From the Kitchens of Bunny and Brandy: Orange Spice Bread Pudding and Hamilton Beach Giveaway!

As we spoke about last week, when the weather turns crisp, Brandy can't get enough use out of her slow cooker, and one of the reasons she was particularly excited to start whipping up some goodies was her brand new Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Programmable Slow Cooker.

This particular slow cooker has so many features that Brandy has yet to explore all of them: the appliance can be programmed to cook at any temperature for any length of time, it comes with a spoon that fits perfectly on the handle of the lid, it also comes with a meat thermometer that plugs directly into the slow cooker, and it's inner ceramic pot can be removed for easy table service.  "This slow cooker might be smarter than my phone," Brandy said in awe when she first laid eyes on the thing.  Once she'd sorted out the different functions (which was quite simple, in the end), Brandy found the slow cooker very easy to use.  She particularly loved that the food seemed to cook evenly at both low and high temperatures, and that none of the food came out burnt on the sides or sticking to the ceramic pot.  She also loved the idea of the meat thermometer, which helped achieve the juiciest slow cooker pot roast she'd ever made.

Her favorite new recipe to make in her Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Slow Cooker is an Orange Spice Bread Pudding.  While Brandy loves a good pumpkin or chai flavored fall treat, this year she has vowed to experiment with more diverse autumn flavors, and orange spice tea has always been a particular favorite for hers.  If you'd like to try out Brandy's latest concoction, you can find the recipe below.

What's that?  You don't have a slow cooker?  Well, luckily for our fans, Hamilton Beach has allowed Brandy one of these awesome machines to give away!  To enter, all you need to do is follow the directions of the Rafflecopter giveawy widget below.

The writers of this blog were provided with materials by Hamilton Beach in order to facilitate the writing of this post as well as the giveaway.

Orange Spice Slow Cooker Bread Pudding

1 loaf of brioche, cut or torn into small pieces (should be about 8 cups)
2 cups whole milk
6 bags of orange spice tea
2 sticks of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
1 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
5 eggs
1/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of golden raisins

In a medium sauce pan, heat the milk gently on low, making sure it doesn't curdle.  Add in the spices and tea bags and allow to steep for 15 minutes over low heat.  Add the bread pieces into the bottom of the slow cooker and strain the milk mixture over the bread in order to catch any whole spices or curds.  Make sure to squeeze any liquid out of the tea bags as well.

In a medium sized bowl, add the eggs and scramble.  Add the sugar and mix with the eggs.  Once the milk has cooled down a little, add the eggs and sugar mixture to the slow cooker and stir to make sure the bread pieces are well coated.  Add in the raisins and stir one more time.

Set the slow cooker to low for 4 hours (can also be done over night, since the warming function will kick in after the cooking is done).  Scoop into bowls and serve warm with more raisins, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream on top.

*Please read the terms and conditions of the giveaway carefully before entering.
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From the Kitchens of Bunny and Brandy: Slow Cooker Frittata with Red Gold Tomatoes

One of Brandy's favorite things about fall is breaking out the ol' slow cooker, chucking in some choice ingredients, and plugging in the setting, then leaving to have a stroll in the beautiful crisp autumn air, and returning home to find a meal warm and ready to eat.  "It's like having my own personal butler, who is also my own personal chef, and he just slips in and cooks for me while I'm out.  I love that silly slow cooker," Brandy often says.  Recently, Brandy's friends at Red Gold Tomatoes offered to set her up with some kitchen tools and a few cans of their perfect tomatoes, challenging her to put her slow cooker expertise to the test.  Never one to back down from a challenge, Brandy put her thinking cap on and came up with an Italian style slow cooker frittata that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Brandy also gets to give away a Red Gold slow cooker party pack to one special reader, which includes a Red Gold Apron, a wood spoon, and six cans of various Red Gold tomato flavors, so you can try out Brandy's recipe for yourselves, or try one of Red Gold's other awesome slow cooker recipe ideas!  Also, make sure to checkout Red Gold's Facebook page to find out how to win your very own slow cooker!

The writers of this blog were sent products from Red Gold Tomatoes in order to facilitate this post.

Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Slow Cooker Frittata

6-8 B sized yukon gold potatoes, sliced thin
8 eggs
1 can of Red Gold Garlic and Olive Oil Tomatoes
1 cup of shredded cheese (we suggest a melty cheese with pungency, like Swiss or gruyere)
1 tablespoon of baking soda
2-3 leaves of fresh basil, sliced thinly
* Optional 6-8 white pearl onions

In a medium bowl, scramble all of the eggs together, then add the baking soda and the can of tomatoes.  Stir quickly to combine, then add the cup of cheese and the shredded basil and stir again until everything is coated.


Spray the bottom and sides of your slow cooker with cooking spray or coat with a small amount of butter, then begin layering in the potato slices.  Lightly salt the potato slices, then pour in the egg mixture and let it settle for a minute or two (all the cheese should float to the top when it's ready).  Place the pearl onions (if using) in a circle halfway between the center and the edge.

Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 6, or until the top is slighting browned and the eggs are cooked all the way through.  Slice into wedges and serve immediately.

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