Pineapple Upside Down French Toast

1/4 c unsalted butter
1/4 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
10 oz well-drained, canned crushed pineapple, in juice, reserve juice
2 large eggs
1 c milk
1/4 c half-and-half or cream
1/4 ts salt
1/4 ts cinnamon
1/4 ts vanilla extract
8 (1-inch thick) slices bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a saucepan, melt butter over moderate heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Add pineapple, stirring well to incorporate.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half and half, reserved pineapple juice, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and spread pineapple mixture evenly over bottom. Dip bread slices into milk mixture and arrange in one layer on top of pineapple mixture. Pour remianing milk mix into casserole and let sit to allow bread to soak up juices. 
Bake French toast in middle of oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bread is golden. Let stand 5 minutes and invert onto serving platter.