Salted Butterscotch Banana Bread Pudding!!

"Imagine the best of bread pudding combined with the best of Bananas Foster!" This one is for YOU, Linda.
(serves 6-8)

Bread Pudding:
Nonstick cooking spray
7 cups chopped potato bread
2/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted*
1/2 cup butterscotch chops
4 eggs
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. light brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. sea* salt
2 T. Kerrygold* butter, cut into small pieces

Salted Butterscotch Sauce:
1/2 cup. Kerrygold* butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 t. coarse* kosher salt

Caramelized Bananas:
3 T. Kerrygold* butter, divided (as needed)
3 T. light brown sugar, divided (as needed)
4 bananas (not too ripe), peeled, sliced
Vanilla bean* ice cream, if desired

To make the bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9" pan with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, toss together bread, nuts, coconut, and butterscotch chips. Spread on pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, evap. milk, condensed milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over bread mixture in baking dish, making sure bread is completely soaked in egg mixture. Cover, let sit 30 mins. Dot with the small pieces of butter. Bake, uncovered, 45-55 mins. or until top is crispy and golden brown.

To make butterscotch sauce: In a med. saucepan, over med heat, melt butter. Stir in light brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thick, syrupy, and golden in color, about 10 mins. Remove from heat; stir in cream and kosher salt. Cover to keep warm.

To make caramelized bananas: In a large nonstick skillet, over med.-high heat, melt 2 T. butter and 2 T. light brown sugar. Once butter-sugar mixture becomes bubbly, add bananas. Cook, flipping once, about 2-3 mins. per side, or until caramelized on both sides. Remove to a plate.(May need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding bananas. If so, add 1 T. butter and 1 T. light brown sugar to skillet before adding second batch of bananas).

To serve: Top bread pudding with bananas and spoon butterscotch sauce over top. Serve immediately with ice cream, if desired.

"You Must Have Passion!"

Have FUN today (I will - I am sitting in the sun reading food mags.)

Love,

MM