Baked Apple French Toast
Cinnamon Stick Farm Bed and Breakfast, Clio, Mich.

3 large green apples
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
12 ounces cream cheese
12 slices firm bread (your choice: white, wheat, French, sourdough, etc.)
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons vanilla
Cinnamon

Set rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch pan. Core and cut the apples into thin wedges, leaving the skin on (if desired).
In a skillet, melt butter with brown sugar and one tablespoon water. Add apples and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cooked apples to the baking dish; allow to cool.
    Cut cream cheese into cubes and arrange evenly over the apples. Cut slices of bread in half diagonally and layer over the apples to cover the whole dish.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, taking care to dampen all the bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden and puffed. Let cool 10 minutes.