Corn and brown butter bread pudding

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: Use any high-quality country white bread such as pain rustique; you will need a loaf that weighs about a pound.

3 cups whole milk1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, plus additional for buttering the pan

2 ears of fresh sweet corn, kernels removed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

5 eggs

8 cups stale country white bread, crust on, cut or torn into about half-inch pieces

2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, rosemary, thyme, sage and black pepper. Heat over high heat until just before the milk reaches a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, whisking occasionally until melted and the solids turn golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the corn and salt and stir over low heat for about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in the cooled milk and then stir in the bread, cheese and the corn mixture until well combined. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, pressing down on the bread to make sure it is submerged. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes while the bread absorbs the liquid.

4. Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown, rotating once for even cooking. Serve immediately.

Each of 8 servings: 438 calories; 21 grams protein; 38 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 23 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 186 mg. cholesterol; 590 mg. sodium.

Trick or treat! Try this pumpkin cheesecake

Kathleen Daelemans on a delicious dessert that is full of Halloween flavor Every October, families across country pick out a pumpkin, carve a face in it, put it on the doorstep, but then end up throwing away the best part ... what's inside. Chef Kathleen Daelemans, author of “Cooking Thin With Chef Kathleen,” shares a sweet and savory recipe that will last beyond Halloween and into fall: Pumpkin cheesecake.

Pumpkin cheesecake
12 mini cheesecakes
When my King Arthur Flour catalog arrived, it fell open to the page with the baby pumpkin cheesecakes. It was love at first sight. I ordered the pan, ran out and got all the ingredients and like a little kid, waited for the mailman to show up every day for a week (I didn't choose the Express Delivery option).
Homemade baby-pumpkin-cheesecake dessert day felt like Christmas in October. Well, at least like the official kickoff of the holiday season. King Arthur Flour's cheesecake recipe is divine. The cheesecake came out very smooth and rich. It was creamy and dense, sweet but not too sweet. The spices were perfectly balanced. It was everything I wanted it to be and worth every minute of preparation.
INGREDIENTS
Crust
• 1/2 cup graham cracker or chocolate cookie crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice

READER RECIPES: Try these flavorful veggie dishes or a fruit dessert

Green beans with balsamic onions, feta cheese and bacon
Diana Kostigen, of Asheville, sent in this recipe and wrote, “I created this recipe to combine all my favorite flavors. It’s the perfect side to chicken or beef and gets rave reviews despite its simplicity. It’s even good cold the next day.”
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
1 /2 small red onion, sliced thin
4 slices bacon
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt

Place sliced red onion in a pie plate and top with balsamic vinegar and kosher salt to taste. Roast for about 20 min. at 400 degrees or until soft and starting to blacken lightly.
In the meantime, sauté the bacon slices, and microwave the green beans in a covered casserole dish with about 1-2 tablespoon of water for about 20 minutes or until soft.
Combine the green beans, the balsamic onions (minus any leftover balsamic), crumbled bacon and then gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese. Salt with kosher salt to taste. Note: all quantities can be adjusted depending on taste.




Mediterranean cucumbers
For cucumbers, try this for something
different with a nice Mediterranean flavor, writes Virginia
P. Newsom, of Hendersonville.
2 large cucumbers, peeled
2 tablespoons salt
Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds (a grapefruit spoon works well for this). Sprinkle with salt. Let stand 1/2 hour. Rinse, pat dry. Slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Dressing:
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet or red onion
2 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh preferred, bottled acceptable
1 tablespoon olive oil
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon or more chopped fresh mint leaves

Mash feta with oil. Add other ingredients. Mix well.
Add cucumber slices to dressing. Mix well. Chill. Tastes better after several hours.




Peach pudding
Virginia S. Wick, of Asheville, sent in this recipe:
Six to eight peaches
Vanilla wafers
Whip topping (I use the light Cool Whip).

Peal and slice peaches, sweeten them to taste and let sit about 15 minutes. Layer the bottom of dish with vanilla wafers, then put peaches over the wafers, do another layer of wafers and finish with peaches, now top with whip topping. Put in refrigerator. This is best the next day when the wafers are soft.