Breakfast
There’s nothing quite like waking up to the fragrant aroma of bacon frying and coffee brewing, unless it’s also the sweet smell of cinnamon wafting through the air! These amazing scents may make you think of lazy Saturday mornings, but breakfast isn’t just for breakfast anymore. You can enjoy stacks of hot pancakes dripping with melting butter and maple syrup, or crispy bacon with hash browns and eggs any time of day. Here are just a few favorites, whether you are looking for something other than a bowl of cereal as you head out the door, or a heartier meal.
Baked French Toast
Ingredients
- 8 whole eggs
- 1/2 c. heavy ceam
- 1/2 c. Brown sugar
- 1 loaf crusty French bread
- 2 c. whole milk
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 T. vanilla extract
- 1-2 c. fresh fruit blueberries, apples or peaches work well
Topping:
- 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 c. Firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 t. Cinnamon
- 1/4 t. Salt
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 stick cold butter cut into pieces
- 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- For the French toast, grease a 9x13" pan with butter.
- Tear the bread into chunks, or cut into cubes, and distribute evenly in pan.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread.
- Spread fruit over top. Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed, preferably overnight.
- For topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and some nutmeg in a bowl. Stir together using a fork.
- Add the butter and using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the nuts and store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle evenly with the topping mix.
- Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture, or for 1-hour plus for a firmer, crisper texture.
- Serve with butter and warm syrup.
- You can also freeze the casserole unbaked - just put it in the fridge overnight to thaw, sprinkle with topping and bake.
