Savory (not sweet) Bread Pudding

French bread
1 bunch of asparagi
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 t salt
ground pepper to taste
1 cup Gruyere cheese (very mellow cousin to Swiss, however Swiss is not a good sub, just use more mozzarella and Parm, or a different cheese you think would taste good, instead)
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 spears of green onion
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup chopped fresh marjoram

Grease casserole dish with butter or oil. Cube bread and place in a large bowl. If the bread is fresh toast it after cubing it. In a large liquid measuring cup beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together. Grate the cheese, and mix it in with the egg mixture. Mince the green onions and herbs, taking care to remove the marjoram stems, and any tough parsley stems. Mix these into the egg mixture. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop the asparagus up, and add it in with the bread. Pour the egg mixture into the bread mixture, mixing until all is combined. Press the bread down into the egg mixture with a spoon until it is saturated. Pour everything into the casserole dish, and bake until the top is browned and the egg is cooked, 30-40 minutes.

Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
• 6 strips bacon or pancetta, diced
  
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
  

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer to a paper towel and reserve the drippings.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Still whisking constantly, add 2 tablespoons of the drippings, or a spoonful of boiling pasta water, to temper the eggs. Working quickly, add the drained pasta and Parmesan to the yolk mixture and toss to combine. Add the salt, pepper, parsley, and bacon. Serve immediately.
   

Pumpkin Custard

• 5 egg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground allspice, ginger and nutmeg
• 1 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (1 large can)
  
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• 
  

  TOPPING:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons cold butter
• 8 tablespoons chopped pecans

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add brown sugar, vanilla, salt and spices. Stir in pumpkin and milk. Pour into two greased 8 inch pie pans. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, for topping, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly; stir in pecans. Sprinkle over custard. Bake 25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 8 servings.

Tuna Melts

English muffins
Canned tuna
Mayo
Dill (optional)
Sliced cheddar cheese

Toast English muffins. Mix mayo and dill into tuna, and heap on muffins. Place a piece of cheese on top, and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Chilequilas

5 Eggs
6 Corn tortillas (more if eating taco style)
1/2 can mild green chiles
Grated cheddar or Mexican cheese to taste
Small amount of green enchilada sauce
Sour cream

Spray saute pan or coat with butter; heat to appropriate temperature for scrambled eggs. Cut corn tortillas into 1" squares and saute in hot pan. Add eggs, mix whites and yolks, and add green chiles. Scramble. Melt cheese in eggs at the end of cooking. Serve with enchilada sauce and sour cream on top, and tortillas on the side if desired.

Serves 2 generously or for dinner.

Butternut Squash Risotto from Simply Recipes

6-8 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
Butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup butternut squash, roasted (or any kind of squash, Acorn to zucchini)
1 cup arborio rice (can substitute medium grained white rice, but arborio is preferred)
1/2 cup dry white wine or cooking sherry
1/2 cup+ freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt

1 Slice butternut squash in half, place on a baking pan with cut side up, and roast at 350 until soft. Allow to cool enough to handle, and peel skin off (should come off easily). Roughly chop to break up any fibers holding the flesh together. 1 cup is approximately half a squash. Heat broth in medium sized saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Chop onion. Melt 4 T of butter in a large saucepan; and saute onion, adding the squash at the end.

2 Add rice to onion and squash. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine. Cook, stirring constantly until wine has been absorbed by the rice or evaporated. Add a few ladles of broth, just enough to barely cover rice. Cook over medium heat until broth has been absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, and the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite.

3 During the last minutes of cooking, add remaining tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup Parmesan. At this point the rice should have a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste. Serve with remaining grated Parmesan.

Serves 4.

Doesn't freeze well.

Lamb Stew

1 T oil
1 1/2 lb lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups beef or chicken broth
3 medium potatoes, pared and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 celery seed
1/4 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 10-oz pkg frozen green peas

Heat oil in large skillet; brown meat well. Add onions; cook and stir until tender. Pour broth over meat and onions. Cover; simmer 2 hours.

Stir in potatoes and seasonings. Cover; simmer 30 minutes. Skim off excess fat. Stir in peas; cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

4 servings.