Pre-Holiday Carb Loading

Looking at the holiday calender is giving me heart palpitations. Every weekend, every other weeknight (and precious hours whittled down between), is spoken for like a pretty girl in a crowded dance hall. And I am her unwitting partner who suddenly realizes his dancing shoes are pinching his toes. I love to dance, but can I sit this one out? I'm waiting for a slow song.

I've ripped a page from Mark Bittman's Vegan Before 6, not to lose weight (because let's face it, that ship has sailed. These days I celebrate the occasional 10-pound achievement and try to forget the euphoria of single-digit dress-size shopping.) but to fuel up before each evening's carb-laden charcuterie-dense cheese-dripping alcohol-propelled event. When bread pudding (stale cubed bread softened with eggy custard and packed with sweet or savory flavor) or stuffing (stale cubed bread softened with buttery stock and layered with salty bits of bacon or sausage, wild rice or corn bread, cranberries or... sorry, I lost my train of thought there for a moment) is served at a party, I saddle up and ride into the sunset with a plate full of glory.

Honestly, I don't mind all of the parties and food demos and reunions. As any good extrovert worth her weight in cocktail napkins, I thrive on them. I just need a little time to breath and enjoy the festivities, and another helping of bread pudding. Over at Called to the Table today is a recipe for savory bread pudding that combines the flavors of my favorite pumpkin lasagne with the gooey deliciousness that is custard plus bread cubes.