Banana Maple Bread Pudding with Banana Caramel Sauce
Serves 6-8
8 large eggs
1 quart whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
4 ripe bananas, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 1-pound loaf brioche, torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 lb butter
Vanilla ice cream

Whisk eggs, cream, and 1 cup maple syrup in large bowl to blend. Add brioche and 1/2 the bananas; stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally (the soaking can be omitted if you’re impatient, but it won’t be quite as moist).

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13×9 inch baking dish. Transfer bread mixture to prepared dish. Bake until puffed and golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. While baking, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat until foamy. Add the bananas, sauteeing for two minutes. Add sugar to the skillet and stir to dissolve, continuing to stir until a tasty caramel forms. When pudding is done, cool slightly, then cut into 6 to 8 pieces. Place scoop of ice cream atop pudding and top with warm banana caramel. Voila! Comfort achieved.

I just threw a baby shower for my friends L. and M. and am reporting back with tidbits and a request for your baby-shower-giving tips and stories. Some background: the baby’s sex is a surprise and the shower was co-ed. Re: the latter, I Googled “co-ed baby shower” for ideas and found hilarious comments online like, “If men are attending, don’t serve tea sandwiches. Men don’t like tea sandwiches.” Ha, ha. Here’s the scoop:

Invites: They were a twist on children’s alphabet books. (No, I’m not a talented designer; that would be my friend Jenene, who created them for me.) The booklet’s first page said “P is for Party” and so on until P-A-R-T-Y was spelled out.

Favors: I bought lunch bags at nearby Winn Discount and ribbons (also used for the invites) in blue, gold and orange (I’ve been wearing the leftovers in my hair), put a mini notebook and colored pencil in each, and stamped each bag with the guest’s initial.

Games: One was a kids’-book quiz. The other: I gave the mom- and dad-to-be a list of qualities and physical attributes, like “eyes” or “intelligence,” and asked them each to say whether they hoped their kid would inherit the attribute in question from Mom or Dad. Guests guessed which qualities were picked by whom.

Food: My friend L.W., who is an amazing cook, came over with deviled eggs, artichoke dip (incredibly fattening and delicious, featuring cheese and mayo) and…tea sandwiches!

Decorating tip: I bought a couple yards of oilcloth in floral and toile patterns, cut them up, and put them under the drinks and food areas. Makes cleanup easier, looks good and can be reused. Want how-tos on any of the above? Let me know! — Bunny W.

FISHS EDDY is having a Whiteware Sale — 20% off Diner Whites now through May 19. A great way to save on sturdy stock that mixes with anything. (Too white for you? There’s a whole lot of colorful pieces on sale, too.)

Basic Green Box has some beautiful pillows and more on sale. They’re also offering this limited-time treat: spend $60 or more, receive a hand-blown tulip flip vase with an orchid stem free, while supplies last (enter code WELOVEMOM at checkout).

So Softies, an Etsy favorite, is also having a sale on some choice paper goods and at least one of her crocheted softie dolls. Visit her Etsy sale to score.

At last fall’s Sheep & Yarn festival, I bought a few bars of the most yummy smelling soap from a stand called Got Soap. The flavors included cinnamon & oatmeal, spiced milk & honey, and thyme. Each one is amazingly fragrant and lathers up so richly. We’ve been using them exclusively in our upstate shower. We’re finally on our last bar so it’s time to place an order via their website. I will probably order a few extra bars because this stuff will make the perfect hostess or housewarming gift. Always good to have a few of those handy, I find! And here’s a great deal: If you tell them that you found the site through this blog mention, you’ll get a free bar. Check it out! — Angela M.

Bean bags are one of those decor items that we love in theory, but rarely see used in real life. This brightly colored gem at Design Public could change all that. The Fashion Bag from Sitting Bull would look amazing in a living room, and certainly has enough colors to chime in with most palettes. Best of all, it’s affordable: $250 as opposed to nearly $1000 for a similar look from Missoni. Score!

