Philadelphia French Toast

Again, a recipe I had marked "Great" in my collection file.Like so many of you, I have collected many recipes over the years and have them filed in many places. Recipezaar is helping me get organized and find old favorites.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 8  slices  Italian bread, thickly cut on the diagonal
• 4  tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 4  tablespoons  strawberry preserves
• 3  eggs
• 1  cup milk
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
• 1  tablespoon butter or 1  tablespoon margarine
• 2  cups  chopped strawberries
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1⁄4 cup water

Directions

1. The night before, spread each of 4 slices of bread with 1T. cream cheese and the other 4 each with 1T. preserves.Make 4 sandwiches from the bread and put in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
2. Mix eggs, milk, sugar and nutmeg in a bowl. Slowly pour half of this mixture on one side of each sandwich. Turn sandwiches over and repeat process, making sure that all bread surfaces have some egg mixture on them.
3. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate overnight.
4. In the morning, preheat oven to 200 degrees.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add 1T. of butter. Fry sandwiches about 4 minutes on each side. Keep warm in oven.
6. Serve with strawberry sauce: Combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and water.
7. Bring to a boil and watch carefully so that it doesn't boil over.
8. Boil several minutes until mixture cooks down and thickens.
9. This can be done the night before, refrigerated and then reheated.