At 12 Tomatoes, we like to make casseroles out of, well, pretty much anything, so when I saw this recipe, I instantly knew we had to try it out. Cheese sandwiches made into a casserole? That sounds like exactly the kind of vintage comfort food that we adore around here.

This recipe comes from my copy of Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook, which was my grandma’s, and then my mom’s, and now mine. It’s one of my prized possessions and it holds an esteemed place of honor in my kitchen. (Highest shelf, top right, next to a portrait of Julia Child.) It’s the ninth printing of the 1950 edition and definitely shows some wear and tear but that’s just because it’s been well-loved and well-used — those tatters are well-earned. After years of only turning to the drop cookie page, I decided it was high time to start cooking my way through it.

There are so many vintage gems in this book — and so many that my grandmother probably loved — that I felt like I should probably take some time to discover them. So I’m taking you along with me for the great Betty Crocker Cookbook Cookthrough. And today we’re working on the Supper Dishes chapter!

This recipe is probably the easiest one I’ve tried out of the book so far; it’s more or less a cheese sandwich with a custard poured over the top before it’s baked. Simple!

The recipe calls for 12 slices of bread, 6 slices of cheese, some eggs, some milk, and some salt, pepper, and dry mustard.

All you do is form sandwiches (bread, cheese, bread) and line them up in a casserole dish, then pour the egg/milk mixture all over the top. Betty asks you to chill it until the milk mixture softens the bread, but doesn’t say how long that will take. I opted for about a half an hour.

Then it bakes for an hour. This seems like a long time, but really it takes that long for the edges to crisp up and for the custard to set.

It feels kind of weird to think of custard and cheese sandwiches in the same sentence, but really this is like a savory French toast bake. It has that same soft and comforting texture, but mixed with wonderfully crispy edges… and then cheese. My only complaint? There should’ve been MORE cheese.