from everydaycheapskate.com

HereÂs what I love: To wake up on Christmas morning knowing that a special breakfast is all ready to go because I did all the preparation the night before. IÂm not talking about leftovers, but rather "overnight" dishes that are required to sit in the refrigerator for at least eight hours.

By my clock you still have plenty of time to get one or more of these special dishes prepared and into the refrigerator. Come Christmas morning youÂll be so glad you did!

Overnight French Toast

1 loaf French bread

8 eggs

3 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

The night before: Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the loaf of bread into 1-inch thick slices and lay them in the pan. Mix eggs, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Pour egg mixture over bread slices in the pan. Cut butter into pieces and dot on each slice of bread. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of everything. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for the next morning.

In the morning: Remove plastic wrap, put pan into a cold oven and set oven to 325 F. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until bread is puffy and light brown. Remove pan from the oven and let it set for five minutes before serving. Serve with Praline Syrup. Servings: 6-8.

Praline Syrup

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Bring brown sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add pecans and butter; simmer 2 minutes longer. Serve with the French Toast.

Overnight Sausage and Egg Casserole

1 pound bulk pork sausage

6 eggs

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground mustard

6 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown and crumble sausage; drain and set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs; add milk, salt and mustard. Stir in bread cubes, cheese and sausage. Pour into a greased 11x7x2-inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

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I haven't tried these recipes, but if it wasn't for my picky "no fat" eater, and vegan daughter, I would love to try them. I did save them for when I need to take a breakfast dish someplace.

Moni