French toast casserole with strawberry & blueberry sauce - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

French Toast Casserole with Strawberry-Blueberry Sauce

• 1 16-ounce French bread or challah, cubed
• 1 8-ounce cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
• 6 large eggs
• 4 cups half and half
• ½ cup butter or margarine, melted
• ¼-cup maple syrup
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 10-ounce jar strawberry preserves
• Powdered sugar, optional

Arrange all of bread in a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan.  Sprinkle with cream cheese pieces.  Whisk together eggs and next three ingredients; pour over bread mixture, pressing bread cubes to absorb egg mixture.  Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. 

Heat sliced strawberries, blueberries and strawberry preserves on low heat in a saucepan, then serve warm over bread and egg mixture.  Sprinkle well with powdered sugar. 

To Lighten Up: 

• Substitute Neufchatel cheese or light cream cheese for regular cheese;
• 1 1/2 cups egg substitute for eggs; 4 cups fat free milk for half and half and Strawberry "Simply Fruit" for strawberry preserves. 

 Very rich will serve 12-15.