At the weekend I like to pull out all the stops and make us at least one great breakfast. This recipe I am sharing today comes from, once again, my Big Blue Binder. (Afraid it's not in my cookbook of the same name, just in my Blue Binder. Sorry about that! Maybe I DO need to do a second volume. I must talk to my Editor.) As far as weekend breakfasts go, you can't get much better than this fabulous French toast casserole!
I did cut the recipe approximately in half to serve only two of us, and we had leftovers, but no worries, Todd will enjoy them tomorrow for his breakfast reheated in the microwave. Not a problem.
Its really easy to make. Thick slices of stale French bread are spread with some softened cream cheese on both sides and then laid out in a buttered shallow baking dish in a single layer.
You poke them all over with a fork, and then you lay drained sliced tinned peaches (in the juice) over top of each slice. I put 3 slices on top of each and it looked just right to me!
After that you sprinkle on some chopped nuts. I used toasted walnuts this time because that is what I had, but . . . personally . . . I like toasted pecans most of all!
Then you whisk together some milk, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and pour it over and around the slices of bread in the baking dish. (Handy tip, save out some of the cinnamon and sprinkle it over top of everything evenly. )
Pop into a preheated oven and less than half an hour later Bob's your Uncle, Breakfast is served. I like to serve it with a good breakfast sausage and some bacon curls on the side.
And of course with some more maple syrup for pouring over it all. YUMMO! I just bang the sausages and bacon curls into the oven while I am putting the French toast together and bake them right along side. Everything gets finished about the same time! Easy peasy!
I like to use a good meaty well flavoured sausage, like the Heck's 97% pork ones. They are dairy and gluten free as well.
Making bacon curls is not hard. Just take rashers of streaky bacon and roll them around your index finger. Spike a toothpick through them to hold them together and then lay them out on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Of course you remove the toothpicks before serving. They look really nice I think, a tad bit different and special if you know what I mean. Presentation is everything when it comes to serving up good and tasty meals.
With just a tiny bit of effort you can make sure all of your meals look nice. That's half the battle right there! It only takes a little bit of time to go that little extra mile and it is always most appreciated by the family!
Yield: 5
Baked Peach French Toast
prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins
Simple, easy and delicious. You can substitute 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced for the peaches if you wish!
ingredients:
10 (1 inch thick) slices of French bread
85g softened cream cheese (3 ounces)
2 (415g) tins of sliced peaches in juice, drained (29 ounces)
30g chopped nuts (1/4 cup)
240ml skim milk (1 cup)
80ml maple syrup (1/3 cup)
3 large free range eggs
2 TBS butter, melted
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
Spread the cream cheese on both sides of the sliced French bread. Lay out in
the prepped pan in a single layer. Prick the bread all over with a
fork. Top with the peach slices. Sprinkle the nuts over top. Whisk
together the milk, maple syrup, eggs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and
vanilla. Pour over the bread.
the prepped pan in a single layer. Prick the bread all over with a
fork. Top with the peach slices. Sprinkle the nuts over top. Whisk
together the milk, maple syrup, eggs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and
vanilla. Pour over the bread.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I really hope you will give this delicious breakfast casserole a try. I just know your family are going to love it! (Oh, to halve it I used 2 medium eggs instead of 3 large eggs, and halved everything else.) Bon Appetit!
"Its so comforting to have a piece of cake, just one small slice" ~Mary Berry
I'm with Mary Berry on cake. A house without some cake in it is just a house. Comfort = Home. Cake in a house makes it a home! And this is a really, really LOVELY cake!
The recipe is adapted from one in the Nigel Slater cookbook entitled The Kitchen Diaries ll.
If you have been reading me for any length of time you will know I have a healthy respect for Nigel Slater and his cookery.
I've not really done much of his sweet baking however, mainly just his savoury cooking. I wanted to make some use of the thyme in our garden however, while it was still lovely and usably fresh.
It would have been really nice had I used it while it was flowering, but hindsight is always 20/20. I was a little bit nervous using a baking recipe from Nigel however . . .
Lemon and thyme are a marriage made in heaven. The two are just meant to be together, and when I was reading this cake recipe, I just thought . . . this is going to be a beautiful cake.
I trust Nigel and I was right to do so!!!
It is an incredible cake with beautiful flavours. There is a very subtle flavour of lemon and thyme in the cake itself.
This comes from the use of finely grated zest of a lemon and fresh thyme leaves.
I used Dorie Greenspan's trick of rubbing the lemon zest and thyme into
the sugar, to really help infuse the flavours into the cake, and I am
happy that I did because the flavours were really subtle.
I think they would have been hardly noticeable had I not done this, so I have added those instructions to the method.
Most of the flavour comes from the use of a delicious lemon and thyme syrup that you spoon over the hot cake as soon as it comes from the oven.
The cake itself is a lovely moist and buttery sponge, and that syrup soaking into the surface tips it over the edge into gorgeousness!
The hardest part was waiting long enough for it to cool so that we could slice into it!!
