Bread Pudding

When we had our place at the beach in SC, a nearby veteran's club held weekly bingo games and several of our friends attended. When they won, they went up to a table to pick a prize. The prizes were an assortment of day-old pies, breads, donuts, vegetables, etc. donated by a local market. Several of our beach friends were winners and they would choose the long French or Italian breads. When they found out how dry they were, I suggested we make bread pudding with the loaves so as not to waste them. Pretty soon bread pudding was the treat of the week! I first showed them how to slice, cube and dry the bread to make the pudding. Many had never even tasted it before! I guess it is more of a "country" treat because it used so much milk and many eggs.

Today I made one and I will say it is WONDERFUL! I cubed some dried heels of rye, wheat and white bread along with the Italian. I used ground walnuts instead of pecans. We've already shared with the trash pick up man, who has never had it! I told him I'd print out my no-fail recipe for his wife.

We even like a dollop of  Extra Creamy Cool Whip on top but today I didn't have any thawed. Who wants the recipe?  

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 Bread Pudding                    

3 to 5 Cups cubed and dried Italian bread or French bread

2 C Granulated sugar

5 large beaten eggs

2 C milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 C light brown sugar

1/4 (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1 cup chopped pecans and/or raisins

• Preheat oven 350°

Mix together granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, eggs and milk in a bowl; add vanilla.

Pour over cubed bread and let set at least 10 minutes. (stir and turn over bread in mixture several times.)

*In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter and pecans (if used).

I use pastry blender tool to mix together. 

Pour bread mixture into prepared large pan. Sprinkle raisins(if used) over and push down into bread mixture. 

Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over top of all and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until set, depending on brownness.

*Optional: Don’t mix brown sugar and butter together. Instead,  after sprinkling brown sugar over top of mixture, cut thin slices of cold butter and place all over top before baking.