Prepare a Special yet Affordable Meal for Mother's Day

It’s important to remember that mothers do not care about how expensive a present is. In fact, she might even be worried if she receives a present she thinks the family can’t afford, considering the down economy.

The good news is that you can readily make a special treat for mom this Mother’s Day without draining your wallet. Celebrate Mother’s Day by preparing her a special breakfast so she can start the day with a huge smile on her face.

French Toast Casserole

Preparing a French toast casserole breakfast meal is ideal. The ingredients are cheap and you don’t have to be Bobby Flay to make it.
Ingredients:

• 5 cups bread cubes
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Points to remember before getting started

Although this is an easy meal to prepare, you shouldn’t rush it. The secret to this simple dish is the time you take to bake it. The dish should be baked in a pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes. The time of pre-heating and baking will take about one hour and twenty minutes combined. If you want to prepare this meal just in time for mom’s breakfast, you’ll need to set you’re alarm clock earlier than normal. It’s a small sacrifice for a special person in your life. That little sacrifice you make is what will make mom love and appreciate the dish even more!

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 175 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8×8 inch baking pan. This will prevent the dish from sticking to the pan after you’re done.
2. Line the bottom of the pan with bread cubes.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar salt and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and then dot it with the softened butter. Let this stand for 10 minutes.
4. Combine the remaining two tablespoons of sugar with 1-teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes. You’ll know the dish is ready when the top is golden. 

It’s time to serve the dish and make Mother’s Day a truly special day. One thing good about the French toast casserole is its rich aroma. As soon as mom wakes up and heads to the dining room, she’ll know something good is in the oven. Chances are, she’ll already be smiling, anticipating the surprise in store for her. How good is that?

*Fun Trivia about Moms:

• There are roughly 2 billion moms in the World (82.5 million in the U.S.)
• The average age of moms is 25 years old (compared to 21 in 1970)
• Modern moms have an average of two kids

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