Quick and Easy Bread Pudding for One

I have seen so many recipes for bread pudding, and one day I figured I'd make some for myself. I'd seen Paula Deen make it a bunch of times on her TV show, but I didn't want to make a big pan of it, since I only had a few slices of bread. I really wanted French toast, but didn't feel like standing over the stove to make it, so I improvised. I figured French toast and bread pudding have basically the same ingredients, so this is what I came up with. I later tried a more traditional recipe, but I liked my version better.

Most recipes include a recipe for a sweet sauce to top it, but I don't see the need. Use what you have. If you want a syrup, just use it sparingly!

Optional Toppings:
Maple syrup
Hershey's chocolate syrup
Ice cream topping
Fresh or canned fruit

Why make it more complicated? It's the easiest thing to make, you just toss a bunch of stuff together anyway! It makes enough for one huge portion or two smaller portions. But it's easier to make the full recipe than to divide an egg in half.

Quick and Easy Bread Pudding for One (or Two!)

Ingredients:
3 slices bread
2 or 3 Tbsp melted butter
1 egg
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
2-4 Tbsp sugar or brown sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Optional Add-ins:
cinnamon or cocoa
fresh or dried fruit
chocolate chips
nuts

Instructions:

Cut or tear bread into pieces, and put into a pie pan. Add melted butter and stir well, to coat bread evenly. If you want to add cinnamon or other spices, mix it into the bread at this point until evenly coated. Mix the egg, sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Add half this mixture to the bread and stir to coat. If you like it drier, more like French toast, only use half the liquid. If you like it more eggy, custard-like, add all the liquid. You can add any add-ins now, if you want. Bake.

Note on baking:
Most bread puddings call for a 350 degree oven, but I usually use 400. Bake time is somewhere around 45 minutes, but since it's a smaller portion than most recipes, start checking it at about 30 mins. I like mine drier, so I cook it longer.

Bread Pudding is so easy, and it's forgiving. Add things you like, use more or less liquid, try different breads or types of sugar or flavoring. If you have a favorite French toast recipe, try that. Paula Deen makes a bread pudding with pumpkin, which looks yummy!

When I get up in the morning, I throw it all together and toss in the oven and when I'm dressed and ready, so is the pudding! Or you can prepare the night before and keep in the fridge and bake in the morning.

Have fun trying new things and enjoy!