1 (10 oz.) loaf, stale French bread, broken
4 c. milk (or 1/2 milk, 1/2 cream)
1 c. sugar
4 tbsp. butter, melted (double for richness)
3 eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla
1 c. raisins
1 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients; mixture should be very moist, but not soupy. Pour into a buttered 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Place on middle rack of non-preheated oven. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, until top is golden brown. Serve warm with sauce. Reheat in water bath in oven. 20 servings.

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg, yolk or whole
1/2 c. bourbon (or to taste

Cream butter and sugar over medium heat until all butter is absorbed. Remove from heat and blend in egg yolk. Pour in bourbon gradually to your own taste, stirring constantly. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm over warm bread pudding.

You may want to try cinnamon rolls or vanilla wafers instead of the French bread. If desired, 1 cup shredded coconut may be added to bread pudding or you may want to substitute any fruit/nut combination and flavor sauce accordingly.