French Toast Casserole

Sometimes when you make fondue you have lots of leftover bread.

You could make croutons. You could make teeny little munchkin pizzas.

No you couldn't.

Alas, I have the solution. French toast casserole. It's a little like bread pudding and a lot delicious.

And this is not just breakfast. This could totally be dessert. You could have a complete breakfast themed dinner party; bloody Mary warm-ups, omelets, fried potatoes, and mimosas for dinner, French toast casserole for dessert, Irish coffees to round it out. Now that's classy.

Before you run off and make this for breakfast, don't forget to vote for my Hawaiian Style Fish Chowder in the Hawaiian Airlines Flavors Take Flight contest. Mahalo for your support!

French Toast Casserole
serves 6

6 cups French bread cubes (or enough to fill a 9x13 baking dish)
2 TBL butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 c milk*
1/4 c white sugar, divided
1/4 tsp salt
tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c pancake syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Add bread cubes. In a separate bowl beat eggs, milk, half of the sugar, salt, vanilla, and pancake syrup. Pour over bread cubes. You may want to gently stir it around a bit so all the bread cubes get coated. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the goodness.

In a small bowl combine remaining sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the top of the bread mixture. Dot the bread mixture with the remaining butter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden and eggs are set. If you used sliced or soft bread, it may take less time to bake, so keep an eye on it. Enjoy!

*Milk note: we don't drink cow milk except half & half for coffee, so I mixed 3/4 c half & half and 3/4 c rice milk. I'm noting this, because I don't think rice milk on its own would have worked.