French Toast Casserole

This requires overnight in the refrigerator and 30 min in the morning on the counter before baking.

10 c (1 in. cubed) premium quality white bread, ~16 slices

Cooking spray

8 oz block 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temp

8 lrg eggs, room temp

1 1/2 c low fat milk

2/3 c half and half

1/2 c maple syrup

1/2 t vanilla extract

2 T powdered sugar

3/4 c maple syrup

oven at 375F

Place bread cubes in 13x9 in baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk, half and half, 1/2 c maple syrup, vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over the bread in the baking pan. Cover and refrigerate over night.

In the morning, remove souffle from frig and let sit on counter 30 min.

Bake at 375F 50 min or until set. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve warm with maple syrup and/or fruit and whipped cream (for added decadence!)

diana

Best Baked Salmon Ever!

Don't really know if this is true but if you come up with a better name let me know.

Big chunk of salmon (with skin is ok. I think one piece is better than lots of pieces.)

Mr. Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce (I get it at Costco in CA but Krista and Miriam used teriyaki sauce instead and thought it was ok)

furikake (Japanese sprinkle stuff you put on top of rice- any kind you like)

wasabe mayonnaise (this is essential! unless you loathe wasabe... :>( )

Oven at 350F

Pick the baking pan to fit your piece of fish. For a really long piece of fish I use my rimmed sheet pan. Watch out for sauce spillage when removing from the oven.

Pour Mr. Yo's sauce into the pan. Cover the bottom with the sauce.

Place washed and dried fish into pan on top of the sauce.

Dot with wasabe mayonnaise

Sprinkle furikake all over the top of the fish.

Using a chopstick, poke holes all over the fish.

Bake about 30 min, until flaky and a good "salmon pink" color.

People really seem to like this dish, and it's easy so it's great to wow the guests, providing the salmon isn't too expensive, of course!

diana