Asparagus Whole Wheat Bread Pudding

A rustic bread pudding made with whole wheat bread and studded with fat spears of asparagus and cheese, then brightened with fresh herbs and lemon zest. That's right – this is a savory bread pudding, perfect for a Mother's Day brunch menu or a weeknight spring supper.

COMPLIMENTS!
"... This was just excellent for Mother's Day ..." ~ Anonymous
"This was delicious ... my "meat & potatoes" hubby ... went back for seconds ..." ~ Jane

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Small acts, too, express a mother’s love.

Picture a mom with a baby in a stroller and a boy in hand near the Kirkwood train station. As a train rumbles round the bend, the mother squats, opening up her knee as a stool of perfect height for the four-year old, who hops right on.

Picture a mom and daughter skipping hand-in-hand through Laumeier Sculpture Park.

Picture front-yard baseball in Glendale, grandpa pitching, kids hitting, mom catching.

Picture each, imagining moves as graceful as they are practiced.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who mother in ways small but significant: all those called "Mom" but also grandmoms, aunts, older siblings, teachers, childcare workers, dance teachers, soccer coaches, family friends, "mothers" in all but name.

ALANNA's TIPS This savory bread pudding recipe thrives on good crust so there’s no reason to slice it off, even with an extra crusty whole wheat baguette from St. Louis Bread Company (for those outside St. Louis, that's Panera). If you're inclined to use homemade bread, I recommend this Light 'n' Fluffy Homemade Whole-Grain Bread. For cheese, use anything from an inexpensive supermarket blend to a pricey Grùyere. Just be sure it melts well. This bread pudding can be made ahead in two ways. It can be fully assembled, then baked the next morning. Or the bread, leek-mushroom and egg mixtures can be prepped the day before then combined just before baking. With the first method, the bread pudding is slightly crusty on top, very good. With the second, the bread pudding is more custard-y, also very good. Cook’s choice!

ASPARAGUS WHOLE WHEAT BREAD PUDDING

Perfect spring brunch or savory supper

Hands-on time: 35 minutes
Time to table: 1-1/2 hours or overnight
Serves 6 as main course, 12 as side dish

• 1/2 pound good bread, preferably whole wheat, cut into 1-inch pieces (see TIPS)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 leek, white & light green parts only, cut into half-inch half moons
• 4 ounces mushrooms, caps broken into pieces, stems chopped
• 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut in one-inch pieces

• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 pound cheese, grated (see TIPS)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or basil
• Zest of 1/2 a lemon (don’t skip this!)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Lemon pepper to taste

Set oven to 375F/190C. Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet, place in oven until lightly toasted.

In a skillet, melt butter on medium heat until frothy. Stir in leeks and mushrooms, cook until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring often.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, then remaining ingredients. (If making ahead of time, see TIPS.) Stir in bread, then leek-mushroom mixture and asparagus. (Will be soupy.) Transfer to a well-greased casserole dish. Bake 45 to 60 minutes; after 15 minutes, gently press bread back into liquid; cover with foil if top becomes too brown before done. Serve while hot or barely warm.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Main-Course Serving: 322 Calories; 18g Tot Fat; 10g Sat Fat; 26g Carb; 5g Fiber; 583mg Sodium; 166mg Cholesterol; 16g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 7 & PointsPlus 8

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. In 2009, Kitchen Parade celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special collection of my mother's recipes. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook!

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A Mother's Day Brunch Menu Starring
Asparagus Whole Wheat Bread Pudding

Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice or
Mango Lassis

Asparagus Whole Wheat Bread Pudding
Baked Bacon
Fruity Gazpacho
Sugar-Free Chai Tea

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More Mother's Day Recipe Ideas

(hover for a description, click a photo for a recipe)

~ more Mother's Day recipes ~

~ more breakfast & brunch recipes ~

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Celebrate Asparagus Season!

~ Asparagus Custard Tart ~
~ Asparagus Soup ~
~ Roasted Salmon & Asparagus ~
~ more asparagus recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

~ Six Years of Favorite Asparagus Recipes ~
~ Asparagus Risotto ~
~ Asparagus with Blender Hollandaise Sauce ~
~ Roasted Asparagus with Feta ~
~ more asparagus recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

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Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ asparagus recipes ~
~ recipes using bread ~
~ leek recipes ~
~ mushroom recipes ~
~ cheese recipes ~
~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

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