PUFFED FRENCH TOAST RECIPES

Steps:

• Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Arrange half the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Evenly distribute cream cheese cubes over the bread cube layer; sprinkle 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries atop cream cheese layer. Layer the remaining bread cubes over strawberry layer.
• Pour half-and-half into a blender; pulse for a few seconds. Blend eggs into half-and-half until fully incorporated. Add maple syrup and blend until smooth. Pour mixture evenly over bread mixture. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove baking dish from refrigerator 45 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake the covered casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until French toast is puffed and golden brown, about 30 more minutes.
• Stir sugar, water, and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in 1 cup sliced strawberries; cook and stir until strawberries have softened, about 10 minutes. Add butter; stir until melted. Serve hot over French toast.

Steps:

• Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut the English muffins into 1-inch cubes. (Do not halve them horizontally as you would normally for the toaster.) Place the cubes on a sheet pan and bake until lightly toasted, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium or large skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage and scallions, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper and cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is evenly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Meanwhile, add the eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to large bowl; whisk to combine.
• To assemble, sprinkle half of the sausage, then half of the cheese onto the bottom of the baking dish. Add the English muffin cubes on top in one even layer. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the pan, pressing down lightly to make sure all the bread is moistened. Top with remaining sausage and cheese. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the casserole until puffed and cooked through, about 40 minutes. (It may need a few more minutes, if your casserole has been in the refrigerator overnight.) Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.