Cranberry-Apple French Toast Casserole

This prep-ahead casserole, which turns extra dinner rolls and cranberry sauce into a brunch or dessert treat, is especially welcome if you are entertaining houseguests for the long holiday weekend. While we enjoyed the tartness of the Granny Smith apples, any baking apple will do. Serve with apple wedges.

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  butter
• 2  cups  diced Granny Smith apple (about 2 apples)
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/4  cup  packed brown sugar, divided
• 1  pound  dinner rolls, quartered
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  sweetened dried cranberries
• 1 1/4  cups  apple juice
• 1 1/4  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 3/4  cup  whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 6  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4  cup  sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apple, cinnamon, and cloves to pan; cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar; cook 2 minutes or until sugar melts. Remove from heat.

Place quartered rolls on a jelly-roll pan; bake at 250° for 15 minutes. Arrange rolls in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cranberries evenly over rolls; top with apple mixture. Combine apple juice and the next 5 ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour egg mixture over roll mixture; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover dish, and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until golden.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

270 (28% from fat)

Fat:

8.5g (sat 2.9g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.2g)

Protein:

7.7g

Carbohydrate:

41.9g

Fiber:

2.4g

Cholesterol:

112mg

Iron:

2mg

Sodium:

265mg

Calcium:

103mg