Baked French Toast

I love this recipe because I usually have all the ingredients on hand and you can prepare it the night before and just bake in the morning. 

This is the original picture from the recipe I found on Pinterest.

Picture courtesy of Fake Ginger

Here’s what mine looked like going into the oven.  We were so hungry by the time it came out that I forgot to take the after picture.  Oops! 

I used plain old white bread cut in half and left out the pralines cause I just didn’t have them.  My kids aren’t always crazy about nuts so rather than have them not even try it, I just didn’t bother with them.  I’m sure it would taste lovely with though.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread - 13 to 16 oz. (I used plain old white bread cut in half)  
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt

Topping

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans (opt.)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1.      Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each.

2.      Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

3.      In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and whisk until smooth.

4.      Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

5.      The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter; stir in other topping ingredients. Pour over French toast. Bake for about 40 minutes or until puffed and slightly golden.

This has now become one of my new "go-to" breakfast meals.  Might even become my breakfast potluck dish also!