Baked Caramel French Toast

I love easy morning breakfasts that are warm and delicious. This breakfast casserole recipe includes preparing the dish the night before using a loaf of French bread and baking it in the morning.  Easy! I've eaten many variations similar to this but most use eggs as a main ingredient whereas the focus of this dish is bread and caramel. Delicious!

Baked Caramel French Toast

1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish; arrange the slices of bread in the dish. In a large bowl beat together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture.

Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Who Dished it first? AllRecipes

Nerd Ice Cream Sandwiches

We still have a lot of Halloween candy in our house. I handed out 900+ pieces one by one to the swarm of kids at my door and I'm not exaggerating. My kids even donated some of their candy loot to the pot but we still have candy to get rid of. So, since I can't make these sweets go away as fast as I want we'll just eat and enjoy.

My kids were so excited when I told them what I made for dessert. Nerd ice cream sandwiches! Chocolate, ice cream, and candy all in one. What kid wouldn't be happy to eat one of these? My kids were all too willing to pull out their Halloween candy, contribute the Nerds, and roll away.

I liked the tart flavor and crunch the Nerds add to the cookie sandwich. The cookies held together when squished but I thought they were somewhat dry. The ice cream covered the dryness of the cookie but eaten alone (I snuck a bite fresh from the oven) they were not as enjoyable. Possibly they're meant to be dry so they don't crumble under the pressure (lame joke) or I might have over-baked them. Either way, the dough is fabulously rich in bittersweet chocolate flavor and we enjoyed our sweet treat.

Nerd Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups tiny tart candies such as Nerds

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.  Fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop 24 slightly rounded Tbsps of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until firm around the egdes but slightly soft in the middle, 9 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Form sandwiches with 2 cookies and 1/4 cup ice cream. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes or up to 1 day. Before serving, place the candies in a bowl and roll the edge of the ice cream in the candies to coat.

Womens Day (October 17, 2011 magazine)

Curry-Tomato Sauce with Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Chickpeas

In an attempt to eat healthier, save dollars, and rotate my long-term food storage I'm making an effort to cook more meatless meals. This dish is one of my new favorites. De-li-cious!!

What I love about this curry spaghetti meal is:

• The whole wheat pasta adds a great nutty flavor to the dish.
• I didn't have curry powder on hand so I used the substitution of the 5 spices listed below. I really liked the fresh flavor of the spices versus premixed curry and will definitely be using this fresh mixture in the future.
• The fresh goat cheese topping adds a tart flavor that completes the blend of pepper heat and warm curry.
• The Hawaiian chile pepper I had on hand is very hot so for the my kids' benefit I substituted a shake of cayenne pepper to give the dish some kick but not too much.
• Garbanzo beans/Chickpeas. ("Tomato. Tomahto.") I love these little beans. They add a solidity to this dish making it more than just noodles and sauce. They're like the meatball to this Mediterranean pasta.

Curry-Tomato Sauce with Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Chickpeas

1 lb whole wheat or other whole grain spaghetti
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fresno or other fresh chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp mild curry powder (or about 2 tsp turmeric, 1 1/2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander, and a scant 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and cardamom)
1/2 cup dry white wine, chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 can (28 to 32 oz) san marzano tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
Grated aged goat cheese or tangy pecarino-romano cheese, for topping
Flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped, for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it and add the pasta. Cook to al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chile pepper and garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder (or your own curry blend) amd season the salt. Stir to toast the spices for a minute. Deglaze the pan with the stock.

Add the tomatoes and crush with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced, 15 to 20 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and reserved pasta cooking water to combine. Top with the cheese and parsley (or cilantro).

Who Dished it first? Rachael Ray

Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing

I love green salads, preferably made with romaine or green leaf. For me Iceberg is like eating crunchy water and lacks the high vitamin content I want while spinach really feels too similar to eating leaves. I know, I am eating leaves. I just don't want to feel like I'm eating leaves. Know what I mean?

If you want your dark green leafy veggies but don't want to feel like a rabbit as my husband puts it, here's a fun way to eat your greens and enjoy great flavor. Kale is a vitamin-rich leafy green that's crisp and firm (not wilty like spinach) and the strong flavor of the leaf is masked by the peanut dressing. My husband the devout carnivore had seconds of this salad and I even heard a compliment or two.

Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing

2 large bunches curly kale, center ribs discarded, very thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups)
1 yellow, orange or red bell pepper
2 carrots, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup vegetalbe oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup salted peanuts
2 Tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup salted peanuts

Toss 2 large bunches curly kale, center ribs discarded, very thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups); 1 yellow, orange or red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, halved crosswise and thinly sliced lengthwise; and 2 carrots, thinly sliced crosswise, in a large bowl.

Puree 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/4 cup salted peanuts, 2 Tablespoons packed light-brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in a blender until smooth.
Pour dressing over vegetables just before serving. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped.

Who Dished it first? Martha Stewart

Persimmon Milkshake

Persimmons. This month I received some in my veggie/fruit coop box and didn't know what to do! Last year I made a bundt cake that was good but not my favorite. This year my persimmons sat on my counter waiting. They do make great fall decorations! These cute little orange fruits with a star center are so new to me I just don't know how to eat them. Some like their taste plain like apple slices but we're not yet accustomed to their taste.
When my neighbor sent me her recipe for persimmon milkshakes I was excited to try it out. This shake is sweet and light with a very distinct cinnamon flavor that reminds me of Christmas. Plus, it is low in calories without added sugar. Mmmm!

Persimmon Milkshake

1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tray of ice (12 cubes)
2 persimmons, quartered
1 banana
dash of nutmeg
big pinch of cinnamon
add sugar if your banana is not sweet

Blend all ingredients until frothy and serve immediately.

Who Dished it first? My neighbor, the very one who introduced me to persimmons.

Banana Nut Muffins

I recently reviewed Santé Nuts over on Moana Saves. Besides enjoying these lightly roasted nuts in a fresh spinach salad I also tried a new banana nut muffin recipe. I like that this recipe calls for 4 mashed bananas, more than I usually use in a bread. The muffins were moist and the flavor delicious. To quote my husband: "I think this is my new favorite best banana bread recipe."

Banana Nut Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 over-ripe bananas

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter one muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have  a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 12 muffins

Source: Tyler Florence’s Banana Nut Muffins recipe