Creamy banana French toast casserole

Ingredients

Whole wheat bread

12 slice(s), or oatmeal bread, cut into quarters (about 1 oz per slice)

Cooking spray

5 spray(s)

2% reduced fat milk

1 cup(s)

Maple syrup

½ cup(s)

Egg(s)

6 large egg(s)

Neufchâtel cheese

4 oz, (1/3-less-fat cream cheese)

Banana(s)

4 medium, ripe, divided

Rum

1 Tbsp

Vanilla extract

1 tsp

Fresh lemon juice

2 tsp

Ground nutmeg

½ tsp

Ground cinnamon

½ tsp

Table salt

¼ tsp

Powdered sugar (confectioner’s)

3 Tbsp

Coat a 13×9-in baking dish with nonstick spray; stand bread quarters up in prepared dish so they line the sides and bottom in a single layer.
In blender, process eggs, 2 bananas, milk, syrup, cream cheese, rum, vanilla, juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly pour mixture over bread; press bread into egg mixture, making sure it’s completely submerged. Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Just before baking, thinly slice remaining 2 bananas; tuck slices in between pieces of bread. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and set, about 10 minutes more. Sprinkle top of casserole with powdered sugar; slice into 12 pieces and serve immediately.
Serving size: 1 piece

Serve with fresh berries if desired.