Awesome (Make-Ahead!!) Breakfast Dish

My friend, Michelle, brought this fabulous dish over for my family when Ally was born. I love that you make it the day (or two) ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator, then in the oven the next morning. I love breakfast foods, but find there is nothing worse than wanting to make something only to realize it won't be done until 9 or 10am (way past breakfast time for me) by the time you get it put together and baked. I recently made this for some friends who were visiting us from FL and it was a hit the second time around as well!

Overnight French Toast
2 tablespoons and 1-1/4 teaspoons corn syrup
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons butter
1 cup and 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1-1/4 (1 pound) loaves French bread, sliced
6 eggs
1-3/4 cups and 1 tablespoon milk
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the corn syrup , butter, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar has melted. Pour this mixture over the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish.
Place the bread slices over the sugar-butter mixture in the dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt; pour this mixture over the bread. Cover the dish and let it stand in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Serve while hot or warm or the French toast will harden in the pan. It can be reheated. Serves 6.

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes (or muffins as I called them) for my parents when they were visiting after Ally was born. They were a great breakfast treat!

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes
1 pkg spice cake mix
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 sugar
1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; mix well. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter. Swirl gently with small spoon. Bake 18 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely. Makes 24.

Double Thick Baked Potato-Cheese Soup

This recipe could definitely use some tweaks...but I don't have the time and am not that interested in fiddling with it. We'll just say the recipe won't be made in this house again.

Double Thick Baked Potato-Cheese Soup
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green onions, divided
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
black pepper

Combine potatoes, soup, 1 cup green onions, garlic powder and red pepper in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8 hours or on HIGH 4 hours. Add cheese, sour cream and milk; stir until cheese has completely melted. Cover; cook on HIGH 10 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Garnish with remaining green onions.