Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Happy Easter!!!  

(source: 365thingsaustin.com)

Someone was a little overwhelmed by his Easter present!!!

I think I'm in the dog house now...

I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the boys opening their Easter bags.  We were at Target last night at 9:00 buying candy and treats for them.  They were super excited about their breakfast:  powered donuts and Starbuck's bottled coffee.  They also got the traditional Easter candy (minus the jelly beans and peeps - GROSS) but also got seaweed (yes, SEAWEED!), a bottle of Fanta, goldfish, books, and a new outfit.  

I joined Weight Watchers again (sigh; it's a lifelong battle against the bulge, I fear).  When I look at what I was eating, there was a lot of yuck involved even though I can cook!  I love junk food but I'm not in my teens anymore.  I started gaining in my 20's.  I've lost and gained and lost and gained the same weight over and over and over again.  I finally realized that if I want to stay at my goal weight, I'm always going to have to eat right and exercise.  So far so good... 9 pounds down in 4 weeks.  I'm re-learning how to cook. 

I've been MIA for a while.  I was cooking but I wasn't taking pictures and I obviously wasn't blogging.  

Today, I felt like taking pictures and blogging. I am making the shift in what I eat and need to make the shift in what I cook and what I blog.  

This recipe was inspired by the Pear & Cranberry Breakfast Bread Puddings from Good Deal: more satisfying meals for le$$ money.  I'm never one to just cook things the way a recipe says to cook them (especially when I don't have the specified ingredients).  

This was the perfect breakfast this morning!  It was fulling but light.  I used ingredients that are WW friendly but you can substitute them for full calorie/fat versions.  I served it with a fruit salad of strawberries, bananas, and oranges.

I'm clearly out of practice with the blogging thing because I forgot to take step-by-step pictures.

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bread Pudding

6 slices light (reduced calorie) wheat bread (I used Sara Lee) cut into cubes

2 apples, cored and chopped

2 cups fat free milk

3 large eggs

1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Place bread cubes and apples in a large bowl.  Toss to combine.

3.  Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Pour over bread mixture stir to combine.

4.  Pour into a baking dish (I used a big baking bowl; next time, I will use a cake pan so it will cook faster)

5.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.

6.  Uncover.  Bake for another 15 minutes.

I'm looking forward to a relaxing day with my family.  I wish you the same!