Monte Cristo Casserole

1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
6 eggs
2 packages (12.5 ounces each) frozen French toast slices, thawed
8 ounces deli baked ham, diced
8 ounces deli roast turkey, diced
4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated (1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup strawberry ice cream topping

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat milk in small microwave-cooker on HIGH 3 minutes or until hot. Whisk eggs in a bowl; add hot milk to eggs, whisking until blended. Cut French toast into 3/4-inch cubes; place in large colander bowl. Pour egg mixture over French toast cubes; toss gently; set aside.

2. Dice ham and turkey. Grate cheese. Snip parsley. Combine ham, turkey, cheese and parsley in a bowl; mix. Layer half of the French toast cubes in bottom of a rectangular baker. Top with half of the meat and cheese mixture. Repeat.

3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Remove to cooling rack; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

4. Slice strawberries. Combine strawberries with strawberry topping in small colander bowl. Cut casserole into squares; serve. Top each serving with strawberry mixture.

Yield: 12 servings or 24 sample servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 280, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 165 mg, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 18 g, Sodium 900 mg, Fiber 2 g

Here's a recipe I've used recently...

Overnight Crème Brule French Toast Recipe<o:p></o:p>

This is a wonderful cross between the delightful dessert, crème brule, and the favorite brunch dish, French toast.<o:p></o:p>

Ingredients: <o:p></o:p>

• 3 tablespoons low- or no-trans fat margarine or butter <o:p></o:p>
• 5 tablespoons regular or reduced-calorie pancake syrup <o:p></o:p>
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar <o:p></o:p>
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier® (or other liqueur), divided <o:p></o:p>
• At least 8 (1 inch thick) slices of French or sourdough bread (you might need more to cover the bottom of the pan depending on the size of your bread) <o:p></o:p>
• 3 large eggs <o:p></o:p>
• 1/2 cup egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters®) <o:p></o:p>
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half <o:p></o:p>
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract <o:p></o:p>
• 1/4 teaspoon salt <o:p></o:p>
• Garnish: fresh strawberries or other berries and a dollop of light whipped cream or Light Cool Whip®. <o:p></o:p>

Preparation:<o:p></o:p>

1. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray. Melt margarine or butter in a small nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Mix in reduced-calorie pancake syrup, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier®, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
2. Remove crusts from bread and arrange slices in the baking dish in a single layer on top of the brown sugar mixture (enough slices to cover the bottom of the pan).
3. In small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg substitute, fat-free half-and-half, vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier®, and salt. Pour mixture evenly over the bread. Cover well and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dish from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
5. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Serve with fresh fruit and a dollop of light whipped cream if desired.<o:p></o:p>

Yield: <o:p></o:p>

8 servings<o:p></o:p>

Nutritional Information: <o:p></o:p>

Per serving: 294 calories, 12 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 2.1 g monounsaturated fat, 1.8 g polyunsaturated fat), 82 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 537 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 20%.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>Note: </o:p>

<o:p>I added sliced apples on top of the mixture in the baker & sprinkled cinnamon sugar over the apples.  Rec'd applause by everyone.</o:p>