Strawberry Cream Crepes

Back in high school, I took a gourmet cooking class -- funnest class ever! I still  make some of the recipes from that class; here's one of them... Perfect for Spring. Perfect for strawberry season. Perfect for breakfast or a fancy dessert! This is an easy recipe that gets me lots of 'yums!' Enjoy.

 Strawberry Cream Crepes

12 crepes

2 pints sliced strawberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1   3 oz. package of cream cheese

1 cup whipping cream

sugar to taste

Prepare crepes using your favorite recipe. Toss the strawberries with the 1/4 cup of sugar and set aside. With a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in whipping cream until smooth and thick, but not stiff. Add sugar to desired sweetness.

Place a some cream in each crepe and roll up. Chill. Serve strawberries over the crepes.

Hints:

♦  I double this recipe, especially if company's coming over.

♦ Use a *hand* mixer, not a stand mixer for this recipe.

♦  Sometimes we like strawberries inside the crepes, too.

♦  I've seen this recipe done with chocolate crepes. 
    Oo-la-la! Try it!

picture credit

Crispy French Toast

 

Hey -- here's one of the recipes from the breakfast calendar I won in the WCGL giveaway! (Thanks, Deb!) This calendar is filled with delightful, delicious, decadent breakfast recipes. We tried Crispy French  Toast the other night.

Think State Fair meets breakfast: there's a crispy coating and some deep-frying involved. Yummy -- and  a fun change from regular, ol' boring french toast. Give it a try...
 

Crispy French Toast

8 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
6 thick slices of white bread (Texas toast)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 cups cornflakes

Preheat deep-fryer to 375° F. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. Beat well. Place cornflakes in separate bowl. Dip bread slices in egg mixture and press into cornflakes.

Carefully slide coated bread slices into hot oil. Fry on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

 Hints:

► It doesn't say to crush up the cornflakes in the original recipe. Do it. Smaller cornflake pieces make for a more uniform, crispy coating.

►  More eggs, a little less milk -- the coating will stick better.

 original recipe: Beyond Oatmeal, 2010 calendar from Carlene Duda

Baked Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

Baked Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

14 slices of Texas Toast, with the crusts removed, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen (then thawed) blueberries, picked over and rinsed
12 larges eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk

For the sauce:
2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen (then thawed) bluerries
Zest of 1 lemon (optional, it just makes the flavor pop a little more)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Cut the crusts off the bread, then cut into 1 inch cubes

Arrange half the bread in a buttered 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Scatter the cream cheese over the bread, and sprinkle the blueberries over the cream cheese.

Arrange the remaining bread pieces over the blueberries and cream cheese. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, maple syrup and milk. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake the French Toast, covered with foil in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes until it is puffed and golden.

To make the sauce:

In a saucepan stir together the sugar, the cornstarch, and the water and cook the mixture over medium high heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened. Stir in the blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the berries have burst. Add the lemon zest if you want it then add the butter and stir the sauce until the butter is melted. Served topped with freshly whipped whipping cream if desired.

Recipe was slightly adapted from a recipe from Emory Creek Victorian Bed and Breakfast.

Creme Brulee French Toast

From dinnertime in the Jungles of India to brunch in a street cafe in Paris over-looking the Seine. One of my favorite memories while living in Germany was the trip to Paris that I went on with my Mom and 2 of my sisters. While a lot of people love the richness of French dinner cuisine, I love the simple baked desserts, breads and crepes.

Creme Brulee French Toast


1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 c brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
Bread, sliced, to cover butter mixture
5 large eggs
1 1/2 c half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

In a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Pour into a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread pieces on top. Beat eggs together, half and half, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over the top of the bread. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
*I would recommend that if you are doubling the recipe, that you do the butter mixture, bread, half and half mixture, then more butter mixture, bread and half and half. Then cover, chill and bake the next morning.
Recipe courtesy of Susie Powers featured in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook, pg. 28.

Shauna's German Pancakes

Shauna was still living in Bountiful when she first cooked this for me. Whenever I make it, it reminds me of her and Andrew and their children. I am writing the recipe as Shauna gave it to me years ago..divided up into a 9" pie plate and then a 9x13" pan.

9" Pie Plate

1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

9x13" Pan

2 1/4 cups milk
1 1/8 cup flour
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 + a little more nutmeg
3/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in the pan and turn up the heat to 425 degrees. (I don't know how much butter Shauna uses, but I use 1/3 cup salted butter...but that may be the Paula Deen in me talking) Blend all ingredients in a blender. Pour into the heated pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350 and bake for 8 minutes longer.

In the Fall this is especially good topped with apples and sour cream and brown sugar sauce.

Peel and slice 2-3 apples.
Add a little lemon juice.
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Cook on the stove until the apples are tender. Serve with sour cream mixed with brown sugar, to taste.

For the 9x13 inch pan recipe, the recipe is 1 1/2 timed. For a 15x10 pan double the recipe (the original size is the pie plate size).

German Oven Pancakes

This recipe goes by many names. German Oven Pancakes, Dutch Babies, and my personal favorite -- from toddler Katie, way back when -- "Poofy Pancakes"! She thought they were magical.

