Pecan Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

PUDDING:
2-1/2- 3 cups bread cubes--
       *I used 6 1"thick slices of french bread —about 1/2 of a store bought loaf*
2.5 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp cinnamon


SAUCE:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped Pecans 


DIRECTIONS:

**The original instructions call for this to be baked in a lined roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel in the bottom between the two pans. Place baking dish on towel inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees.
**But alternatively,  you CAN cook without the water bath/ pan in a pan thing, at 320 for about 80 minutes.**

	Butter an 8x8 inch glass baking dish [I actually used a 9X4 glass bread pan so it would fit in a bigger  9 X 11 glass baking dish half filled with water]. Soak bread in hot milk for five minutes.  Combine next 6 ingredients and pour into the baking dish. Top with pecans.
	Bake for 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
	While pudding cools, combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. While stirring, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and stir 3 minutes more. Spoon over warm bread pudding. Serve Warm