This easy croissant bread pudding mixes up in a jiffy with cream cheese and whatever fruit you want to use. For this recipe I used blackberries, but blueberries, raspberries, peaches or whatever combination strikes your fancy works just as well. It’s an easy and delicious breakfast, dessert, or for any time you need a treat. It tastes even better the next day!

• 4 large croissants, cut into pieces. (6 cups)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit
• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup milk
• powdered sugar, for serving

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a 8 X 8 square baking pan, or equivalent sized casserole dish, with cooking spray or oil.

Put the croissant pieces in the pan or dish.

Scatter the fruit on top of the croissant pieces.

Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Gradually add the milk and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and uniform. About 3 or 4 minutes.

Pour the mixture over the croissant pieces and fruit. Push down a little with the back of a wooden spoon to make sure that all the pieces are coated in the mixture.

Let it rest for at least 15 minutes, or cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.

Bake for 40 minutes or until set in the middle and golden-brown on top.

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top for serving.

Notes:

• Double the recipe and use a 9X13 pan. You’ll be glad that you did because the leftovers are heavenly.
• This is a great recipe to use croissants that are a few days old.
• Yes, you can use a leftover baguette or other kind of bread, you may have to increase the liquid.
• If your croissants are small it may take more than 4 to yield six cups of cubes.
• This cobbler is good warm, cold, or room temperature.
• This easy croissant bread pudding freezes well. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat, nobody will know!
• If your fruit is frozen it doesn’t need to be thawed for this recipe, but you may have to increase the baking time.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling festive.

The height of summer, with its abundance of fresh produce, is the perfect time to make gazpacho. Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and cilantro combine to make this refreshing chilled soup. I like to double this recipe so that I’ve got enough gazpacho for several days.

This recipe yields 4 generous servings.

• 2 medium-to-large tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped
• 1 orange or red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 green onions, sliced thin, green part only plus one whole green onion sliced thin
• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 small cucumber peeled seeded and chopped
• 1 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 6 green olives, sliced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• hot sauce to taste
• tomato juice (if necessary)
• more chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Combine all ingredients except the tomato juice. If you’d like smoother gazpacho, pulse a couple of times with an immersion blender until you are satisfied with the consistency. Some like chunky gazpacho and don’t blend it at all and some like it smooth enough to drink with a straw. However you what to make your gazpacho is just fine, this is a no-judgment food bog. Adjust the seasonings and hot sauce. If it’s too thick for your liking, thin it out with some tomato juice.

Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad

This sweet, salty, and tangy salad is a refreshing side dish for any summer barbecue or picnic. They have just the right zing to make them the perfect pickle on hamburgers, hotdogs or pulled pork. My grandmother used to make these and store them in her refrigerator in a big glass jar.

I like to use English cucumbers for this dish because of their thin skins and small seeds. Regular cucumbers will work just fine. Peel them if their skins are too thick.

• 1 large English cucumber
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or dill
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Thinly slice the cucumber and place in a bowl.

Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt to make the dressing. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the sliced cucumber. Stir in the parsley or dill. Taste and add more sugar if it isn’t sweet enough for your taste.

Chill for at least half an hour before serving.

To serve, drain some of the pickling liquid and top with cracked pepper, basil, parsley, dill or even sliced tomatoes.

This keeps for several days in the refrigerator. For a variation, add very thinly sliced green or sweet onions to the sliced cucumber before pickling.