Bananas Foster Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Rum Sauce + Cajun Fun on the Bayou

Mardi Gras is in full swing in Cajun country and I wanted to share this sinfully delicious dessert that I served to my house guests, before things really get crazy, this weekend. This recipe is one of my faves and is just heavenly, rich, and scrumptious. It's an adaptation of the famous New Orleans dessert, Bananas Foster, made into a decadent bread pudding, and is just perfect for your Mardi Gras buffet, or anytime you have an ahnvee for a little something sweet. Worth the calories, I promise you!  And for an extra bit of decadence, top with vanilla ice cream, and my caramel rum sauce! (recipe below)

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Rum Sauce

1 15 oz. loaf French bread, torn into pieces

3 large eggs

2 cups milk

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 large ripe bananas, sliced

1 tsp.vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tbs.'s dark rum
2 tbs.'s banana liqueur (optional)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Tear bread into pieces in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and sugar, until well blended. Stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon, rum, liqueur, pecans, and bananas.

Pour mixture over bread pieces, mix well, and let stand for 10 minutes. Place mixture into a 13x9 inch, buttered baking dish and cover with foil. Place baking dish in a larger shallow baking pan filled with 2 inches of water.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden brown,  and a knife comes out clean. Cest bon, cher!

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tbs.'s light or dark rum

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cajun Fun on the Bayou

After a fabulous Cajun breakfast of crawfish omelettes, sausage, and biscuits, we headed over to Vermilionville for a little Sunday afternoon fun. There was an old fashioned king cake demonstration going on,  when we arrived. The samples were divine!

It was a beautiful day and people were dining outdoors, on the porch, at the Sunday buffet in La Cuisine de Maman Restaurant.  About this time, I was wishing that I had not eaten that big breakfast. The menu was fab and very tempting, but we opted to dance, instead.

We could hear the Cajun music coming from the Performance Center, where the Sunday afternoon dance was already in progress. We had planned to meet some friends from Breaux Bridge and saw them on the dance floor. They were really "cutting the rug".

Here's a little clip that I took of the crowd. The Lafayette Rhythm Devils were really jammin'  and there was a whole lotta two-steppin' goin on. Oh the life of a Cajun is oh so fun!

Tonight we'll be going to the Friday night parade and then on to the Blue Moon Saloon, for a little live entertainment and dancing. And the next four days will be spent doing some serious Mardi Gras-ing, including a spin to New Orleans on Sunday. Wish that you all were here, but hope ya'll have a fabulous fun-filled weekend, whatever you do! Merci beaucoup for stopping by! Let the good times roll, cher, and have a Happy Mardi Gras! Cheers!

To view a live web cam of parades in New Orleans,  and all of the fun in New Orleans, including the French Quarter, for the next five days, click here. It's the next best thing to being there! Enjoy!