Overnight French Toast

This is a wonderful dish.  I made so much that it was even better the morning after for the kids for school! The caramelized syrup on top is yummy!

~Recipe~
1/2 melted butter
12 slices left over bread, Texas toast or whatever you have.  *I used Challah bread and it was fantastic*
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg*the best Fall spice ever...*
1/2 cup chopped pecan(optional)
1 tsp vanilla
5 eggs
1 1/2 c milk


Melt butter and pour into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.  Mix the brown sugar, nutmeg(and nuts if you are using them) and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Whisk eggs, vanilla and milk together.  Put a layer of the bread in the pan on top of the butter and sprinkle the yummy cinnamon mixture over the bread. Put the rest of the bread then pour the eggs over the bread, covering all evenly so the eggs get soaked up well.  Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon on the top and  cover with foil and refrigerate all night. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes.  It should be browned and set and smell delicious.  Pour maple syrup over the top and bake again for 5 minutes until the syrup gets toasty and caramelized. YUMMY! Easy! YAY! Enjoy~

Strawberry and Cream Cheese French Toast

As you know, I make brunch on the weekends and this is a great brunch recipe.  It has to be made the night before but that makes it much easier in the a.m. when I am trying to get everything cooked! I got this from here, a great website!  The kids ate this up!

~Recipe~
1 loaf french bread
1/2 C melted butter
3/4 C brown sugar 
1/2 C corn syrup
8  oz cream cheese
1 egg 
1/3 C sugar
1/2 C strawberry jam
8 eggs
1 C milk
cinnamon
*Fresh Strawberries you could use frozen as well...
Powdered sugar
  
 Combine the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Slice the bread about 1/2 inch thick.
 Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Pour the butter/brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the pan. Make sure it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Lay your slices of bread on top of the butter and brown sugar. You can cut them in half to make sure then all fit, make sure they don't over lap.  The will be unevenly cooked if they are overlapping.
 In a separate bowl combine the cream cheese, egg, sugar and strawberry jam. Beat until nice and smooth. Pour on top of the bread. Layer more bread over the top of the cream cheese filling. In another bowl combine the 8 eggs and 1 C of milk. Whisk until well combined. Pour over the top of the bread.  Sprinkle the top of the bread with some cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in the morning at 350. Depending on how quickly your oven cooks, and how cold you keep your fridge you will need to bake it for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It needs to soak up all of the egg and milk juice, and have time to caramelize along the bottom. Take the foil off for the last 15 minutes of cooking. 
 Serve with fresh strawberries and powdered sugar. You can also use frozen strawberries. Delish!! Time consuming but well worth the work!!