The Milly and Grace Girls

I was in charge of Christmas morning brunch this year!  I decided to make one of the many Pioneer Woman’s yummy recipes I have been wanting to try.  I have been a fan of hers since the beginning.  (I also read her cute love story, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels… I have to say it was a pretty darn cute love story. Quick and easy read too.)

It’s hard to make a large amount of French Toast and have it all ready at the same time, but this recipe couldn’t be any easier!  A French Toast Bake you make the night before! It was also so DELICIOUS. Thank you, Ree, from my family to yours!

Visit her site for more yummy recipes and stories! Pioneer Woman

^ Breakfast is served… with eggs and bacon!

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Ingredients

• FRENCH TOAST
• 1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread (I used Challah bread)
• 8 whole Eggs
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• ½ cups Whipping (heavy) Cream
• ¾ cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
• Topping
• ½ cups All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
• Fresh Fruit (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and but into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you’re using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

 ^ So easy! Just chop up the bread, mix the wet ingredients, pour over bread and put in the fridge for the morning!

  ^ Multitasking. Oh and making sure the Challah is challah good.

^ You make a yummy crumble for the top with pecans! Here is the  scrumptious French Toast Bake!