Maple Pecan Bacon French Toast Bake!

 

I love a good breakfast casserole, especially for the holidays!   They are so yummy and everybody usually likes them!  I also like that you can do all of the prep the night before and then just pop it in the oven the morning you want to serve it!

This is sort of a classic french toast bake, but since you incorporate the bacon into the dish itself, it gives it a really interesting sweet and salty flavor I really like.   The bacon and pecan on top covered in maple syrup is just to die for!!! 

Here is what you will need:

7 large eggs

2   1/2  cups half and half cream

1/2 cup maple syrup, divided

3 Tbs. sugar

dash of salt

1 tsp vanilla

4 Tbs. butter

12 slices Texas Toast or thick sliced Italian bread

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

10 slices of bacon cooked crisp

In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, 1/2 of the maple syrup and sugar.  Add the dash of salt and vanilla and cinnamon.  Wisk until blended.  

Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture coating both sides.  As you dip them, place them in a 9"x13" baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray.  Pour any remaining egg mixture evenly over all. 

There will be two layers of bread when you finish.  

Drizzle the other half of the maple syrup over the top.  Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and cut the butter in pats and dot the top.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight!  

The next morning or day when you get ready to bake this, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Take the casserole out and let it set out while the oven is preheating.  Bake covered for 30 minutes. 

Uncover and bake for 20 more minutes or until it's puffed up and browning on top!

When you take it out of the oven, sprinkle the top with the crumbled bacon!   I also sprinkled a little confectioners sugar on top!

Top with maple syrup and I like to sprinkle with confectioners sugar and whipped cream!  Why not go all out, it's a holiday!    This is delicious!  This is perfect for Easter breakfast or brunch or we like for our breakfast for supper nights!  

Peachy Caramel French Toast Casserole!

I love to do breakfast casseroles that can be prepared the night before for the weekends or during the holidays.  It just makes having breakfast much more enjoyable if all you have to do is make the coffee, put a casserole in the oven and maybe fry some bacon or sausage.   This French toast bake, is so good.  It sort of makes it's own sauce as it bakes. Here is what you will need for this one:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1  1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. water

2  (15 oz.) cans sliced peaches, drained  (can substitute an equivalent amount of fresh peaches)

6 slices thick white bread (I used Texas Toast, Italian is good also)

6 eggs

1  1/4 cups half and half cream (can substitute whole milk)

pinch of salt

1 tsp. cinnamon, divided

1 Tbs. vanilla

1 Tbs. maple syrup

1/2 cups chopped pecans

4 Tbs. butter

Place the 1/2 cup butter and granulated sugar in the microwave for 1 minute, stir.  Add the brown sugar and microwave for another minute. 

Add the water and microwave for about 2 minutes or until the mixture bubbles and foams.  Stir.

Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with nonstick spray.  Pour the caramel sauce in the bottom.  Allow the caramel sauce to cool a bit, about 5 minutes or so.

Layer the  drained peaches over the caramel sauce and then the bread slices on top of the peaches.

Whisk the eggs, cream, salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup.  Pour evenly over the bread.  Sprinkle with pecans and dot with the other 4 Tbs. of butter.  Sprinkle with the other 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Place in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes.  If this starts to brown too much just cover loosely with foil.  I have never had that happen, but all ovens cook differently.

This makes it's own syrup in the bottom of the dish or you can add additional maple syrup.  If you feel really decadent add a dollop of whipped cream!

Sausage & Hash Brown Casserole!

This is a really easy casserole with sausage, eggs, cheese and hash browns, which sounds like a breakfast dish, and it can be, but it's also great for lunch or supper!    This is so easy to put together and the results are just wonderful!  Most of the ingredients are things you have on hand most of the time also!   Here is what you will need:

1 (1 lb.) roll of breakfast sausage, browned

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 Tbs. butter, melted

1/3 cup half and half (could use whole milk)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 heaping Tbs. mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

dash of hot sauce, optional (I used Tabasco sauce)

1/2 of a 32. oz. bag of frozen hash brown potatoes, slightly thawed

8 oz. bag of shredded cheddar cheese

Spread the browned sausage in the bottom of a deep pie plate or a 2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray!

Beat the eggs, melted butter, half and half cream, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and dash of hot sauce together.  Pour evenly over the sausage!

Spread the hash browns over the egg mixture.  They do not have to be completely thawed, just enough to separate for spreading.  I prefer the cubed hash browns, but you can used the shredded ones also.   Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top!  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour. 

The top will be nicely browned!

Add some bread, biscuits or rolls, and serve immediately! 

I like to garnish with a little chopped green onion!

If you are serving a larger family or company, just double everything in the recipe and prepare it is in a 13"x9" baking dish!   That takes it from serving 4 to serving around 8 -10, depending on how many adults and their appetites!   This can be prepped the night before and baked the next day also, which makes it nice for company brunch or breakfast!







Cheesy Grits Casserole!

This "Cheesy Grits Casserole" is so good for breakfast, brunch or dinner!   I like this for holiday meals, because you can prep it ahead of time right up to the point of baking and then just bake it right before serving.  

