RUM RAISIN PUDDING

"Very easy to make and absolutely to die for."

3 cups milk
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon*
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp rum**
1/2 cup raisins***
7 (1/2-inch) slices brioche bread, cubed or torn****
4 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, add milk, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, rum and raisins and heat until warm. Simmer and stir until sugar dissolves.

Into a large bowl add the cubed bread and pour in the hot milk mixture. Let sit for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs the milk.

Add the beaten eggs to the bread and milk mixture and stir. Pour bread pudding into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 50 minutes.

*You may adjust the amount of cinnamon to your liking (I like a bit more).

**You may use rum extract instead of rum if you wish. As a reminder, all the alcohol burns off the rum in the cooking, and leaves just the flavor.

***You may use either dark or yellow raisins, and some folks even use Craisins.

****You may use any number of kinds of bread such as, French bread, Challah, French rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, etc. They all seem to work well.

Makes 8-10 servings
Source: The Neelys