Overnight French Toast

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 loaf brioche or challah (a French bread loaf can a used) sliced into 1 1/2 inches thick slices
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup pecans, measured then chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
(optional) maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping

1In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.2Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish overlapping if necessary.3Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices.4Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices.5Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.6In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees.7Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes. If top starts browning too quickly place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don't dry it out completely.8Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Serving Size: 12 Servings

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MSTL95.