What have we always said is the most important thing?

George Michael Bluth responded to that question: Breakfast.

This post has nothing to do with Arrested Development, but I made breakfast casseroles for a Relief Society activity and so I thought I’d include that quote.

Here are the recipes as promised!

Egg & Ham Strata

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1.5-2 cups of milk
• 1 loaf of French bread
• 1 cup of shredded cheese (I used Cheddar)
• 1 package of precooked ham bits (I used precooked canadian bacon)

1. Cut the french bread into 1″ cubes
2. Spray 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and lay half of the bread cubes on the bottom.
3. Mix milk and eggs together. Pour half of mixture over the bread cubes.
4. Sprinkle half of the cheese and half of the ham on top.
5. Layer the rest of bread cubes, egg mixture, cheese, and ham.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for about 45 minutes to one hour.

Overnight French Toast

• 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 loaf French toast sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
• 8 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup pecans, measured then chopped (optional
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• (optional) maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping

1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish overlapping if necessary.
3. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices.
4. Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices.
5. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.
6. In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes. If top starts browning too quickly place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don’t dry it out completely.
8. Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.