One of my favorite things about the weekend is having more time to make a nice breakfast for the family.  During the week I am usually rushing to get my toddler to daycare. While making her lunch I am also making breakfast, and hoping she’ll stop jumping around long enough to eat.  Although, I have found bacon will get her stop on a dime!

This past weekend my mother requested I make a french toast casserole, which is one of the easiest and most delicious breakfasts to make.  Most of the prep work is done the night before, and in the morning you just pop it into the oven to bake.

I adapted this recipe from Paula “Pass me a stick of butter” Deen because I liked the topping, but there are many variations to be found on the web.

Baked French Toast Casserole

2 12 oz. loaves Hawaiian sweet bread, cut into 1″ slices

8 large eggs

3 cups half-and-half

3 TB granulated sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

Praline Topping

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 TB light corn syrup

1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

Arrange bread slices in two rows in a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish.  In large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until blended.  Pour mixture over bread, pressing the bread down lightly to help absorb the mixture.  Spoon the liquid over the bread until well coated.  Cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

In medium bowl mix butter, brown sugar, pecans, corn syrup, and cinnamon together until well blended.  Cover with plastic wrap and leave out overnight, because it needs to be soft enough to spread the next morning.

The next day preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove foil from casserole, and evenly spread praline topping on french toast.  Bake for 40 minutes, until puffed up and browned.  Let sit for 5 minutes to cool.  This serves 8 – 10  people.