Blueberry French Toast Bake

Prep: 30 minutes plus chilling and standing
Bake: 1 hour • Serves: 15

1. In large bowl, beat eggs; whisk in half & half, syrup, lemon zest, cinnamon and almond extract.

2. In 13 x 9-inch baking dish, evenly spread half the bread. Evenly top bread with cream cheese and half the blueberries; top with remaining bread. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; press down gently with back of spoon to submerge bread. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350°; remove French toast from refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes. Bake French toast, covered, 30 minutes; uncover and bake 30 minutes longer or until top is golden brown.

4. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, water and cornstarch; heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in remaining blueberries; cook 4 minutes or until blueberries burst. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and butter. Pour blueberry mixture over French toast. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Approximate nutritional values per serving:
342 Calories, 17g Fat (10g Saturated), 195mg Cholesterol,
274mg Sodium, 33g Carbohydrates, 1g Fiber, 10g Protein

Chef Tip:
Frozen blueberries can be substituted for fresh; do not thaw before using.

Dietitian’s Dish Tip(s):
For a cream cheese substitute, make yogurt cheese. Drain Greek style yogurt over a sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth or a tea towel overnight over a bowl in the refrigerator. The whey will separate and drain off, leaving a creamy cheese.