Choconut-Cinnabon Bread Pudding

Two posts in a day! This is called trying to catch up, which I am not adept at doing.

A few weeks ago, I went out for my birthday with a few friends. I split a dish of chocolate bread pudding with a friend...and it was the most delicious bread pudding I have ever had.

Birthday girl with birthday bread pudding!

Until I had another craving and decided to make my own.

I made this under the guise of sharing with friends, but I still had half a dish leftover for myself!

I searched for easy recipes, because I had never made bread pudding by myself, and came across this one from The Kitchn-Coconut Milk Bread Pudding

As an avid fan of coconut milk (I always have at least one can in the pantry at any given time), I thought this bread pudding sounded delicious....except for the fact that I didn't have candied ginger, pistachios or jaggery. However, I did have chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and brown sugar. I also had Cinnabon bread. The combination of them all sounded delicious to me!

I followed the cooking directed of the recipe, but used my own substitutions

Choconut-Cinnabon Bread Pudding (adapted from The Kitchn, serves 6-8)

Ingredients:
butter-flavoured cooking spray
6-7 slices Cinnabon Bread, toasted and torn into bite-size pieces
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but oh so delicious!)
1/4 cup chocolate chips (to keep it dairy-free, use carob chips instead of chocolate chips)
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
3 large eggs
3/4 brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Spray a 9x7 or 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread pieces in the dish and evenly sprinkle the walnuts and chopcolate chips on top.
• In another bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, eggs, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt.
• Pour the coconut milk mixture over the bread, pressing down with a spoon or fork to make sure all the bread gets soaked.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until set. The center should spring back when lightly touched.
• Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

DIY jewellery hanger

I can't believe it's been over a year since my last update. Between family, travelling and teacher's college, I've had no time.

However, I have been upto many things, including this DIY.

I haves lot of jewellery. I mean, a LOT. People give me jewellery as gifts, especially necklaces, and because they were never hung up properly, I occupied never remember which ones I had.

I came across this deceptively simple jewellery hanger from Lovelieshares, and just knew it would fit perfectly into my room. It's subtle enough that it would go with my wood decor and showcase my necklaces, but still adds a touch of glam to my dull, un-painted bedroom.

I knew I had paint, but I wasn't sure if I had primer, or even a wooden hanger. I definitely did not have hooks. I ended up making a trip down to Canadian Tire where I got a two-pack of wooden hangers for $1, and Walmart where I got two 8-packs of 1/2" bronze cup hooks.

Instead of using primer, I used 3 coats of a spray-on gold paint. I laid the hangers on big plastic bags in my backyard, and let them air-dry for an hour in between coats.

I then drilled small holes into my hanger, and screwed my cup hooks into the holes.

After the hangers were painted, dried and screwed, I layered my necklaces onto my hanger.

The finished product!