Baked French Toast Casserole: A Perfect Mother's Day Breakfast

Tomorrow is Mother's Day - a day to celebrate our mothers and show them how much they mean to us. A perfect way to show your appreciation is to surprise her with a delicious breakfast.

This Baked French Toast Casserole is the perfect dish to do just that.  It's extremely easy to make, requiring only a few simple steps that any husband and child can do together. With simple instructions and step by step pictures to follow along with, this is the perfect Mother's Day treat to have ready for mom when she wakes up.

It can conveniently be prepared the night before and baked within 30 minutes the morning of. When baking, the casserole will fill your home with the most deliciously sweet cinnamon aroma, providing the best Mother's Day surprise for Mom to wake up to.

The ingredients are basic and most likely items you already have on hand. The only ingredient you will have to make a special trip for is the challah bread, which cannot be substituted with regular sliced bread.

If you're unsure where to find challah bread, ask the bakery department in your local Stop & Shop or grocery store. Our local Southington Stop &Shop assured me that they always carry a large supply of it and if the shelf appears to be out, just ask and they will be happy to replenish it.

Hope you enjoy this delicious Baked French Toast Casserole!

Ingredients
1 loaf challah or brioche bread, sliced into 1.5 inch thick slices
1  stick butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
8 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pecan Topping
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions
Begin with slicing your challah bread into 1  1/2 inch thick slices. Then melt your butter in a small mixing bowl in the microwave. Add your brown sugar to the bowl and mix until both ingredients are blended. Spread your brown sugar and butter mixture evenly along the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Then place your challah bread in your baking dish, overlapping each other to fit.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine your eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and beat your mixture until blended. Then evenly pour your egg mixture over the challah bread.

Prepare your pecan topping by combining your chopped pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter in a small mixing bowl. Mix until combined. Sprinkle your pecan topping over the top of your casserole, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove your dish from the refrigerator, take off the plastic wrap, and immediately put it into the oven uncovered.  Then turn your oven on to 350 degrees and bake it for 30-35 minutes or until your eggs appear cooked on the bottom of your dish and the bread is golden.  If the top of your bread begins to burn before it is finished baking, loosely lay a piece of foil over the top and continue to bake. Serve with maple syrup and confectioners sugar.