Joanna Gaines' Genius Tip For Tackling Complex Recipes

Complicated recipes take time and do not always yield the results of picture-perfect dishes on Instagram. However, if you are forgoing making food you really want to because there's a lot going on with the steps, grab a page from Joanna Gaines' playbook and transform these recipes into a casserole. Per Business Insider, Gaines confessed that she does this with one of her husband Chip's favorite breakfast dishes: eggs Benedict. 

Eggs Benedict is an eggy dish that can be time-consuming to make for each person sitting at the table, especially on a busy morning, but give it a makeover and turn it into a one-dish wonder that you can make ahead and bake when you are ready, and you've changed this culinary game. You still get all of the same tasty elements of the original dish but with less time and effort. And if Gaines can accomplish this feat with eggs Benedict, imagine what recipes you can put to the test. But there are a few things to keep in mind.

Gaines utilizes this technique with many of our favorite breakfast foods. It works well because casseroles are all about layered flavors. When you are creating something like a French toast casserole, layering all the different ingredients is what will give your taste buds the depth of flavor you know and love when you make individual versions of the same dish. Gaines does just that with her version of this morning favorite, per Kitchn.

French toast casserole involves cubing the bread instead of using individual slices. The eggy-milky mixture that is synonymous with French toast is poured over these cubes. The flavor develops as it sets overnight to absorb all that eggy-milky mixture that is flavored with vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add a little texture with a topping of brown sugar and butter along with your favorite nuts, bake, and you are able to feed a crowd. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even change things up and make a blueberry French toast casserole.

Of course, you need to be mindful of cooking times with some of these recipes to ensure the ingredients come together and the flavors build properly. You also need to be conservative with the wet ingredients or you can end up with a soggy mess. This is true of everything from French toast to chicken enchilada casserole.