Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Bake!

Sandy is still coming - when I woke up this morning and looked outside I have to admit - this is it, this is just rain - my kids are missing school for rain??  However, Al Roker has promised that it is going to get worse as the day goes on! I also have to admit that I wish we were getting the blizzard that the mountain regions of NC are getting....I mean really, I can at least send the kid out in the snow when they start bouncing off the walls - which has started and it's only 10AM!  Looks like it is going to be a board game/card game/craft making kind of day!

There is something about being housebound that makes me want to cook and bake!  I mixed this up last night and thought how nice it would be to have a leisurely breakfast this morning - one that does not involve me repeating myself 25 times with, "Hurry up and eat your cereal the bus is coming down the road....". 

So, this morning at breakfast (the leisurely one I mentioned above) I was told, "Boy, Mom this is delish....".  Delish???  When did they pick up on cooking slang? 

Overnight French Toast Bake
(recipe from: Minimalist Baker)

1 Loaf Pepperidge Farms Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bread
7 Large Eggs
2 Cups Milk (any kind, I used 1%)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 C. Pumpkin Butter (or pumpkin puree*)
4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (for topping)
Pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS:  Cut bread into 1" cubes and spread into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk vanilla and pumpkin butter until well combined.  Pour over bread and bush down with a spoon until it is soaked into the bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Next morning - pull pan out of refigerator.  Preheat oven to 350.  While oven is preheating - sprinkle brown sugar over the top of dish and top with nuts.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Serve!

*  If using pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin) you may need to compensate the flavor by adding more puree and pumpkin pie spice.  (Pumpkin Butter is a lot more concentrated in flavor.  I found my pumpkin butter at Stauffers of Kissel Hill - Rohrerstown).

HAPPY EATING!

Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole!

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when it came time to make this recipe. Typically my experience with french toast casseroles has been "bleck". They usually turn out soggy in the middle, which makes me tend to overcook the casserole trying to get the middle cooked. Well, let me tell you that my friend Paula Deen knows how to make a casserole! (and I only wish she were my friend~I could just imagine her and I having coffee and swapping recipes......what fun we would have!).

I made this casserole for a work party we were having and the results were great! It was such a nice dish because you prepare it the night before and then bake it the next day.
Here it is.....
Cube up your bread and layer in a well greased (I used butter to grease the pan) 9x13~

Whisk eggs, milk, half & half, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla~

Pour egg mix over the bread crubes and cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in fridge until next morning! (Sorry no photo).
Pull your casserole out of the fridge and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Mix up praline topping and spread over casserole.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. You can see I added blueberries to 1/2 the dish. I placed frozen berries on bread cubes before putting praline topping on.

Yummy, yummy, yummy! Paula recommends serving this with syrup. I thought it was plenty sweet without the extra syrup, but if your preference is extra sweet~serve yours with syrup.

Baked French Toast Casserole (adapted from Paula Deen)

1 and 1/2 loaves Pepperidge Farm Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swirl Bread (the thicker cut package), cubed.

2 C. Half and Half

1 C. Milk

2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Praline Topping

1 C. Butter (2 sticks, softened)

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Chopped Pecans

2 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend well.

DIRECTIONS: Cube bread and place in a well greased 9x13. In large bowl combine eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and beat with a whisk until blended. Pour mix over the bread cubes. Cover with foil and refrig. overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 350. Spread praline topping evenly over the bread adn bake for 40 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Serve with syrup.

HAPPY EATING!