Yummy Baked French Toast Recipe

Last week when I was talking to friends about what to make for a holiday brunch everyone told me to make baked French toast. The way it was explained was very agreeable as liked doing the prep work the night before and baking in the morning. I thought with family visiting that the baked French toast would be perfect for a late breakfast/brunch entree.

Baked French toast served with fresh fruit and garnished
with powder sugar...delicious!

Baked French toast served with crisp bacon

Bread in casserole soaking up the egg mixture

Since I made French toast for my family in the past on top of the stove I thought I would just alter the recipe for the overnight recipe that would be baked in the morning.

Know that by getting the French Toast ready the night before that it saved time in the morning and I will probably make this recipe again for a holiday brunch.

For this recipe, you will need

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 cup of half and half cream

4 slices of French Brioche bread

Powder sugar garnish

Butter to grease the bakeware

Use a wire whisk to beat the eggs, then add the cream, cinnamon, and vanilla and beat until all ingredients are blended.

Use the butter to grease the casserole or the bakeware used to bake the French Toast.

Add the 4 slices of bread to the casserole then pour the egg mixture over the bread

Cover so that it's airtight and refrigerate. In the morning you will heat your over to 350. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 10 minutes. No need to turn the french toast.

While the French toast was cooking I made bacon to be used as a side dish. The toast is also delicious with a side of fresh fruit.

Check to make sure the toast is fully cooked by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread slice and if it comes out clean then it's cooked.

Before serving garnish the French toast with a dusting of powder sugar.

Cabbage Potato Onion and Bacon Side Dish

A friend of mine shared a cabbage and bacon side dish photo on her Facebook page and I thought it looked delicious. My husband likes cabbage and loves bacon and I thought he would really enjoy the side dish.  

A recipe wasn’t shared so I thought I would throw it together and serve the side dish with pork chops for a weeknight dinner.

To make this dish you will need the following

Fresh cabbage chopped. I used half of a cabbage and it was enough for 4 servings.

A pound of diced bacon (I used farmland Hickory Smoked)

Dice 2 medium-sized white potatoes

Dice a half of a white onion

black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of bacon drippings (from the frying pan)

2 cup water

Recipe directions:

Cook the bacon in a large-size saute pan, drain off all of the drippings except for the 2 tablespoons. Add the diced onions and saute with the bacon, turn often to make sure the onion is cooked on all sides, then add the 1/2 cup of water, followed by the cabbage and the potatoes saute on medium heat, turning the ingredients often so that it cooks thoroughly and doesn’t burn. Turn the heat down to simmer and cover the saute pan with a lid, cook for another 5 minutes. Before serving season with black pepper to taste.

This side dish was enjoyed by my family. It really tastes good and was comforting on a chilly fall day.

Here are some photos.

Made From Scratch Dumpling Recipe

 

During the fall and winter season I enjoy making soup in my pressure cooker. I normally make a large pot of soup on Sunday and that soup will be served throughout the week. I make all kinds of soup but my family’s favorite is Chicken vegetables with dumplings.

Here is a photo I took of the dumblings that I made in my pressure cooker. 

Let me tell you there is nothing better than dumplings that are made from scratch in your chicken or beef vegetable stew. Once you have eaten a dumpling that is coated with the delicious soup you won’t want to eat plain soup again.

For dumplings you will need the following ingredients.

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

¾ cup of milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

Add all of the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir the dry ingredients until they are mixed. Then cut in the butter until crumbly. Add the milk and eggs (I like to beat the eggs before I add them to the dry ingredients)  stir milk and eggs to make the dough soft. Use a teaspoon to drop the batter into the boiling soup. Cover the soup with a lid and turn the heat down to simmer. Cook the dumplings for 13 minutes. 

 Test the dumplings to see if they are cooked by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean with no dough on it then the dumplings are done.

Thanksgiving Dinner Invitations

 

Today I was contacted on Facebook and asked if I would create a few Thanksgiving invitations and fall season home decorations. I thought it was off-season considering it was the month of May. I told the customer that I would be happy to design a few dinner invitations for them.

Through the conversation, I learned that the family was planning a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings for August. The reason for the early in season dinner was because last year they could not be with each other due to the COVID19 lockdowns and now they can be with family. They said we have a lot to be thankful for so we are going to have a family thanksgiving dinner in August.

Knowing the reason for her invitation request made perfect sense to me so I got busy and created Thanksgiving dinner invitations for them. 

Thanksgiving is a November holiday, its the end of the growing season and is a time when we are thankful for a bountiful fall season harvest, our good health our family, friends, and for our God for blessing us. But after the pandemic of 2020, we do have a lot to be thankful for so Thanksgiving celebrated in August makes total sense to me.

Eat Drink and Be Thankful Thanksgiving Dinner Invitation

This Thanksgiving dinner invitation features an elegant photograph design of an elegant table setting. Use this template invitation for your holiday needs. Shown in a glossy finish with rounded corners.

Personalize this Thanksgiving holiday dinner invitation with your own words. This collage art invitation was created from a vintage watercolor turkey and two pumpkins and acorn designs.

Chicken with Arugula and Portabello Mushroom Recipe

 

When I cook I tend to not use recipes except when I am baking. Then last night I made chicken with arugula, baby spinach, Amish noodles, and portabello mushrooms and this one-pot dinner entree was so delicious and the recipe was certainly a keeper. My husband took a third helping of this chicken entree and he never does that. In fact, he usually does all of the cooking and I never attempt to cook for a chef.  

This is a rich entree that is prepared in one pan. I served with croissants that I picked up at the bakery and a glass of white wind. Best to make this dish during the cold season; autumn through winter as it might be too rich for the warm season.

Here’s how I made chicken with arugula and portabello mushroom entree

You will need the following

Chicken strips or boneless breast enough to serve 4

Chicken stock

Cream of Mushroom soup 10 ½ ounces

Black pepper

1 large Fresh portabello mushroom separate the mushroom stem from the cap and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick.

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary herb (remove the leaves from the stem)

Juice of one medium fresh lemon

Garlic minced 2 cloves

Extra virgin olive oil

Fresh Organic girl baby spinach & arugula

Essenhaus Amish egg noodles wide (used ½ of 1 pound bag)

¼ cup grated parmesan and Romano cheese

Large non-stick saute pan with glass lid

Heat a saute pan at medium add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan add sliced portabello mushrooms and cook until they are soft, then add baby spinach and arugula, saute in the olive oil with the greens, garlic, black pepper, and salt to taste. When spinach and arugula are cooked turn off the heat and remove greens and mushrooms from the pan. In the same pan add more olive oil to saute your chicken. Cook chicken with the juice of 1 lemon and season with black pepper.

When chicken is cooked add to the greens and mushrooms to the saute  pan also add rosemary herb season, and to your taste black pepper and salt (optional)

Add 2 1/4 cup chicken stock mixed with cream of mushroom soup to saute pan

Bring to a boil then add your egg noodles.

Turn the heat down to simmer

Cover the saute pan and cook until noodles are done. (stir to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan)

Serve topped with the grated parmesan and Romano cheese.