Make Ahead

Baked Caramel-Pecan French Toast

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Start to Finish: 8 Hours 50 Minutes 4 servings

• Topping
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ⅓ cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon real maple syrup or light corn syrup
• 1 cup pecan halves
• French Toast
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 diagonally cut slices (¾ inch thick) French bread

1 Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, mix brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until smooth (do not boil). Spread topping in baking dish; sprinkle with pecans.

2 In shallow bowl, beat eggs with fork. Add half-and-half, cinnamon and vanilla; beat until well blended. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, making sure all egg mixture is absorbed; arrange bread slices over topping in dish. Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

3 Heat oven to 400°F. Uncover baking dish; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and toast is golden brown. Cool 3 minutes. Place large heatproof serving platter upside down over baking dish; turn platter and dish over. Remove baking dish, scraping any extra caramel topping onto French toast. Serve immediately.

1 Serving (6 Pieces): Calories 920; Total Fat 50g (Saturated Fat 20g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 240mg; Sodium 620mg; Total Carbohydrate 100g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 16g Exchanges: 3 Starch, 3½ Other Carbohydrate, 1 High-Fat Meat, 8 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 6½

Festive Touch Serve this scrumptious French toast with fresh strawberries mixed with canned mandarin oranges, drizzled with lime juice.

Snowflake French Toast Bites

Prep Time: 25 Minutes Start to Finish: 25 Minutes 4 servings

• ⅓ cup white sparkling sugar
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Dash salt
• 3 eggs
• 24 (1-inch) cubes challah or French bread (4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Maple syrup and raspberry preserves, if desired

1 In small bowl, place sparkling sugar; set aside. In medium bowl, beat condensed milk, orange peel, lemon peel, vanilla, salt and eggs with whisk or fork until well blended.

2 In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Dip 12 of the bread cubes into egg mixture, using a fork to turn and coat all sides; let excess drip back into bowl. Cook cubes in butter 2 to 3 minutes, turning frequently with tongs, until golden brown.

3 Place French toast bites in bowl with sugar; toss gently. Remove to serving platter; cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 12 bread cubes. Serve with syrup and preserves.

1 Serving (6 Bites): Calories 460; Total Fat 16g (Saturated Fat 8g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 190mg; Sodium 270mg; Total Carbohydrate 67g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 12g Exchanges: 2½ Starch, 2 Other Carbohydrate, ½ Medium-Fat Meat, 2½ Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4½

Festive Touch For a more holiday feel, serve the French toast bites with raspberry, boysenberry or lingonberry syrup.