“I have a large family and love to cook, so I had to figure out something that everyone would like,” says Alberta Wagy. She came up with a delicious dish that can be prepared ahead of time and makes enough to feed many hungry mouths in the morning. Serve the French toast with additional maple syrup.

1 (1-lb.) loaf French bread, cubed (1 1/2 inches)
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cubed
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1. Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place half of the bread in dish; sprinkle with cream cheese. Top with remaining bread.

2. Whisk all remaining ingredients in large bowl; pour over bread, pressing on bread with spatula to soak up egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until lightly browned.

12 servings

PER SERVING: 375 calories, 18 g total fat (10 g saturated fat), 12 g protein, 41.5 g carbohydrate, 180 mg cholesterol, 405 mg sodium, 1 g fiber