Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

I got this recipe from Sandra Lee's show on the Food Network. I made a few changes, which I'll put in parentheses, in red. Seriously...this was SOOOOOOOOOOOO good.

2 packets apple cinnamon instant oatmeal
3 large eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon rum extract (I didn't have any, so I used vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 cups raisin bread, cubed (I used 1 whole loaf cinnamon swirl bread sans raisins)
1/2 cup raisins (I left these out...I don't like raisins)
1 cup apple pie filling (pie filling here is too expensive, so I bought a bag of macintosh apples, peeled and sliced them, and just sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar...worked just fine)
1 cup almonds (I rarely have nuts, and this time was no exception...no nuts...just me. HA)

Sauce (I chickened out when it came to the sauce...if someone tries it, let me know):
1/2 cup cream soda
1 package whipped topping mix
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/4 teaspoon saltIn a blender, grind instant oatmeal into a fine powder. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, rum extract, salt, and brown sugar. Fold in raisin bread, raisins, pie filling, almonds and oatmeal powder until bread cubes are moist. Set aside for 1 hour.

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and add the bread mixture. Cook on high setting for 2 hours (I put mine in the crock pot too soon...it was on high for about 3 1/2 hours....I'll do it the same way next time, because the texture was perfect) or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until thickened. Top bread pudding with a dollop of sauce.