They're a favorite around our house. (I try not to have them too often anymore, as they're not too point-friendly, but the rest of the family still wants them all the time.) This recipe makes any cook feel good. What is it about 4 simple ingredients that makes this dish such a showstopper? The picture above was Katie's first attempt. Look at those "poofy pancakes"!! :-)

German Oven Pancakes

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3 large eggs
dash of salt
1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

.

Preheat your oven to 425° F. We always make German Oven Pancakes in a 9x13 pan, but a round pan or skillet can also be used. (Oh, and we always double the recipe. If you use a 9x13 pan, *definitely* double it.)

Place the butter in the bottom of the pan and place it in the oven while it's preheating to melt it. Mix your milk, flour, eggs and salt in a bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend, but make sure all the lumps have disappeared before moving on. (Some people blend this in a food processor.) When you've got your mix ready, pour it over the melted butter in your pan, and place it back in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Edges will be puffed up.

This are a fun breakfast, and it can also make a beautiful brunch. Katie loves them plain -- just a little syrup for her, but depending on your mood or the season, they could be filled with berries, peaches, or sauteed apples. A dusting of powdered sugar or even whipped cream could top it off. I think Deb and Shauna have gourmet versions of these pancakes. I'd love to hear what they do.

Casual or fancy, you can't go wrong with German Oven Pancakes.

Orange Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup

Orange Waffles

6 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz can orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 c butter, melted
3 3/4 c flour
3 c milk

In one bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, salt, orange juice, butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Alternate adding flour and milk. Fold in egg whites into batter. Bake in waffle iron. Serves 5.

This recipe is in the WorldWide Ward Cookbook in the Breakfast Section, listed by Janice Richards Call from Rexburg, ID.


Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Cook in a pot over medium low heat until bubbly. Take off the burner and add:

1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Stir until foamy. Serve over waffles, pancakes, french toast or vanilla ice cream.

These waffles were perfect on a warm spring day with their citrus taste. I have to admit that we love breakfast for dinner, especially those days when we have school, homework, scouts and FHE all on the same day! We cheated an added additional calories by topping the waffles with whipped cream. Just posting this recipes makes me hungry for them all over again! Stay tuned for Creme Brulee French Toast to be coming soon! :-)..... (those are drops of drool! heehee)

Heart Pancakes

♥♥♥ Happy Valentine's Day! ♥♥♥

Here's what we did for breakfast. Valentine pancakes! They were SO easy. All you need is regular ol' pancakes, a heart-shaped cookie cutter, your favorite red jam (strawberry's our favorite here), and powdered sugar in a shaker. Lay the first pancake on the plate, and spread jam on it. Take your cookie-cuttered pancake and lay it on the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Done! (I think next time, I'm going to sprinkle the top pancake separately and then lay it on top...)

Think of the possibilities -- cookie cutters with any theme: holiday, birthday, stars, a favorite animal, etc., could turn any boring pancake breakfast into something special and fun. Love it!

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

How about a little "lovin' from the oven"? ♥ It's Valentine's Day this week, and I made a little treat for John and Katie this weekend to start things off. These are pretty easy to make and a fun way to show your sweeties you love 'em. The original idea is found here; complete with a recipe, frostings, and a how-to that includes a little video tutorial. Check it out. Here's how I did it at my house...

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

1 egg plus enough water to equal 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (yes, put the egg in the measuring cup)
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except the 2 tablespoons margarine in the breadmaker, in the order the manufacturer recommends. (I always put wet ingredients in first.) Select the dough cycle.

Remove the dough from the pan, using lightly floured hands. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.

Grease a cookie sheet. You'll want a cookie sheet, so the heart shape of the rolls is not ruined when the rolls rise. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Spread the 2 tablespoons of margarine over the dough. Sprinkle generously with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Start rolling the dough from the long side -- but this time roll from BOTH long sides, meeting in the middle. You can pinch the seam shut on the top. We didn't (forgot to) and you can see how our rolls turned out in the picture above. Go here to see how they'd turn out if you did.

Cut into 1 1/2 inch rolls. (easiest way is using dental floss -- see the little video here on how to do that) Place slightly apart in pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 40 minutes, or double in size.

Heat oven to 375°. Bake 20-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack. Frost with Light Cream Cheese Frosting (see below). Serve warm.

Light Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. light cream cheese (Neufchâtel cheese)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
.
Put all ingredients into a bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until smooth.

Enjoy! Happy Valentine's Day! ♥

Cinnamon Roll recipe: Gold Medal "Best Bread Machine Recipes", p. 82

Recipe Labels

For those of you new to blogging, this post will give you some hints on labeling your recipes. After you type in your recipe to share (hint! hint!), look down at the bottom of the box. You'll see "Labels for this post:". If you click on "Show all", a list will pop up and you can choose from there to classify your recipe. The blog will organize our recipes for us. Easy peasy.

Here are some that Rebekah and I came up with:

Allergy Friendly, Appetizer, Bread, Breadmaker, Breakfast/Brunch, Canning, Cooking Basics, Desserts, Dips/Sauces, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Heritage/Family Recipe, Holiday, Main Dish Beef, Main Dish Chicken, Main Dish Pork, Main Dish Seafood, Main Dish Turkey, Pasta, Salads, Side Dishes, Soup, Snacks, Vegetables

Can you come up with any more that we missed?