High-quality smoked ham is worth the cost. It infuses the pudding with a smoky flavor that complements the spinach, peppers, rosemary and Gruyere.

Makes 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 3/4 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

Custard
4 large egg whites
4 large eggs
1 cup skim milk

Seasonings
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Bread & filling
4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1/2 pound, 4-6 slices)
5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)
1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
1 cup diced ham steak (5 ounces)

Topping
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-by-7-inch glass baking dish or a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
2. To prepare custard: Whisk egg whites, eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Add mustard, pepper and rosemary: whisk to combine.
3. Toss bread, spinach, roasted red peppers and ham in a large bowl. Add the custard and toss well to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with foil.
4. Bake until the custard has set, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the pudding is puffed and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 276 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 169 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 21 g protein; 3 g fiber; 746 mg sodium; 422 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (70% daily value), Folate (37% dv), Calcium (30% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 medium-fat meat

TIP: Tip: To wilt greens, rinse greens thoroughly in cool water. Transfer them to a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in the wrap. Microwave on high until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the greens before adding them to the recipe.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare the pudding through Step 3; refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed in Step 4.

This tasted good but looked awful. The eggs were curd-y throughout, not fluffy-scrambled at all. It didn't stay together in a neat slice but had to be scooped out and fell apart on the plate. I added sauteed onions and garlic and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes. Maybe this changed the eggs? Don't know. Next time I might use thyme instead of rosemary. Will try again to get it right for the good flavor.

Amy

I have made this bread pudding as well as the chicken sausage pudding. Each time I prepared the dish ahead of time and refrigerated it overnight. My husband loved each one, telling me that the recipes were "keepers".

Anonymous, Mirror Lake, NH

This was very good with lots of flavor (even using just a regular ham steak). I used a 7 grain bread that had seeds and nuts in it, which added a nice crunch to it. You could certainly adapt this with other ingredients. Will make again.

sharon, Harwich Pt, MA

I'm not a big bread pudding fan to begin with, but this one was pretty good. It was a good combination of flavors and it held together well. I was unsure whether the kids would eat it, but they really enjoyed it!

Lori, Barkhamsted, CT

I have made this recipe twice, and enjoyed it both times. Both times it was made the night before. The second time was during the "spinach ban" so I used frozen spinach and it turned out great.

Anonymous

This recipe, along with the other savory bread pudding (Chicken Sausage w/ Arugula), are great ways to use up leftovers, make an inexpensive and delicious meal, and feed a family (with leftovers!). I love to play with it and use different combinations.

Rebecca, Houston, TX

This recipe tasted great but there must be a misprint in the ingredients. It calls for "five" cups of chopped spinach! I made the recipe with half the spinach and it was still too much. If you look at the picture, it does not contain so much green. Therefore, I think that 5 cups of chopped spinach has to be wrong.

John, Arvada, CO