Praline French Toast Bake (ala Paula Deen)

I have always said I want to be reincarnated as Paula Deen. The things that woman does in the kitchen makes me crazyy hungry. She is my main Food Porn lady. Mmmm butter!!

So I thought I would try one of her fab breakfast dishes for dinner... Yeah, its a thing of mine... I do not like breakfast food in the morning. I am barely coherent enough to speak before noon. However I find breakfast food, especially southern breakfast food, is just too heavy to start out your day.

Back to the recipe... This is FAB!! But omg, I am doing Slim in 6 about 20 times today to work off the calories... those yummy... buttery.... praline sugar-coated...creamy calories. -sigh-


Praline French Toast Casserole
Serves 8 Recipe from: Paula Deen
* 1 loaf French bread
* 8 large eggs
* 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
* 1 cup milk
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* Dash salt
* Praline Topping, recipe below
* Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.


Praline Topping:
* 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
* 1 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.