Baked French Toast

If you’re searching for a simple, frugal breakfast recipe — this one for Baked French Toast is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Because you can use stale or day-old bread, it’s relatively inexpensive as well. Someone brought it in to my husband’s office a few months ago, and he raved about it. His co-worker was nice enough to share her recipe and we just made it this weekend for a family gathering. Here’s how to make it:

1 loaf French bread, cubed
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 C. half and half
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
1/3 C. maple syrup
Cinnamon

Grease a 9×13 pan. Put half of the bread crumbs in the pan, spreading out evenly. Top with cream cheese slices. Add the rest of the bread cubes. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, butter, and maple syrup. Pour over the top of the bread cubes/cream cheese. Pat everything down into the pan to ensure it all gets moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle with cinnamon before placing in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with maple syrup as desired and enjoy!

Serves 8.

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Breakfast Quesadilla

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tortillas

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Mexican Blend Cheese (or you can use cheddar, monterey jack or mozzarella)
1 Tsp Oil
Condiments: Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Ketchup, Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl for 30 seconds until combined.
2. Place 1 tsp of oil in a 9 inch pan over medium heat, coating the bottom of the pan (make sure to use a pan that is at least slightly larger than your tortilla).
3. Pour in the whisked eggs, tilting the pan to spread it evenly across.
4. Let the omelette cook for 30 seconds then gently use your spatula to go along the edges of the omelette, lifting them away from the pan to loosen.
5. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of cheese on top of the omelette, place one tortilla on top of the egg and cheese and flip it onto a plate (you can watch how I do this here).
6. Slide the omelette, tortilla side-down, back into the pan, sprinkle another 2 tbsp of cheese on top of the egg and place another tortilla on top to cover.
7. Continue to cook the quesadilla for 1 minute, pressing down lightly with a spatula to help melt the cheese, then flip the quesadilla to cook the other side for an additional 30 seconds or until cheese melts and tortilla is golden.
8. Cut into wedges and serve.

*If you use a smaller tortilla, use 1 egg per quesadilla and 1/4 cup of cheese.

from the website: Weelicious

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and syrup til creamy.
2. Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla and beat til smooth.
3. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. Enjoy!

from: http://pinchmysalt.com/2008/09/29/pumpkin-spice-cream-cheese-spread-recipe/

Super Low-Fat Granola Cereal

Yields 9 cups. | Prep time 15 minutes. | Bake 25 minutes. Cooling

Ingredients:

8 Cups old-fashioned oats

1 Cup raisins

1/2 Cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 Cup dried cranberries

1 1/2 Cups packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup water

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. maple extract

1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1.) In a large bowl, combine the oats, raisins, apricots and cranberries, set aside.

2.) In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, water and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until brown sugar ins dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in extracts. Pour over oat mixture, stir to coat.

3.) Transfer to two greased 15-in. X 10-in. baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until crisp, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

4.) Serve with milk or yogurt. Pretty pink, circa 1920 glass cereal bowls are optional.

Directional pictures from: http://blahtota-daa.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
2. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.
3. For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
4. For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
5. Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
6. Bake at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Whole Wheat and Quinoa Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (such as Europe's Best® 4-Field Berry Mix)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons SPLENDA® Granular (optional)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt

Directions

1. Place frozen berries and maple syrup in a microwavable bowl, and cook on High for 2 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, quinoa flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir in Splenda® if desired. Pour in milk and egg. Stir just until smooth.
3. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter. Top pancakes with berries and vanilla yogurt to serve.

Groovie Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 small bananas, broken into chunks
• 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
• 1 (8 ounce) container vanilla low-fat yogurt
• 3/4 cup milk

McCormick Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) tub whipped cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract, divided
• 16 (1/2 inch thick) slices Italian bread
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves or jam
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided

Directions

1. Mix cream cheese, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in small bowl until well blended. Spread 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture on each of 8 slices of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon of preserves on each of the remaining 8 slices of bread. Press one each of the bread slices together to form 8 sandwiches.
2. Beat eggs with wire whisk in 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in milk, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture, soaking for 2 minutes on each side.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in large nonstick skillet or griddle on medium-low heat. Place 4 of the sandwiches in skillet. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining sandwiches, melting remaining tablespoon butter in skillet. Serve French toast with maple syrup, if desired.

Simple Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup raisins (or dried currants)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
4. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 3 cups water
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Directions

1. Just before going to bed, combine the oats and water in a slow cooker. Set on Low, cover, and let cook overnight. In the morning, stir in the salt and half-and-half. Scoop into bowls, and sprinkle brown sugar over the top.

Crescent Bacon-Cheddar Pinwheels

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle.
3. Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions.
4. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

allrecipes.com

Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 pounds tater tots

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and spread evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Spread cheese over sausage.
3. In large bowl, beat together milk and eggs. Pour over cheese. (May be refrigerated overnight at this point).Top with tater tots.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Allrecipes.com