We have been eating this for breakfast all week. Such a good option for meal prep. With just a few ingredients, you could whip this together on a Sunday, and then have the leftovers for the rest of the week. Easy make ahead breakfast is a way I help ensure that I don't skip the first meal of the day. If I can make it once, and then reheat and eat the rest of the week - winning!
I usually make this with blueberries. I bet apples would be amazing too. The blackberries at the farmers market looked too good to pass up, so I switched things up a bit. It turned out great!
Ingredients
1 baguette (I used an OBH sourdough baguette)
2 cups fresh blackberries
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
zest and juice of a large lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
Directions
Lightly coat a cast iron skillet (or 9x13 casserole dish) with ghee or avocado oil
Cut or tear the bread into chunks and arrange in the pan. Spread the berries over the top. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, syrup, lemon zest and juice, vanilla and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3 hours. The longer it sits, the more the liquid will be soaked up by the bread and the finished product won't be so "eggy".
Once ready to bake it, preheat the oven to 350° and remove the pan from the fridge. On the center rack, bake the casserole, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes. The top should be lightly golden brown and there should be no liquid at center/bottom. Top with butter, syrup, yogurt, cottage cheese, or anything else you desire.
Notes
This is an opportunity to get creative and use what's in season. Dried fruit, chocolate chips, or nuts would be great in this too. This recipe also works best if the bread is a bit stale. If you are using a fresh loaf, chunk the bread and bake it for a few minutes in the oven to give it a harder exterior. This will keep your casserole from being soggy.