French Toast Casserole 

Could be called bread pudding. Turns left over bread into a center stage breakfast!

~9 x 13 pan full of bread cubes:
12 eggs/4 c milk
2 T - 4 T sugar
1 T vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

**Use an aluminum cake pan (use baking sheet for cover) to bake this evenly and quickly. No need to grease the pan, just use a flat bottomed turner to remove the pieces. This will bake in about 25-30 minutes.

**Use cast iron for a crispy caramelized crust.

~2 inch hotel pan
18 eggs/6 c milk
1/3 c sugar
2 T vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
about 54 oz bread

Cover with the upside down lid and bake about 50-60 minutes, depending greatly on if you soaked all night in the fridge. Starting with a cold pan will make a difference. But this makes a great hands-off breakfast! Roast some sausage in the oven at the same time for a feast.
~Basic Ingredients
bread cubes or cinnamon rolls or biscuits
Egg batter to cover:
3 eggs/1 c milk
Optionally add some melted unsalted butter for added richness.
Optionally add some heavy cream if you have it.
Sugar
vanilla
cinnamon
nutmeg

~If using sandwich type bread, cube breads into pan and leave uncovered all night long or about 24 hours to dry the bread some.  Or dry/toast the bread in the oven as you preheat it.

~I like to use tougher artisan bread, or homemade sourdough, for this casserole. If you just cube it or even leave baguette sized to french bread sized pieces whole in layers it retains enough chew to be delightful yet soft enough to be called french toast. You don't have to dry this type of bread at all.

~Mix batter ingredients together. Pour batter over bread cubes. Gently press all the bread under the batter to moisten it all really well. Be sure batter mostly covers bread cubes. Let sit a little while, 15 minutes to an hour. (The original recipe instructs to soak toasted dried bread overnight to 24 hours.)

~Cover and bake gently at convection 350* about 30 min to 60 min until it is just set in the middle.

Serve huge pieces in pasta bowls with plenty of butter and maple syrup!

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