Chunky Cinnamon Baked French Toast

I'm totally not a soggy bread person.  Stuffing?  Bread pudding?  Not for me.  So I was rather skeptical about a baked french toast recipe.  But I wanted something special for breakfast.  I gave it a try.  And guess what?  It was gobbled up.  Even by me!

This recipe is from a local bakery, and so it calls for a loaf of their cinnamon bread (Chunky Cinnamon Bread to be precise).  Here's a picture of the bread, from their website, so you can get an idea of how amazing it is.  

Yeah, I know.  However, if you can't get your hands on this bread, go ahead and use some other sort of cinnamon bread.  You can usually buy a cinnamon swirl type of bread at your local grocery store.  If you can get a hold of something similar from a bakery in your area, do it.  It'll work out better. 

This recipe would be perfect for a holiday--like Christmas!

CHUNKY CINNAMON BAKED FRENCH TOAST

Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

Originally from: Kneaders Bakery

• 1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread (or 1 loaf regular cinnamon swirl bread)
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp butter

Generously butter a 9x13 baking pan.  If you have a deeper than normal pan, use that, although a regular dish will work, it will just be very full. Slice the cinnamon bread into 8 slices. It's easy to slice in half, then those pieces in half, and then in half again.  This ensures your bread slices are fairly even.  They should be thick.  Place the bread into the pan, cram as much in there as you can.  Mix together the eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Pour over the bread, covering all pieces.  Cut the butter into pieces and place around the top.  Cover with something and put it in the fridge for at LEAST an hour, or overnight.  Bake at 350degs for 45-50 minutes.