In a Pinch I have been reduced to buying Kamchatka which is usually kept near the Dark Eyes ::shudder:: it is good for mixing in heavy things like orange juice or cranberry juice. If you want a smooth vodka for cheap tho, double filter it through a Brita water pitcher...trust me.

one other thing, cut the bread into cubes instead of slices, this will help it come together into the bread pudding texture better.

soak the bread as it says and then put into a baking dish and bake as a bread pudding.
350 degrees, check after 25 mins for doneness. it will be lightly browned but still wiggles in the middle a little. give that a try.