Easy French Bread Soufflé

 

Spring break is a good time to make something yummy for breakfast or brunch. One of my favorites is a recipe I created when I had oodles of French bread going stale on my counter and a quart of milk in my refrigerator that needed to be used very soon. Instead of starting with a temperamental heated sauce that most soufflés require, my recipe begins with a cold mixture that can simply be poured over French bread and baked in the oven. The result is a beautiful poufy casserole. Serve it soon after it comes out of the oven, because the height of the casserole does fall when it cools. It still tastes delicious regardless.

 

Ingredients

16 slices of stale French bread or a medium sized loaf of unsliced French bread. The firmer the texture, the better.

1 quart of milk

6 whole eggs

1 medium jalapeno pepper, diced. I used a red one to add some color.

1/4 teaspoon of parsley

8 ounces of pepper jack cheese or your favorite

salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Arrange the French bread in a deep dish 10 X 10” ceramic or glass dish. The slices can be laid flat. Or if you are using an unsliced loaf, it is fun to cut it into 3” slices and arrange them upright in the dish so that the pretty upper crust is on top, thus forming the upper crust of the casserole.

2. In a larger mixing bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, diced peppers, and parsley together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Pour the mixture over the French bread. The bread will absorb a huge amount of milk. If the top layer of bread is not moistened, add a bit of milk on top.

5. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

6. After 45 minutes, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. Return the casserole to the oven for an additional 15 minutes or until the casserole rises and firms. It will rise about 3 inches.

7. Remove from the oven and serve right away.