It's not your mama's Carmel Apple Bread Pudding

Since its December, the holidays and noone is really caring all that much about healthy foods, most of the recipes we share are going to be those that are a tad more indulgent than what we would normally eat during the year. Like anyone really minds!

This recipes is a conglomeration of several delicious examples of bread pudding I have had over the years. It all started in Hawaii of all places, where a wonderful relief society president made me bread pudding for the first time. In hers, she used apple pie filling. It was so yummy, I have never made it without. This is comfort food at its finest, kicked up a few notches. ENJOY!

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

10-15 slices of day-old bread. I use either a nice challah/egg bread or 2 loaves of the Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Toast bread. Torn into medium bite size pieces.

4 eggs

3 c of half and half

2/3 c sugar

2 tsp of vanilla

1/2 t of salt (optional)

1/2 t of ground cinnamon

1 can apple pie filling

Heave oven to 350 degeres. Spray bottom of 8 x 13 cake pan with pam. Beat eggs in medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Put 1/2 of the torn bread slices into the pan. Take one-half can of the applie pie filling and spread over the bread. Pour 1/2 of the egg mixture on top of the bread/apple mix. Put remaining pieces of bread over the top. Spread the remaining apple pie mix on top of the bread. Pour the remaining egg mix on top. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with caramel sauce (See below) and french vanilla ice cream.

Caramel Sauce

2/3 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

1/2 c half and half

2 T butter.

Heat all the ingredients to boiling in 1 qt sauce pan over medium low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle over top of bread pudding and ice cream.

Lower calorie/lower fat version: (Again - this is comfort food, so low is all relative). You can substitute the half and half for 1% or 2% milk. No adjustment in amount is necessary.

Small Family: Reduce everything in half and prepare in an 8 x 8 pan.

SUGGESTIONS: As indicated above, I use Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Swirl Bread (with or without raisins, its your preference). It adds another layer of flavors.