i can't remember...

i can't remember if i posted this recipe but it was soooooo good i will post again :)

• 1 small loaf day-old French bread (or about 1/2 of a large loaf)
  
• 5 eggs
  
• 3 TB. sugar
  
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
  
• 21/2 Cups whole milk
  
• 1/4 Cup flour
  
• 6 TB. packed brown sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp. PENZEYS CINNAMON
  
• 1/4 Cup (1/2 stick) butter
  
• 1 Cup blueberries
  
• 1 Cup strawberries, sliced
  

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Cut the bread in 3/4-inch slices. Layer in the pan, fitting snugly. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, sugar and VANILLA. Stir in the milk. Pour over bread; turn bread slices over. Cover and refrigerate overnight*. In the morning, pre-heat the oven to 375°. In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and CINNAMON. Cut the butter in bits, add to the mix and rub together to make a crumb topping. Remove the pan from the fridge, carefully turn the bread pieces over and scatter mixed berries evenly over the bread. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes, until puffy and golden.

*Overnight soaking of the bread is what causes the dish to puff up and be very creamy when baked. If you don't have overnight, at least let it soak a few hours.

Prep. time: 15 minutes plus overnight in the fridge
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Nutritional Information:
Servings 8; Serving Size 1 slice (149g); Calories 230; Calories from fat 80; Total fat 9g; Cholesterol 105mg; Sodium 240mg; Carbohydrate 30g; Dietary Fiber 1g; Sugars 14g; Protein 8g.

to try :)

my sis in law LOVES breakfast, loves sweets and loves things she can throw in the oven.....so i figured i should try the recipe out below to see if it is a keeper. if so, it will make a perfect "welcome baby symo" present when baby comes and the {2nd time around} new parents are exhausted and needing a meal to heat up.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 10 hours

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 loaf day old french bread
• 12 oz. Neufchatel cheese (aka 1/3 less fat cream cheese)*
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, divided
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary if frozen)
• Zest of 1 lemon**
• 10 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 5 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
Blueberry Syrup
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (use 2 Tbsp for thicker syrup)
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary if frozen)
• 
  

Directions

• Cut 1/2-inch off both ends of bread and discard (or eat). Cut loaf into 1-inch slices then cut each slice into 1-inch cubes (I cut the loaf in half first then kept the cubes from each half separate so it would be easier to determine half). Spread half of the bread cubes into an even layer in a buttered 13 by 9-inch baking dish, set aside remaining bread cubes.
• In a small bowl, using an electric hand mixer, blend together Nuefchatel cheese, powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. In a separate bowl stir together lemon zest and 1 Tbsp sugar. Using a rubber spatula and a clean fingertip, spread Nuefchatel cheese mixture over bread cube layer in baking dish. Sprinkle blueberries over Nuefchatel cheese layer then sprinkle lemon zest mixture evenly over blueberry layer. Spread remaining bread cubes into an even layer over top of blueberries.
• In a blender, blend together eggs, milk, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining 1 tsp vanilla on low speed until well blended, about 10 seconds. Slowly pour mixture evenly over top of bread cubes in baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• The following morning, remove baking dish from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during the last 10 minutes of resting.
• Remove plastic wrap. Cover baking dish with aluminium foil and bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake 25 - 35 minutes, until golden brown (if it is becoming too golden brown but isn't cooked through then you can cover with foil again during the last few minutes of baking). Allow to rest 5 minutes, then cut into servings and serve warm topped with blueberry syrup and sweetened whipped cream if desired.
• *Regular cream cheese would also work, but I'd recommend likely thinning out the cream cheese mixture with 1 to 2 Tbsp milk to make it a more spreadable consistency.
• **After zesting lemon, reserve it in a Ziploc bag to juice the following morning for use in the blueberry syrup.
For the blueberry syrup:
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cold water and lemon juice. Mix in blueberries. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat slightly and allow to gently boil for 2 - 3 minutes until thickened and blueberries have burst, while stirring constantly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
• 
  

menu for the week....chicken alert!

so i had posted this menu...and doh i just realized that we are having chicken 5 nights in a row..... sorry bout that :) 

tonight was bizarro night for food...... venison steaks and veggie kabobs for josh/grilled shrimp with bacon wrapped around them, fresh mango salsa, and white rice for me. bread for us both. the boys ate what josh ate :) it was okay..... :)

today: see above
monday: chicken lo mein (recipe below) and egg rolls
tuesday: buffalo chicken wraps, fries/sweet potato fries, and fruit salad
wednesday: chicken Parmesan, pasta and bread (salad?)
thursday: chicken enchiladas
friday: baked pecan french toast (see below)
saturday: not sure yet :)

Chicken Lo Mein
NEED:

chicken cut into bit size pieces
soy sauce
fish sauce (optional)
siracha hot sauce (optional)
sesame oil (optional)
MIX the above and marinade the chicken in it (over night is best)
lo mein noodles (asian section)
veggies of your choice (matchstick carrots, broccoli,  and snow peas here)
soy sauce
beef broth
cornstarch
fish sauce (optional)
sesame oil
(MIX the above sauces and broth with cornstarch--set aside)

French Toast (i have not made this one either yet)

Beat 8 or so eggs with light cream or whole milk. Add cinnamon and a touch of allspic...e. Next slice French Bread, the type that is long and narrow and has a crispy crust, in to slices approximately an inch to one and a half inches wide. Pour the egg mixture into a greased 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish. Spread the sliced bread to cover the mixture and then turn them over. Take about two cups of chopped pecans and sprinkle over the top of the slices of bread along with some brown sugar and cinnamon and bake at 325 degrees until they are golden but be careful not to over bake. You're going to have to watch them, sorry.


DO:
stir fry veggies and set aside
stir fry chicken and set aside
boil noodles as directions state (like three minutes)
put veggies, chicken and sauce that you set aside in the wok and bring to a boil. add noodles. stir to combine. enjoy.

Wraps (warning: i have not actually made these)
NEED:
wraps (doing lo carb)
fillings (buffalo chicken from deli, provolone, ham, thin sliced tomatoes, lettuce)
cream cheese, mustard and/or mayo

DO:
wrap and enjoy :)

Savory French Toast

i am NOT a huge fan of regular french toast... but my family is :)  so tonight i conceeded and made french toast...but with a different batch for me and it was stellar! (boys still had the "regular" french toast) :)

NEED:
bread (i used whole wheat but i think a yummy sour dough would be the best choice in the future)
eggs
milk
italian seasoning
garlic powder
salt
butter (for cooking the french toast)
bacon (optional but so tasty for the top)
cheese (optional but tasty for the top--i used Monterrey jack but next time would use blue cheese)


DO:
add the seasonings to the milk and let sit for a while--let it linger while you get the other things together and bacon started
wisk in eggs
dip bread in mixture and give it a good "soak"
fry until lovely brown on both sides
cut up, sprinkle with bacon crumbled and shredded cheese


to add pizazz, i had a side of really nice balsamic vinegar to dip the french toast in. i even experimented and put a touch of powdered sugar in the vinegar--it added a bright note that was very tasty!

ENJOY :)