Christmas Morning Tradition

Usually I make cinnamon buns on Christmas Eve, let them rise in the fridge overnight, and pop them in the oven on Christmas morning while we open our presents. It's a lovely tradition that my sister started and I copied. But this year, I'm perfecting it, thanks to the wonderful suggestions of some friends on Facebook!

I'll post a picture of it on Christmas Day, but I wanted to share the idea with you ahead of time so you can partake in the joy and wonder of it on Christmas morning.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
cinnamon buns, sliced in half
eggs, beaten
eggnog (and perhaps a little rum??)
maple syrup, whipped cream, whatever you like on french toast

Whisk together the eggs and eggnog (and rum, if you're using it). Soak the slices of cinnamon bun in the egg mixture, then fry in a frying pan with some butter. Drizzle with some maple syrup and whipped cream.

I bet you could make this ahead of time as a casserole instead... chop up the cinnamon buns and put them in a greased baking dish. Pour egg mixture overtop, cover with saran wrap, and refrigerate. The next morning, bake it in the oven at 350 F for about an hour. You could also add some vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc to the egg mixture, and you could toss in some raisins and apple slices with the buns. I saw Rachael Ray make something similar and it looked so yummy, so I'm sort of mashing all the recipe ideas together for this one!

If I wasn't excited for Christmas before, I certainly am now!!!!!

Here's the picture: I used about 6 blueberry cinnamon buns, cut into quarters, and an apple cut into slices. Then I put 3-4 eggs, 2 c. eggnog, a pinch of salt, and a little vanilla overtop and refrigerated overnight. Bake at 350F for 1 hour. It was delicious!