SOUTHWESTERN BREAD PUDDING

YIELDS 8-10 SERVINGS

1/2     pound stale French bread
1/4     cup brown sugar
1        Cup milk
1        4-ounce can evaporated milk
1/'4     pound (1 stick) butter. melted
1         8 1/4-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
1/2      cup golden raisins
1         tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/ 4     cup pinons (pine nuts)
3         Teaspoons vanilla
3         eggs, beaten 
1 1/4    cups granulated sugar
Tequila Sauce



Preheat oven to 350 F. Break bread into bite-size chunks; soak in milk. Squeeze bread with your fingers to eliminate excess liquid and discard milk. Set bread in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients except sauce. Very gently, mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into an 8-by-12-inch buttered baking pan. Bake for I hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with Tequila Sauce.

TEQUILA SAUCE,  YIELD 1 CUP
1      cup granulated sugar
1       egg
1/4    pound (1 stick) Butter, melted
1/3    cup good-quality tequila
1       teaspoon fresh lime juice

Cream sugar and egg together. Add butter and pour into a medium saucepan. Over a low flame, stir mixture until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in tequila and lime juice. Pour over servings of Southwestern Bread Pudding.
.NOTE. Tequila may be replaced by rum, bourbon, Irish whiskey, or -whiskey of your choice.




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