CHERRY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Take the butter out to soften. Macerate the cherries. Stir to dissolve the sugar and continue to cook on a med-low heat for 30 minutes while preparing the bread pudding base. Soak the bread chunks in the milk. Then crush with hands until softened. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and drained cherries (save the juice). Stir well. Pour the 3 T. butter in the bottom of a THICK glass 13" X 9" pan. Add mixture to pan and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Sauce: First, cream the 1/4 c. sugar and the softened butter. Then, cook in double boiler until well dissolved. Add the cherry sauce. When it is very hot, add well-beaten egg and use wire whisk to beat quickly into mixture to prevent curdling. Optional: Add the 2 T. whiskey to sauce while hot to cook off most of the alcohol. Pour over the bread pudding. Serve warm or cool. Cut into 24 pieces.