Good Old Bread Pudding

Old-timey comfort food...

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups  bread, torn in small pieces (any kind will do, but homemade or any dense bread is terrific)
• 2  tablespoons margarine
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3  cups milk
• 1  egg, well beaten
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1  dash nutmeg

• HARD SAUCE

• 6  tablespoons butter or 6  tablespoons margarine
• 3  cups powdered sugar
• 2  tablespoons milk or 2  tablespoons  cream
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla
•  coconut (optional)
•  chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Spray a 9" square (or whatever you have) baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Scald the milk in a large saucepan.
4. Add the torn pieces of bread, and let stand a few minutes until bread is soft.
5. Stir in remaining ingredients until well combined.
6. Pour into baking dish and bake about 1 hour, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Serve warm (preferred) or cold with hard sauce.
8. To make Hard Sauce: Cream the butter, adding the sugar a little bit at a time.
9. Stir in the cream and vanilla.
10. If using nuts or coconut, add at this time.
11. Serve on top of warm pudding.