French Toast Casserole

I made this for the first time Christmas 2019. It was soooo good but more of a dessert than a breakfast. I had also cooked a breakfast casserole so we didn’t have a sugar crash! This French Toast casserole could is amazingly delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Hillbilly bread, cubed
• 1 cup pecans, chopped (you can use walnuts if you prefer)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup REAL maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping

• 4 tablespoons salted butter, sliced (ideally at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Grease 9×13 dish
2. Chop bread into 1″ cubes, place in dish
3. sprinkle chopped pecans over bread
4. Whisk eggs, milk, real maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Pour egg mixture over bread & pecans.
6. Cover and chill for a good 4-6 hours or overnight. NOTE: I chilled 5 hours and it was perfect.
7. When you’re ready to bake, remove casserole from fridge and prehead oven to 350 degrees.
8. Mix the sliced butter, brown sugar and cinnamon togethers in a small bowl. It helps if the butter is room temperature. Mix until well blended,
9. Crumble topping over entire casserole.
10. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 min at 350 degrees.
11. Uncover and bake additional 15 minutes.
12. When done, remove and let set a few minutes.
13. Serve with  REAL maple syrup.

NOTE: Make sure to use real maple syrup (we are lucky to have a friend that gives us some every year that he makes at his sugar shack) Table syrup will alter the flavor of this recipe and make it even more sweet.

(Recipe credit:  Adventures of Mel)