Breakfast

Baked French Toast

Dash salt

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 T. vanilla

2 T. sugar

1 C. milk

8 lg. eggs

2 C. half-and-half

Butter, for pan

1 loaf French bread (13-16 oz.)

Praline Topping, recipe follows

Raspberry syrup, recipe follows

Directions:

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1” thick each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9x13 casserole dish in 2 rows, overlapping slices.

In a large bowl, combine 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 350º. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Raspberry Syrup.

Praline Topping:

½ lb. butter

1 C. packed light brown sugar

1 C. chopped pecans

2 T. light corn syrup

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Raspberry Syrup:

1 C. raspberry preserves

3 T. water

2 T. raspberry liqueur

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

Paula Deen.com, May 2010