Wow!

Uh, yeah, so you've got company coming over for dinner, you want to cook a lovely meal but don't want to have to think about dessert, and you'd rather not buy another pie from the grocery store.

Solution? Use your crock pot!!

I made a truly delicious coconut-raisin bread pudding this last week. It was yummy that night warm out of the crock pot, and was just as good the next day reheated. Here it is. Play with it and make it your own. Don't love raisins? Substitute chocolate chips or a different dried fruit. Try it with 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat bread for a chewier texture. Spoon ice cream over the hot bread pudding. Your sister is allergic to coconut? Try another recipe. ;-)

This is taken directly from the New Creative Crock Pot Slow Cooker Cookbook (2001). I doubled all the ingredients since I have a 6 qt. crock pot.

1 c unsweetened coconut milk

1 c milk

1 c evaporated milk

8 c French bread with crust, cut into 1" cubes

4 eggs

1 c sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used the insides from 1 whole vanilla bean)

1 c firmly packed sweetened coconut flakes

1 c golden raisins

In a lightly greased crock pot, combine the coconut milk, milk, evaporated milk and French bread pieces. Stir thoroughly to mix. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the bread and milk in the stoneware. Stir in the coconut flakes and raisins. Cover: cook on high 3-5 hours (or until set in the middle). Remove lid and allow to cool until is the temperature you would like. (I prefer it somewhere between room temperature and piping hot.)

As the famous crock pot cookbook says, "Fix it and forget it!" Then enjoy it!