Sunday, October 11, 2009

Apple French Toast Casserole...of Loneliness.

So, Casey was gone last week and I was MISERABLE and lonely. I don't do well without him. I would list everything I missed about him...but the list would be WAY too long and WAAAAAY too mushy. So, I'll spare you. He knows how much I missed him!

ANYWAY, I invited my mom over to watch a movie, get some dinner, etc. I also asked her to help me make the culinary creation for that week. I had decided on Recipe Zaar's Apple French Toast Caserole earlier that week since I was craving some French Toast! (Side note...if you don't want to spend the time to cook this go to Cracker Barrel and try their new Apple Streusel French Toast like I did this weekend. It's "three slices of our sweet Apple Streusel bread made with bits of real apple, dipped in eggs* and then grilled to a golden brown. Topped with our Cinnamon Apple Dumplin’ syrup and real butter." It's UH-MAY-ZING! It doesn't have the fresh cinnamon apple on top like the recipe...but it's still DARN good! It would definitely be ROCK STAR quality if they made the apples like the recipe calls for and pile them on top!).



Because my mom is my mom...she decided to do the "dangerous parts "of this recipe. First, because she loves me and doesn't want me to get hurt or even have the chance of getting hurt. Second, because she's a tad overprotective. Third, because she knows her daughter VERY well and knows that she is a disaster waiting to happen. My mother classified the "dangerous parts" of this recipe as the peeling/coring and slicing of the apples. She took over these procedures...and did a bang-up job might I add. She had quite a fun time trying to get the core out of the apple...but the slicing was a breeze thanks to my new Oneida Mandolin Slicer Set from Bed Bath and Beyond! It worked like a dream...but I do think that we should've cut the apples a little thicker because they kind of collapsed on each other in the cooking process. I think if they had been a little thicker they would've maintained their round shape a little easier. But...now I know for next time! And there WILL be a next time!



Anyway...like I said, we cooked the apple slices in some butter, brown sugar, water and cinnamon until they were tender.



We then lined the cooked apples and their sauce on the bottom of the 13x9 cake pan.



Unlike the recipe said to do...I sliced the bread and soaked each piece in the egg/milk/vanilla mixture (that's what all the reviewers said to do) and then laid each piece on top of the apple mixture. When I was finished with each piece of bread I poured the remaining mixture on top of and around the bread. Then you pop the pan in the fridge overnight to sit.



The next day I cooked the french toast and it was pretty darn good if I do say so myself. The bread was crispy and the apples warm and "cinnamon-y".



However, since it was only me...I decided to take the remainder of the french toast to work with me the next day, so it went back in the fridge until the next day. I took it to work and sliced it up in small pieces and everyone LOVED it. And I must admit...it tasted SO MUCH better the NEXT day. I'm not sure why...but it was 10 times better! The bread wasn't crispy anymore...but then again, most french toast isn't. The apples tasted even better and I think even the bread absorbed some of their flavor. This is definitely something I would make again but I'd wait until two days later to eat. And next time I make it...I'm going to make sure Casey is here to try it because he'd love it...and I hope some of you try it and love it as well!

1 comment:

  1. Your title made me lol literally. You're too funny.

    I do love french toast though!

    ReplyDelete