How can you make bread pudding even better? Add some sliced bananas and drizzle some warm vanilla sauce all over it! This Banana Bread Pudding was delicious! The top had a nice golden crust and the center was soft and sweet with the perfect banana goodness. I found the recipe in my Taste of Homes Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2006.

The ingredients are:

• 4 cups cubed day-old French or sourdough bread (1-inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sliced firm bananas (1/4-inch pieces)

SAUCE:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the bread cubes in a greased 2-qt. casserole; pour butter over and toss to coat. In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs; add milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in bananas. Pour over bread cubes and stir to coat. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
2. Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan. Combine sugar and cornstarch; add to butter. Stir in milk and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm sauce over warm pudding

Yield: 6 servings.