Cooking Thursday

I tried a new recipe this weekend that I'm sharing with you.  It's a French Toast Bake that I put together on Saturday afternoon, then threw in the oven on Sunday morning.  It was very easy to make and we both enjoyed it.  The leftovers warm up nicely in the microwave too.

Creamy Blueberry Baked French Toast

1 loaf of French bread cubed
8 oz cream cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup fresh blueberries
8 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Butter a 9x13 dish and arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom.
Make the cream cheese mixture by beating the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon peel. Spoon it on to the bread cubes and spread it out to cover the bread. (It doesn't really cover the bread cubes - just do the best you can).  Top with blueberries and then add the rest of the bread cubes.
Mix together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, another dash of lemon juice and a tsp of lemon peel. Whisk it well! Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and press it all down to make sure that everything gets soaked.
Cover and stick in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours. When you are ready to bake, pull it out and let it warm up while the oven preheats to 350. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread is all puffy, golden and crispy.  Check to make sure the center is cooked well.
You may eat it as is, or serve with syrup.