CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST BAKE

This recipe was a winner in the 2004 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 cans (12.4 oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing

6 eggs

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup maple syrup

GARNISH:

Icing from cinnamon rolls

Powdered sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup, if desired

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Into an ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, pour butter. Separate cans of dough into 16 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 pieces and place pieces over butter in the baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended. Gently pour mixture over the cinnamon roll pieces. Sprinkle with pecans, drizzle with the cup of syrup.

Bake 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove covers from icing and microwave on medium 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.

Drizzle icing over top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired, spoon the syrup from the dish over individual servings. Serve with the 1/2 cup maple syrup.

Yield: 12 servings