Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Fall is officially underway! This is, therefore, my obligatory pumpkin-related post. Those who know me at all likely have heard me gush about my pumpkin obsession, which I will attempt to keep in check. It may be hard. After all, pumpkin is so versatile and tasty! That's probably why my fun fact lately has been that I am obsessed with pumpkin... I even wrote about it in Spanish class last year.

Enough about this fixation of mine. I came up with this dessert when I was trying to figure out what to do with the evaporated milk I had left from making my best friend a German chocolate cake for her 22nd. Since it was also my 22nd just days after hers, and we weren't celebrating until the weekend, I decided I needed a little pumpkin to mark the occasion. I also had a slice of bread that was on the verge of being stale, some shredded coconut and walnuts. The bread was really what inspired me because I realized it would nicely soak up the evaporated milk. Throw in a little bit of Trader Joe's pumpkin butter, some extra spices, and voila: pumpkin bread pudding.

Ingredients (2-3 half cup servings):
1/2 c evaporated milk
1/8-1/4 c pumpkin butter
Dash each of almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
1-2 slices bread, chopped
Shredded coconut and walnuts to top

Begin by mixing together the evaporated milk, pumpkin butter, almond extract, and spices. Add everything to taste, but use my measurements as a general guideline.

Next, scatter your bread in an even layer along the bottom of a buttered or oiled pie pan (any baking dish will do) and pour the milk mixture over the top, coating as best as possible.

Top with coconut shreds and chopped walnuts, if desired, and bake at 350 °F for 15-20 minutes. This version of bread pudding is ready to eat when it has started to turn a golden brown and the liquid has thickened and been soaked up by the bread.

Enjoy that warm goodness with friends, or with Netflix.