This content has been sponsored by Inmar Intelligence and Midwest Dairy. All opinions are mine alone. #UndeniablyDairy #gotmilkrecipe

I married into a big family. A big family that likes to eat. On holidays I feel like we are eating all week long; it’s just family tradition. I know that if I’m in it for the long haul, I need to pace myself and eat a great breakfast. While we may not be celebrating our holidays as we’ve done in the past, I still like to bring small hints of tradition to our new normal. Today, I’m sharing one of my favorites – Baked French Toast Casserole. It’s kid-approved and perfect for little hands to help out in the kitchen. Bonus, we’re team milk around here, and this casserole is offering some great nutritional value.

Holiday Traditions

In our home, we do what I like to call the holiday hop due to large extended families. Historically on the big holidays, we’re having an early big breakfast and then moving onto another family member’s home for the traditional holiday meal. It’s a great way for us to connect with our family but space out our busy days. Skipping lunch those days mean that we need to fuel up delicious breakfast dishes like my Baked French Toast Casserole with a side of Maple Bacon is perfect for this. More on that in a minute.

Did You Know…

Since we’re talking about dairy, this baked French toast casserole has a delicious custard base with cream and milk. Did you know dairy foods provide a powerful nutrient punch? Three of the nutrients found in dairy –vitamin A, vitamin D, and protein are essential for a healthy immune function. Dairy foods are also linked to health benefits like reduced inflammation, improved digestive health, and healthy immune systems. Now let’s get down to making this casserole! We’re big milk drinkers in our house and go through a gallon or more a week. This particular recipe is full of dairy and those vitamins and protein for strong healthy bodies.

The Kid in the Kitchen

Now, some may say having your kids in the kitchen can maximize your holiday stress, but quite honestly, once you include them in the kitchen on a regular basis, they can be a huge help! This recipe is super kid-friendly to make and to eat. Encouraging measuring, cracking eggs, and even putting some knife skills to work. Hattie loves using her own knife and gives her confidence in the kitchen. Today, she was helping make this dish, and she devoured it!

Minimizing Holiday Stress

To minimize my holiday stress, I take full advantage of Target’s drive-up services and order everything I need for my casserole online. From the milk and cream to the brioche, I can get everything I need in one place. Convenience at its finest. I love that we can get our Prairie Farm’s favorites in a Target near us. After we visited a local Prairie Farms dairy last year, it’s so awesome to know our milk is coming from local dairies and feel good about supporting local business.

Click here to see more recipes made with dairy!

Undeniably Dairy

If you love this recipe as much as I do, click the logo below and add the recipe to your cart for easy holiday entertaining! If you’re looking for more dairy ideas, click here for more recipes. How are you celebrating the holidays with dairy this year?

Yield: 6 Servings

Baked French Toast Casserole & Maple Bacon

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Step aside traditional French Toast, this Baked French Toast Casserole is delicious and easy for a crowd! Served with fresh fruit and bacon, you have a well-rounded meal.

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Ingredients

• 5 whole eggs
• 1 Cup Milk
• 3/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 TBSP Vanilla
• 1 TBSP Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 TSP Salt
• 2 TBSP Sugar
• 1TBSP Brown Sugar
• 1 Loaf Brioche Bread (approx 12 slices) - The older the better
• 1 LB Bacon
• 2/3 Cup Maple Syrup Divided in 2.

Instructions

FRENCH TOAST BAKE

1. Take a loaf of brioche bread and cut 12 slices on a diagonal for 24 even triangles
2. Preheat oven to 350
3. Grease an 8x8 pan
4. Arrange triangles in the dish so that the corners are standing tall on an angle.
5. In a bowl, combine, milk, cream, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and 1/3 cup maple syrup.
6. Slowly pour over to cover all toast
7. Top with 2 TBSP brown sugar, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and salt
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown.
9. Serve with warm maple syrup.

MAPLE BACON

1. On a parchment-lined baking dish, lay out bacon.
2. Lightly brush maple syrup onto each strip of bacon.
3. Bake in the oven at 400 for 25-35 minutes depending on how crisp you like your bacon.
4. Serve and enjoy.