Christmas

gently toss to combine. Pour the mixture back into the casserole dish.

Top evenly with Swiss cheese and sprinkle with everything spice.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the croissants are golden on top. Serve warm.

TO MAKE A FEW HOURS

AHEAD >> This can be made assembled a few hours ahead of time and kept in the fridge. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking.

TO MAKE A FEW DAYS AHEAD

>> complete the recipe through step 3. Toss the mushrooms and croissants together. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to assemble, remove from the fridge. Continue on with step 4, tossing the croissants + mushrooms with the egg mix, then assemble in baking dish. This can be done up to 4 hours ahead of time. Bake as directed. Serve with a bowl of fresh berries and another cup of coffee.

The sweet recipe is a 5- star from Williams Sonoma. You could cook some bacon in the oven while the French toast is cooking and scramble some eggs at the last minute.

achel Ray’s Oven Bacon: Just preheat oven to 375 degrees, (350 degrees for this French toast recipe), and arrange your bacon on a slotted broiler

pan (or a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet) and bake to crisp for 15 to 18 minutes.

Make-Ahead Vanilla Bean French Toast

Recipe cook time is 60 minutes and it serves six to eight.

Recipe notes: The enriched breads challah and brioche make especially decadent French toast, since they soak up the custard well and also add a richness of their own. You can also use a thicker- slice store-bread. And, because this beautiful dish can be assembled the night before it’s baked, it’s an ideal dish for serving at a brunch celebration or to a house full of guests.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

• 1 loaf challah or brioche, about 1 lb. (500 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5- cm) slices

• 6 eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 cups half-and-half

• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• Kosher salt

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

• 1/2 cup maple syrup — plus more for syrup lovers

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS >> Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9- by-13-inch baking dish. Set aside. Arrange

the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast until the bread is lightly golden brown and dry, about 7 minutes, flipping the slices about halfway through the cooking time. Transfer the bread slices to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, halfand-half, brown sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. With the tip of a paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into the egg mixture and whisk to combine; reserve the vanilla bean halves. In batches, dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, turning the slices to coat them evenly and letting the bread sit in the bowl for about 2 minutes to absorb the liquid.

Arrange the bread slices in the prepared baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Pour any remaining egg mixture in the bowl evenly over the bread in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Transfer the dish, still covered with the foil, to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the dish, increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking until the French toast is puffed up and browned, about 15 minutes more.

While the French toast is cooking, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the maple syrup and the 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan

from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the maple syrup evenly over the French toast. Sprinkle the French toast evenly with the raspberries and almonds. Garnish with the reserved vanilla bean halves, if desired.

Dust the French toast with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

Our old favorite is this simple Christmas Morning Chile Egg Puff by Janet Baker. It can be assembled and cooked the day before and re-heated Christmas morning. We serve it with coffee cake and Swedish meatballs.

Christmas Morning Chile Egg Puff

Ingredients:

• 10eggs

• ½ cup all-purpose flour, sifted

• 1teaspoon baking powder

• 1teaspoon salt

• 2cup small curd cottage cheese

• 1pound grated mild Monterey Jack cheese

• ½ cup melted butter

• 1can diced mild green chiles

DIRECTIONS >> Preheat oven to 350 degrees Butter a 9-by13 inch baking dish

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat thoroughly. Stir and toss together the flour, baking powder and salt, sift them over the eggs and beat until well-blended. Neat in the cottage cheese, grated Monterey Jack cheese, butter and chilies.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 35- 45 minutes, or until puffy and set, and a knife inserted slightly off- center comes out clean. Serves 10.

May your Christmas morning be filled with hope, good cheer, a mandarin in the toe of your sock, and something delicious to eat — Merry Christmas!