]Photo by Kim Scarborough

Sunday brunch is always good family-fun. This Stuffed French toast is a treat the whole family will enjoy and they can all help make it too. Younger children can use their little fingers to pinch the edges around the bread, and older kids can mix and spread the filling.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of whole wheat bread
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Maple syrup for serving

Directions: In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and nuts. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto 4 slices of bread, keeping most of the mixture in the center of the slice of bread. Place a plain piece of bread on top of each dressed slice to make a “sandwich”. Trim the crust off of the sandwiches. Using your fingers, pinch all around the edges of the crust-less sandwiches to seal the filling in.

At medium-low heat, melt butter in a large non-stick skillet or griddle and spread it over the bottom of the pan. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla with a fork until combined. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture turning over to coat both sides. Place each sandwich in the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Flip over to cook the other side about 2 minutes. Serve with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Makes 4 adult/big kid servings or 8 toddler servings.

Per Adult/Big Kid Serving: 634 Cal (61% from Fat, 10% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 15 g Protein; 43 g Tot Fat; 48 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 12 g Sugar; 136 mg Calcium; 4 mg Iron; 371 mg Potassium; 1100 IU Vit A; 297 mg ATE Vit E; 0 mg Vit C

Per Toddler Serving: 317 Cal (61% from Fat, 10% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 8 g Protein; 22 g Tot Fat; 24 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 6 g Sugar; 68 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 186 mg Potassium; 550 IU Vit A; 149 mg ATE Vit E; 0 mg Vit C

About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week and So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at www.FreshBaby.com for more delicious tips.