Pumpkin Spice French Toast

After watching Chef Carla make this on "The Chew" (a wonderful daytime cooking show I DVR) I knew I had to try it.  A month later I found the time and it was well worth the wait.  I never made French Toast before so I was a bit worried, but it was super easy and delicious.  I will definitely make this again as Christmas gets closer.

Pumpkin Spice French Toast


1 Loaf Challah or Brioche thick sliced, day old
1 cup Milk (I use fat free/skim)
1/2 cup Half and Half
3 Eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt


For cooking French Toast:

1/4 cup Canola Oil

4 Tbsp Butter

OR you can use Non-Stick cooking spray.

Powdered Sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Combine all ingredients (except bread and powdered sugar, oil and butter) and mix well


2. Dip sliced bread in mixture and coat both sides well, place in glass baking dish and allow
    to sit overnight in fridge (covered), or at least for 6 hours.


3. To cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a non stick pan over med-high heat.  


4. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.


5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until all bread is cooked.


6. Top with powdered sugar and syrup and enjoy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Novemeber is a few days away and with the holidays come cooler weather, my favorite!  So when the weather gets cooler I look forward to making lots of different soups.  Today, in preperation for tomorrows cold front, I made some Chicken Tortilla Soup and it was scrumptious!  I urge everyone to make it, as it is so easy my dogs could put it together.

Chicken Tortilla Soup


1 Rotissere Chicken - shredded
2 cans Low Sodium Chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes 
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
1 10 oz bag frozen corn
1 Tbsp chopped garlic (the kind in the jar is best in this recipe)
1 Tbsp cumin


All you do is combine everything and simmer, it can be ready in 30 min or 3 hours.  The longer you let it simmer the more flavorful it will be.  If you like it with more of a kick to it you can replace the tomatoes and green chiles with a can of Rotel.


You can even do this in the crockpot on low and let it cook all day, its up to you.


Garnish with fresh Cilantro, avocado and corn tortilla strips and enjoy.

Gorp Cookies

I remember in high school, a friends mom made some Gorp and it was wonderful.  It was not a cookie but more like a trail mix.  I can not remember for the life of me what was in it, so I was never able to duplicate it.  When I saw this recipe in a magazine, I was intrigued.  All of the ingredients I loved so I knew it would be an amazing cookie.  And it was!

Gorp Cookies


2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate chunks
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium bowl stir together four, oats, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and set aside
3. In a stand mixer bowl cream together butter and sugars.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla
5. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined
6. Add chocolate, pecans and dried fruits on low speed until combined
7. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes.

*This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.  You can always freeze the dough and use it later if needed.

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

I love eggplant, but my husband does not.  He says it is too mushy.  Since I had gotten some eggplant from the farmers market, I had to use it, so I decided to try this recipe.  I made a few modifications based on what I had in the fridge.  Needless to say, my hubby ate it and wanted more.  He even ate the leftovers the next day.  So in my book, this recipe is a keeper.

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

parchment paper for baking sheet
2 large eggs
3/4 cup italian breadcrumbs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese 
2 medium eggplant
1 small to medium jar spaghetti sauce (I used Prego Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
10-12 slices provolone

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheet with parchment paper (makes or easy clean up)
2. In 1 bowl whisk together 2 eggs and 1 tbsp water and set aside
3. In another bowl add breadcrumbs
4. Peel eggplant and slice into 1/2 inch thick rounds or thiner, dip in egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs and place on baking sheet.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and raise the oven temperature to 400.
7. In a 9x9 square dish, layer the eggplant, a thin layer of sauce, 1/4 of mozzarella, 4 slices of provolone and 1/4 parmesan.  Continue this process for 3 layers and then you should be done.
8. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

I subscribe to this neat magazine called Clean Eating.  This months magazine had a great article about flaxseeds/ flaxseed oil.  Along with it was a recipe for this banana bread.  I happened to have all the ingredients except the flax seed oil.  So I decided to go get some and give it a try.  This bread was delicious, it was not very sweet with a nutty flavor and hearty texture.
Any recipe that does not include butter, sugar and white flour and still tastes good is always a good find for me.

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
pinch of salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup flaxseed oil
1/2 cup Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, flaxseed and salt
3. In a large bowl combine bananas until smooth. Add egg whites and whisk together, gradually
    mix in applesauce, honey and flaxseed oil.
4. Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture, stir in chocolate.
5. Mist a loaf pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until done.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

To me, the perfect summer dinner is something cold.  Since ice cream and Popsicles do not qualify for dinner, I am always on the lookout for a nice cold summer salad.  I have some great cold pasta salad recipes but sometimes pasta is too heavy for me.  I stumbled across this recipe on a PBS show called Everyday Food and loved it.  It is so good that next time I may double it and add some more veggies/ beans.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad
1 Tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Canola oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 pkg (10 0z.) frozen corn kernels, rinsed and thawed
1/2  red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
Salt and pepper


1. In a large bowl combine black-eyed peas, bell peppers and corn
2. In a separate bowl combine mustard, vinegar, oil and shallot, whisk together to combine
3.Toss dressing with vegetables and add a dash of salt and pepper to season.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour then serve.

Spinach Quiche & Bacon and Cheese Quiche

When I was around 12 years old, my Mom gave me Julia Child "The Way To Cook" cookbook for Christmas.  I thought it was the greatest gift in the world.  Unfortunately, 26 years later, the only recipes I have mastered from this book are her Quiche recipes.  They are so good and  you can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner, how wonderful is that!   I try not to make them too often because they are so good you can't just eat one slice.  Plus they are better cold and since they are made in a pie shell, you don't even need a plate, just a fork which means in my house 2 quiches would last us about 48 hours max.  I have tweaked the recipe a bit because I like more cheese, so feel free to tailor it to what you like.  All in all I would like to say thank you Julia Child's for a truly remarkable quiche recipe.  I have never had one as good as hers...ever.

Spinach Quiche


2 shallots minced
2 tbsp butter
10 oz chopped spinach (1 box frozen) defrosted with any water squeezed out.
salt
pepper
nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 cup milk or cream ( I use whole milk)
3/4 cup shredded swiss cheese
9 inch pre baked pie shell

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Saute shallots in butter over medium heat for about 1 minute and add spinach, stir over heat until tender.
3. Take pan off heat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg (to taste).
4. In a large measuring cup (2-4 cup capacity) add eggs and enough milk or cream to make 1 1/2 cups "custard" mixture and set aside.
5. Take pre-baked pie crust and add 1/2 shredded swiss to the bottom.
6. In a separate bowl add cooled spinach mixture to your "custard" mixture and combine well.
7. Pour into pie shell and top with remaining cheese
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Cheese and Bacon Quiche


6 strips of bacon cooked until crisp

salt

pepper

nutmeg

3 large eggs

1 cup milk or cream ( I use whole milk)

3/4 cup shredded swiss cheese

9 inch pre baked pie shell

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Break up pieces of bacon and strew them in the bottom of the pie shell on top of cheese
3. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese on top of bacon.
4. In a large measuring cup (2-4 cup capacity) add eggs and enough milk or cream to make 1 1/2 cups "custard" mixture and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
5. Pour "custard" mixture into pie shell and top with remaining cheese
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until brown and bubbly.