[mistyinca]

Irish Bread Pudding with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce
Cooking Light c2000 Oxmoor House

1/4 cup light butter melted (I just use 2 tb real butter)
1 (10-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Irish whiskey (Irish whiskey is too expensive for me. I use Jim Beam)
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat free milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Caramel Whiskey sauce (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Brush melted butter on on side of French bread slices, and place bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Combine raisins and whiskey in a small bowl; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until soft (do not drain).
4. Combine 1% low-fat milk and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and raisin mixture, pressing gently to moisten; let stand 15 minutes.
5. Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 [3-inch] square and 2 tablespoons sauce).

Caramel-Whiskey Sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light butter (again, I use 2 tb real butter--same thing).
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (neufchatel cheese)
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

1. Combine sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Continue cooking 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and will bubble vigorously). Cool slightly, and stir in whiskey and milk.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups (serving size 2 tablespoons).