It’s Thanksgiving week, which means it’s just about time for me to turn our house into a one-woman bread pudding factory. We give these to friends as holiday gifts every year, so for one tiring weekend, the house turns into a non-stop sugar-and-booze-scented baked goods assembly line with one employee: Me. I’ve shared my Bourbon Bread Pudding recipe previously, but here’s a step-by-step guide to recreating my holiday insanity. (Last year, for a change, I put in mac nuts and cranberries, instead of the usual raisins-and-no-nuts, so these photos reflect a slight difference from the recipe.)

Step One: Bread butchery.

Side Note: This one is deformed. We should dispatch him swiftly.

Step Two: Go nuts.

Step Three: If butter is better, then more butter is more better.

Step Four: Lunch break.

Step Five: Part the Bread Sea.

Step Five: Be generous with your nuts & berries.

Step Six: It’s OK to be scatter-brained. It’s not art.

Step Seven: Shhhhh, it’s a secret!

PAU! Please don’t make me eat one.

Santa, I’m ready for you!