Whoops!!!!, there goes....

   What happens when you make a perfectly good apple pie,

organic apples, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, walnuts. Sounds like I'm on a righteous apple pie path, right. Well, I decided to try a new pie crust recipe, which seemed like a good idea, but when I  rolled out the dough, I rolled it out too thick,  and when it baked it got really hard, the pie looks right, but it takes a chainsaw to cut into it. The insides taste sweet as apple pie, but I can't serve it like it is. Throwing the pie in the trash seems like a frightful waste. So, I let it sit for a day, the pie. I came up with the idea to make the pie into a bread pudding, loosely following Paula Deen's bread pudding recipe and guess what, it was tremendous. I mean the best bread pudding I have ever made.
   Here is Paula Deen's Recipe. I cut the sugar in half, because it already had plenty. I took the pie and broke it up into pieces and added half a loaf of a French baguette. Instead of the vanilla I used cognac or brandy, I didn't add the pecans, because there were walnuts in the pie.

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar (1 cup )
• 5 large beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (bandy or cognac)
• 3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl (apple pie, plus half a baguette)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped pecans (added walnuts)

For the sauce:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup brandy (cognac)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.
In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.
Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.
For the sauce:
Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.