Cherry Chocolate Bread Pudding

I love reading cookbooks.  It's almost a fetish I have.  I'm like a stalker of cookbooks.  So, having said that, while at the library I came across this book titled "Double Delicious!" by Jessica Seinfeld.  I'm not sure why I grabbed it but I did and there are some interesting ideas in there.  I may end up buying the thing but that is for later.  Right now I want to tell you just a hint about it and then share the recipe I adapted.  Her whole thing is about how to sneak healthy into what your kids will eat.  By healthy I mean veggies and they even get into dessert.  This morning for breakfast I made her Chocolate Bread Pudding.  A little strong on taste so I've adapted it for this post, but delicious and the best part is you can't even tell that there are pureed carrots in it.

3 cups milk (whatever you have even soy will work)

6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup carrot puree

8 oz soft whole-wheat bread (I made mine), cubed

1/2 cup dried cherries

2 lg egg whites (I used 1/4 cup egg beaters)

1 lg egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

Preheat the oven to 375*.  Grease a 8X8" baking dish or equivalent in size.  Whisk the milk, cocoa and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a near bowl.  Remove from heat and stir in the carrots.  If your pan is big enough toss in your bread and stir to coat, if not then pour into a bowl and add the bread.  Let sit for 10-15 min, until the milk is cool enough to touch.  In small bowl whisk together the egg, egg whites and extracts.  Pour over milk mixture and toss in the cherries.  Stir well, until the liquid becomes smooth and bread is evenly coated.  Transfer to baking dish and bake for 45-50 min or until pudding is crusty on top and puffy in the center.

I made this yesterday and then just warmed it up at 350* for 30min this morning.  Turned out great.  The only complaint was the strong flavor of almond and so I have cut it in half here.  If you want to try her way out it was 2 tsp almond extract.