Bread Pudding, Pasta Gratin and Birthdays

The zoo was a hit! Taking the train was definitely the right decision and when we were walking back home later in the afternoon Steve and I definitely gave each other a high five for surviving the day. The girls had their moments but we all had a great time and Maddie definitely enjoyed her birthday celebration. I wish I had recorded the playing lions since it was Maddie's favorite. This is the best I could do. And Maddie with her Zum Geburtstag cake (which translates to 'for birthdays'). Happy Birthday Maddie!

We had pasta gratin, salad and cake for Maddie's birthday Sunday. It was super yummy so I thought I'd post the recipe. Steve mentioned that there was a loaf of "hard" bread in the fridge so I decided to make bread pudding yesterday. I adapted two recipes and I must say that I was very impressed with myself (c; It is soooooooooo good. And it was delicious this morning with coffee (c;

Pasta gratin

300–350 g uncooked pasta (shells or elbow macaro

ni)
2 onions, cut into rings
250 g mushrooms, sliced
100 g bratwurst, sliced and slightly cooked
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves pulled off from stalks and chopped

Sauce
4½dl vegetable bouillon
2½dl single cream
Salt
Pepper
150 g grated cheese

Put the pasta, onions, mushrooms, air-dried ham and parsley into the greased porcelain dish and mix together.
For the sauce, stir the vegetable bouillon and single cream together and season. Pour the sauce over the pasta.

Sprinkle with cheese.
Put the porcelain dish on to the wire shelf at level 2 of the cold cooking space. Hot air with steaming 180 °C, 35 minutes.

Banana Bread and Butter Pudding

4 dl milch
4 dl halbrahm (half cream)
as much sugar as you want (c; (maybe close to 1 cup)
50 g butter
1 becher haselnuss joghurt (1 cup hazelnut yogurt)
4 eggs
A little water
1 loaf of grain bread (cut into chunks...however you like)
2 bananas (sliced)

Grease a baking dish with butter.

Layer the bread chunks and bananas in the baking dish.
Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, take off the heat and allow to cool. Add remaining butter to cream mixture to melt.
In a bowl whisk the eggs, water and sugar, then add the cream mixture into the eggs, stirring continuously. Add the yogurt.
Carefully pour the custard over the bread and bananas. Leave to stand for 20 minutes pushing down on the bread occasionally. The idea is for the bread to soak up the custard.
Put the porcelain dish on to the wire shelf at level 2 of the preheated cooking space. Hot air humid 180 °C, 15 minutes.
Check to be sure that it is not overcooking. Continue with Hot air humid 180 °C, 15 minutes.
Do not allow the custard to overcook otherwise it will scramble.