Simpler Times French Toast Casserole

Overnight French Toast casserole is a favorite in our house. Especially this one. Simpler Times Blueberry French Toast Casserole. Always a request from my son and his friends, especially when they were back on break from college. But planning ahead is not really my thing, or theirs, so we sort of skipped the overnight part and gave it abut an hour for the bread to soak up the custard. A little mash and stir helps that along and even with just half an hour to soak, it comes out perfect. This time I even went for the real bacon and not the pre-cooked. No comparison! A pretty perfect breakfast. Tomorrow it's back to the cheerio's!

Simpler Times French Toast
Source: David/ Lakeguy (GW Cooking Forum), original recipe by Chef & Innkeeper Cindy Belford, Simpler Times Inn
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

1 whole Challah or Brioche cut in 1" cubes
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar (original recipe called for 1 cup, I used 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups milk or half & half
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Put bread cubes in large bowl. Whip eggs, sugar and nutmeg until light in color and thick. Add milk, stir and pour over bread. Cover and place in fridge overnight, if you can't make it ahead, let it soak for at least an hour and mix the bread well in the custard mixture.

In the morning, mix 1 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup pecans into the bread mix and put into a greased pan; sprinkle rest of the blueberries on top, then the pecans. In pan, melt butter and brown sugar until bubbly. Pour mixture over blueberries and pecans.

Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until puffed. Serve hot with syrup.

Joining

Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter

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Flashback Friday: Quiche

My favorite quiche, Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheddar!

I love quiche, and it's a nice change of pace for dinner sometimes. And very easy to put together! Use whatever you have in the frig. but my favorite combination is broccoli, mushrooms and cheddar, although anything goes! We had it with a big salad! Romaine, arugula, baby spinach, yellow peppers, carrots, baby plum tomatoes and beets with a classic vinaigrette!

It's definitely a repeat since I've posted the recipes before, but it's so good, I'll post it again for Flashback Friday and join Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet for another visit to a really great recipe! Check out Suzy's Flashback Friday for more "new visits to old favorites!"

Basic Vinaigrette
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 -5 tablespoons or more, good vinegar -- wine, sherry, rice, balsamic, fruit, etc.
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped

Put all ingredients in a glass jar with a lid. Tighten lid and shake until combined and emulsified!

Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheddar Quiche

adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

Printable Recipe

NOTE - I've used 1% milk, with no cream, and it comes out just as good with a lot less fat!

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (I use deep dish)

Custard Filling:

3 eggs

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups broccoli, florets, chopped small

1-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

8 ounces mushrooms, white button, sliced

1 shallot, chopped fine

olive oil and a little butter

Preheat oven to 375°. Line pie shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with uncooked beans, rice, aluminum or ceramic pie weights. Bake until golden brown and dry. Carefully remove foil and weights. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making filling.

 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Add broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms first release their liquid and then liquid evaporates and mushrooms are dark golden brown and the broccoli is tender.

 

Transfer quiche pan to a baking sheet. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix in the mushrooms, shallots, broccoli and remaining cheese. Pour into the pie shell. Transfer to oven, and bake until just set in the center, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

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Flashback Friday: Pumpkin Pancakes

 Joining Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet for another Flashback Friday! Suzy is on vacation from blogging for a bit until after the holidays but check out her blog and her flashback links!

I had found a really delicious recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes last year on the blog, DISHING UP! and I remember they were so good, I have to make these again! Perfect for a Sunday morning breakfast.

We haven't had big breakfasts in a while, not since most of our regular Sunday breakfasters graduated high school and went away to college. Son's friends. Big breakfasts have dwindled, except when they're all home for break! They're starting to arrive home in dribs and drabs for the holidays and I'm sure I'll be suckered into making a few Sunday breakfasts in the next few weeks! One time I got a note scotch taped to the alarm clock, said, me and the guys would greatly appreciate if you could make them all breakfast! Next morning six HUGE appetites were at the table waiting for breakfast! Still have that note!

