Baked French Toast Casserole

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 loaf french bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half – n – half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• dash salt

Praline topping,

• 1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease 9X13 baking dish
3. Slice bread into 20 slices, 1 inch each.  (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs).   Let dry out if fresh
4. Arrange slices in a generously buttered  baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
5. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-n-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not  too bubbly
6. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture
7. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.
8. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight
9. Next day preheat oven to 350 degrees
10. Make praline topping – combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.
11. Spread evenly over the bread
12. Bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.
13. Serve with maple syrup

[/directions]