Panettone Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Syrup

Chances are even if you aren't sure what a panettone is, you've seen it at the holidays. A cake in a box that everyone seems to receive from a friend. And it's much better than fruitcake!

My friend Erin was given a panettone and didn't want it, so she gave it to me. I figured it would make for a great dessert for her New Year's Eve party. I vaguely remembered an episode of 30 Minute Meals where Rachel Ray had made a pannetone for dessert and used rum. I checked out the recipe, but it called for the pannetone to be baked in muffin tins. Go figure I didn't have a muffin tin (I just bought one though). So I searched some more and found this great recipe by Giada De Laurentiis. I adapted it just a bit. Enjoy!

Spinach, Bacon and Cheese Quiche - it's what's for dinner!

One of my goals during my week of cooking was to avoid the grocery store and "use-up" items already in my pantry. A great website to check out is All Recipes. Users submit recipes and folks comment on them with feedback, improvement ideas and more. It's a great source to use if you have items you need to "use up" but no idea what to make. The Ingredients Search is a huge help!

With this in mind, I searched for recipes using eggs, spinach and cheese - all of which I had plenty of and needed to use. I found a base recipe and made a lot of changes to it. Although quiche is typically a dish served at breakfast, I made it for dinner. It was great!

Neely's Breakfast Sandwiches on Cheddar Bacon Biscuits

I saw a recipe being prepared on Down Home with the Neelys for Breakfast Sandwiches on Cheddar Bacon Biscuits. Do you ever watch the show? I'm not a huge fan because #1 I need to be able to fit into my jeans and currently I'm ever expanding and their recipes won't help my quest. But I digress, cheddar and bacon, I'm in!!!

Apple Pie Turnovers/Deconstructed Apple Pie

I found this recipe for Easy Pear Turnovers on Elly Says Opa and I knew I had to try it. Firstly, I love puff pastry (who doesn't?) Secondly, I hate pears. Wait, what? I do hate pears, always have, always will. So instead I used apples.

This recipe was so super easy to make. Great dessert for a night in for two or when company is coming over (you can make ahead and refrigerate).