Recipe(tried): Mushroom Bread Pudding with Wilted Spina

I made this over the weekend and as it was so good just had to share......Mushroom Bread Pudding with Wilted Spinach Mushroom Bread Pudding

1 package (about 1 oz./30 g) dried porcini
4 ounces (115 g) small button mushrooms
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large onion, chopped
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) nonfat milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
8 slices whole wheat sandwich bread or egg sandwich bread (crusts removed), cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) squares

Wilted Spinach:
1 pound (455 g) fresh spinach
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or to taste)
Salt and black pepper Place porcini in a small bowl and add 1/2 cup (120 ml) boiling water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until porcini are soft (about 10 minutes). Lift out porcini and, holding them over bowl, squeeze very dry; then coarsely chop and set aside. Without disturbing sediment at bottom of bowl, pour soaking liquid into a measuring cup; you should have about 1/4 cup (60 ml). Set liquid aside; discard sediment.

While porcini are soaking, slice button mushrooms 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 mm to 1 cm) thick; set aside. Melt the 1 teaspoon butter in a wide nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chopped thyme; cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds; do not scorch). Add button mushrooms, onion, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are soft and browned bits stick to pan bottom (6 to 8 minutes). Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) more water and remove pan from heat; stir to loosen any browned bits from pan. Transfer onion mixture to a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and egg whites until well blended. Smoothly blend cornstarch with porcini soaking liquid; add cornstarch mixture, buttermilk, milk, sugar, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and white pepper to eggs and whisk until blended. Stir in onion mixture and chopped porcini. Add bread and mix gently but thoroughly; let stand until softened (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Transfer mixture to an 8-inch-square (20-cm-square) nonstick or greased regular baking pan. Set pan of pudding in a larger baking pan; then set on center rack of a 325 degree F (165 degree C) oven. Pour boiling water into larger pan up to level of pudding. Bake until top of pudding is golden brown and center no longer jiggles when pan is gently shaken (about 1 hour and 35 minutes).

When pudding is almost done, discard stems and any yellow or wilted leaves from spinach; rinse remaining leaves. Place half the spinach in a 4- to 5-quart (3.8- to 5-liter) pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until wilted (2 to 4 minutes). Pour into a colander and drain well, then transfer to a bowl; keep warm. Repeat to cook remaining spinach. To cooked spinach, add the 1 tablespoon butter and nutmeg; season to taste with salt and black pepper and mix gently.

Divide spinach among 4 individual rimmed plates. Spoon pudding over spinach (or cut pudding into wedges and place atop spinach). Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.