Nix Capirotada

Bread Pudding
-1 cup melted butter
-18 slices bread (half sandwich white/half sandwich wheat)
-1 cup chopped pecans
-1/2 cup raisins
-8 slices American cheese
-8 slices Swiss cheese

Syrup
-2 quarts water
-2 cinnamon sticks
-1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread melted butter on one side of bread slices and put on baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes on one side; turn and toast another 5 minutes and then set aside to cool on a wire rack.
In a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish, layer ingredients in order as follows:
Layer 1-6 slices of toasted bread, 1/2 of pecans, 1/2 of raisins and all of American cheese
Layer 2-6 slices of toasted bread, remaining pecans, remaining raisins and all of Swiss cheese
Layer 3-Remeining toasted bread
Slowly pour Syrup over top layer, so it's throughly soaked. Pour syrup in dish to fill it about halfway. Save extra syrup, in case it's needed later. Bake for 1 hour, or until liquid is bubbling and nearly absorbed, and the top layer browns and the center rises. Pour extra liquid over misture, if a very moist capirotada is desired. More cheese may be sprinkled on top, if desired. Serve warm.

For syrup: Combine water, cinnamon sticks, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Set aside until ready to pour on bread mixture.

Makes 10 servings, each 680 calories (50.8 percent calories from fat), 40g fat, 85mg cholesterol, 510 mg sodium, 71 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, 15 g protein.