The Baking Blogging Attorney

I just read an article giving the 20 things to do now to get a good job later. Number 6 said the following -

"Skip the law-school track. Lawyers are the most depressed of all professionals. Stress itself does not make a job bad, says Alan Kreuger, economist at Princeton University. Not having control over one's work does make a bad job, though, and lawyers are always acting on behalf of someone else. Suicide is among the leading causes of premature death among lawyers."

Too late. I already went and very sad. Number 3 said not to take on too much debt for school either. Also too late. So what is a hopelessly-in-debt attorney to do? I took two days off and I'm being a complete and total sloth. It's cold and raining out. I never got out of my pajamas and I am loving it!!

My apartment is filled with the scent of cinnamon. I am baking bread pudding and will soon be photographing it for your viewing pleasure and eating it for my tasting pleasure. While I was studying for the Bar exam, many moons ago, I kept a food diary of everything that I cooked or baked. I never baked so much bread in my life. I found the kneading to be extremely soothing. I also had fantasies of turning it into a book one day. I think many attorneys secretly, or not so secretly, want to be writers. I know it's true for me. Therefore, I blog.

I was visiting my Aunt a couple of weeks ago, and she mentioned that she had been reading my blog. I was pleasantly surprised. She commented that I hadn't been cooking lately. I sadly realized that she was right. So today, I'm going back to my baking roots.

My mom gave me this bread pudding recipe soon before I moved out on my own. I've modified it over time. Very rarely do I follow the directions exactly and I don't always measure. Season it as you like. I added almond slivers and more raisins than called for. The buzzer just went off! It's time! ........

Okay, I'm back. I'm taking very few pictures, because I realized when I do, that it ruins the enjoyment for me. I did it for my biscotti recipe, but found it rather irritating. Plus, the pictures were not that wonderful. I guess I'm not a true food blogger. Anyway, I used far more bread than what the recipe called for, so I have a big bread pudding, plus a little mini one. I'll probably freeze a decent portion of this. Here's the recipe.

Cinnamon Toasted Bread Pudding

3-5 cups bread (I freeze the heels and accumulate them until I have enough.)
3 cups warm milk (I use vanilla rice milk)
dash salt

Put bread in very large mixing bowl and rip into small pieces. Add salt, warm milk and stir. Let sit for about 10 minutes. The bread should soften and be wet. If the consistency is too dry add more milk.

Mix separately -

3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. Southern Comfort
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon
grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup raisins

Pour mixture over soaked bread and stir. Beat 3 egg whites with electric mixer until foamy. Stir into bread mixture. Pour bread mixture into oiled baking container(s). Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and confectionary sugar. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. I like to serve it warm with whipped cream or Elan vanilla frozen yogurt.

Yum! This is real comfort food! So when the law gets you down - bake, bake, bake!!!