GRILLED FOR MURDER by Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is the second book in her Country Store Mystery series but the first that I’ve read. As luck would have it, I received an ARC the week before my aunt and cousins from Oregon were planning to visit me. I knew I needed to come up with a nice dish to serve for breakfast but I didn’t want anything that would keep me stuck in the kitchen instead of visiting with my family. As I flipped through the many recipes in GRILLED FOR MURDER the author’s recipe for Overnight French Toast jumped out at me. It was very easy to assemble the night before my guests arrived and then pop it into the oven for 40 minutes the next morning. What made this dish so special was the addition of Grand Marnier, an orange flavored liqueur. I thought a half cup would overpower the dish but it turned out spectacular! I also loved the presentation of using slices of bread instead of the typical cubed bread found in many breakfast casserole dishes. I even made a small dish using gluten-free bread….it was so yummy I ate the leftovers for lunch a few hours after our breakfast!
Synopsis
Robbie (Roberta) Jordan owns Pans ‘N Pancakes in South Lick, Indiana. She’s only been open for 1-1/2 months for breakfast and lunch but business is good and she’s agreed to cater a party. Sue Berry is throwing a welcome home party for her recently widowed daughter, Erica. Her deceased husband was the twin to Robbie’s boyfriend, Jim, so there’s still lingering grief for the family. Erica manages to show up an hour late to her own party and is acting like anything but a widow. She proceeds to shamelessly flirt with Jim and then her own pregnant sister’s husband. After a cat fight with another guest and then insulting Robbie’s friend, Phil, by calling him a racial slur, an intoxicated Erica finally leaves the party.
Early the next morning Robbie prepares to open Pans ‘N Pancakes and finds the murdered body of Erica inside her store. A broken window explains how she got in but who left her there? The police take Phil in for questioning but Robbie is certain of his innocence. Yes, Erica greatly insulted him but there were numerous people in town that she was abusive to. Robbie decides to start asking questions to find out who the killer is, especially after she’s accused of killing Erica herself. When the brakes on her bike are tampered with and she escapes serious injury, Robbie knows the killer needs to be stopped before she becomes the next victim.
My Review
Just as Maddie Day’s Overnight French Toast was a delicious hit, her book, GRILLED FOR MURDER, was a delicious read! The setting held special meaning for me because my in-laws lived in Illinois, ten miles from the Indiana border, and I’ve spent a lot of time there. Being born and raised in Southern California (and living fairly close to Santa Barbara where Robbie grew up!) the colloquialisms of those two Midwest states caught me off-guard early on. Maddie captures the sayings and mannerisms of the townspeople perfectly! The plot had several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming while the mystery surrounding the father Robbie never knew she had, intrigues me. I am anxious to learn more!!! There are so many appealing characters woven into the story along with some romantic angst, which adds to the overall enjoyment of the book. Thank you, Maddie, for introducing me to such a wonderful series and for allowing me to share your very delicious recipe for Overnight French Toast!
A special thank you to Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) for providing an autographed copy of GRILLED FOR MURDER to one winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Thursday, June 9, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Overnight French Toast
Ingredients
1 loaf French Bread (13 to 16 ounces)
1/2 cup Grand Marnier
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Sour cream
Maple syrup
Instructions
Slice the French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs.)
Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9-inch by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
Drizzle the bread with the liqueur.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly.
Pour mixture over bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture.
Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.
Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, an hour before the time you want to serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sprinkle pecans over the top and bake uncovered for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.
Serve with maple syrup and a dollop of sour cream on each serving.
Tips
You can make this recipe using gluten-free bread! Grand Marnier is certified gluten-free, just be sure to use a gluten-free vanilla if required.
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I was provided a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest opinion. All thoughts and views are my own.
I often make quiche when I’m hosting a brunch but I will be adding this Overnight French Toast to the menu from now on!
Oh I’ve made this before but never with pecans. Trying this weekend. Thank you for the giveaway.
That toast looks good. I might have to try it soon.
I love Ham, mushroom and swiss quiche!
Love a simple basic egg and sausage or bacon. or oatmeal and fresh fruit. Love both so I alternate We save french toast for the weekends. Some times we bake. But usually not. And always with lots of cinnamon and butter. But my son loves to bury it in powdered sugar. How he stays so skinny is beyond me. I ate the way he does you would have to roll me everywhere.
