Overnight Breakfast

Here’s a great recipe from Tony Buys of Independent Bancorp in Michigan, sent to me in response to Charmaine Cheng’s breakfast dish. Charmaine’s dish is savory, and this is a sweet version (and make-ahead too). Try it!

"Overnight Breakfast"

Ingredients:

*7 C. small cubed French bread, bottom crust removed (I just leave that part, so not to waste)

*3/4 C. chopped pecans

*1 (3 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened

*4 Tabs Sugar

*1 (8 ounce) carton of whipping cream

*1/2 C. maple syrup

*6 eggs, slightly beaten

*1 teas. Vanilla

*1/2 teas. ground cinnamon

*1/4 teas. Salt

*Additional maple syrup

Place cubed bread in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish and press down gently. Sprinkle with pecans. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy and gradually mix in whipping cream and syrup. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and fold into cream cheese-whipping cream mixture. Slowly pour this mixture evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge 20 minutes before baking. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown. To serve, cut into squares and serve with additional maple syrup.