Grits are a very southern sort of thing, but I will admit that grits are not served all that much in Kentucky or I should say 'not as much' as they are in the deep south or in some of the coastal southern states.   Although I do think that maybe they have gained in popularity over the last 20 years or so.   We have always eaten grits in our family, because my father says he learned to eat grits when he visited his sister, my Aunt Tootsie, who married and moved to the deep south, southern Mississippi to be exact.    Down there you do not cook a proper breakfast without grits.   It's just not done.  That might have changed some over the years, but that was just how it was then. 

If you order grits here or really most places in Kentucky, they are not going to be cooked right.  That is just my experience and I can tell you why they are not good.  

First of all, you have to salt the water or liquid you are cooking them in immediately.  You cannot salt grits after they are cooked or even after they are cooking.   Do it right from the start.  

Also, once cooked, grits should have some body to them. They should not be runny and thin.  They also should not be a stiff blob.  There is a happy place, just like mashed potatoes, in the middle.    When cooked properly, they won't still be gritty either.  If they are, they are not done and didn't cook long enough.   DO NOT use instant grits!  They are so nasty!   It is fine to use quick cooking grits, which are not instant!  Or use the regular grits, which just take a little longer to cook.   

I am sure this grits advice will bring on some debate, because grits can be like cornbread, very subjective and everybody has their own ideas about them.  That's ok though,  because that  is what the world of food is all about.  You can never learn it all and everybody can teach us things we never knew or thought of! 

Here is what you will need for this "Cheesy Grits Casserole":

4 cups milk

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup butter

1 cup quick cooking grits

dash of hot sauce (I use Tabasco)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the milk with the salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and add the butter and grits.   Reduce heat to simmer and whisk constantly until the grits are done,  about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Remove from the heat.   Stir in all of the cheeses and the eggs.  If you do not have the smoked Gouda cheese, you can use all cheddar instead of one cup of each.  However, the Gouda cheese gives this a really nice, creamy texture.   

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish you have sprayed with nonstick spray.  Place in the preheated 350 degree oven.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or just until it starts to brown on top and puffs just little.

Even non-grit eaters will love this casserole!  





Strawberry Croissant French Toast Bake!

I love breakfast casseroles that you can prep the night before and then just pop in the oven the next morning.  I especially like these for holiday breakfasts or brunches or when you have company to prepare breakfast for.   You see, I am not really a morning person.  It takes several cups of coffee and some time for me to come alive first thing in the morning, so cooking breakfast works best for me when most of the thinking is done the night before!   Here is what you will need for this recipe:

6 large croissants (slightly stale works fine)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half cream

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 Tbs. butter

Strawberry syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond flavoring

1 Tbs. butter

Slice the croissants in half and place the bottoms in a 9"x 13" baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.   Beat the cream cheese with the confectioner's sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.   Spread each croissant bottom with the cream cheese mixture, dividing equally among the six.   Sprinkle the two cups of sliced strawberries evenly over the croissant halves.

Top each croissant with the other half.   Whisk the eggs and half and half cream in a bowl until well combined.  Pour over the croissants.  Press each croissant down slightly to get them down in the cream mixture. 

Top each croissant evenly with the butter cut in thin pats.   Cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate overnight. 

The next morning, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes, covered with the foil.  Uncover and bake for 30 more minutes.   After baked for a total of 1 hour, remove from the oven and serve immediately. 

If you are serving with the Strawberry Syrup, while the casserole bakes, place the sugar, water and cornstarch in a saucepan on medium heat.  Heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the strawberries and bring just to a boil.  Turn the heat down and heat until slightly thickened.  Don't over cook this.  The strawberries shouldn't be cooked down too much.   Remove from heat and add the vanilla, almond flavoring and butter.   Stir until the butter melts. 

Serve each croissant with the Strawberry Syrup and whipped cream or maple syrup and whipped cream is also very good!





Cinnamon French Toast Casserole!

 

I really like breakfast dishes that can be made the night before and just popped into the oven in the morning.  It makes having a nice breakfast for overnight guests or just family really easy and hassle free.  This French Toast casserole needs to be assembled the night before and then all you have to do is bake it and maybe cook some bacon or sausage to go with it.   Here is what you need for this:

8 slices bread (slightly stale bread works best)
1 stick butter, divided
1 cup brown sugar
6 eggs
1  1/2 cups half and half (can use whole milk)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt 6 Tbs. of butter and mix with the brown sugar.

Spray a 2 1/2 quart square or rectangular casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Lay 4 of the bread slices in the bottom, overlapping if necessary.  I used sliced Italian bread.   Sprinkle half of the butter/brown sugar mixture over the bread.

Lay the other 4 slices of bread over the first 4 and sprinkle with the rest of the butter/brown sugar mix.  Dot with the other 2 Tbs. of butter and sprinkle the cup of chopped pecans over the top.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Pour this mixture over all.  Press the bread down to get it all wet with the egg mixture.  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning remove from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  If it starts to brown too much on top, cover with foil. I usually remove it at about 40 minutes and it never browns too much, but all oven are different.

Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.  You can sprinkle with some powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.   This serves 2-4 people, if you have a bigger crowd, just double everything and prepare in a 9"x13" baking dish.

French Toast Casserole!