Strawberry and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

This is a very rich and filling breakfast. Great for a brunch or Sunday morning breakfast. I have also used blueberries in this instead of strawberries, they are both fantastic. May serve with syrup or just eat plain. Yummy!!


Here’s a list of everything you need: a loaf of French or Italian bread, eggs, milk, butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, and jam or fresh fruit (if you’re like me, you’ll use both). I also added slivered almonds just for the fun of it, but you don’t have to … unless you want to.

Slice a loaf of bread in 2-inch pieces. You should get about six pieces all together, not including the end pieces. Using a paring knife, cut a deep slit across the top in the middle of each slice, approximately 4 inches long (as pictured above). This will form your “pocket.” Once you’re done, set the bread aside.

Next, macerate the strawberries, which is fancy way of saying add a little sugar and mix it in. Set them aside and allow the sugar to release its magic.

Next, add jam to the cream cheese and mix both of them until well combined.

Grab a slice of bread and add about a tablespoon (or as much as you like) of cream cheese filling. Personally, I like about 2 tablespoons per slice. Do the same thing with the fresh fruit. Make sure to close the opening by gently pressing the bread together. This will make frying them easier and less messy. Set the filled slices aside.

Now it’s time to make the egg bath. Mix eggs, milk, and cinnamon together until well mixed. Turn the stove top on to medium-high to preheat the skillet. While your skillet is heating up, dip sliced bread in the egg wash for about 20 seconds on both sides. Only dip as many slices as you plan on frying. In other words, if your pan can only fry two pieces at a time, be sure to only coat two pieces of bread a time.

Melt butter in skillet. Only put as much in pan to allow room for frying. You do not want to over crowd. I can usually fit 2 in a pan at once.

Fry each slice for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from heat and serve.   

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like.

Blueberry Pancakes 

These are my favorite! Hot, fluffy and served with butter and maple syrup! What a way to start your day!!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk + more to thin out the batter, as needed
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients; make a well in center of mixture.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg,  vanilla and oil; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

3. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked; turn and cook other side. Serve with maple syrup.

Bacon Egg and Cheese Bread Pudding

This bread pudding gives you your eggs, toast & bacon all in one dish plus everything is coated in gooey melted cheddar cheese. Whipped up the night before & refrigerated, it made for a weekend breakfast treat.


3 slices of bacon, chopped
2 c bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 eggs
1/2 c milk
1.5 oz grated cheddar
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until it is crispy. Drain on a paper towel & set aside until cool.

In a bowl mix together the cooled bacon, bread & 1 oz of the cheese. Divide between to 1 1/2 c ramekins. Whisk the eggs & milk together, salt & pepper. Pour over the bread in the ramekins. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Let sit for at least 30 minutes for the bread to soak in the milk & egg. You can also make these the night before, cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate.

Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until the pudding is puffed up & golden brown.

Chocolate Gravy for Biscuits

                                                           A Southern Favorite!!

1/2 cup cocoa

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

 

Ok, first whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour in the milk and whisk til smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, til slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. It will thicken more as it cools.

 

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

                                                   Hot, fresh glazed doughnuts, yummy!!


2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
 1/2 cup white sugar
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 eggs
 1/3 cup shortening
 5 cups all-purpose flour
 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

GLAZE

   1/3  cup butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.    

            Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.    

            Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees . Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

These are great with coffee!!

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Just because you are not a french pastry chef, doesn't mean you can't cook like one! These are great
                                           for breakfast, snack or dessert! This is a must try!



2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese softened

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls

1 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 stick of sweet cream butter


Cream sugar and cream cheese together until smooth.

Set aside.

On a cookie sheet, press out full package of crescent rolls, making a rectangle with seams pressed together where the crescents are divided.

Spread the cream cheese and sugar mixture onto cresent roll rectangle.

Roll out the second package of rolls the same size as the one on the cookie sheet and place on top of cream cheese layer.

Melt the butter and pour all over top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minute or until light golden brown.

TOPPING

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a dash of milk

Mix together until smooth, add a little milk at a time until you get a thin consistency, not to runny but a good syrupy consistency.

drizzle over warm danish, cool slightly and enjoy.

Buttermilk Biscuits

What is better than hot, buttermilk biscuits fresh out of the oven. These are sure to please even the hungriest of the bunch. Goes great with anything from jams, jellies, butter, syrup or gravy yum!!




 3 cups all purpose flour
 2 tablespoons sugar
 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 cup shortening
 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
 1/4 cup butter (melted and divided)
 Bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In large mixing bowl, combine flour,sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add buttermilk. Mix until just moistened. Dough will be sticky. Turn out onto floured surface. Roll to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits and place in iron skillet, or baking pan greased with half of the melted butter.
Brush tops of biscuits with the bacon drippings.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown
Remove from oven and brush remaining melted butter on tops.
Enjoy!!

Scrumptious Sausage Gravy

Enjoy the smell of country sausage sizzling in this recipe that will

make you want to rise and shine!

1 pound pork sage sausage ( or any kind )

2 cups milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 cup flour

Brown the sausage and drain. Keep the oil from the sausage and add back to pan.

Bring the oil to medium heat and add the flour. Whisk until no lumps are in mixture.Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until bubbly.

Add salt and pepper, milk and stir. This will thicken up, keep stirring and add more milk if it becomes

to thick. When to desired consistency, crumble sausage and add to gravy. Add more salt and pepper

if desired. Stir and serve over hot biscuits.