Pina Colada Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) unsliced loaf French bread or sourdough bread
• 1 (10 ounce) can frozen pina colada drink mix
• 1 (6 ounce) can pineapple juice
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skimmed milk
• 1/2 cup cream of coconut
• 2 (7 or 8 ounce) ripe bananas, sliced crosswise
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup Irish cream liqueur or 1/4 cup light rum (optional)
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple and juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 8 or 10 fresh mint sprigs

Instructions

1. With sharp knife, peel crust from bread; discard crust or make into breadcrumbs for use in another recipe.
2. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes; set aside.
3. In blender or food processor fitted with metal blade, combine half of following Ingredients: drink mix, pineapple juice, milk, cream of coconut and banana slices. Process until pureed.
4. Pour puree into a 6 cup bowl.
5. Puree remaining half or liquid ingredients and banana slices as well as eggs and liqueur or rum.
6. Combine both purees.
7. Combine raisins and crushed pineapple with juice, set aside.
8. Place about 2/3 of bread cube in slow cooker; sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel and spread 1 cup raisin pineapple mixture over bread in slow cooker.
9. Top with remaining bread cubes, then with remaining lemon peel and raisin-pineapple mixture.
10. Pour pureed ingredients into slow cooker.
11. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
12. Spoon pudding into 8 or 10 dessert dishes and serve hot.
13. Garnish with mint.