Healthy French Toast Bake with Squash

Who doesn't like brinner? A recipe we enjoy is the Pioneer Woman's baked French toast. I changed a few things to make it a little lower in fat, calories, and sugar. This recipe is so easy and a crowd-pleaser. My kids are picky eaters and they love this recipe, even with the squash.

French Toast Bake

1 loaf crusty bread (I save the heals from my whole wheat sandwich bread in the freezer until I have enough to make this recipe)

8 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

2-3 cups sweet potato or butternut squash puree (about 1 squash)

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

Grease 9x13 pan. Tear bread into pieces and evenly distribute into pan. In a separate bowl, wisk eggs. Add milk, sugar, vanilla and almond extract, wisk carefully. Pour evenly over bread. Cover pan and store in fridge overnight.

For topping: mix flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Store in fridge overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle topping evenly over bread. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer casserole. If you want a crustier casserole, bake it for 1 hour.

Top individual servings with maple syrup if desired.

Crumble bread and put in 9 x 13 pan.

Add liquid ingredients.

Sprinkle on topping.

Bake.

Enjoy!

Enchilada Casserole

This recipe comes from my Clovia cookbook and a very dear friend, Sara (Schwinn) Sedgwick. When I was living in Kansas, my friends and I made this recipe every other week.

Enchilada Cassereole

1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

10 tortillas

1 can mild enchilada sauce

1.5 lbs cooked and drained hamburger

1 can tomato soup

Wrap shredded cheese in tortillas and put in a 9x13in pan. Mix sauce and soup with hamburger and pour over tortillas. Warm through in oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

I have modified this old favorite recipe that I first found in college when living at Clovia. This was a house favorite recipe that we would often have on Sunday lunch.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

2 pounds hash browns, defrosted
1/2 cup pureed cauliflower
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
2 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 cups crushed corn flakes

Mix above ingredients together except for corn flakes and put in a greased 9x13 pan. Place corn flakes on top of potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes that my grandma used to make every year. This time, it's my pleasure to make it for my family as I hosted Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (fresh or canned)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter (might want to consider cutting it down to 6 tablespoons max)

(May use 1/8 teaspoon allspice, nutmeg, and/or cloves)

Mix ingredients together & pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan. (It will look like the picture below.)

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons flour

(I added 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

Mix ingredients together with 2 forks until blended. Sprinkle topping over potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chicken Licken Casserole

This recipe is one of my favorite comfort foods. My mom has been making it for me since I was little & now it's something I love to make, especially once the weather starts to get cooler. I'm not sure where the name came from but I think you'll agree that it's a great recipe no matter what you call it. I enjoy serving this with mustard green beans, I'll post that recipe later.

Chicken Licken Casserole

2 boxes chicken flavored stuffing mix

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shreded

1-2 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

1 stick of butter

1 cup cauliflower puree (optional, use 2nd can of soup if omitting)

1/2 cup chicken broth

Garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

I usually put the chicken breasts in the crock pot the day before to cook & use the broth for the recipe.

Mix 1 box of stuffing with 1/2 stick of melted butter. Press into bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Mix chicken, soup, broth, puree, & seasonings together. Spread mixture on top of stuffing layer. Mix the second box of stuffing with 1/2 stick of melted butter & layer on top of chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until casserole is heated through.