Blizzard Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This recipe came about because last week when the news was calling for a blizzard of epic proportions.  Fearing the worst, J and I ventured to the grocery store to stock up just in case we lost power as some were cautioning we might!  While we were there, we bought a loaf of Italian bread, not remembering the loaf and a half we had left at home. 

We didn't lose power or get the amount of snow that was originally projected, which meant we had a lot of extra bread.  Now, we don't usually eat a lot of sandwiches around here to begin with (hence the loaf and a half at home) and since then it has just been sitting there waiting for something to be done with it.

On Wednesday night, it popped into my head that I should make a bread pudding with the loaf of bread.  I cut it into cubes and dried them out a bit in the oven first, the way you would with croutons or bread when you are making homemade stuffing.  The results were definitely tasty and the bread held up pretty well considering it is sandwich bread and not baguette, which traditional bread puddings use.  I don't know if I would recommend making it this way by choice, but if you have extra bread laying around that you are going to throw out, this is a great option.

Here is the recipe either with or sans sandwich bread:

Blizzard Pumpkin Bread Pudding, adapted from Epicurious

Not my best photographic effort but I was trying to get this and dinner on the table before going to the laundry mat!

Ingredients:
5 cups of cubed crusty bread, like French baguette--I used Italian sandwich bread (see above)
1 cup of heavy cream--I used half and half to cut down on some of the calories
1/2 cup whole milk--I used skim milk to make it less caloric (less calories per bite equals more bites!)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice--I used nutmeg because I didn't have any allspice
3/4 of a stick of margarine, melted


Kitchen Supplies:
2 mixing bowls
Whisk
2 quart glass baking dish
Measuring cups and spoons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter either in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. 
In one bowl, whisk together cream, milk, eggs, pumpkin, sugar and spices.  In another bowl toss the butter and bread cubes together until combined.  Pour bread cubes into the milk and egg mixture, tossing to coat.  Pour mixture into ungreased baking dish and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the custard is set.  Remove from oven and serve.

Serves: 6

Have you ever had leftovers that were going to spoil that caused you to improvise?  What was it and what did you make?