Back in the carefree younger days when my husband and I were dating, he used to take me to this really great little breakfast place that served stuffed french toast. It was divine… delicious… out of this world. Unfortunately though, he lived in Phoenix, AZ and I lived all the way out in a wee little town in Southwestern Pennsylvania, so I didn’t know of any nearby breakfast nook that served up a dazzling dish of stuffed french toast. To impress my “crush” that I could whip up a hopefully impressive breakfast, one morning as he was visiting me and my family, I decided to make him breakfast. I decided to make stuffed french toast, my own version. What came out was a mouthwatering sweet and satisfying dish that is to this day one of our favorites for those special occasion brunches or when we have company over for breakfast. My now husband was so impressed that I could ACTUALLY COOK! He admitted he wasn’t sure if I was good at that or not because he knew of course my mother could cook because she always cooked for him when he came to visit, but he wasn’t sure of my ability… he was VERY excited that some of the talent rubbed off. Come to think of it… maybe that was the very moment he decided he could probably spend the rest of his life with me…kidding. Enjoy this wonderful recipe and feed it to your husband… he will LOVE it… and LOVE you for it.

You will need:

1 package of sourdough bread, pre-sliced
Eggs
cinnamon
Vanilla Extract
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 – 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 c. pecans
butter
Maple syrup

Step 1: Cut the sourdough bread slices in half.

Step 2:Whip 3-4 eggs, about 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract with a wire whisk in medium size mixing bowl.

Step 3: Place package of softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip until creamy and smooth with a hand mixer.

Step 4: Add in 1/2 c. powdered sugar and whip until creamy and well blended (may need to scrape sides of bowl with a spatula).

Step 5: Add in 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract and mix until well blended.

Step 6: Chop about 1/4 – 1/2 c. of pecans. Add them to the cream cheese mixture and fold into the cream cheese.

Step 7: Take one half slice of sourdough bread and spread some cream cheese filling on half of the slice. Place other half of slice over the top and pinch sides to seal. Repeat process until all the slices of bread have been used.

Step 8: Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Step 9: Dip one sandwich piece into the egg/cinnamon/vanilla mixture you set aside earlier. Coat both sides with the egg mixture, then place into the heated skillet, repeat process until you have filled the skillet with as many pieces as will fit (usually about 4).

Step 10: Cook french toast pieces about 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 3 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until all the french toast pieces have been cooked, place on a platter to serve.

Step 11: Place 2 pieces of french toast on a plate, garnish with warm maple syrup and dusted powdered sugar. Enjoy!

I fell in love with this combination of strawberries, fresh whipped cream, and honey on top of crepes when I first had them at LGO. Since then, I crave them every once in awhile (which really means almost every time I walk past strawberries in the produce aisle of the grocery store), so I modified my own crepe recipe and braved the idea of making crepes without a real crepe griddle. I am still coveting one of those by the way…someday, maybe I’ll break down and get one, but for now when the cravings set in… I just get out my handy dandy small skillet and a slab of butter or cooking spray and it works almost just as good. It doesn’t alter the taste in my opinion. Keep in mind, the first crepe is usually thick and somewhat rubbery, but once the pan seems to settle in and the heat is just right… the crepes turn out perfect. So, try this recipe on for size… well, hopefully not too much size… I don’t want anyone gaining a pound or two over this… but it’s definitely worth trying out for your next brunch…you won’t be sorry!

What you will Need:
3 eggs
1 1/2 – 2 c. milk (I usually use 1 %)
1 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Honey

For toppings:
1 package of strawberries
1 tsp. sugar

1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 of the measurement of milk to the eggs and beat slightly until just blended. Sift the flour into the milk and egg mixture, then add in the salt and sugar. Mix until just blended. Add the remaining measurement of milk and 1 tsp. vanilla and mix until a light runny batter forms. The batter should be very thin and runny, but thicker than water. If it is too thick, just add more milk (only about a Tbsp. at a time).

Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut in quarters or chunks. Place in a bowl and sprinkle 1 tsp. of sugar over top. Stir around until all the strawberries are coated with the sugar. Cover the bowl of strawberries with plastic wrap and refrigerate until crepes are done so as to create a nice sugary syrup.

