Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I do love pumpkin!  It may not look appetizing but this is an excellent dessert.  I brought two 9x13's for a brunch where there was a ton of other food and there was maybe 1 serving left.  People were taking plateful's home "for their husbands".  Yeah, right! ;-)  Plus, this dessert has won 2 dessert contests.  It is sooo good and obviously loved by many!  The homemade caramel sauce is so easy and really compliments the bread pudding nicely.  Really this is kind of a baked french toast.  The challah bread can be hard to find, but any sweet bread would probably do.   I got this recipe from a social event I went to with a group of army wives.  Don't wait, make this this weekend!


PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients:

2 cups 1 15 oz. can 1 cup and 2 Tbsp 2 1 1/2 tsp. 1 1/2 tsp. 1 1/2 tsp. 10 cups 1/2 cup

half and half (I Have used fat free and still VERY good!) pure pumpkin dark brown sugar large eggs pumpkin pie spice ground cinnamon vanilla 1/2" cubes egg bread (about 10ozs.)                        raisins or chopped apples!

Preheat 350 oven.  Whisk half & half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl to blend.  Fold in bread cubes.  Stir in golden raisins, regular Raisins or apples.  (I think I like it with apples best!)  Transfer mix to  11" X 7" glass baking dish.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Bake about 40 minutes or until the knife test comes out clean. Top with caramel sauce and whipped cream if desired.

CARAMEL SAUCE

1 1/2 cups 3 c. 3 t. 1 large can

butter sugar vanilla evaporated milk

Heat all together and bring to a boil, stirring to prevent cooking.  Cook for 15 mins. Keeps well in refrigerator.