Chocolate Bread Pudding and a Happy Mothers Day!

I love my mom. 

Seriously, she is my best friend. I know a lot of people who aren't very close to their family and it always makes me sad. I've been so blessed to have an amazing supportive family who I can honestly say are my best friends as well.

My mom taught me everything. Literally. Being homeschooled, she was more than just a mom figure but also a teacher figure. Growing up I always saw her as the smartest woman who knew everything about everything! And to be completely honest that still hasn't changed much.

Along with the fact the me and my brothers were all homeschooled and we were all forced to be around each other, I think the main reason my and my family never really fought a lot was because my parents never really played the whole "because i'm the adult and you're the child" card. My whole life I was never surrounded by yelling or arguments, everyone just sort of had a mutual respect for each other in our family. We all helped out and did what needed to be done. 

Honestly, if you can achieve that, you're good. Just pitch in a little bit, and it saves a lot of unnecessary time arguing and punishing.

Anyway, to get back to what this post is really about, my mother of course, she's always been the solid rock in our family.

I really don't know how she handles it. If anyone is upset or has a problem they turn to her. If anyone needs help with school work or job work, they turn to her. If anyone needs anything she's right there to help them out.

I swear my whole family would be in chaos if it wasn't for my mom.

And oh the things she does for us, never asking for anything in return.

For as long as I can remember whenever the guys would leave the house for a fishing or hunting trip, me and my mom would have a girls weekend. Chick flicks, good food and always a good time! 

When I was little it was a tradition to always go to Conan's pizza and watch either The Princess Bride or Never Been Kissed. I don't know how it started but that's what we did, and we had fun doing it!

Nowadays we venture and try new things, but it's always fun to go back to that same thing.

My mom also got me into cooking as well. I see myself as more of a pastry girl than savory cook, and my mom? Well she's absolutely amazing at both, I swear whatever she cooks just comes out a million times better than I ever could make it, but she's very known for her amazing cakes and desserts. She used to make wedding cakes for people all the time that were outstanding!

So when I started cooking, she taught me a few of her tricks. Granted this was a very difficult task for her.

You see, when i'm in the kitchen I like to experiment on my own. When people start coming in and telling me how to do something or what else I need, I feel like I didn't do it by myself, like i'm cheating. 

All or nothing. It sucks believe me. 

So for my mom to try and teach me like that? She was very smart about it. She learned to just sit across the counter from me, watch me while I cook and wait until I asked a question about what i'm doing. Which happened to be a lot. 

But hey, it worked!

Always patient, always kind, my mother is a saint no doubt. I will never understand how she does it, but I will forever be grateful she did.

So here's to my mom and all of the other amazing mothers out there!

Happy mother's day! Ya'll mean more to us than you know!

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Chocolate Caramel Rum Sauce

(Recipe adapted from Epicurious)

Ingredients

For Bread Pudding

1 3/4 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tsp espresso powder

2 tbls Baileys Irish Cream

2-3 large croissants, cubed

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in espresso powder and irish cream.

 Whisk egg and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Cool chocolate custard 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add bread cubes and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips to custard and toss to coat. Transfer to small ramekins. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over mixture. Bake until custard thickens and center is just set, about 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

**Notes: I used a water bath to cook mine, the recipe doesn't call for it so you can skip that step if you like.

For the chocolate Caramel sauce

Ingredients

(Recipe Adapted from Martha Stewart)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup hot water

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 tablespoons dark rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine the sugar and hot water in a heavy saucepan, and cook over high heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally but never stirring the sugar mixture, until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the heavy cream (be careful -- the mixture will splatter). Return the pan to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the sauce is thick and creamy, stirring occasionally to help incorporate the cream, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum, vanilla, chocolate chips and butter.

For the Irish Whipped Cream

Ingredients

(Recipe by Sarah Eats Austin)

1 cup whipping cream

3 tbls sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbls Bailey's Irish Cream

Directions

Whip the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until soft peaks start to form. Gradually add in the rest of the ingredients and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. 

Refridgerate and serve!

Assembly

Run a knife around the edge of the bread pudding to help loosen it. Flip onto a plate, drizzle with sauce and dollop with a ton of whip cream! Savourer!