I am thrilled to pieces that the holidays are just around the corner. As a little girl, I always enjoyed this time of year. I enjoyed helping my mom decorate the house and, of course, helping her bake up tons of goodies. And by helping, I mean “tasting.”

There are lots of holiday memories that warm my heart, but I must say that my favorite memory is our annual Christmas breakfast. When I was younger, my mom would cook a special breakfast for the whole family, followed by warm mugs of hot cocoa.

Over the years, we’ve kept this tradition alive by continuing our annual Christmas breakfast. Because my sisters and I are married with kids, our breakfast is a lot bigger. My mom lets everyone bring a dish, which usually turns into a “friendly” competition between me and my sisters. This year, I wanted to do something completely different, so I decided to test out this delicious Maple Bacon Cranberry French Toast Casserole. The combination of sweet and savory was remarkable, but the true star of this dish was Nestle La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk.

My mom used this special ingredient to give her sweet potato pies that super creamy texture. I love using it in my recipes because it gives a sweet, subtle and authentic taste.

Maple Bacon Cranberry French Toast Casserole. (Andrea Mathis / Beautiful Eats & Things)

This Maple Bacon Cranberry French Toast Casserole may sound fancy, but it’s a really easy recipe.

I can’t wait to bring this dish to our annual Christmas breakfast. I’m sure I will win with this recipe. Er, I mean I’m sure that everyone will love it.

Maple Bacon Cranberry French Toast Casserole

Maple Bacon Cranberry French Toast Casserole. (Andrea Mathis / Beautiful Eats & Things)

Click here for a printable recipe.

Ingredients

• ½ cup La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 ounce)
• 1 loaf cinnamon bread cut into 1-inch squares
• 1½ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1¼ cup milk
• Optional: 2 additional tablespoons of condensed milk, 2 additional tablespoons of maple syrup

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, beat condensed milk, eggs, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cinnamon bread, cranberries and three slices of bacon (crumbled). Add in the liquid mixture and toss until all of the bread is coated evenly.
3. Spray a pan with nonstick spray and spread French toast mixture into the pan.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.
6. Crumble the remaining bacon on top and drizzle with a little maple syrup and/or condensed milk if desired. Enjoy.

Andrea Mathis is a registered dietitian and owner of Beautiful Eats & Things. For more great recipes, visit beautifuleatsandthings.com.