Nigel recommends serving it with a dollop of yogurt. I served it with some plain thick Greek yogurt.
We love Greek yogurt in this house.
I added a tiny drizzle of liquid honey on top for Todd. It was fabulous and added a really special touch that we both loved.
Altogether it was a lovely, lovely cake and one I can see myself baking again and again.
Thank you Nigel! You can bake!
Yield: 8
Thyme & Lemon Cake
prep time: 15 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 60 mins
Lemon and Thyme are a marriage made in heaven. Adapted from a recipe in Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries ll.
ingredients:
200g butter (3/4 cup + 1 tsp)
200g caster sugar (1 cup plus 2 1/2 tsp fine sugar)
4 large free range eggs
4 large free range eggs
100g plain flour (3/4 cup plus 3 TBS)
1/2 tsp baking powder
100g ground almonds (1 cup plus 3 TBS)
the finely grated zest of one lemon
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
To glaze:
4 TBS caster sugar
the juice of 2 large lemons
2 TBS water
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leavesinstructions:
Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Line an 8 X 4 inch loaf tin with baking paper. Butter the paper. Set aside.
Sift together the flour and baking powder and then stir in the ground almonds.
Cream
the butter with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Measure the
sugar into a bowl and rub together with the lemon zest and thyme
leaves. Beat into the butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. If the
mixture begins to curdle add a TBS of the flour mixture. Once all of
the eggs have been beaten in, fold in the flour mixture. Spoon into the
prepared baking tin.
the butter with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Measure the
sugar into a bowl and rub together with the lemon zest and thyme
leaves. Beat into the butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. If the
mixture begins to curdle add a TBS of the flour mixture. Once all of
the eggs have been beaten in, fold in the flour mixture. Spoon into the
prepared baking tin.
Bake for 45 minutes, until well risen and the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove and set on a wire rack.
Whisk
together the lemon juice, water and sugar in a small saucepan to
dissolve the sugar. Stir in the thyme leaves. Prick the surface of the
baked cake with a skewer and then spoon the syrup over top allowing it
to soak in.
together the lemon juice, water and sugar in a small saucepan to
dissolve the sugar. Stir in the thyme leaves. Prick the surface of the
baked cake with a skewer and then spoon the syrup over top allowing it
to soak in.
Leave to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.
Created using The Recipes Generator
You really need to do yourself a favour and bake this lovely cake. Don't be afraid of using savoury herbs in a sweet bake, the thyme really works beautifully here. I think you are going to love this! Bon Appetit and Bon Weekend!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
No doubt quite a few of you will be entertaining this weekend. Last weekend we had our August Bank Holiday weekend and I know that this weekend in North America it is what is known as the Labour Day Long Weekend, Summer's last hurrah before the busy-ness of Autumn sets in. Schools will be going back next week, Summer holidays are over. This is the weekend to throw one last Summer blast! This Garden Herb Dip is perfect for any get-togethers you might be planning!
I always come home with an empty container. It is a simple make and tastes delicious and I don't know anyone who doesn't love vegetables or crackers and chips with a tasty dip!
I am betting you have everything in your house right now to make it also . . . cream cheese, thick plain yogurt, mayonnaise, a bit of Dijon mustard and a splash of hot sauce, along with some chopped spring onions (scallions), chives and seasonings.
Simple ingredients whisked together with fabulous results!
The recipe comes, once again, from my Big Blue Binder. Its perfect for serving with crisp things . . . like raw vegetables or potato chips, crackers, crisp breads, etc.
Some of my favourite vegetables for dipping are carrots, cucumbers, radishes, peppers, and broccoli and cauliflower. Although at this stage of life I need to blanch the broccoli and cauliflower briefly first. My body doesn't seem to tolerate them as well as they did when I was younger. 'Nuff said! (Diverticulitis!)
What I like most about this dip is that it is lovely and thick. It is easy to dip and stays on your dipper! Its not messy to eat in the least. When you are entertaining or partying, that's a huge plus for me!
You could add other herbs if you want, but I think it is pretty perfect just as it is!
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Garden Herb Dip
prep time: 15 minscook time: 8 hourtotal time: 8 hours and 15 mins
Fabulous with crisp vegetables and crackers. Quick and easy to make and very delicious! Great for parties and get-togethers!
ingredients:
1 (250g) pack of cream cheese (8 oz pack)
240ml thick Greek yogurt, plain (1 cup)
60g mayonnaise (1/4 cup)
3 spring onions, trimmed, washed and chopped
2 heaped TBS minced fresh chives
salt to taste
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
dash of Tabasco sauce
instructions:
overnight. Spoon into a bowl to serve along with your favourite crisp
raw vegetables. Some good suggestions are carrots, cucumber, broccoli
and cauliflower (I lightly blanch first), assorted bell pepper strips,
trimmed baby spring onions, tomato wedges, radishes, baby corn, fresh
mushrooms, etc.
Created using The Recipes Generator
See how lovely and thick it is and how it stays on the vegetables without dipping. This is a plus, plus, PLUS!
