French Toast Casserole

If the thought of soggy bread makes your stomach turn, you can stop reading this post right now. If you love French toast, but hate the thought of standing in front of the stove making it, this recipe may be for you.

When my parents were in town a few weeks ago, I thought they could be guinea pigs with this new recipe. I was already making Cheese & Sausage Breakfast Casserole and Blueberry Muffins, so the French Toast Casserole was just a bonus. After 50 minutes in the oven, the center was still mushy, so I baked it for at least another 20 minutes. The end result was a sweet bread pudding type dish, soft in the middle and crisp on the outside. Everyone raved about it, even with the slightly soggy bread consistency. But as much as we all liked it, I'm not sure if it will be a regular item on my brunch menu. I'd rather keep it simple and serve brunch with muffins or scones instead of a dish like this. But if I had to bring something to a brunch pot-luck, this may be a good choice.

5 cups bread, cubed
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 tablespoon butter, cubed
2 tablespoons sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9x9 baking dish.

Line bottom of pan with bread. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour over bread. Dot with butter and let stand for at least 10 minutes.

For topping, combine sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.

Servings: 6