Recipe: Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Casserole

Here's a great dish for your Christmas morning breakfast, classic with blueberries and maple syrup. It's a riff on a recipe that my friend Laura gave me years ago and that I've seen floating around the internet in one form or another for years. This is a do-ahead dish that you'll want to start the day before you plan to serve, so be prepared. :)

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

You'll need:

• 6 large croissants
• 8 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk (whole)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 8 ounces cream cheese

Spray a 9" x 13" pan lightly with cooking spray. Tear the croissants into bite-size pieces and place one half into the pan. Pull cream cheese into small pieces and place on top of the bread cubes. Sprinkle the blueberries over the cream cheese, then top with remaining bread. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten, then add milk, maple syrup, and melted butter. Whisk well to combine, then pour over croissant mixture. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator to allow custard mixture to soak into the croissants for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees, with oven rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes until custard is set. Serve immediately.

Note: The cream cheese doesn't get all melty and spread out, it stays the size it is when you break it up, so make the pieces nice and small.

Please, go forth and have a merry holiday. Eat much, nap much, and love often and with reckless abandon.

xo, cvb