Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

I found myself with a left over pack of hamburger buns after a cookout and remembered a pecan pie bread pudding that my friend Paulette made at supper club one night.  You can use any kind of bread but the left buns actually worked great.   Serve it warm with a dollop of Cool Whip.  If you've never tried the extra creamy Cool Whip, you must.  It taste more like freshly made whipped cream.

8 cups of bite size bread pieces.
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups of light corn syrup
1/3 cup of packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of  unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon of maple or vanilla extract (I used vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon salt (if you use salted butter, decrease the salt)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of pecans, chopped

Tear the bread into bite size pieces and place in a baking pan that has been well sprayed with Pam.  I used the equivalent of a 8x8 or 9x9 pan.  The pack of 8 hamburger buns worked perfect.
Melt the butter and drizzle over the bread.  In a large bowl whisk the eggs then add the corn syrup, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salt and maple OR vanilla extract (your choice).  Stir in the pecans then pour over the bread pieces.  Use a spatula to push the mixture into the bread pieces.  The recipe called for 375 for 45 minutes.  I baked mine on 350 and decided to remove it after about 30 minutes or so.  You know your oven.  Remove it when it reaches the brownness you desire.