My son and I have been making the 2-hours round trip journey to Boise at least 3 times a week for the last 6 weeks… I’d like to blame (?) it all on his training for the Air Force’s PAST, but that would be a half-truth… the highlight of these trips (other than his successful swim times, of course), is the bread pudding at BBQ 4 Life (bbq4life.net). Toren orders the 1/2 & 1/2: a 1/2 tri-tip-1/2 pulled pork sandwich, served on a large, toasted Hawaiian bread hoagie roll and a side (for Toren, it’s protein overload with bbq4life’s offer of 2 ribs as a side!). I sit with my cup of coffee (yes, they serve a great cup of coffee) and stare in amazement at my son as he devours ALL of the food. The big prize comes in dessert fashion, as the over-sized, toasty square of bread pudding arrives, with homemade caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream sitting atop like a creamy crown jewel… is your mouth watering yet? Of course, our lovely young waitress brings out 2 spoons with this treasure – so taste, I must! Mmmmmm!

Here is my rendition of this incredible dessert (breakfast? Eggs, toast, milk – it’s basically French toast!):

Hawaiian Bread Pudding

• 10 slices of King’s Hawaiian Bread, toasted
• 5 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• Pinch of salt
• Dash of cinnamon

Butter a 9×9″ baking pan; preheat oven to 350; tear or cut bread into 1 inch cubes; place in pan; combine eggs, sugar, vanilla beans, cream and half & half,  salt and cinnamon in a large bowl, mix well with whisk.  Pour over bread and set aside for 10 minutes. Give bread a good stir. Set 9×9″ pan in larger baking pan; pour hot water in the larger pan until it reaches about mid-way up the side of the smaller pan. Bake for 40-46 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

While bread pudding is baking, make your own caramel sauce – it’s delicious and worth the wait. Serve a square of pudding, drizzled with your homemade caramel, and top the whole thing with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Get 2 spoons and share with someone you love.

Love and good food – v