Grilled Pizza

This was my first time trying pizza on the grill and it was a hit!  Quick, easy and so yummy!

Base
Naan (Indian flat bread) I picked up on a trip to Whole Foods, but pita, foccacia or any other flat bread would also work.

Toppings
I chose grilled veggies as a topping - eggplant, crookneck squash, zucchini, onions and green bell pepper.  Any topping will work, be sure meats are pre-cooked and if you prefer softer veggies, grill/cook them a little before putting them on the pizza.

Grilling Veggies

• Gently warm a little olive oil, add some sliced garlic and your favorite herbs (I used oregano and fresh basil).  Once the oil is infused, you can baste your veggies before grilling.  (If you are in a hurry, you can just add a little garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and skip the warming or just use plain olive oil - it is still yummy.)
• Slice the veggies lengthways about 1/2 inch thick.  Keep the slices large to avoid dropping through the grill.
• Lightly drizzle infused olive oil over the veggies and rub to evenly coat surface.  This not only imparts flavor, it keeps the veggies from drying out and from sticking to the grill.
• Optional - sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place veggies on grill, keep an eye on them zucchini and eggplant go from perfect to burnt very quickly.

Assemble the Pizza

• Cut your veggies to your preferred topping size - small dice to large slices.
• Apply sauce to bread base - tomato sauce, olive oil, alfredo
• Add toppings and cheese
• Place pizzas on grill

• Keep the fire low to avoid burning the bottom of the crust faster than you melt the cheese. 
• Place the pizzas on the grill and close the lid.
• Check the bottom of the crust after about 5 minutes, if you find a hot spot,  move that pizza to another spot on the grill.
• Once the cheese is melted and the crust is "grilled", it is time to eat!

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding (edited)

In New Orleans, everyone has a favorite bread pudding recipe:  some with pineapple, some with raisins and apples, many with "hard" sauce (see below).  I tried a new variation on my mother's bread pudding recipe.  DS and I LOVE pumpkin, so as an alternative to Krispy Kreme's Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts, I thought I would make a special Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding.

(If you have never had bread pudding, it is like a big baked pan of french toast.)

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding

4 cups stale bread cubes (french bread and brioche are best, but any bread will work - even stale cake doughnuts, remember to adjust the sugar accordingly)
3 cups milk (I used 2 cups milk and 1 cup almond milk)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 can pumpkin (approx. 1 cup)
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (adjust to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (you can adjust to your taste - you can also add sauce)
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 tablespoons Steen's Cane Syrup (optional)

If you do not have stale bread, place sliced/cubed bread on a sheet pan with sides and "toast" in a very low oven, just enough to dry out the bread.

Place bread cubes in a buttered baking dish.  In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients, except pecans, making sure to fully beat eggs.  Slowly, pour custard mixture over the bread.  Allow bread to absorb the custard mixture.  Sprinkle pecans over the top, and gently stir into mixture.  Allow mixture to sit about 5 minutes to allow custard mixture to soak into bread.

Set baking dish into a larger dish, filling the larger dish with water (bain-marie).  Bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and custard is cooked.

Delicious warm, or at room temperature (I will even eat it straight from the fridge).  If desired, top with sauce (see below), or you may also use whipped cream, melted jelly, or dust with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Spice Sauce
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix ingredients until sugar is dissolved.  Add more water or sugar to desired consistency.

For a "hard" sauce, add 1 jigger of bourbon, rum, Cointreau or your favorite liquour.

Banana Nut Bread

Recipe adapted from River Roads Recipes II

Ingredients

Banana Nut Bread

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour, measured after sifting

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup vanilla almond milk

3 small or 2 large bananas, very ripe

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until fluffy.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients, alternating with milk, bananas and pecans.
5. Beat well after each addition.
6. Bake in well buttered baking dish (approx. 6 1/2 x10 1/2 or a little larger) for 50 minutes or until brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe got rave reviews from both DH and DS and they are both big banana bread fans.

The original recipe called for cake flour, which I did not have, so I substituted regular flour.  I may try partially substituting whole wheat flour the next time.

Grand Marnier Cranberry Muffins

After being so disappointed with the orange cranberry muffin mix earlier in the week, I thought I would try a homemade version.  This recipe is from one of my favorite culinary mysteries, Killer Pancake by Diane Mott Davidson.  I can highly recommend the recipe and the book.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Mariner liqueur
3/4 cup canola oil
2 cups chopped cranberries
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped orange zest
4 egg whites

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the orange juice, Grand Marnier, and the oil; set aside while you prepare batter.
• In a large bowl combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.
• In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy.
• Combine the juice mixture with the beaten egg whites.
• Add the egg mixture and the cranberries to the flour, stirring until just moist.
• Using a 1/4 cup measure divide the batter among 24 muffin cups that have been fitted with paper lines.  Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.