The latest issue of Small Magazine recently arrived in my in-box, yippee! Have you seen this beautiful online kids zine yet? I’m in complete and utter adoration. Small is an artful quarterly publication that was launched last Spring by two moms wishing to showcase “grass roots creativity” from the likes of indie artists, designers, and shop owners.

Small operates like a print edition. Just turn the pages on-screen to find find fresh kid-friendly fashion and playful product editorials; free downloadable original illustrations; DIY projects (this issue: the cutest clothespin dolls and a link to the how-to, plus a recipe for cooking up a “one-eyed pirate,” a scrumptious-looking egg-and-buttered-toast snack).

And did I mention the many tantalizing links in their captions? Oy, I might be glued to this laptop past midnight… —Megan K.

The company’s French Tulip diffuser sits on a window shelf next to my bed, filling the room with the fresh scent of a flower shop in springtime. Six new limited-edition diffusers were recently added to Seda France’s aromatic offerings. Click for many more spring scent finds from Ingrid S.

I recently discovered Diptyque’s new limited-edition boxed set of three candles (mimosa, tuberose and choisya). The light, flowery fragrances by the luxe French candlemaker are as intoxicating as always — mimosa captures the clean blooming air on a Provencal coast.

Another favorite, DayNa Decker, stars with ultra-chic, eco-friendly candles that crackle seductively while burning. The refined scents, infused with botanical oils, are alluringly pure. New hand-blown diffusers in her signature minimalist style are beautiful enough to reuse as vases.

If you love more earthy, masculine scents, Alora Ambiance has partnered with home textile designer John Robshaw to create a new Vetiver diffuser and soy candle. The smoky fragrance was inspired by floor mats inter-woven with vetiver roots at an Indonesian bazaar. Suddenly I’m on Orbitz.com booking a trip to Ibiza — this candle has sparked my spring wanderlust! –Ingrid S.

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

Bright ideas we gathered from your comments.

1. You are huge fans of rice cookers. At this writing, Angela’s question about buying a rice cooker has been answered with 48 comments, 36 of which are emphatically in favor of buying one. Says Rebecca, “I laughed at my boyfriend when he wanted a rice cooker — why on earth spend the $15.00 on another appliance when you can use a pot on the stove? However, tonight I was cooking rice in that very same rice cooker — and the boyfriend? No longer around.”

2. Rice cookers are good for more than just rice. Who knew? Lots of you, including Daffodil: “I use my rice cooker to make rice, because it would take an act of God and Congress for me to be able to come out with anything that even resembles rice using the stovetop method. So I love it for that. But since we had our son 19 months ago, it has also been a big help in feeding him. He ADORES steamed zucchini. It’s no trouble to slice up a zucchini and throw it in the veggie steamer part of the rice cooker. Takes about six minutes.”

3. Brown rice, though, can be tricky in a rice cooker. mj says, “I have the exact rice cooker that you pictured and if it’s brown rice you like to eat, don’t buy it! I have been so disappointed because that particular appliance sputters water out over the top and leaks a slimy mess all over the counter when cooking brown rice… more work than it’s worth for sure. It works just dandy for white rice though…” Other readers offered their opinions on white vs. brown rice, which cookers work best, and what else you can cook in a rice cooker. See this very popular post here.

4. Here’s the best use for that stimulus check yet. “I’m going to build a bunker,” says Chad, our resident funny commenter/beekeeper/husband to Angela/pro-rice cooker lobbyist. Well, if those 4,000 bees ever turn on you, Chad, a bunker just might be a sound investment.

5. We love the little insights we get from our readers. Two small comments that make us happy: PQ has this tip on making bourbon balls: “Gingersnaps in place of Nilla Wafers make the balls nice and spicy…” Yum! Meanwhile, Ellobie has this tip for bouquet-making: “I also love to split up a grocery store bouquet amongst my many tiny vases. The other good part: after dinner’s over, you can add little bits of happy to every room in the house.” Share your tips on May flowers or read Angela’s bourbon ball recipe.