Simple Baked French Toast

Isn't french toast the best? I think so. And a make ahead baked french toast is, in this case, even better. This was simple and quick to throw together with typical on hand ingredients. I loved the chunks rather than slices of bread. And it was wonderful to just toss it in the oven instead of standing over a griddle and painstakingly dipping and frying each individual piece. The subtle maple cinnamon flavor in each bite and crispy on the outside soft on the inside texture make this a breakfast/brunch/breakfast-for-dinner keeper in our house.

Simple Baked French Toast

{recipe from Annie's Eats}

1 loaf of french bread

4 eggs (or 5 depending on loaf size)

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 t cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1 T vanilla extract

Cut loaf of bread into small 1 inch cubes. Mix remaining ingredients together. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Spread out bread cubes in pan. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Uncover french toast and place in oven. Bake 25-30 minutes, until puffed and golden, crispy on top.

Serve with syrup(s), fresh fruit, dusted with powdered sugar--whatever floats your french toast loving boat!

Spinach Cheese Strata

This was our yummy day after Christmas breakfast this year. My family came in that morning and so although we did have a delightful Christmas Day breakfast, we also had this and I think it won out of the 2. It's easy and straightforward to assemble and you're supposed to do it ahead of time, like the night before or early in the morning if having breakfast for dinner. I love a good make-ahead anything. But I did it about 2 hours before and it was still terrific, so whether you plan ahead or not this is going to fill you right up in the best way. I loved it all--the dense egg-baked right in bread, salty, melted cheese, healthy spinach, and my addition of sauteed grape tomatoes on top.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

{Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen}

1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed, and squeezed of all excess liquid, then chopped

OR

a generous couple handfuls of fresh chopped spinach cooked down in some olive oil, lightly salted

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions (1 large)

3 T butter

1 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t nutmeg

8 cups 1-inch cubed dense french or italian bread (1/2lb), I used a wheat french bread, it was good!

2 cups grated gruyere

1 cup finely grated parmesan

2 3/4 cups milk

9 large eggs

2 T dijon mustard

1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, briefly sautéed in oil with a little salt and pepper

Saute onion in butter until soft. Add 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute. Stir in spinach, remove from heat and set aside.

Spread one third of bread cubes in a well-buttered 3 quart baking dish. Top with one third of bread cubes, 1/3 spinach mixture, and 1/3 of each cheese. Repeat layering twice.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, and remaining 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper together in large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Top with sauteed tomatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours or up to a day in advance.

When ready to bake, let stand at room temp for 30 minutes and then bake uncovered at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Should be golden, puffed, and cooked through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Amply serves 6-8