Make the most of your holiday gatherings by enjoying one of these delectable casseroles
French Toast Casserole
recipe courtesy of Family Features/Culinary.net
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf French bread (about 1 ½ lbs.), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- maple syrup, for serving
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Directions: Grease 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place bread cubes in baking dish. In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour mixture evenly over bread cubes. If making casserole ahead, cover baking dish and refrigerate overnight. If baking immediately, let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to allow bread to soak up egg mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make topping: Drizzle casserole with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans. Top with strawberries and blueberries. Cover and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-20 minutes, or until topping is browned and egg mixture has mostly set. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with maple syrup.
Breakfast Lasagna
recipe courtesy of Wendy Lankford
Ingredients:
- 3 cups beaten eggs
- butter
- 15 strips bacon, cooked
- 1 lb. frozen hash browns
- 2 cups cooked sausage
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- chives, for garnish
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook eggs in butter until still a little runny; crumble bacon. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer hash browns, sausage, egg, cheese, hash browns, bacon, egg, cheese and end with hash browns. Bake until hash browns are done, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with more cheese. Run under broiler until cheese is bubbly. Serve with chopped chives as garnish if desired.
Cranberry Strata
recipe courtesy of Family Features/Culinary.net
Ingredients:
- 8 cups French bread (crusty)
- 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 6 eggs
- 2 ¼ cups milk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
Directions: In a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish, arrange half of the bread pieces, about 4 cups. Cut cream cheese into 8-10 slices and arrange over the bread chunks. Sprinkle cranberries over bread chunks. Top with remaining bread pieces (4 cups). In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk and maple syrup. Pour over bread in dish. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon or nutmeg. With back of spoon or spatula, lightly press down to saturate bread with egg mixture. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover, then bake for 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm and topped with maple syrup.
Got a tasty treat to share?
Email your favorite quick dish recipes to [email protected], or mail to Cooperative Kitchen, c/o Cooperative Living, 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, VA 23060 and include your email address. You also can submit them online at co-opliving.com/cooperativekitchen. Selected recipes will be published in future issues of Cooperative Living and/or at co-opliving.com. Because of volume we cannot guarantee publication of all recipes. Reader recipes are submitted in good faith. Cooperative Living cannot warrant results.