A breakfast casserole fit for your house guests

Since last week was Thanksgiving, maybe the last thing you want to think about is cooking. But the leftovers probably are disappearing by now, and thoughts are turning to other holiday feasts.

(Did you have leftover pumpkin pie? I'm always impressed when people have leftover pumpkin pie.)

During the holidays many people celebrate with extended relatives and I know many guests probably will expect something besides leftovers for breakfast in the morning.

This recipe for Cinnamon Baked French Toast comes from my favorite food-blogger-turned-cookbook-writer-turned Food Network star. Ree Drummond launched her blog, The Pioneer Woman, in 2006. Initially a place to write about ranch life and home schooling, the blog made the shift to cooking a year later with her step-by-step 'How to Cook a Steak” tutorial - complete with 20 photos.

Her newest cookbook, 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper,” was published in October. My lovely sister-in-law went to one of her book signings and sent me an autographed copy - she's now my favorite.

This is a great breakfast dish because you can put it together the night before with minimum effort, and it's ready to bake the next day. You then have my permission to not cook for the rest of the weekend - unless you decide to make another pumpkin pie.

CINNAMON BAKED FRENCH TOAST

Makes 12 servings.

For the French toast

1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread

8 whole eggs

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

For the topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pinch nutmeg (optional)

1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

Fresh fruit (optional)

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Source: thepioneerwoman.com