Don’t Forget Breakfast!: Easy Holiday Recipes

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Don't Forget Breakfast!: Easy Holiday Recipes | Duluth Mom

As the holidays approach I start to prepare my mind, body, soul, and pantry for all the baking and cooking I will be doing over the next 2 months. Whether you are hosting people at your house, going to someone else’s house, or even just holing up and not inviting anyone over, it’s nice to have all the special and traditional foods ready to enjoy. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, pies, cookies, homemade candies and so much more are often the focal point of our holiday traditions, but what about breakfast? 

Breakfast foods are my favorite type of food, but during the holidays they seem to get pushed to the back-burner. Don’t get me wrong, I am always down for a slice of pie in the morning, but it doesn’t replace a real morning meal. The problem is that most often moms and grandmas–and sometimes dads and grandpas–start the holiday cooking and baking process days before the holiday is even here, so once the holiday arrives they are usually up early getting the main course prepped and in the oven.

By the time breakfast rolls around, cereal or a bagel is tossed in the direction of whomever wants something and we get right back to prepping for the big meal of the day. Friends, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, even on Thanksgiving and Christmas! So I am here to help! The following are recipes can be made the day before, cutting down the prep time the day of, and are sure to please whoever you have to feed the morning of a big holiday.

French Toast Bake

1 loaf french bread
8 eggs
2 cups milk
½ heavy cream
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract

Topping:
½ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
1 stick cold butter

Grease a 9×13 pan. Rip loaf of French bread into small cubes/pieces and evenly spread into bottom of greased pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Pour over bread, cover, and refrigerate overnight. 

In a different bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cut butter into cubes and add to flour mixture. Using a fork or pastry cutter mix until the mixture looks like little pebbles. Place in Ziploc bag and refrigerate until morning. 

In the morning pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Take topping mixture and sprinkle over the top of the French toast. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on if you like a bread pudding or firm/crispy texture. Top with syrup or fruit. 

Don't Forget Breakfast!: Easy Holiday Recipes | Duluth Mom

Crouton Egg Bake

1 bag of seasoned croutons
8 eggs
1 ½ cup milk
1 package of ground breakfast sausage or package of bacon
Cheese
Salt and pepper

Optional seasonings: hot sauce, garlic powder, onion power, red pepper flakes

Optional veggies: onion, peppers, spinach.

Cook sausage or bacon and set aside. In 9×13 pan, spread croutons out evenly, top with cooked meat. Add any chopped veggies at this time. In large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and seasonings of your choice; I like to add salt, pepper, hot sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder. Pour egg mixture into pan and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and place in the fridge over night. 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, bake for 40 minutes or until golden on the top and cooked all the way through. 

This holiday season make sure you don’t forget the most important meal of the day: breakfast!  Enjoy!