Bread Pudding

Before you feed your moldy bread to the ducks outside, STOP. Back up the truck. Don't let your bread go moldy. If you're looking for a way to use up a buncha bread, then just know that you can eat it before your mold does. Last week at Break the Fast, Sister Heiss made bread pudding and posted her recipe on the ward facebook page. When she said she used hot dog buns for the bread, I thought GENIUS! I, too, had some hot dog buns leftover from the ward party and I needed to use them fast. Hot dog buns probably taste better as bread pudding than anything else. If you disagree, I'd love to hear a better way to use old (but not yet moldy) hot dog buns. But here's my adaption of Sister Heiss's bread pudding recipe.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Maybe less.

Sitting time: However long you prefer. It can sit anywhere from 10 minutes to 24 hours (in a fridge, of course)

Cooking time: 35-45 minutes

6 slices of day old bread (or 5 hot dog buns)

2 Tbsp butter, melted

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk (or 1.5 cups milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream)

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp butter softened (but not melted)

Pecans (if desired)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Break bread into pieces into a lightly greased 8 x 8 cooking pan.

Drizzle bread with melted butter. Sprinkle with pecans (if desired).

In mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs, white sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture. Let it soak for (at least) 10 minutes. Unless you're SUPER rushed. Then just stick it in the oven. But not before you do this:

Mix and crumble together brown sugar, softened butter, and pecans. Sprinkle over bread/egg mixture.

THEN stick it in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

And while it's cooking, you can make the sauce of your choice.

Caramel Sauce (a.k.a. Kneader's Syrup)

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for one minute, then remove from heat. Drizzle over bread pudding (or french toast or waffles or anything you want, really).