A Lighter Version of Paula's Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

I made this casserole over the weekend.  It's my husbands favorite during football season.  I wanted to lighten it up and sub almond milk in place of heavy cream and to my surprise it turned out DELISH! Couldn't tell a difference!  

Ingredients

1 1/2 loafs of bread (I used raison bread but you can choose a lower calorie bread or to make it extra special use french bread)

8 eggs

3 cups of almond milk (original recipe calls for 3 cups of heavy cream)

dash of sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg

tiny dash of salt

Directions

Arrange slices in a buttered casserole dish like the picture above.  

In a large bowl combine eggs, almond milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and beat or whisk until blended but not with bubbles.  I usually break the yolks and mix eggs before I add the liquid.  

Pour mixture over the bread slices, make sure all of the bread slices are covered evenly.  

IMPORTANT

COVER WITH FOIL AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT!

Next day preheat your over to 350.  If you see some dry areas on the bread move them around to get the liquid coated on them.  After all bread is coated drain the remainder liquid off.  NOW if you want to add more calories and make it extra special make this topping below...if not  Place casserole in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes.  Serve with maple syrup.

Topping

1/2 stick of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

blend with hand in a mixing bowl until they look like clumps of sand and sprinkle over casserole.

Finished product looked like this :) It was good!

Had to SHARE!

What a great idea! You could do a platter or serving tray.  Gold would be beautiful.

LINK TO INSTRUCTIONS

http://www.madiganmade.com/2013/08/how-to-embed-glitter-into-tabletop.html

I'm Back!

I really miss blogging.  I love having the past years to look back on and now with Fallon Kay I really need to start up again so we can look back and enjoy her growing up.  Can you believe she's 7 months old!  I'm trying to soak up each day because soon she wont be a baby anymore.  TEAR :(

Things were into:

Anything Eiffel Tower
Fallon LOVES Coco Books
Wizard of Oz (How cute would it be to have a Wizard of Oz themed party)
Fallon can't get enough sweet potatoes and avacado.
I found a Jenny Lind crib for $20 and have been painting gold...can't wait to post pictures


Look at these Wizard of Oz puppets I found at FOA Schwarz.  Aren't they cute!   I think these will be going underneath the Christmas tree :)

I loved the Wizard of Oz when I was a child...

I made this breakfast pizza from my SAVEUR magazine...SO GOOD! 

Recipe: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Breakfast-Pizza

I've been thinking about getting a Cannon power-shoot camera with the built in Wi-Fi? Anyone have it? 

I love these swim suits...

If anyone knows where to get these red bottoms below email me :)

Fallon Kay

The past 3 months have been a blur.  I gave birth to this angel January 9 at 1:27 P.M.  A day that changed my life forever.  It's been such a wonderful experience :) Never thought motherhood would be so great.  I hope to get back to blogging soon :) I've missed it! 

Easy Christmas Party IDEAS :)

Freeze your leftover coffee into cubes and shake with Bailey's Irish Cream :) I think this looks like a



easy pretty holiday cocktail!! Don't you?

                                                                                         peanutbuttarunna.tumblr.com

                       Dress up your cupcakes EASILY 

                                                                                                Uploaded by user

      Spray paint some branches and use inexpensive christmas balls 

                                                                                      Source: 02eb09c.netsolhost.com

35 Weeks

I've had a great pregnancy but this last week has been the hardest.  I have heart burn so BAD and I'm tired!! I'm no longer a tornado around the house.  All I want to do is sleep like Roxy.  I've kissed good night sleeps good bye...it's hard to get comfortable.  I finally stopped wanting macaroni and cheese :) My new obsession, molten lava chocolate cake which I can't find. (THANK GOD).  I've got brownies in the oven as I type.

It's hard to believe baby girl will be here in 4 1/2 weeks.  It doesn't seem possible does it!  

Anyone have any good easy casserole recipes ?? I find it easier to just cook in one dish :) Please email me or comment below if you have some good ones to share! THANK YOU :)

30 Weeks

I'm turning 31 weeks this Friday.  Where did the time go?? I feel great, but my FFN test came back positive so I've been moved to strict bed rest.  I hope to have a negative re-test on Monday.  I'm not the bed rest type, it's driving me crazy but I know it's for the best.  This week I've felt like a ravenous piglet.  I'm craving mac and cheese, pizza, fried fish, any type of pie.  What's wrong with me!!  Bambino is now 3 pounds :)

Stowe, Vermont

Vermont is a beautiful state.  We really enjoyed our 5 year anniversary.  I was shocked that everything is farm to table.  Delish local fresh food.  I will defiantly be back! :) Here are some of our pictures.

Eye Candy

Beautiful vintage rings :) 

Source: eventlucky.com

Source: traditionalhome.com

Source: bettybroccoli.tumblr.com

Source: letmebaremysoul.tumblr.com via Ryan on Pinterest

My BEAUTIFUL Baby Shower :) Thank You Tonya & Yvonne!

I was blown away by the time and effort Tonya and Yvonne put into my baby shower.  I was truly blown away.  Words can not describe how thankful and appreciative I am of this beautiful day.  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TONYA & YVONNE! 

I think Tonya needs to go into catering because look at this spread she created! 

I think it was so sweet she chose my favorite thing SEAFOOD :)

Look at these precious pink flamingo straws :)

Strawberry and Bananas soaked in orange juice kabobs

 Look at my Chanel cupcakes :) 

Look at these grapes rolled in cheese and nuts :) They were DELISH

 It was held in Yvonne's home and they did such a wonderful job at decorating.

Mom made a vignette with her and Bobbies gifts.  Bobbie gave me pink flamingo themed items! THANK YOU BOB! You've done so much and yet are so far away.  THANK YOU! 

and to MOM! Mom you have worked so hard and I'm so happy to have you in my life.  Baby girl is so lucky to have such a great grand mother!!! You will be the best YAYA EVER!

Memaw got the baby and I a beautiful diaper bag.  THANK YOU MEMAW! Baby girl is so lucky to have you!!  We will soon have 4 generations of women, you don't know how lucky and precious that is to me.

Mom made a diaper cake...it looks like a real cake in life.

Bobbies pink flamingo gifts

I got everyone nail polish for thank you gifts.

Yvonne's puff balls that she made

 Jim and I :)

Mom's masterpiece :) She got baby girl an antique doll :) You can't see but baby girl also got Sophie the Giraffe from YAYA aka MOM.

Mom also made cupcakes out of baby washcloths

When I thought it couldn't get any better they served more food! Grilled chicken kabobs, vegi's, and some delish rice.  They also had pulled pork sandwiches. 

 Cheesecake shooters

 We had a prayer release of balloons for the health of me and baby girl.

Here are the ONLY pictures of TONYA! I didn't even get one with Yvonne or her :( :( She is the beautiful blonde in the peacock dress :) 

They measured my belly and whoever guessed the closest measurement won a gift.  4 people got it EXACTLY RIGHT! 

Thank you to everyone that came! Thank you to Yvonne and Tonya for all the hard work you put into this.  It really was beautiful and I can't thank you enough! THANK YOU!

Love, Ryan