2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
7 slices (about 7 ounces) stale sandwich bread, torn into pieces
¾ cup chopped fresh strawberries
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
¾ cup half-and-half
¼ cup strawberry preserves
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with the melted butter.
In the prepared baking dish, toss together the bread and strawberries.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, preserves, sugar, and vanilla to combine well. Pour the mixture over the bread and strawberries in the baking dish, pressing down lightly to make sure that all of the bread is saturated with the milk mixture. Let stand for at least 15 minutes, or as long as overnight.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until the pudding is puffed and golden brown.