Savory Asparagus Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 loaf sourdough bread (1 lb size, or other crusty bread)
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 lb fresh asparagus (cut in 1-in pieces)
• 4 ounces mushrooms (coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 cup shallot (thinly sliced)
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese (shredded, or swiss cheese, 4 oz = roughly 1 cup)
• 4 ounces black olives (optional add, pitted & sliced, see note after prep)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400°f & spray a 9x13-in baking dish or casserole w/non-stick cooking spray.
• 2 cut bread into 3/4-in slices by stacking 4-5 slices & then cutting them into 3/4-in cubes. repeat w/remaining bread & put cubes in a lrg bowl.
• 3 in med bowl, whisk together the milk, broth, eggs, salt, pepper + dill till combined & pour over bread cubes.
• 4 snap off the tough ends of the asparagus & cut the spears into 1-in pieces. add them to the bread along w/the mushrooms, shallots & olives (if using).
• 5 fold everything together well to combine the ingredients, spoon into the prepared pan, pat down the top to compact the ingredients & sprinkle the cheese evenly ever the top.
• 6 bake for 45 min or till the top is browned & crisp & there is no liquid in the center. allow to sit for 10 min b4 cutting into portions.
• 7 ann's stress saver tip: look for frozen asparagus tips & bags of unseasoned bread cubes to save prep time.
• 8 ann's eye appeal tip: instead of mushrooms (or as a simple addition), add 1 cup sliced pitted black olives for color contrast & a flavor complement to the asparagus (i included this in the recipe as an opt add).