Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate

Inspired by a candy bar favorite, this rich & decadent Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate is the perfect addition to a cozy weekend brunch...

Thank you to Blendtec for sponsoring this recipe post. The recipe and opinions in this post are 100% mine.

If you ask me, cold winter weekends were just made for warm, cozy brunches at home. I mean, who wants to bundle up, get everyone in the car, and brave the freezing temps for breakfast out at your favorite brunch spot? And you have no reason to when you can stay at home with a huge stack of homemade waffles, your family's favorite toppings, and mugs of this warm & rich Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate.

I do have to confess that I have always been more of a packets of hot cocoa mix kind of gal. I mean, it is easy, peasy, right? You dump the packet into a mug, pour in hot water or milk, stir, & done. 

But while the instant stuff is great in a pinch (or when you are feeling lazy), cozy weekend brunches at home with the family call for something a little more decadent. I do save the good stuff- like this Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate- for more special occasions... or sometimes just because. ;) And you know what? Making hot chocolate from scratch really doesn't take that many more steps than making the packet stuff, and it happens to be 10 times better. Trust me on this...

12 Savory Brunch-worthy Casseroles & Bakes

 Brimming with eggs, cheese, sausage, bacon, and lots of veggies & flavor, these 12 Savory Brunch-worthy Casseroles & Bakes are the perfect way to start your weekend...

Over the weekend I shared with you all 12 Brunch-worthy French Toast Casseroles.   But with Easter in just a few short days (and Easter brunches!), I had to also pay homage to the delicious & savory brunch-worthy casseroles and bakes.  

Because not everyone is into the sweet breakfast dishes, or maybe you would like to have a little variety at your weekend brunch to please everyone's palates. ;)

I searched high and low and gathered up the tastiest savory brunch casseroles and bakes that I could find from my favorite food bloggers- brimming with eggs, cheese, sausage, bacon, lots of veggies, and of course, flavor! 

You are sure to find at least one recipe below that should make an appearance on your weekend brunch menu.

12 Brunch-worthy French Toast Casseroles

These 12 Brunch-worthy French Toast Casseroles would make the perfect hassle free & tasty addition to that next big weekend brunch menu you may be planning...

I kind of have a thing for french toast casseroles.  It started with my Overnight Pumpkin Pie Chai French Toast back in November of 2012.  And then there was my Irish Coffee French Toast Casserole.  And I even created one chock full of rainbow sprinkles, perfect for celebrating a birthday- my Happy Birthday Cake Batter French Toast! :)

I am not really a big fan of traditional french toast.... the dipping and soaking and the mess. And then there is having to stand in front of the stove and watching the pan as you fry each batch.

There is just something so much more appealing to me about tossing the sliced bread into a casserole dish and pouring the eggs, and milk, and everything else over top & then popping it into the oven. 

Plus, a french toast casserole frees you up to be able to prepare another dish while it is baking... like frying bacon or making omelets, cutting fruit, brewing coffee.

They are the perfect, hassle free & tasty addition to a big brunch you may be planning... say for Easter or Mother's Day or just because. ;)