French toast is my all-time favorite breakfast food. However, I worry that the overnight version would be mushy the next day…but maybe I’ll give it a go. 🙂 This looks like a good one. It’s on my goodreads to-read list already!
Amanda, the overnight version isn’t mushy at all! I thought it might be a closer consistency to bread pudding but it isn’t and the recipe works beautifully!
I love oatmeal pancakes for breakfast, but french toast is another favorite. This recipe looks scrumptious!
I’m not much of a breakfast eater yet French Toast is definitely my favorite.
I’m looking forward to reading this book.?
I enjoy bacon, eggs and blueberry pancakes for breakfast. I don’t usually eat a big breakfast, but, when I do, that is what I like. But, we are having that meal for dinner tonight. 🙂
My favorite breakfast is thick cut bacon and blueberry pancakes.
I actually have an overnight French Toast recipe with apples that is one of my favorites, and of course I have to have bacon…and more bacon. Thanks for the recipe this sounds yummy, I’ll have to give this one a try.
My favorite breakfast item is bacon with sauteed mushrooms and fried eggs. Although my doctor wouldn’t agree that this is a healthy meal, I don’t make a habit of eating it.
love french toast….I have got to try this recipe over the coming weekend!! Thanks for the chance
French Toast is my favorite .
French toast is my favorite.
My favorite breakfast is bacon, eggs (over easy), and English muffins.
Quiche! I love the traditional Lorraine to the exotic with crab, shrimp, and artichoke. For the first gathering of my husband’s and my family, 27 years ago, we put together a marvelous brunch highlighting my quiche version with shrimp, green onions, and a very flaky crust. It was a hit!
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
I don’t like eggs, so my favorite breakfast food is sausage gravy and biscuits or hash browns and bacon or sausage. Looking forward to reading your new book. 13
This looks absolutely delicious. My grandkids LOVE French Toast the usual way so I know I will be trying this recipe on them!
The French Toast sounds yummy. My favorite breakfast usually involves a waffle, eggs & bacon. For Brunch I like what’s called a Breakfast casserole. It has eggs, ham or bacon, sometimes hash browns & biscuit dough.
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Growing up, my favorite was fried cornmeal mush with syrup. Now it’s French toast or waffles. I’m definitely going to try this recipe.
I’m intrigued. What is the extra pan in the oven?
The servings look like modified sticky/cinnamon buns.
Yum!
The small pan is a portion of the recipe using gluten-free bread. I forgot to take it out when taking the video 🙂
I wondered if that might be the case.
I love french toast, pancakes and bacon. Lots of bacon.
We love quiche of any kind for brunch.
I think I just found a new favorite! In general, I like making quiche or frittatas, they can be so versatile!
I don’t really have a favorite…it just depends on what I am hungry for…
I like having a veggie omelette for breakfast.
Pancakes with a lot of butter and maple syrup are my favorite breakfast food.
my fav is…anything some one else makes for me..lol
My fav is French toast! I always wanted to try making it in the oven.
This recipe I am going to use soon for a nice Saturday morning breakfast. I’m also adding this series to my to be read pile. Thanks for offering the giveaway, lilflynracer at msn.com
I love breakfast foods anytime of day.
Excellent recipe, and wonderful series! Might have to make French toast now. 😉
My husband makes this delicious egg soufflé and I love it actually anytime. We usually have it for a brunch, but we’ve even had it for supper.
My favorite is French Toast, so this recipe is exactly what I need to fix the next time I have guests.
Good morning Kim! The French toast looks so delish! I’m a fan of my husband’s omelets. Yummy made with love!
This does sound like a “delicious” book! My favorite breakfast casserole is an overnnight French Toast Casserole. I also have one using sausage, eggs, and croutons that my husband loves. This book makes me hungry!!!! 🙂
I usually don’t eat a formal breakfast but if I go out I enjoy bacon and eggs. If I am making it, I love any kind of quiche. Thanks for the review and the chance to win..
Sounds delicious. I think I will have to try. Thanks for the review and the giveaway.
Definitely saving this recipe!!
My favorite would be a nice Ham and Swiss Omelet– wish I had one right now!!
Love french toast, overnight casseroles and breakfast food in general! Thanks for a yummy recipe (which I’m putting on my immediate “to make” list!!!)! Thank you also for the synopsis and review – it sounds like fun read!
Happy Thursday! Nicole 🙂
Yum! This looks delicious. I am a breakfast food junkie. I love pancakes and I also love omelets.