French Toast Casserole with Caramelized Peaches.

From “Just Cook It!” by Justin Chapple (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) Justin Chapple shares a time- and potentially blood-saving tip in his new cookbook: Cut peaches into wedges with a paring knife while the fruit is still on the pit. Just give the knife a little wiggle to pop the wedge off. Makes 8 servings 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing 1 (1¼-pound) sourdough boule or challah, cut into 1-inch-thick slices 6 large eggs 2 cups whole milk ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Kosher salt 3 firm but ripe peaches, cut into ½-inch wedges ¼ cup packed light-brown sugar Warm maple syrup, for serving Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions: Butter a 9-by-13-inch oval baking dish and then arrange the bread in slightly overlapping layers in it. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds or extract, lemon zest and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, gently pressing the bread to submerge it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the egg mixture has been absorbed by the bread, at least 1 hour but preferably overnight. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the baking dish and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the center is set but slightly jiggly. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the peaches, brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are tender and browned in spots, 5-7 minutes. Serve the French toast with the caramelized peaches and warm maple syrup, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.