Southern Made Simple

STRAWBERRY FRENCH TOAST BAKE

BY LAURA TUCKER

Few things make me happier than sitting down to a warm breakfast. Admittedly, it’s not something I elect to do every morning, but when Saturday and Sunday roll around, I like to break out the frying pans and casserole dishes and crank up the music while I summon up a little culinary magic in the kitchen. Making a French toast dish with fresh strawberries had been on my mind for days, and I was ready to get the breakfast party started! My husband has never been a fan of French toast. He says the concept of “soggy” bread is pretty unappealing, and he’s really not into cinnamon. When I hear statements like that, I just interpret it as a challenge. I knew I could convert him to a member of the Frenchtoast fan club, so set out on a quest to make the best batch of French toast he’s ever had! Mission accomplished.

I certainly agree with him that soggy bread is a little unappealing. However, when cooked correctly, French toast isn’t soggy at all. Many factors come into play to ensure the structure of the bread maintains its integrity. While it’s true that you can pretty much use any form of stale bread to make French toast, I prefer to use day-old Italian bread from the bakery. I simply cut the bread into cubes, spread them out on a lined baking sheet and crisp them up for 15 minutes at 300 F. Baking as opposed to pan frying is my preferred method of making French toast as I find that the bread gets an all-around better crisp. I knew this would be key in getting my husband to eat it.

I poured the freshly toasted bread cubes into a greased pan, whipped up an egg-y batter, added a little cinnamon and nutmeg and tossed in some fresh strawberries. I popped it in the oven for about 40 minutes, and out came the most beautifully delicious batch of golden French toast my eyes had ever seen. I grabbed my spatula and scooped out a slice to do my official taste test. I don’t want to toot my own horn here, but I must give credit where credit is due. I nailed it. And so I anxiously awaited the moment where my husband gave it a try. I chopped up some extra fresh strawberries to add on top, plus a little syrup and powdered sugar to make it fancy. Turn down for what, am I right? The man loved it. He loved it so much, he took leftovers for lunch to work. He ate it multiple times! He gave his compliments to the chef, and I did my little victory dance for converting him into a French toast fan.

This Strawberry French Toast Bake is big enough to feed a crowd, and it’s perfect with a little syrup and powdered sugar drizzled on top. This recipe is definitely going to be a breakfast staple throughout the summer while strawberries are in season and easily accessible. Nothing screams summer like a batch of fresh berries! Having a slice of this French toast is truly an incredible and delicious way to start any day. Want to give it a try? Save the recipe on the following page and take your breakfast to a whole new level!

This Strawberry French Toast Bake is big enough to feed a crowd, and it’s perfect with a little syrup and powdered sugar drizzled on top.

STRAWBERRY FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Ingredients 1 loaf French bread cubed and lightly toasted 1 pound strawberries, sliced 8 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup Greek yogurt 1/2 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla Topping 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 stick salted butter, cold and cubed 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Instructions 1. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray 2. Toss sliced strawberries into bread cubes and pour into baking dish 3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, yogurt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla 4. Pour over bread cubes and cover. Set in refrigerator overnight for best results, or for a minimum of 2 hours 5. Preheat oven to 350 F 6. Bake for 20 minutes 7. While baking, combine all topping ingredients in a bowl until crumbly 8. Remove French toast from oven and sprinkle crumble topping over it 9. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes 10. Serve immediately with fresh strawberries, syrup or powdered sugar 11. Enjoy!

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