Low-fat Raisin Bread Pudding

I made this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks. It's the Ronald McDonald House Charity cookbook titled Specialties of the House. It's a three ring binder style with little tabbed sections for quick flipping. The recipes are a compilation of regular people's submissions so they are all relatively easy to make and use everyday ingredients.

The coolest part?! The cover folds on a seam and a vinyl strap allows it to become its own self-standing easel. My mom had a cookbook like this when I was little and I was always tickled to see it standing on the counter, easily readable while she prepared a dish. Now I have my own cookbook that does this and am still amused each time I set it up. I don't know why more cookbook manufacturers don't use this technique.


Friday was Johnny's mom's birthday, but we celebrated today. Last Christmas I made an apple pie and cinnamon bread pudding from another recipe and it was not good. It was so sickeningly sweet that it hurt your teeth. Johnny's mom said she really liked bread pudding, though. So I remembered and made her this recipe, which I think is a LOT better.

4 cups skim milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups cubed white bread
1 cup egg substitute or 4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, scald skim milk; add sugar, butter and salt. Add bread cubes and let mixture soak a few minutes. Stir in egg substitute, vanilla and raisins. Stir well and pour into 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Place baking dish in a pan of hot water and bake 1 hour in preheated oven.

I used 1% milk, 4 eggs and all spice b/c I didn't have nutmeg. When it comes out I usually cut a tiny slit in the center to see if the custard-style texture is cooked through. It will be very moist from the raisins being plump and juicy, so don't let that fool you into thinking it's still raw. I personally like it a little warm, so I usually reheat a slice. Refrigerate the leftovers.