These Pumpkin Pancakes were a hit. I topped them with Banana's sauteed in Maple Syrup!

Pumpkin Pancakes
Source: DISHING UP blog
Printable Recipe

2 cups flour
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon (I used more cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk (shake well in the container, then measure)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients together in another bowl. Add the wet to the dry and stir until mixed. Let stand about 10 minutes. Stir again, and using a 1/4 cup measure, drop into buttered pan over medium heat. Cook until edges dry out and bubbles start to form. Flip and cook until bottom is browned and pancakes are cooked through. Serve right away with butter and maple syrup, or keep in a warm oven if making a big batch.

Heat up some Maple Syrup, I like Grade B, and throw in some slice banana's, and a little bit of dark rum, add some pecans of you like. Saute it all together and serve with the Pumpkin Pancakes.

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Better late than never flashback...

Missed Flashback Friday with Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet yesterday, but that's ok, she did, too, LOL! but this one is such a good one I'll post the flashback anyway. Definitely worth repeating, especially if you like bread puddings. This one is from Food & Wine magazine. I made it a while ago and I definitely have this one on the list to make again. It was good, I wouldn't change a thing, maybe a little less heavy on the filling.

Jam and Bread Pudding
source: Food & Wine magazine, recipe by Grace Parisi
Printable Recipe

One 1-pound loaf challah bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons strawberry jam or preserves
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon whole milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of the challah in the dish; tear the slices to fit. Spread 3/4 cup of the jam on top; cover with the remaining challah.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, 2 1/2 cups of the milk and the vanilla and pour over the challah; press to soak and brush with 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cover with foil and bake for 24 minutes, removing the foil halfway through, until the pudding is set; remove from the oven.

Preheat the broiler. Blend the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk with the confectioners' sugar. Add the remaining butter and jam and stir until the glaze is smooth. Spread all but 1/4 cup of the glaze over the pudding and broil until the glaze is golden. Drizzle the bread pudding with the remaining glaze and serve.

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White Bread for Dessert?

White Bread Blintzes? Sounds interesting. Somewhat? They are. Really!

During the summer I work in a day camp as a baking counselor, kind of funny since I'm not exactly great at baking, I prefer cooking. Could be the lack of focus on my part, no patience to be exact and I have this little problem of being distracted and things burn. The smoke alarm is my friend. Anyway, for one of the projects this summer we made mock blintzes with the groups.


It was a big hit, the kids had fun making them and loved eating them. We made them even better by microwaving a container of vanilla frosting until it was melted and poured the goo all over the blintzes! Over the top good! So I decided my kids would love them and I made a batch for dessert tonight. I forgot all about the frosting. Next time!

I served them on a very pretty dish, my friend Cynthia had surprised us this summer with a "just because" gift! A fused glass Peggy Karr plate with Morning Glories. Thank you Cynthia, I love it! and it makes this dessert that much sweeter :)


To make mock blintzes, start out with some slices of white bread, even light white is fine, and roll it really flat. If you're a perfectionist you can cut off the crusts. I'm not picky but it does look nicer crustless. but I am lazy, so guess what? I left the crusts on!










Once you get them really flat spread a thin layer of cream cheese, could be fat free, low fat, whipped, whatever! Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll them up tightly and dip in melted butter and then more cinnamon sugar.










Fry them up in a skillet with some butter (you can also bake them in the oven at 350 degrees F until they brown, but pan frying them gets them good and gooey on top! In camp we also tried filling it with apple butter. Awesome! Raspberry jam. Apricot jam, possibilities galore.









