Kneaders Overnight French Toast

 This is my traditional Christmas morning breakfast and I have a fear this recipe will disappear from the internet so I decided I had better get it on our blog.

I only make half of the egg mixture and dip the cut pieces of bread in the mixture and put slices in prepared pan. I will spoon on a little extra egg mixture after its all loaded on the pan if I think some areas need a little extra. Dumping the whole amount listed below on the slices of bread is WAY TOO MUCH in my opinion.

I also need more than one pan. I usually end up using a 9x13 and a square 9x9 for one loaf of bread. 

While baking, with about 15 minutes left,  I flip the pieces over so both sides can get a little browned.

 

Kneaders Overnight French Toast

Ingredients
1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon bread, sliced in to eight pieces
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
Step 1 – Generously butter a 9×13-inch glass baking dish. Set butte aside.
Step 2 – Place bread in baking dish.
Step 3 – Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl until completely blended.
Step 4 – Pour egg mixture over bread.
Step 5 – Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle over bread.
Step 6 – Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
Step 7 – Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees.
Step 8 – Serves six to eight people.

Caramel Syrup:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup corn syrup

Mix ingredients in saucepan on medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Stirring occasionally. 

Store unused syrup in fridge.

Pancake Squares

Sarah and Henry (and if I'm being totally honest, myself) could eat pancakes everyday.  When I don't feel like standing at the stove flipping pancakes while I am also pouring syrup, getting cups of milk, frying eggs and cleaning up spills, I make these: Pancake Squares.  Simply make up the batter and stick it in the oven.  The flavor is dead-on for regular pancakes although the texture is a little cake-like but I think Sarah likes them more. Justin doesn't think they can ever replace fried in bacon grease pancakes and he's right but it's nice to mix it up a little and give my griddle a break. If it's just me and the kids, an 8x8 pan is enough but if Justin's home, we double it for a 9x13 and bake for 27 minutes.

Pancake Squares
3/4 cup milk
2 T. melted butter
1 large egg
1 T. sugar
1 cup flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, beat together milk, butter and egg. Add sugar, then gradually beat the flour in. Carefully stir in the baking powder and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serves 4-6.

From bigredkitchen.com

Jam Filled Muffins

Do you have fond memories like I do of Mom making these? I asked her for the recipe and she couldn't find it or couldn't remember where it was or something. She told me to just look for a basic sweet muffin recipe.  Well here's the one I use.  They are even good plain.  We also put jam and peanut butter in the center. So good for breakfast or dessert or a cold winter day. You don't need a reason.
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• Jam

Preparation

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
Stir together egg, milk, and oil until blended. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. (Or fill 1/3 full, blob of jam, blob of batter.)
Bake at 400° for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from pans immediately. Don't forget a glass of cold milk.

(Adapted from MyRecipes.com )

Pancakes

I love anything you can put maple syrup on.  And I especially love these.  Justin and I were on a quest for the perfect pancake recipe.  I've always been partial to Bisquik but after doing a little cost comparison (I just thought about it for a second really), homemade pancakes are practically free and Bisquik is a little pricey per pancake.

Back to the quest. We tried 2 recipes out of our cookbooks and one I had in my recipe box from who knows where since who knows when.  Yesterday I went to the web and typed in "pancake recipe".  This is the very first one that came up from allrecipes.com.  We loved it.  It helped they were cooked in the fat from the bacon we just fried.  So it was a short quest but nontheless triumphant.

This makes about 8 pancakes so those of you with larger families, I'd double it. Or if you like leftovers for the freezer.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (I used oil)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Creme Brulee French Toast

We usually have this Easter morning but I think we might have it Christmas morning too.  This is super easy to put together the night before.  It bakes in 30 minutes so I don't know what we'll do for the last 23 minutes after we open presents.

Creme Brulee French Toast

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 loaf Texas toast bread (I've used other kinds, just don't do Wonder, fluffy stuff)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half (or mixture of milk and whipping cream)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally.  Pour mixture onto large, greased jelly roll pan (18x13). Spread to cover surface.  Place 12 slices Texas toast bread in a single layer to cover pan.  Mix together eggs, cream, salt, and vanilla.  Spoon mixture over each piece of bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees. Remove from pan and serve. If not serving immediately, turn each slice of bread over (this will prevent bread from sticking to the bottom of the pan). You can serve with syrup butter but I just use a small amount of plain syrup since the bread is super sticky, moist, and rich anyway.

Syrup Butter

1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups maple syrup

Melt together and serve over toast.

Waffles

Here's a basic waffle recipe.  But by basic I mean yummy. It makes like twice as much as Justin, Sarah, and I ever eat.  But leftovers are good.

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk (I do the regular milk plus a couple of tablespoons of vinegar trick)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 butter, melted (I've used oil and it's good too)

Heat waffle iron. In a large bowl beat eggs. Add everything else and beat until smooth.  Pour batter into hot, lightly greased waffle iron.  Cook 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove waffle carefully (It really says that in this cookbook).  Top with syrup, strawberries, whipped cream or ice cream as desired. (Just in case you've never had waffles before and didn't know your options.)

Granola

2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or whatever kind of nuts you prefer)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp flax seed
1/4 cup unprocessed bran or wheat germ
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Combine all dry ingredients. Then combine all wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake in lightly greased 9x13 pan for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you want to ruin it by adding raisins, craisins or some other dried fruit, this would be the time to add it. Spread mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet to cool. Crumble up cooled granola and store in refrigerator in airtight container. Makes about 6 cups. Delicious over strawberry yogurt.