone's for letting me try all their new products!



Growing Like a Weed

Farming is a Lifestyle

There has been a lot going on during my absence from the blogospere.  JJ is almost 19 weeks old!  During JJ's first week of life, my family started talking about the possibility of my husband joining the family grain operation.  This is a big deal!  How fantastic would it be to be around family?  JJ could grow up with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. 

However, there were a lot of options to weigh.  Farming is not an easy occupation.  Even though grain prices are high right now, input costs are also expensive.  There is always the weather that cannot be controlled.  I know how it is to grow up with a farmer and their moods.  Too much rain, too little rain, etc. 

After many sleepless nights, my HHBL (hunk a hunk a burning love) and I decided that this would be the best move for our family.  We were lucky enough to have a house waiting for us at home.  My Grandmother passed away in May and her house has been sitting vacant.  We are also lucky enough to have great parents who helped us fix up the house in the past three months.  The carpets and wallpaper were removed, the bathroom gutted, etc etc etc.  Between working long weeks at the potato chip factory and working on the house on the weekend, we have been exhausted.  Did I mention that this house is only a couple miles away from my parents and only about 1/4 mile from two of my three sisters?

Last weekend, we finally made the big move!  I can't believe how different our life already is after less than a week.  At our old house, the closest family was 1.5 hours away.  It was just the two (eventually three) of us living in our own little world.  JJ has seen her grandparents and at least one aunt, uncle, or cousin every single day since we have moved. 

Our future in farming may not be easy but it is the lifestyle that we have chosen.  Thank goodness that farming is a family business!

I have to send out a special thanks to my uncle who made this opportunity available to us.  How lucky we are to have such a wonderful family!

BRRR It's a blizzard out there

I am sure you have all heard about the monstrous storm that swept through the country this week.  Our county was in a blizzard warning.  The wind was blowing out of the east which just happens to be the side of the house where our bedrooms and living room sit.  It was FREEZING in our house...ok not quite freezing but it sure felt like it.  The thermostat read in the low 50's most of the evening and night.

JJ looked like she was getting ready to play in the snow, but really she was getting ready for bed. 

Four layers later, she was nice and cozy and ready to snooze the night away!

Happy Winter

Thank Goodness for Snow Boots

Dear Aunt Mee Mee,
Thank you for my adorable snow boots.  They kept my tooties nice and toasty on my way home from Mamaw and Papaw's house.  I really love them because they are pink, Daddy's favorite color. 

Love,
JJ