Place a small, preferably metal, small mixing bowl in the freezer in order to get cold for whipping the whip cream later (this is a FANTASTIC trick I learned from my mother… but I’m sure a lot of people already knew this one).

Heat a small skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat on the stove top (I usually keep my burner set around 4). Grease the pan using a light non-stick cooking spray or a small slice of butter… less than 1/2 Tbsp., you do not need a lot of grease, otherwise the batter won’t spread out thin enough if the pan is over greased.

Once the skillet is heated and greased, take a 1/4 c. measuring cup and scoop out some crepe batter. Pour a thin layer of the batter until it just covers the bottom of the pan. Wait 30 seconds to one minute, just until the batter settles and flip to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds just until the batter becomes firm… it should have somewhat of a rubbery, flexible texture. Place cooked crepe on a plate. Repeat the process until all the batter is gone and you have a plate full of stacked crepes.

To make the whipping cream, remove the metal mixing bowl from the freezer. Pour the entire pint of heavy whipping cream into the bowl. Add the 1/4 c. of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla and beat on high speed with a hand held mixer until very stiff and fluffy… i start on a medium speed until the liquid starts to thicken slightly… otherwise it splashes EVERYWHERE! I even sometimes drape a light kitchen towel over the handheld mixer and the bowl while I whip the death out of the cream.. this helps keep down the splatter. Side note: if you are feeling particularly frustrated or upset this is definitely the recipe to make today… this is a great way to add in some THERAPY… just whip that cream with a mad face until you’ve whipped that cream into shape… and suddenly once you see what has transpired… I don’t see how anyone could stay mad… it is too delicious!

To serve: roll up two crepes by folding each end over top of each other like a log, and place seam side down on a plate. Top with a heaping spoonful of those syrupy strawberries, a dallop of whip cream, and then drizzle honey all over the top of the crepes. Enjoy!!

Microwave eggs are the easiest thing since cereal and toast. Yes, I did just say the word “microwave” eggs. This may be a little frightening to imagine for some, but for those of you who are curious, you may just find yourself enjoying one of the most easy and deliciously fluffy 2 minute personal size omelet/egg casseroles you’ve ever had. If you are looking for a healthy or creative quick breakfast than your everyday toast or cereal this is perfect! And it only takes about 5 minutes from start to finish! I’ve never actually seen a recipe for one of these in a cookbook or on a cooking show, my mother used to make these as quick after school snacks or for breakfast when we were kids. I loved them then, and I am so glad I remembered them so I can love them now!

Ingredients:
1-2 eggs (may use 2 egg whites per egg for an egg white only microwave egg)
salt and pepper
1/4 c. cheese (Colby jack, cheddar, mozzarella, American, etc.)
2 mushrooms, sliced
Serrano pepper, sliced (about 5-8 slices)

The wonderful thing about microwave eggs is there is an unlimited amount of ways to be creative with the ingredients. I tend to use whatever I have in the fridge that seems to pair well together, usually a cheese, vegetable, and meat. All these ingredients of course are optional. Some of my favorite combinations include: sausage/cheese/jalapeno, bacon/cheese, zuchini/mushroom/onion/cheese, Ham/cheese/vegetable. For today, I decided on a cheese, mushroom, and Serrano microwave egg.

Step 1: Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.

Step 2: Slice 2-3 small mushrooms.

Step 3: Saute mushrooms for about 2 minutes in the skillet just until tender with a teeny pinch of sea salt and black pepper to season.

Step 4: Crack an egg or two into a microwave safe bowl (if using egg whites only, separate egg whites and yolks then add egg whites to a microwave safe bowl; about 2 egg whites per 1 egg).

Step 5: Lightly, whip the egg with a whisk or fork.

Step 6: Remove mushrooms from the skillet. Cut a Serrano pepper into thin slices (you will probably need about 5 -8 slices of Serrano pepper). Add the mushrooms and Serrano slices to the egg.

Step 7: Grate 1/4 c. of cheese (I used colby jack for this recipe). Sprinkle cheese over top of vegetables in the egg. Pop the bowl into the microwave and cook on HIGH for 1 minute and 30 seconds, or until the egg mixture in the center is not runny.

Waala! You now have a beautifully fluffy and cheesy personal microwave egg. Top it off with some fresh salsa and dig in! You will be so glad you did! Enjoy!