How do you sign your name on letters, cards, and emails?
This is often quite a quandary. So many different factors come into play. Age, gender, occasion. Writing the letter may or may not be difficult, but signing your name almost always is.
Love is a standard go to in cards to close friends and acquaintances alike for me. It doesn’t mean I love them, it’s just the closing I have come to rely on, as, I think, have many other women. But it would be totally creepy if Dad started signing things with love, save to Mom and me.
Sincerely and best can sound too formal or even a little pompous. And don’t even get me started on closings with too many words. Thank you for you your help is a sentence, not a closing.
Because I’m young and female and a creative type trying to make a personal connection and express my personality with everything I write, I tend to rely on cheers for people I don’t know at all and xoxo for the ones I do.
That’s right. I’m on team xoxo. It’s fun. It’s simple. It’s me in a nutshell.
And now every single time I use it I hear “xoxo, Gossip Girl” in my head. Oh, yeah, I am on the Gossip Girl train. It’s a fun show that takes me away and kind of makes me wish I was a Waldorf (I never thought this would be the case, but I think I’m more of a Blair than a Serena). But it had me completely questioning my closing game.
Am I as annoying as Gossip Girl? (And no spoilers please, I’m almost done with season two). I hope not because I still love xoxo as much as I love Gossip Girl and this Apple Crumble French Toast Casserole.
The holiday season means tons of entertaining, rushing around, and not taking enough time to enjoy life. This French toast casserole is easy to prepare and feeds a crowd easily without spending all morning flipping French toast on the stove.
The bread on top gets crusty while the bottom is supple and soaked with tons of flavor. I love the juicy burst from the apples and the crumble topping is pretty much everything – those toasty pecans are fab! If you need to feed a crowd at breakfast this holiday season, look no further than this casserole.
Xoxo 🙂
Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole #SundaySupper
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 loaf French or Italian bread, sliced ½ inch thick
- 2 large apples, sliced ¼ inch thick
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups milk (I used almond coconut, use what you love)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Topping
- ½ packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup pecans
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut bread slices in half, diagonally, creating triangles. Arrange bread slices and apple slices in a 9 by 13 inch pan, alternating between the two.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger until well combined. Pour over bread and apples.
- In a small bowl, make the topping. Stir together sugar, oats, pecans, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in the butter until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole and bake 40-50 minutes, until the custard is set and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with maple syrup if desired. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Don’t forget to check out the other Sunday Supper dishes! Thanks to our manager Em!
Holiday Casserole Recipes #SundaySupper
BREAKFAST CASSEROLES
- Apple Crumble French Toast Casserole by Pies and Plots
- Holiday Breakfast Casserole by The Freshman Cook
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole with Crescent Rolls by Sunday Supper Movement
- Christmas Chilaquiles with Eggs by Our Good Life
CLASSIC CASSEROLES
- Buttery Baked Bread Dressing by Food Lust People Love
- Collard Greens Au Gratin by Soulfully Made
- French Potato Gratin by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Ham & Cheese Corn Casserole (Spoon Bread) by Palatable Pastime
- Leftover Turkey Noodle Casserole by Crickets Confections
- Lower Carb Green Bean Casserole by Positively Stacey
- Simple Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole (Dairy-Free) by Bites of Wellness
- Turkey and Noodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm
CREATIVE CASSEROLES
- Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Quinoa by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Cheesy Orzo Pasta Bake by Caroline’s Cooking
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole by Restless Chipotle
- Shrimp Pineapple Rice Casserole by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Make Ahead Spaghetti Western Chili Casserole by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
The Sunday Supper Movement is committed to bringing our readers delicious recipes that encourage them to gather and eat together around the family table. Search for your favorite ingredients on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Sunday Supper Pinterest boards for plenty more ideas and inspiration.
I’m an xoxo girl, too, And also a lover of any baked goods with apples—this French Toast Casserole is perfect for the holidays!!
I’m saving this one for the holidays! I always make them when we have weekend guests, and this one is on the list to make!
I love this yummy looking casserole! AND xoxo is perfect.
I would love to enjoy this before a busy day of holiday shopping. xoxo
Would it be okay to skip the vanilla bean paste?
Absolutely, Tanya! You could use vanilla extract or omit it altogether.
Speciall breakfasts during the holidays are always a treat for everyone and your apple cinnamon french toast casserole fits the bill. I’ll be sure to save this recipe to try on a cold day where staying in and keeping warm makes this breakfast treat comforting!
I usually use Love or Hugs as my go to closing for friends and family. I do also use xoxo especially in texts as it looks so cool (big red letters)! I have printed this recipe as it is great for a breakfast crowd. Love this so much!!