Since Valentine’s Day is coming up this Saturday I thought that I would share one of my favorite, special occasion, truly indulgent, not for every day treat.

This is one of my favorite dishes for many reasons, it’s easy, it’s make-ahead, it is sweet, but not overly cloyingly sweet, the cinnamon adds just the right amount of savory and you can adjust your mixture at will.

This is delicious, rich, filling and a perfect holiday-special occasion-family and friends get together-kind of dish. The added bonus to this, your kids can help put it together and they are so much more likely to eat something that they get to have a hand in making.

Just watch my kids in action!

French Toast Apple Bake

• 3/4 C butter, melted
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon (more, if your palate pleases)
• 2 (21 oz) cans apple pie filling
• 15 to 18 slices white bread
• 8 eggs
• 1 3/4 to 2 C milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Syrup (for later)

1. Grease/Pam/Butter a 9X13 baking dish
2. Pour butter into the dish and then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon into the dish.
3. Top with the apple pie filling.
4. In a mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla
5. Layer the bread slices on top of the apple pie filling, pressing down firmly so that they get all nice and smooshed down onto the apple pie/butter mixture. You can alternate layers of bread with pouring the egg mixture so that every layer is thoroughly saturated.
   Make sure that you pour SLOWLY, so as to avoid spillovers
6. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
7. Uncover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
8. Drizzle with syrup and put in the broiler for a few minutes to caramelize.

Serve up and enjoy!