Better-Than-Stuffing Bread Pudding

Since I've been feeling like crap lately, it's taken me awhile to get this recipe up. But here goes.

This recipe was given to Matt by a friend, and appears to have been photocopied from a magazine or a cookbook, but we don't know which one. We'd be happy to give credit where it's due if anyone knows where that is. Pictured is a double batch.

Better-Than-Stuffing Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz shiitake mushrooms
6 oz portobello mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried sage
1 Tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
5 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 cups French bread cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan

1. Lightly butter an 8x8 baking dish.
2. In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, and sage. If you're using dried basil and thyme, add now. Cook over medium-high heat about 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and browned. Remove from heat. If using fresh basil and thyme, add now with the fresh parsley.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Add bread pieces, toss to coat, and let sit 15 minutes.
4. Stir mushroom mixture into bread mixture; transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
5. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour, or until browned and puffed and center is set. Makes 6-8 servings.