Fancy Stuffed French Toast

1 one pound loaf unsliced French bread

1 8oz. Block cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup peach preserves (or apricot)

5 eggs

1 ¼ cups milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Syrup

Cut the French bread into 16 slices, about 1 inch thick.

Cut a pocket in each slice, cutting from the top-crust down almost to the bottom.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together softened cream cheese and peach preserves.

Spoon about 1 TBS of cheese mixture into each pocket.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg till combined.

Dip stuffed bread slices into egg mixture.

On a griddle or in a skillet, heat butter or margarine.

Fry stuffed bread over medium heat till golden brown, turning once (about 1 ½ minutes per side. Serve with syrup.

 Apple Cider Syrup

½ cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

1 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS butter or margarine

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in small saucepan.

Stir in apple cider or juice.

Cook and stir the mixture over medium heat till mixture is thick and bubbly.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter or margarine until melted.