Bread Pudding with Strawberry Sauce

-------------------------------BREAD PUDDING------------------------------- French bread (preferably day -old), sliced 1/2-inch thick 1/2 c Currants

2 Eggs, beaten

3/4 c Sugar

1 qt Skim milk

1/2 c Margarine, melted

1 tb Vanilla

1 ts Ground nutmeg

------------------------------STRAWBERRY SAUCE------------------------------ 1 pt Fresh strawberries or one

- package (16-oz) frozen - strawberries, thawed 1/4 c Orange juice

3 tb Lemon juice

1/4 c Sugar

2 tb Cornstarch

Pudding ~------ Place one layer of sliced French bread in the bottom of a greased 9-inch cake pan. Sprinkle with half of the currants. Place another layer of bread on top and sprinkle with the remaining currants. Mix together the eggs, sugar, milk, margarine, vanilla, and nutmeg and pour gently over the bread and currants, making sure all the top layer is saturated. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. Bake in a preheated 350 F. oven, uncovered, until the custard is set and the top is lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Cut into servings and top with strawberry sauce. Strawberry Sauce ~--------------- Place the strawberries, orange juice, and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook on low until the strawberries are softened. Puree one-third of the strawberry mixture and return to the whole strawberry mixture. Combine the sugar with the cornstarch and add to the strawberries. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Recipe from: Maplehedge Bed and Breakfast Inn, Charlestown, New Hampshire Source: Yankee Magazine`s Christmas in New England, 1995