Mock Cheese Blintzes
Printable Recipe

1 loaf white bread (not the ends!)
8 oz. cream cheese (you can use any kind you like, low fat, whipped, whatever!)
2 sticks butter or margarine, melted
Cinnamon and sugar mixture (1 1/2 cups of sugar mixed with 3-4 tablespoons ground cinnamon)


Remove crusts from the bread. Flatten the bread with a rolling pin. Spread cream cheese on the flattened bread in a thin layer, sprinkle a little cinnamon-sugar on top and roll up. Dip the rolls into melted butter and then into more cinnamon-sugar. Pan fry in a skillet with butter until golden brown, or bake in the oven at about 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve warm.

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Mosaic Monday: Quiche

Welcome to another Mosaic Monday hosted by Mary at The Little Red House! Check out Mary's blog, there are loads of participants with all different kinds of really cool mosaics joining in on Mosaic Monday every week!

This is a basic quiche recipe I've been making for years. It's been adapted along the way to whatever I have on hand. Whole milk, low fat, heavy cream, it's a basic custard so use whatever you have. You can add any fillings you like, any cheeses you like. Very adaptable. Spinach and Artichoke with Mozzarella is really good. The recipe usually makes enough for a deep dish crust OR two regular pie crusts. Tonight I used 2% milk, shredded cheddar and shredded mozzarella. It's basically a "leftovers" quiche! Sounds nicer than a "dump" quiche though. But that's basically it. Dump whatever you have and mix it up, pour it in and bake. It is a lot more elegant than I make it out to be, it's great at a brunch, or luncheon, or anything.






It's also good crustless, just pour into a baking dish and bake until it's set in the center.









Broccoli, Cheddar and Mushroom Quiche
Printable Recipe

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Custard Filling:
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups broccoli, florets, chopped small
1-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
8 ounces mushrooms, white button, sliced
1 shallot, chopped fine
olive oil and a little butter

Preheat oven to 375°. Line pie shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with uncooked beans, rice, aluminum or ceramic pie weights. Bake until golden brown and dry. Carefully remove foil and weights. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making filling.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Add broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms first release their liquid and then liquid evaporates and mushrooms are dark golden brown and the broccoli is tender.

Transfer quiche pan to a baking sheet. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix in the mushrooms, shallots, broccoli and remaining cheese. Pour into the pie shell. Transfer to oven, and bake until just set in the center, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.





They really do mean WAIT TEN MINUTES before slicing. I had one messy, messy slice. but it tasted so good. I never said I had patience to wait. and you must have noticed by now how well I am at following directions!





You can make a quiche ahead of time, just reheat it. It freezes and reheats really nicely!

If you need to bake your own pie shell, here a few good recipes... Martha Stewart Flaky Tart Dough and Pate Brisee, Martha Stewart's Basic Pie Dough.

I like to take the easy way out and just buy one!

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Stop by Cuisine Kathleen and show Kathleen your whites. Or just check out everyone else who's joining in with their white tables, dishes, flowers, whatever! Always a fun event over at Kathleen's. Check it out! Her event starts tomorrow on June 23 but many have already started posting their whites! I'll be there tomorrow to show her my pearly whites!

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A really cool pan...

My kids always get me just the right thing! That could be because we do "wish lists" so it makes it easier. I already have six or seven necklaces from the holiday boutique at the elementary school that turned my neck green for a month. How many screwdriver sets does one Daddy need? So now that the kids have outgrown the elementary school boutique, we've settled upon wish lists. We all use them, still a surprise and it makes shopping much, much easier. and I'm not stuck returning the gorgeous sweater from Bloomies that got an "ARE YOU KIDDING"?

So from my wish list came an Ebelskiver pan from Williams-Sonoma. I had seen it in action on Susan's blog, Savoring Time in the Kitchen. Kathleen from Cuisine Kathleen had two posts about them, although she is the Queen of bargains and got her pan on sale! They must have been practicing, mine were kind of messy, but not bad for a first try!

The kids obviously had ulterior motives and were probably hoping for a really good Sunday breakfast and gave me the pan a day early! but they never got up early and by then it was too late. So brunch plans became dinner plans and instead of cooking or going out, we had fresh bagels, lox, salads, and for dessert, Cinnamon-Bun Filled Pancakes.


