Raspberry French Toast Bake

With Thanksgiving fast approaching the time seems to be flying by faster than ever.  The last week has been filled with all sorts of stuff and it only seems to get more busy with each day!  I just finished making a monster batch of Julie's Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls... I mean HUGE!  I made enough to almost fill a gallon size ziploc bag!  It took me over an hour but I was enjoying myself on this Friday night listening to a video and making loads of protein balls.  The weekend will be filled with more cooking... roasted carrot soup, mixing up a batch of almond butter, and getting all the ingredients ready to make a double batch of pumpkin oatmeal for next week.  All this food is for an awesome thing I have going on next week!

For the 3 days before Thanksgiving at my dad's office (he's a chiropractor and I work there with him!) we're having a patient appreciation celebration.  It'll be filled with goodies, free care for our patients, laughter, music, and fun!  It's a time for us to thank them for being our patients!

Anyway... back to the food and more importantly the Raspberry French Toast Bake.  This recipe comes from my cousin and the first time I tried it I loved it!  Who would have thought someone who doesn't cook would have such a stellar recipe!  (Really... she doesn't like to cook and she sometimes claims she doesn't know how... I think she just knows there's plenty of cooks in the family and she'd rather eat our food than slave over the stove :) haha)  Either way... she delivered big time with this one.

All the prep for this recipe is done the night before so in the morning all that's pretty much required is waking up to pop it in the oven!  It's a warm, chewy and slightly crunchy breakfast that'll fill your belly and warm your soul.  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

- Melissa

Raspberry French Toast Bake
Recipe from Michelle Gaertner

12 slices cinnamon bread, pulled into clumps (use the whole loaf or more, it should fill the entire pan)
5 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 C milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C sliced almonds
1/4 C butter - melted
2 C raspberries (can be bought frozen, but defrost)

In a greased 9x13 pan add:
eggs, beaten
milk
1/2 C brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg

Pour over clumped cinnamon bread and let sit for 8 hours (overnight)
Remove from fridge 1 hour before baking

Drizzle with mixed almonds, melted butter and 1/2 C brown sugar  (put on before baking)

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 min uncovered
Add raspberries for an additional 10 min
Total Bake time 35 min