Saturday, April 13, 2013

Baked French Toast

Overnight Baked French Toast Recipe by Our Best Bites 8 eggs 2 cups half and half (one pint) 1 cup milk (whatever kind you have on hand) 6 tablespoons brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (a little less if using table salt) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 lb loaf of french bread softened butter for greasing baking dish (2-3 tablespoons) Topping 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar 4 tablespoons white sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons cold butter For Serving melted butter maple syrup powdered sugar berries whipped cream Crack eggs into large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in half and half and milk. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Set aside. Use softened butter to butter bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish. Cut bread into 1 inch chunks and place in dish. Whisk egg mixture one more time and then pour evenly over bread. Use a rubber spatula to very gently toss bread, moving bread on bottom to top, and making sure all of the piece on top get dipped in egg mixture. Spread out evenly, cover dish, and place in fridge overnight. To make topping, place brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to combine. Cut cold butter into very small pieces and add to bowl. Use clean hands to break up butter and combine mixture until crumbly. Cover and place in fridge until morning. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic from dish and sprinkle topping evenly over top. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown. You can stick a knife or skewer in the casserole to make sure the egg mixture is set on the bottom. *Note I have left a generous baking time window because it varies on ovens and the size of your bread cubes. I used to cook this closer to 60 minutes at my old house, but in my new convection ovens it’s done closer to 45. Keep an eye on it and let me know how long yours takes to bake! Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares. Drizzle with melted butter and syrup, top with berries, whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar if desired.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos Yield: Makes about 6 burritos Ingredients 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed small (about 3-4 cups) 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced 1 red pepper, diced small 1 small red onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drain 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (depending on your taste) 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 ripe avocado 6-8 burrito-size tortillas - I used whole wheat for a healthy option Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, jalapeno, red pepper and red onion with the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Dump the coated veggies onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy at the end of cooking time. Let the vegetable mixture cool. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and toss with the black beans, cilantro, honey and lime juice. Taste the mixture and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to assemble the burritos or use immediately. Place tortillas on a pan, add cheese and mixture...wrap, add avocado and devour!!

Amazing Bruschetta

Amazing Bruschetta by Ellie Bean {8 servings} INGREDIENTS: 6 Roma tomatoes 2 cloves minced garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup balsamic vinager 1/2 tsp salt and pepper 1/2 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch slices 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to broiler setting. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinager, basil and salt and pepper. Allow mixture to sit for at least 20 minutes. (This can be made earlier in the day). Place bread on a baking sheet, and top with tomato mixture. Top each slice with mozzarella cheese. Broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted! Enjoy!

White Sheet Cake

Grammy's White Sheet Cake 1 c. butter 1 c. water 2 c. sugar 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 c. sour cream Frosting: 1 c. butter 6 Tbl. evaporated milk 4 1/2 c. powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1/8 tsp. salt strawberries if desired Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter and water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda. Stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in the sour cream and mix until blended. Pour the batter into a well greased 11''x17'' sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool slightly while you make the frosting. Put the butter and milk into a medium saucepan. Heat until butter is melted and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla and a dash of salt. Whisk until completely smooth.

Herb Crusted Chicken with Creamy Basil Sauce

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, pounded thin 1/4 cup milk 1/2 cup Progresso Garlic & Herb Bread Crumbs 2 teaspoons 'Perfect Pinch' Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper Seasoning 1 teaspoon freeze dried chives 3 Tablespoons butter 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 cup Chicken Broth 1/4 can of Italian diced tomatoes, drained and finely chopped 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese blend 2 Tablespoons freeze dried (or fresh) basil dash of fresh ground black pepper Hardware: Large skillet Cutting board Measuring cup/spoons Meat mallet Procedure: Place bread crumbs, Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper Seasoning and freeze dried chives in a shallow bowl; mix thoroughly. Place milk in a separate shallow bowl. In a skillet, heat butter on medium heat. Meanwhile, pound chicken flat and thin for even cooking (if you haven't done so already). Dip the chicken in the milk, then coat with crumb mixture. Cook chicken in butter until browned and cooked through (about ten minutes). Remove and keep warm In the same skillet, add garlic and saute for approximately 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to loosen browned parts from the pan. Stir in cream and tomatoes; bring to a boil and stir for one minute. Reduce heat to low; add Parmesan cheese, basil and a dash of pepper, stir sauce and cook until heated through and thickened. (about 5 minutes) Serve by pouring the sauce over the chicken. For added flair, serve the chicken and sauce over cooked pasta.