1 long, thin 8 ounce loaf French bread
8 lg. eggs
3 c. milk
4 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. butter, cut in sm. pieces

Lightly grease 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Cut bread into 1 inch slices. Arrange in 1 layer on bottom of pan. Beat eggs in large mixing bowl until lightly beaten. Add milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat 30 seconds to combine. Gently pour over bread in pan, being sure to saturate all bread with mixture. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 36 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover pan, dot with butter. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until bread is puffy and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with syrup or other topping.