Caramel Apple Strata

Last night's dinner ended up being hot dogs nothing to blog about.  However, after that, I finally made this make ahead breakfast that I've been wanting to try for a week and a half.  It came from my taste of home simple and delicious magazine - not sure I'd call it simple as far as a breakfast goes - ok, I'm sure I wouldn't call it simple, but it was delicious.  Next time I would not make the home-made caramel sauce, but buy a store bought one.  The home made sauce was too thick, and we didn't end up even using all of it.  If I did make the home made sauce, I'd only make 1/2 of it to go in the strata, and definitely not the 1/2 that gets drizzled on the top.  I'm writing it out how I made it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 3 large apples, peeled and chopped (I used 4 medium to large Braeburn apples)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (I was a tiny bit shy, but it was the juice of 1 lemon)
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (I didn't have any I used Saigon cinnamon)
• 1 loaf (1 lb.) day-old cinnamon bread (mine was a week old, but unopened)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 10 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, sugar and pie spice.  Arrange half of the bread slices in a greased 9 X 13 pan.  Spoon apples over bread; drizzle with half of the caramel sauce.  Sprinkle with pecans; top with remaining bread.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt and vanilla.  Pour over the top.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Cover and refrigerate remaining caramel sauce.
4. Remove strata from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
5. In a small microwave-safe dish, microwave reserved sauce, uncovered for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.  Drizzle over strata.