Louisiana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
                                                                    Serves 8 - 10

 

 4 eggs, beaten
 1 tablespoon butter, melted
 1½ cups sugar
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 3½ cups milk
 ½ cup raisins, optional
 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 ½ teaspoon nutmeg
 1 large loaf French bread (day old is best), crumbled

 

Soak bread in milk mixture for 30 minutes. Then add all remaining ingredients. Mix well with wooden spoon. Spread into 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Then lower heat to 300  for another 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve as is or pour Rum Sauce (recipe below) over bread pudding before serving, hot or cold.

 

 RUM SAUCE:

 

 1 cup sugar
 2 cups water
 ¼ cup dark rum
 1½ tablespoons cornstartch

 

Combine sugar and cornstartch; slowly add water. Cook until thick on a medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in rum. Pour over bread pudding and serve. Yields 2½ cups sauce.