Directions:

Heat oven to 350 F.

Place four slices of raisin bread in a single layer in a buttered 9-inch-square baking dish. Top with bananas and four slices of raisin bread. Blend milk, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over raisin bread. Let stand 5 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes (50 to 55 minutes if refrigerated) until set and top is toasted. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut French toast into diagonal halves and remove with spatula. Dust servings with powdered sugar, if desired.

News of Nutrition

The raisins and bananas are not just good, they're good for you. Here's why:

• Dried fruits are great for a snack-about 1/4 cup of raisins is equivalent to a serving of fruit.

• Compared to other common snacks, raisins do not trigger the "let down" or low-energy response found a few hours later with other snacks among people tested.

• Potassium, a key nutrient in raisins and bananas, may help reduce the risk of stroke, lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart arrhythmias, and prevent some types of kidney disease, the National Institutes of Health reports.

• Adding just 3 ounces of raisins daily to the diet may prevent constipation and protect against some colon diseases.

• Bananas provide vitamin B6, which helps support the immune system, and are rich in vitamin C.

Learn More

You can get more tips and recipes from the experts at Sun-Maid Growers of California by visiting www.sunmaid.com.