Divine Decadence Baked French Toast

Ingredients

1 pound loaf of firm white sandwich bread—1 day old

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese

1 doz eggs

1½ cups milk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp cinnamon

nutmeg

brown sugar

chopped walnuts (optional)

pecans (optional)

Instructions

Grease 13 X 9 baking dish.

Cut bread into quarters. Spread ½ into pan.

Cut cream cheese into small cubes and sprinkle ½ of cheese and walnuts over bread.

Repeat layering with bread and cream cheese.

Whisk eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Open oven and carefully smooth out the cream cheese on top layer. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans (if using). Bake for 10 more minutes. Turn off oven and let stand 10 – 15 minutes. Serve with additional maple syrup.

Bee–try both of them–one for Christmas morning and one for New Year. See which one the family likes best. I truly like both of them and they are different enough from one another so you don't feel like you're eating the same thing. Both recipes come from B&Bs my DH and I stayed at over the years and are very special to us.