Thursday, July 5, 2012

French Toast Casserole

Sunday was a lovely day - it was a church potluck day. This one was a bit different as it was a breakfast potluck, giving everyone the chance to show off a different set of skills from the normal lunch or dinner on the grounds. I happened to be at my in-laws house when I was making my shopping list and told my mother-in-law that I was planning to make fab friend Lisa's French toast casserole recipe - a delicious custardy bread pudding with praline topping.

Sunday morning is not my forte. Perhaps it is rebellion against my upbringing as a church planter's daughter - being hauled hither and yon across Southern Africa every Sunday of my childhood -  that makes me sluggish and disorganized on the first day of the week. Whatever the cause, I have difficulty being on time for church. Now that I have two children, difficultly has become impossibility. Thus, As a result of being 25 minutes late to the potluck, there was quite a bit of French toast casserole left over. (You would think the promise of food would get me to church faster, but you would think wrong.)

Not wanting to spend all Sunday compromising my diet by stealing bites of pecan encrusted leftovers, I asked my husband to sneak the remains of the casserole into my mil's kitchen while the in-laws were still at church. It was greatly enjoyed, I understand, and my mil asked for the recipe. So, here it is....


French Toast Casserole

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch slices
8 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups half and half

dash of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom

Place bread slices, overlapping, in a buttered 9x13" pan. Mix remaining ingredients just until blended and pour over bread. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

For topping, mix with a hand mixer:

2 sticks softened butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp dark agave nectar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Spread topping over casserole. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

My fil advises that it is even better the second day:)

6 comments:

  1. I loved Angela, look absolutely delicious

    ReplyDelete
  2. A breakfast potluck - what a fun idea!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This. Sounds. Amazing. Sunday morning bliss.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is one of my favorite brunch dishes to make for company. I love that yours has an amazing praline topping...mmmmmmmm.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I cannot wait to make this!! It looks so delicious and I love that you make it the night before!! Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comments!