6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. milk
4 eggs
8 slices dry bread
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. broken pecans

Melt chocolate in 1 cup of milk over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Then stir in remaining 2 cups of milk and reserve. Combine salt, eggs, sugar and vanilla; stir in chocolate reserve.

Trim the crust from bread; cut into slices then into cubes about 1/2 inch. Place cubes into 1 1/2 quart casserole. Pour chocolate mixture over bread cubes, turning and folding over, making sure all cubes are saturated.

Blend in broken pecans. Set casserole into pan of water to prevent spillage in oven and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Then cool slightly.

MERINGUE TOPPING:

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually add sugar and beat until meringue is stiff. Add a dash of nutmeg if you like. Spread meringue over casserole. To prevent meringue from separating from edge of bread pudding, put meringue over edges of dessert and seal with a knife. Take the back of a spoon and make "peaks" in meringue. Return to oven until slightly brown, 10-15 minutes.