Saturday and Sunday mornings are ripe with executive
function for metropolitan young women. Wake up to the alarm or not? Spinning or
a “walk” on the river trail? Yoga pants from off the floor or wait, whose
essential chinos are these?
No matter what decisions one has to make on a weekend, the
most stressful has to be brunch. Sweet or savory? Forget regretting that last
round post quick debit card statement review and bone dry Brita pitcher on the
counter, when your brunch entrée arrives and all you can do is oogle your dining partner’s omelette next to your
stuffed French toast, you finally know the feeling of true devastation.
Sure, one can always order a savory brunch app pre-banana
pancakes, or maybe even put a sticky bun in a to-go container post shrimp
grits, but what we all really want is the best of both worlds---at all times. That side of bacon is great, but god knows it never comes on time, and if often forgotten altogether by a harried server, indifferent to the critical nature of the sweet or savory conundrum (after all, everything is cooked on the same flat top).
I find the most successful weekend brunches are often at home and not in a restaurant. Endless mimosas and prix-fixe are great to cure the hungover bottomless pit, and hey, who doesn't like waiting in
line for an hour dehydrated and famished from the previous evening’s
festivities, but brunch is a prime opportunity for easy home entertaining. It’s so easy to go continental—no oven, no pots,
no pans---anyone can unfold the brown paper of a bagel bag and put a knife next to a tub of schmear (although the cryovac packs of lox can be tricky). There are also a number of
dishes that can be prepared the night before and just have to go in the oven in
the am.
I trend towards sweet at brunch, but I definitely need a few
bites of savory. My mother passed on this recipe for French toast casserole and
served with some sort of breakfast meat. To me---c'est parfait!
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| overlap is fine and I think it makes the best chewy,moist bits. |
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| It seems like a lot of liquid.... |
This needs to be
put together the night before and sit overnight. I’ve made it twice recently --- once on a ski
weekend and another for a pre-day drinking brunch with some g/fs. It was very
well-received both times and my bestie’s husband went so far to say it was the
best brunch he has ever had (until K makes it for him herself :) ).
I’m sure you could add things to this--- slices of banana,
nuts, chocolate chips, and raisins--- all come to mind. I like it just the way
it is, though, with a side of sausage (breakfast sausage).
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| ...but it all soaks up overnight! |
French Toast Casserole
1 loaf of Challah bread, cut diagonally into 1 inch thick
slices
8 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups half and half
2 tsps of vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon (I like nutmeg, as well)
¾ cup butter
1 1/3 cups butter
Pinch of salt
3 tbs light corn syrup
Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange the slices of Challah in
the bottom of the pan, they will likely overlap, this is fine.
Mix the eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla, salt and cinnamon
together. Pour over the Challah bread, cover the pan, and let chill overnight.
The next morning, preheat the oven to 350. Heat the butter,
corn syrup, and brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat just until it starts
to bubble. Pour evenly over the bread before putting the casserole in the oven.
Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes. Serve hot.