Pumpkin-Quinoa Bread Pudding

Pumpkin has finally arrived. After many years of being restricted to pies, muffins, cookies and tea breads, pumpkin started making its way into other recipes both savory and sweet about 15 years ago.

I'm not complaining. I wish I had more time to enjoy pumpkin in its various forms. But, if we could have fresh pumpkin all year long, it would no longer be the quintessential flavor of fall.

I've been saving pumpkin recipes since college, so I've got a 30-year stash to work my way through this fall.

Pumpkin is arguably one of the best comfort foods. That goes double when it is incorporated into bread pudding, a breakfast worth getting up for, even on a Monday.

Pumpkin-Quinoa Bread Pudding

• 5 cups of torn-up quinoa bread (or raisin-cinnamon bread for a lighter dish)
• 6 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sugar (use brown sugar for richer flavor)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• pinch ground cloves

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Cut or tear the bread into chunks. Toss with melted butter, raisins and tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl. A Set aside.

Blend milk, eggs, pumpkin, sugar and vanilla in a second bowl, using a whip. Add spices and blend further. Pour this mixture over the bread chunks and toss. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes so that bread is soaked through; don't skip this step if using quinoa bread.

Pour mixture into a baking dish, and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until pudding is fairly firm.

A hearty dish, this pudding is delicious served hot with vanilla yogurt. You could certainly serve it with a lemon or caramel sauce with whipped cream for a filling dessert. I wanted mine to be a breakfast dish, something I could serve with sausage or bacon.

If you prefer your bread pudding on the sweet side, up the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup. The quinoa bread makes for a firm pudding, so if you prefer sweet and light, opt for cinnamon-raisin bread.

Eat Local Note: I buy my quinoa bread from The Wooly Sock, a vendor at one of my local farm markets. The eggs are from Mill Creek Farms. I could have used fresh pumpkin from another local source, but I had a can of pumpkin left over from last year.

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