Double Mushroom Bread Pudding

Note: We are NOT professional food photographers!

I'm not sure where we got this recipe, but it's been on our favorites list for a long time. We've adapted it a bit over the years and now we think it's just about perfect. This is a dinner item for us (add in a pear and gorgonzola mixed green salad!); it could easily become weekend breakfast, brunch, or even lunch for a group of friends.

(This recipe makes 5-6 dinner-size servings.)

Notes:

👉 We have tried a variety of breads and like a heartier bread best. Using a soft bread works well, but the consistency will be more like the bread pudding our grandmothers made ... a little to soft and squishy for our palates.

👉 If there is leftover liquid in your mushroom pan, you can drizzle a little bit over the top before baking. But not too much or you'll have soggy bread.

👉 Leftovers refrigerate well and can be reheated either in the microwave or the oven. It does not freeze well.

👉 We tried substituting Gorgonzola for the Gruyere or Swiss, but we thought it was too rich and took away from the wonderful mushroom flavors.

DIRECTIONS:

3 cups of 2% milk, divided into 2 cups and 1 cup

8 cups cubed (2 inches) hearty country bread w/crust

2 portobello mushrooms - cleaned, gills/stems removed, halved, and cut into 1/2" strips

6 cups cremini mushrooms - cleaned and quartered (or thickly sliced)

2 tsp grape seed oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 large garlic clove, minced or grated

2 tsps chopped fresh rosemary or 3/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 -1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Cooking Spray

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and 2 cups of the milk. Toss to coat, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the bread is soaking, prep the mushrooms.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil, then add the mushrooms. Saute for 4 minutes.

Stir in the parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt & pepper, then saute for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl whisk together the other 1 cup of milk and the 3 eggs.

Coat either a large square, or large round casserole dish with cooking spray. We use both kinds of pans, depending on the whim of the day. A square dish creates a lower, flatter, easier to cut presentation; a tall round dish is prettier if you're serving 2-4 people.

Take the bread cubes out of the refrigerator. Place 1/2 of the soaked bread cubes in the casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the mushroom mixture and then 1/2 of the cheese. Top with the remaining bread, then mushrooms and then cheese.

Carefully pour the egg & remaining milk mixture over the top, making sure to get it down the sides and into any cracks/openings.

Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered, until well set and the top is nice and brown. Let it stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.