Crave Wednesday: Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

We spent Christmas,  as usual, with the in-laws.  And it was just as.... well, it was just as it always was,  with the added bonus of dealing with a 2 year old too. 

Christmas Eve we traveled into San Francisco to see the sights.  Like the tree in Union Square.

 Or the one in Nieman Marcus.

We stopped into the St. Francis to check out their gingerbread houses.

We came back in time to get dressed and had out to church.

 Dinner was after church, but Thatbaby and I didn't make it because of his epic tantrumming and general 2 year old behavior.  We headed back to the hotel where a bath,  snack, and story sorted things out.

When Thatboy and Thatkid came in for the night, we set out the cookies Thatbaby and I made and brought up with us.  Thatkid decided Santa would like some egg nog instead of milk.

 And sure enough,  when the boys woke up in the morning,  Santa had come!

Thatkid had asked Santa for a stuffed animal and Thatbaby wanted Chase from Paw Patrol.  Both were very happy Christmas morning.

I don't have any other pictures from Christmas day,  but it was a lot of sitting around waiting to open presents and watching people leave to take naps, and eating no food, because why would anyone have food on Christmas day?

We stayed for one more day, during which time the boys played mini - golf for the first time.

 And went bowling for the second time.

 As always,  I was very happy to be home.  While others indulged in Christmas sweets and treats,  I miss out on that every year. I've tried making breakfast for everyone, but it just didn't catch on. Instead, I have to live vicariously through every one else. Pretend I'm indulging in rich,  creamy,  brad pudding,  dripping in salted caramel sauce.  It's exactly the kind of thing you would eat after a holiday meal. Right?  I don't know if it is, but bread pudding seems awful Christmas -y to me.  Wintery  in general really.  A sit by the fireplace kind of dessert.

Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce (from Cooking Light) 

5 cups of cubed French bread

1 cup evaporated fat free milk

3/4 cup 1% low fat milk

1/3 cup sugar

5 Tbsp bourbon

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp butter

6 Tbsp half and half

1. Preheat oven to 350. Arrange bread on a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. 
2. Whisk evaporated milk, milk,  sugar,  2 Tbsp bourbon,  1 Tbsp vanilla,  cinnamon,  salt,  and eggs in a large bowl. 
3. Add bread cubes and let stand 20 minutes. 
4. Combine brown sugar, remaining bourbon,  and butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes,  or until the sugar dissolves. 
5. Stir in 5 Tbsp half and half and simmer 10 minutes,  or until reduced to 1 cup.  Remove pan from heat.
6. Stir in 1 Tbsp half and half,  1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt. 
7. Spoon half of bread mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  
8. Drizzle 3 Tbsp sauce over bread mixture. 
9. Spoon remaining half of the bread mixture over sauce.  Bake for 45 minutes.  
10. Serve warm sauce with bread pudding.  Top with whipped cream.