Thrifty French Toast Casserole

There are plenty of recipes all over cyber space for a delicious french toast casserole. Some have many eggs, some have more milk than eggs, some soak overnight and some go right in the oven.

French toast casserole doesn't really fit into a healthy weight loss plan, because it is french toast, but it does fit into a delicious breakfast category. Also, my kids love it and it saves me on cereal that disappears quickly.

My favorite part about french toast is the way it utilizes left overs. I am a person who loves to cook, however I also hate to waste food. Like many people out there I save my bread ends. Yes, I save them. I told someone close to me this fact recently. She cutely responded, "but they're gross." Bread ends can be many things like bread crumbs or toast, but the best recipe is french toast casserole. So I dutifully freeze all the bread ends I don't use. Every so often my freezer is so full of old bread that I freak out and just have to make this recipe. This can be made with any bread you have on hand. It does not have to be old bread from the freezer.

1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
5 eggs
1/4 t nutmeg

Melt butter, add brown sugar and cinnamon and on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan, Mix milk, eggs, vanilla and nutmeg and set aside. Shred enough old bread ends to fill your 13 x 9 pan (about a loaf). You can throw in an old biscuit or hot dog roll. Poor milk mixture over bread. I like to make sure it is wet enough to help break down the crust. Wrap and allow it sit overnight in the fridge. Remove from fridge and preheat the oven to 375. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes and watch the smell of cinnamon lure those sleepy heads out of bed.  Make one every few weeks to help use up left over bread  ends or milk that doesn't have much time left.