Scraps

I'm a huge sucker for those trash turned to jewels decorating shows. I soak them up and get all infused with over inflated inspiration. Sure, my family won't let me even glance at a power tool. Never mind the fact that I don't know the first thing about building furniture. I have every notion of transforming the worlds trash. I have even started hoarding every piece of furniture that I can find that has all but given up the ghost. Unfortunately the side of my house is looking a bit Sanford and Son.

But, I have worked some recycling magic on a few things with much delight. My kitchen table for one had seen some better days, and now it fits so well into this house.



My husband never throws out food. Uneaten food to him is just like a chair with 3 legs on the side of the road to me. Through the years I've taken on his food salvaging attitude just as he has embraced my mission to redecorate our living room out of found objects. The holidays often leave the best scraps.

Scrappy Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

4-6 cups old bread (I used 6 unused wheat dinner rolls) torn into pieces
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup leftover sweet potatoes or 1 whole roasted mashed sweet potato
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
sweetened condensed milk*


*optional

Add eggs, milk, brown sugar, sweet potatoes, vanilla and cinnamon to a large bowl and mix together. Add bread and stir gently and not too much, you don't want all the pieces to break up you just want the bread coated with all the liquid. Pour into a buttered 8x8 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in 375º oven for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the top a little. Serve warm with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk if you like. I adore sweetened condensed milk so this is my favorite way of eating bread pudding, but it isn't necessary.



Waste not want not never tasted so good.

What's your favorite holiday leftover?