is there any more pie?

No, this is not health food.  The do-ahead Praline French Toast casserole is for special occasions, like Christmas morning.

And Cousins Weekend.

Little pumpkins and little pumpkin bundt cakes.

Check out the tablecloth.  I found it at a thrift shop in Idaho.  It took me three days to soak the stains out, but now it’s perfect.  I love the colors!

This recipe is all over the internet, but here is my version:

PRALINE FRENCH TOAST

2 loaves of French or Italian bread sliced into 1″ slices, with the crusts removed.
12 eggs
3 1/2 cups milk (combo of cream, half & half, milk–whatever you have)
2 TBS sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Combine the liquid and beat until mixed.

Grease 2 9 x 13″ pans with butter.  Dip each slice of bread into milk liquid (making sure every slice is coated) and then arrange slices in the pans.  The slices stand up (well, lean against each other at a 45 degree angle) in the pans.  Pour any extra liquid over the bread.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning make the praline topping.  Melt in saucepan:

1 stick butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans are the best)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Brush mixture on top of the bread and bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 350 for about 35-40 minutes until puffy and golden.

I served the french toast with sausage and fresh fruit in waffle cone bowls.

Guess how old he is?

The candles don’t lie.

Saturday began with brunch, continued on to another frustrating Husker loss, went on to Mexican Train dominoes, and then a trip to Grandma’s garage where the “kids” discovered an old candy box filled with old postcards from 1947-1963.  The small silver-colored box was inside a box of games and must have been removed from one of my mother’s closets some time in the last year or so.

We had a ball reading those postcards.  Many were sent by my father while he was out to sea while serving in the Navy.

They were wonderful reminders of him and it almost felt as if he was partying with us that afternoon.

So special.

Dinner consisted of a huge lasagna, Nurse Nancy’s special Greek salad and secret homemade dressing, along with ciabatta bread.

And pie!!!

Thank you, Nephew Thomas, for the pies.

Thank you, Dad, for the postcards.

I tried a new casserole (hurray for Pinterest!!) Saturday morning.  It was a big hit with the brunch crowd, so I thought I’d give you my version in case you are feeding hungry company some morning this winter.  There are a lot of variations of this kind of casserole and you can find a lot of different recipes on line.

POTATO BACON CASSEROLE

1 large bag (8 cups) of frozen shredded potatoes
1 cup chopped onions (I used frozen chopped onions)
2 pkg of bacon, cooked and crumbled (I cooked this two days before, baked in the oven)
4 cups of cheddar cheese (the recipe called for 2 cups but we love cheese)
2 cans (total of 24 fluid oz) evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. salt

Grease a 9 X 13 pan, and preheat oven to 350.

Layer 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 onions, 1/2 bacon and 1/2 cheese, then repeat.  Mix the egg, milk and salt, then pour over the potato layers.  Bake 1 hour.

I assembled the potato layers the day before, then poured the milk mixture over it in the morning before baking.

I also served yogurt-strawberry-granola parfaits and pastry.

And yes, that is another one of my vintage tablecloths.  I cannot resist buying them, though I am trying to.  Honest, I am.

The napkins are from a thrift store, the ruby-flashed glassware is something I’ve collected for years, the silver plate utensils came–in pieces here and there– from Ebay and the napkin rings were purchased in New Orleans, on a trip with my mother in December, 2000.

Having company is a great excuse to set the table!