Caramel Bread Pudding

1 quart milk
1/2 plus 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 cups broken bread slices (2 or 3 pieces, lightly packed)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream

Heat milk to boiling point. At the same time, melt 1/2 cup sugar in iron skillet. When sugar is caramelized, pour it into heated milk and stir until sugar is completely dissolved in the milk. Remove from heat. Add broken bread slices to milk and sugar mixture. Let stand for 1/2 hour.

In another bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla extract and salt to egg mixture. Mix ingredients thoroughly and add to milk, bread and sugar mixture. Pour into greased pudding pan and bake at 350 degrees F for one hour.

Let cool and serve with heavy or whipped cream. This gets better after refrigerating for several days.