Bret's Fruit Pizza

In addition to the savory bread pudding, Bret and I decided to contribute a dessert to the New Year's Eve party we were attending.  There were several requests for one of Bret's specialities - fruit pizza!  Before Bret and I ever met, he learned how to make this simple dessert that is always a crowd pleaser.  Since we started dating, however, I've taken over the kitchen when it comes to making a dish for parties and he hasn't had the opportunity to make this in awhile.  On Friday, we changed things up and Bret got to work in the kitchen while I played photographer to share this easy recipe for fruit pizza!

To start, you take a roll of sugar cookie dough and leave it out at room temperature to help soften it.  Once it is fully softened, line a circular baking tray with parchment paper and roll the cookie dough out to the edges - like pizza!

Bake the cookie dough in the oven at the temperature instructed on the package.  Our oven took fifteen minutes to bake the dough through but the baking time obviously can vary on the oven.  When the cookie cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for about ten minutes until transferring it onto a board to continue cooling.

While the cookie cake was cooling, Bret got to work on the fruit pizza "toppings".  Bret decided to use strawberries and blueberries.

This can obviously vary depending on what fruit you'd like to use.  Bret has made this before using kiwis or other berries.  However, you should probably stay away from fruits that can brown - like bananas, apples or pears - as it will look totally unappealing.

The blueberries just needed to be rinsed and dried.

But the strawberries needed to also be hulled and sliced.

Bret also put together the fruit pizza "sauce".  This is a simple cream cheese frosting that involves mixing a brick of softened cream cheese, two teaspoons of vanilla and a half cup of sugar. 

Place the frosting in the middle of the cookie cake and then spread out to the edges.

Finally, top the pizza with the fruit in whatever design you'd like.  Since this was a New Year's Eve party, Bret went with that theme when decorating the pizza.

Chill the fruit pizza until it is ready to serve.  Bret usually goes to the neighborhood pizza store and asks for a large pizza box.  This not only make the fruit pizza easy to bring to parties but adds an adorable touch to completing the look of the fruit pizza.

This is one dish that Bret loves to make and makes really well.  And to be honest, I love being able to take a break from the kitchen and watch him make it!

Is there one dish that your significant other makes that you can't get enough of?

Happy New Year!

Last night I closed out 2010 and rang in 2011 with some wonderful friends, lots of yummy food, copious amounts of wine, some competitive board games and lots of laughter.  I couldn't even begin to describe how hard I laughed last night and I can only share a few photos that can help you understand the silliness of it all!

Some lovely photos...

Some silly photos...

And some that combined the two...

Thanks to Kim and Shaun for hosting such a fun evening!

Wishing you all a wonderful start to 2011!

Savory Bread Pudding with Asparagus, Gruyere and Fines Herbes

Happy New Years Eve!  As 2010 slowly winds down, I've decided to spend the last day of the year cooking and baking up a storm for a New Years Eve party tonight.  This should be a low-key evening filled with lots of bubbly, board games and laughter.  Everyone is bringing a dish or two and I decided to make a savory vegetarian bread pudding.  After doing some research, I found this fantastic recipe on Epicurious for Savory Bread Pudding with Asparagus, Gruyere and Fines Herbes from September 2002's Bon Appetit.

To start, I picked up all of the ingredients at Whole Foods on Thursday evening.  I laid out slices of an already-sliced loaf of French bread on two baking trays and stored them in the oven overnight.  This morning, the bread was nicely staled for the savory bread pudding.

This morning, I prepared the other ingredients, which included grating two cups of gruyere cheese and two cups of Swiss cheese.  I also added one cup of previously grated Parmesan cheese to this cheese mixture.

I then roughly chopped up 1/3 cup each of fresh chives, parsley and marjoram.  I added these herbs to the cheese mixture and set this bowl aside.

I then whisked up six large eggs, two cups of whole milk, two teaspoons salt and one teaspoon ground black pepper.  I also set this egg mixture aside.

I then put a pot of water on the stove to boil and generously salted the water.  While the water was heating up to a boil, I washed and cut one pound of asparagus in 1 1/2 inch lengths.  I also cut up the stale bread into 1 1/2 inch pieces.  When the water got to a boil, I placed the asparagus in a fryer basket and placed the basket in the water for about three minutes.

When the asparagus was cooked al dente, I removed the basket from the water and rinsed it quickly under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.  I then got started on putting together the bread pudding.  I sprayed the inside of my Le Creuset Dutch oven with baking spray and first put down a layer of half of the stale bread.

I then sprinkled the bread with half of the asparagus.

I added half of the cheese mixture.

Finally, I poured half of the egg mixture over the bread, asparagus and cheese mixture.

I repeated this one more time with the remaining bread, asparagus, cheese and egg mixture.  This filled the Dutch oven all the way to the top! 

I let the bread pudding sit for about twenty-five minutes and I pressed the bread pieces down using my fingers.  The bread pudding compressed a few inches below the top of the Dutch oven by the time it was ready for baking.

I preheated the oven to 375 degrees and baked the bread pudding for about forty minutes until it was golden brown.

It is still cooling in my dining room as we speak and I can't wait to serve it tonight!  I can tell you that our place is filled with the unbelievable smell of baked cheese!

What are your plans for tonight to help ring in 2011?