I like to use my 5 in 1 Vegetable Shredder for prepping some of the vegetables. Not only is it easy to use, but it is also designed as a handy container for holding your prepped vegetables.
It has five different prep blades, a vegetable peeler and a special gliding vegetable holder which safely helps you to glide the vegetables over the blades. They are quite sharp.
The picks on the bottom of the glider grab the vegetable and hold it in place. There are two sizes of plain slicer bladed, two sizes of grating blades and a waffle blade . . . this is what I used to cut my carrots with today. Very pretty.
As you slide the vegetables over the blade they go into the handy storage bowl underneath, cutting down on any mess. Easy to use, it simply rinses clean. Made of Premium ABS plastic and stainless steel it also stores easily. All of the parts can be stored in the handy bowl underneath when not in use. Its also very easy to change the blades. I quite like it myself! Bon Appetit!
Late summer is one of my favourite times of the year. You get lovely days with cool nights, and our gardens are overflowing with lovely fruit and veg.
This recipe I am sharing today is a perfect way to use up some of the garden glut!
I don't think it is an accident that fresh tomatoes and corn are ripening at the same time.
These two vegetables go wonderfully together!
This recipe includes both sweet corn kernels and ripe summer tomatoes, mixed together with crisp green bell peppers and beautiful garden basil.
Its not a pie in the way that you would recognise a pie . . . there is no crust really, just two layers of streaky bacon and dry bread crumbs that kind of form a crust if that makes sense.
BACON!! Yes, with corn and tomatoes? Count me in!
I used pulverized KrispRolls for the crumbs. Whole grain and really crisp, they were perfect for this use. I try to get as many whole grains into us as I can.
Todd really prefers white bread, but I know that whole grains are essential for good health and lower GI, so in something like this, I use them. Feeding men is sometimes like feeding children. You have to just sneak the goodness in so they don't notice. Shhh . . . don't tell.
The whole dish has a slightly smokey quality, from the bacon of course, and the bread crumbs soak up any excess fat which helps them to form a bit of a crust.
Crisp bacon, who doesn't love that! (Well, unless you are a vegetarian of course!)
Fresh crisp sweet corn . . . tender and delicious . . . ripe sweet tomatoes, with the taste of the sunshine in every mouthful . . . To peel the tomatoes easily cut a cross in the centre of the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife and plunge them into boiling water.
Let sit for about 1 minute and you will notice that the edges of the cross will be starting to lift just a bit. Scoop the out with a slotted spoon into ice water and they will peel really easily. No problemo!
Herby basil . . . basil goes extremely well with corn and tomatoes . . . and the smell . . . mmmm . . . . I actually cut it chiffonade style.
Just layer the leaves and then roll tightly into a cigar and cut crosswise into thin slices.
Chopping basil bruises it too much, and you release more of the flavour into your cutting board. You really want the flavour to stay in the leaves.
Some people have a difficult time digesting green peppers. In that case you can use red or orange peppers.
It won't be quite as pretty as the green, but will still taste very good. I use a chopper which easily chops them to the perfect size. No fuss no muss.
A bit of salt and pepper, remembering that bacon can be salty. Oh, about the bacon. I always use dry cure bacon. Less water in it. More natural. Oh, I am reminded of something.
Many years ago we used to buy home smoked bacon from a little country store back home. It was simply gorgeous. The smell alone was like nothing you could buy in the regular shops and the flavour was amazing.
But I digress . . . all of these flavours today, combined in a delicious layered casserole/pie make for some pretty darn delicious eating if I don't say so myself.
You won't want to miss out on this one. I dare say that you could use frozen corn in a pinch, but if you have fresh, why not use that. You are going to love this!
Yield: 6
Corn & Tomato Pie
prep time: 15 minscook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins
A great way to use up some of the abundance in the garden at this time of year. Simple fresh ingredients done right.
ingredients:
8 slices streaky bacon, halved crosswise
240g dry bread crumbs (2 cups)
1 green bell pepper, trimmed, seeded and minced
8 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (2 cups)
the fresh kernels from 4 large cobs of corn (3 cups)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
large handful of fresh basil, minced (1/4 cup)
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready a shallow 2 litre/2 quart casserole dish.
Line
the casserole dish with half the bacon. Top with half of the bread
crumbs. Layer in the green pepper, tomatoes and corn, seasoning each
layer with salt and pepper, chopped basil and brown sugar, layering each
ingredient twice. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over top. Lay
the remaining bacon slices over the bread crumbs.
the casserole dish with half the bacon. Top with half of the bread
crumbs. Layer in the green pepper, tomatoes and corn, seasoning each
layer with salt and pepper, chopped basil and brown sugar, layering each
ingredient twice. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over top. Lay
the remaining bacon slices over the bread crumbs.
Created using The Recipes Generator
This is a recipe taken from my Big Blue Binder. For those who don't know it is a huge blue covered binder that I have been collecting recipes from family and friends in since I was a girl. It has travelled the world with me! Its pretty much falling apart at this point, but it is filled with lovely gems such as this one! Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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