What to do with stale bread...

One idea is to make bread pudding.

Here is a recipe straight from the AHA. (American Heart Association)

Why did I pick this recipe? Because I like sweet and because I still strive for healthy stuff in spite of my sweet tooth. I liked the inclusion of apples in this recipe and the fact that it did not include any tropical oils or milks like coconut oil or coconut milk which are actually bad for you, even though it's the popular thing to do these days.

Calories 131 Per Serving Protein 5g Per Serving Fiber 5g Per Serving

Servings  4   Serving Size   one 3 x 4-inch piece

 Need:

Cooking spray

2 large eggs

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

6 slices light, whole-grain bread, cubed

3 medium apples (cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes) - no need to peel

1/2 cup of any one of the following: raisins, unsweetened dried cranberries, fresh or unsweetened dried blueberries, chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves.

Stir in the bread, apples, and raisins, cranberries, blueberries, and/or nuts.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread cubes are golden brown. 

Quick Tips

Tip: Cloves are the dried, unopened buds of a type of evergreen tree. The ground cloves in this recipe add a sweet, slightly peppery flavor. Use cloves sparingly because their potent flavor can be overwhelming. Or skip them and use allspice instead.

If you think you have to have a sauce to go over your serving, I advise you to use unsweetened applesauce. You can have a side of cottage cheese with your serving instead of sauce. But if you insist on the real deal, the stuff they serve with it down south or in those restaurants that do things like rum pudding, here is the recipe for that:

Vanilla Sauce:

1 ¼ cups milk

½ cup  brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, brown sugar, butter, egg, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a heavy saucepan until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour sauce over warm bread pudding or serve on the side in a bowl.