This is the second batch. I decided that the first batch was just experimental and deserved to be dumped. I got the hang of it. A little undercooked, I flipped them a little too soon. Not as difficult as it looks, but patience is a virtue and waiting a little longer, you get a much better pancake! Not a problem, I just flipped them again to brown the other side more.









Third time was a charm. Somewhat. Came out better than the gross first try and the undercooked second try! They were great hot from the pan, drizzled with frosting, and a little while later at room temperature.









Not bad for a first stab at these pancakes. The recipe is delicious. and now that I have the hang of it, we'll definitely have them again. Although there are so many more fillings to try...











I need to learn a drizzle technique for the frosting, rather than just dump and pour. but what a delicious mess it was!



Cinnamon-Bun Filled Pancakes
recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen
Printable Recipe

For the cinnamon filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, at room temperature

For the cream cheese frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

For the pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking

To make the cinnamon filling, in a bowl, still together the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and, using the back of a spoon, mash the butter into the flour mixture until all of it is absorbed into the butter, forming a paste. Set the cinnamon filling aside.

To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, reduce the speed to low and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 3 Tbs. of the milk and beat until combined, about 1 minute. The frosting should be thick but still pourable; add more milk if needed to thin it. Transfer the frosting to a small bowl; set aside.

To make the pancakes, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar. In another bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and the 4 Tbs. melted butter. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture until well combined; the batter will be lumpy. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter in two additions.

Put 1/8 teaspoon melted butter in each well of a filled-pancake pan. Set over medium heat and heat until the butter begins to bubble. Pour 1 Tbs. batter into each well. Spoon 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon filling into the center of each pancake and top with 1 Tbs. batter. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Using 2 skewers, flip the pancakes over and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the pancakes to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.

Drizzle the pancakes with the frosting and serve immediately. Makes 35 to 40.

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Flashback Friday!

Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet does a Flashback Friday which is a lot of fun, and forces me to remember some oldies but goodies! and so for this week's flashback, I'm turning to Chocolate and Breakfast. You just can't go wrong with a Chocolate Breakfast! I've kind of slacked off when it comes to Sunday breakfast lately but I always have a Challah or a Brioche in the freezer for just in case and I think this Sunday is a "just in case" and a Chocolate Breakfast may be in our future! I got the recipe from Fine Cooking magazine a while back.





Chocolate French Toast
by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Fine Cooking Magazine, December 2005)
Printable Recipe

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 ounce (1/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6-8 1-inch-thick slices of challah bread (stale is fine)
2 ounces (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish (optional)
Fresh raspberries, strawberries, or sliced bananas, for garnish (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well blended and no cocoa lumps remain. Pour in about half of the milk and whisk until the mixture is a lump-free paste. Add the remaining milk, the eggs, and the vanilla. Whisk until well blended.

Arrange the bread in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish (or similar vessel) and pour the cocoa mixture over the bread. Turn the bread once to get both sides nicely coated. Poke each bread slice repeatedly with the tines of a fork to encourage the bread to absorb the batter. Let soak, turning every 10 minutes, until the bread is well saturated, 20 to 30 minutes.

Set a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the butter and spread to cover the pan. (If using a skillet, you'll need to cook the French toast in two batches, using 2 tablespoons butter for each batch.) Using your fingers and a large rubber spatula, carefully transfer the bread slices, one at a time, from the batter to the griddle. Cook until the underside looks browned and lightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. (Reduce the temperature if the slices are browning too fast) Flip and continue cooking until the slices are slightly puffed in the
center and are bouncy to the touch, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the French toast to plates and serve immediately, dusted with confectioners' sugar and fruit, if you like.

Joining in on the fun at Sweet as Sugar Cookies for Sweets for a Saturday!

and joining Sweet Tooth Friday hosted by Alli n Son!

And joining

 Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter 

 

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