Easy French Toast Bake for New Years Morning

 Serve with chilled orange juice or cranberry juice and chilled champagne for make your own mimosa and pitchers of your favorite bloody Mary mix with choice of toppings to make your own Bloody Mary.  Here is a recipe I'll be preparing for our family to enjoy on New Year's Day. The best part is you make the casserole the day before and refrigerate until ready to bake. You just pop into the oven and let the aroma fill the house until it's  done baking and ready to serve.  Serve with a basket of your favorite muffins and a large bowl of fresh tossed cut fruit. You have a beautiful buffet and it leaves you time to stay in your pj's and ease into 2020.

Baked Apple Cranberry French Toast Casserole

Makes 12 servings
Ingredients: 
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 loaf Italian or french bread cut into 1 inch slices
6 large eggs 
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* Gluten free bread may be substituted for the Italian or french bread if your diet requires gluten free.

To make combine the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a 13 x 9 baking dish you have sprayed with your favorite cooking spray. Add apples and cranberries and toss to coat well with the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.  Arrange the sliced bread on top.  Mix eggs , milk, vanilla and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon until well blended.  Pour over bread to soak bread completely.  Cover and refrigerate 4 - 24 hours.  Bake covered with aluminum foil in preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.  Uncover and continue to bake another 5 minutes.  Remove and let sit for 5 minutes.  Serve warm.  Serve with warm maple syrup and a dish of whipped butter .