Tomato Basil Bread Pudding

I'm not going to lie to you guys. I forgot about this recipe. I made it, photographed it. Devoured it. Then forgot about it. But trust me when I tell you that it is far from forgettable. In my defense, it was Christmas morning, and I was all aflutter from the Disney holiday parade, my peppermint mocha coffee, and anxious to see what was inside all of the perfectly wrapped boxes under the tree. As I went through my pictures a few days ago I ran across these pictures, and was immediately taken back to this delectable breakfast dish. Warm bread pudding, topped with tomatoes and freshly chopped basil. This was the perfect plate to serve since we had all been overloaded with holiday baked goods. Feel free to add some cooked ground sausage into the mixture to give it an extra kick!

Tomato Basil Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 loaf whole wheat bread, chopped into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a large baking/casserole dish by spraying with the non-stick cooking spray. Add the cubed bread to the dish. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in the tomatoes, cooking until they soften, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil and the parmesan cheese.

Pour the tomato mixture over the cubed bread, making sure that the mixture is evenly spread.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Whisk well until smooth.  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture. 

Bake until slightly puffed and golden, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.