Overnight French Toast

Last May we had Mother's Day brunch at my aunt's.  It was fantastic for several reasons.  It allowed Chris and me to see both Moms on their special day as well as my aunts but it showcased breakfast food which I LOVE!
We didn't get much French toast growing up.  Something about the smell of it cooking didn't agree with my Mom so it was a big treat when we would stay overnight at my Grandparent's hours.  Hot off the griddle with some butter and powdered sugar and you are good to go.  Sorry, this blogger is not a maple syrup fan...but feel free to use it when you try this recipe!

1/4 C. butter, melted
3/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1 loaf brioche or Challah bread, sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
8 eggs
1 C. whole milk
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 C. pecans, measured then chopped
1/8 tsp. salt

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish, overlapping if necessary.

Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices.

Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices.

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.

In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

Bake casserole for 30 to 35 minutes.  If the 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.

Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving.  Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.