Like a Blanket in Winter, Comfort Desserts Comfort All

If it's meat loaf or macaroni-and-cheese, these items will fill the bill once the larger plates are cleared from the table.

Note that if meat is being served, the butter in these recipes can be switched to pareve margarine, and soy milk or nondairy creamer can be used for the regular milk.

Bread Pudding With Vanilla Sauce

Pudding Ingredients:

4 cups (8 slices) cubed white bread
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the bread and raisins in large bowl.

For the Pudding: Combine the milk and 1/4 cup butter in a 1-quart saucepan.

Cook over medium heat until butter is melted (4 to 7 minutes). Pour milk mixture over bread; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir in all remaining pudding ingredients.

Pour into greased 11/2-quart casserole. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until set in center.

For the Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients, except vanilla, in 1-quart saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (5 to 8 minutes).

Stir in vanilla.

To serve, spoon the warm pudding into individual dessert dishes; serve with sauce. Store refrigerated.

Serves 8.

Granny's Peaches-and-Cream Cobbler

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
4-6 medium (4 cups) peaches, peeled, sliced, or 2 (16-oz.) packages sliced frozen peaches

Cobbler Ingredients:

11/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 Tbsps. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 Tbsps. milk

Preheat oven to 400°.

Stir together all the filling ingredients, except peaches, in a large bowl. Stir in the peaches.

Pour into 13x9-inch baking pan.

Stir together the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in the egg and milk, just until moistened.

Crumble the mixture over top the peaches, and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbly around edges.

Serves 8.

Cherry-Custard Clafouti

1 can (16 oz.) bing cherries, well-drained
2 Tbsps. sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsps. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place cherries in a greased 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Place the milk in 5-cup blender container. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the powdered sugar. Cover; blend at medium speed until smooth (1 to 2 minutes).

Pour over the cherries.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm. Store refrigerated.

Recipes courtesy of: www.landolakes.com.