Pumpkin Bread Pudding and a Tradition

It's been a very long time since I've posted a recipe, so on Thanksgiving week I thought I'd share one that is very dear to our family. I got this recipe from a friend when we lived in Dallas, and now it's a traditional dish for us. We have it every year on Thanksgiving morning, and we love it. Amaleah always reminds me now that we have to have it for breakfast and not to forget it because it's "tradition." I think children thrive off of family traditions, even if it's something as simple as what we eat every Thanksgiving morning. For me when I was growing up it was homemade cinnamon rolls on Thanksgiving morning. And whenever my mom would even think of not doing it one year, I'd beg and beg and say "It's not Thanksgiving without it!" And she always relented. So here's our traditional recipe. I wonder, do any of you have a recipe that is traditional for your family?

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 c. milk

3 beaten eggs

1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz.)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

5 c. bread cubes (whole wheat is fine)

1/2 c. broken pecans (opt.)*

Stir together the first 7 ingredients. Add pecans and bread and let soak. Pour into buttered baking dish (9 x 13); cover and refrigerate overnight. Take out about 45 minutes before baking, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until firm but not dry. Spoon into bowls and serve with whipped cream and nuts (this is the best part!)

*Two years ago, I forgot and added the pecans to the pudding, and Amaleah was sweetly disappointed, because she doesn't like nuts, yet she loves this dish...so now every year she reminds me not to put nuts in it this year...