Anyone hungry?
Is anyone hungry?
Can you believe the holidays are upon us already?
Everyone raise your hands if you are entertaining for one or more of the holidays?
I enjoy entertaining and putting on a good show and smiles on my guests. Every year we entertain my family for Thanksgiving and Christmas ( can I still say the word Christmas or has the government outlawed it on blogs too?). And, as I was thinking about this weekend coming up, it led me to our grand family traditions over Christmas.
One of our family Christmas traditions is a great egg nog french toast Christmas morning. The left over egg nog from Christmas eve makes thee perfect thick french toast batter. Think about it. Its one of my signature dishes, if I may be so bold, here at hour home Christmas week.
And so I thought, “I wonder if there was a French Toast synonymous with Thanksgiving?”
You know what? There are!
And so as I researched and Googled Thanksgiving French toast. I found they all had something in common.
Guess what it is?
No, its not pumpkin, although that is the norm. It is that all the recipes have you prep the french toast the night before , a la casserole style, then pop the casserole dish in the oven the next morning and let the smell slowly wake everyone up.
It really sounds easy!
Yes you blend all the ingredients the night before. Chop up some hearty bread if you wish or leave it in slices. Then place all the bread in a casserole dish and soak with the french toast batter. Cover and refrigerate!
Sound easy?
The marinating over night allows the french toast goodness to soak through out the bread. Then the next morning turn on the oven, pop in the dish and take your time waking up. Tell everyone else how early you had to get up that morning to make such a sumptuous breakfast!
And for those of you who are slow to wake up (I usually eat a bowl of cereal while I make big breakfasts cause it takes so long) this idea is a lifesaver!
This is one such recipe I saved come from the Minimalist Baker blog for this weekend’s Thanksgiving french toast.
Whaddya think?
- 5 1/2 – 7 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes (depending on type of bread)*
- 7 large eggs
- 2 cups milk (any kind)*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup pumpkin BUTTER (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)*
- 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping
- nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional ~ hmmm hold that thought!)
- Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes – I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety, but sandwich bread will work, too. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish quite full.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin butter and pie spice until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar, additional pumpkin pie spice and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.
I might add a nice bottle of ‘breakfast wine’ to the list of ingredients. It is a holiday, or the weekend after all.
Now when some of you hear the word ‘casserole’ I know a light kinda goes off. Those with a creative cooking flare might experiment with about anything in a ‘casserole’.
We are not real ‘pumpkin people’ at our house. The truth is only a small percentage of us like pumpkin pie. So we enjoy a pumpkin and an apple pie at our Thanksgiving table.
Hmmm, apple?
So with the above Thanksgiving French toast recipe, I scratched the pumpkin flavoring and decided I would add some diced apples instead. Yes! Think of something like a IHOP Stuffed French Toast. I will let the apples bake on top and in with the french toast cubes. ~ and besides…. where does one find pumpkin butter?
or maybe add Caramel Apples?
But wait! There’s more…
If you order now..
Oh. Sorry…
One of my friends growing up had an old-world Italian mother and she made us breakfast one Saturday. Not only did she warm up the maple syrup on the stove, she added a good chunk of butter to melt in with it too. Result? The best tasting, most memorable syrup, EVER! Have you ever had this? Caramelized maple syrup! OMG!
So every time I entertain with my french toast I make a nice helping of warm buttery syrup with it. Yum! Sometimes I’ll add some blueberries.
But not this time!
We have a yummy bag of fresh pecans at our house right now, since its fall. Why not, chop up some pecans and let them marinate in the warm buttery syrup and serve a top the french toast? Apple stuffed french toast with butter pecan syrup and whipped creme on top! Welcome to my B&B!
Does that sound as good to you as it does to me?
Leave the turkey leftovers… save room for breakfast!
And its so simple to make. Plus you can make most of it the night before.
Are you hungry yet?
I hope everyone reading this has a great weekend and Happy Thanksgiving to all my American family and friends!
I am Thankful for YOU reading this blog right now.
If you end up trying this please let me, or the Minimalist Baker know how you liked it.
And to all my friends who really know / knew me over the years, HELP!
Its come to this…
writing recipes in blogs…lol
Save me!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
OUR LIFE IN 3D 
Come and join us Laura! I hope you are doing great! I always love hearing from you… have a great great weekend!
Thanks for your kind words Ms. McKahsum! I really enjoy following your posts as well. I am an avid travel lover too, at least I used to be before the kids. some to the Caribbean and Ireland. (Check out some destinations under Travel above). I am quite envious of your travel ambition and initiative! ~ Thanks for stopping by.. Have a great weekend!
Well why don’t You join us next year! You fit right in here! Just don;t lay any of your crazy ideas on my girls.. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by Ms. Aurora! Have the best weekend
Mission accomplished! I wasn’t hungry, but I am now! Those all look amazing.
I always like reading your posts! It’s ok to write recipes! We love you more for it, really.
Last year I used to cook some things for myself, but not anymore cause Im lazy too clean afterwards 😛
Shut your mouth! When, why did you d a recipe on your blog Ms. Aurora? Hmmm choc French Toast. that would go over well in my clan too! But yes I enjoy apple by much better than a pumpkin pie. Come and join us and help me get rid of some leftovers AuAu. I hope you don’t expect me to eat all this by myself? ~ And have a great weekend! I always enjoy hearing from you…
Some years ago I used to make French toast, I put lots of cinnamon or chocolate to the eggs, its nice because its fast and easy, but I dont really like eggs cause I hate chicken, so I stopped.
Apples are a way better option than pumkin, specially with caramel.
Dont worry, Ive done recipes on my blog too 😛
Ah, but you already had yours, didn’t you. It sounds more like Christmas up there now! How much snow did you get? And speaking of deliciousness, I couldn’t help but think of your gourmet grilled cheese as I drew this post up. Yum! The french toast event won’t be until Saturday so there is still plenty of time to get her and join us! 🙂 Have a great weekend Briana! Thanks for stopping by…
Thanks Neighbor! let me know how yours turns out. I may take some pics and / or write a follow up post on the weekend. Pumpkin or apple french toast for you then? ~ I want to make sure I have plenty on hand after you make that long trip. 🙂
Thanks for looking in Diana! I hope you have the best weekend too. Drive safe!
Thanks John! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family too. The recipe reads that you bake the french toast until all the liquid evaporates or is cooked off. It sounds easy! Wish you were here too! Have a good holiday and football weekend!
So jealous it’s not Thanksgiving up here in the great white North! Wish I could eat that deliciousness
That sounds scrumptious – I’m going to try it Andy! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! ❤
Diana xo
I don’t know, you sound as though you might be to far gone for help to be useful : ) BUT, who doesn’t like a good french toast recipe. I may have to try this. My fear is that it would get too soggy overnight, but I will have faith that the baking fixes that?? I kind of like the fact that it will already be cut up, so you don’t lose the time, heat and other toppings in the cutting process. …….I’ll have to constantly run off the weight gain though. Tell that family I wished you all a wonderful holiday!!! (Wish I was there….)