Refrigerator Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

8 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

40 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple Syrup

Directions

Slice bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a hand beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

 

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Carraba’s (Copycat) Chicken Bryan

Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan

 

• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Servings: 6

About This Recipe: This tastes just like the restaurant version. You’ll love it and your wallet will thank you..or it would if it could talk.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup cold butter, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces caprino goat cheese or 8 ounces other goat cheese, room temperature

Directions

1. Saute garlic and onion in 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender.
2. Stir wine and lemon juice into skillet, increase heat to medium high, and simmer to reduce by half.
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in cold butter, one slice at a time.
4. Stir in tomatoes, basil, kosher salt, and white pepper; remove from heat; set aside.
5. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
6. Grill chicken over hot coals 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
7. A couple of minutes before chicken is done, place equal amounts of cheese on each breast. Spoon prepared sun-dried tomato sauce over chicken and voila, enjoy!
8. You can also place the chicken over cooked linguini pasta if you like.

BBQ Shrimp in Crockpot

Crockpot Barbequed Shrimp..you must be amazed as I was to find this. To set the record straight, there is no barbeque sauce, for it would ruin this wonderfully sinful dish, no offense to fans of barbeque sauce. There’s a right place for everything, just not bbq sauce in here.

 Ingredients:

–2 pounds fresh raw shell-on shrimp (21-25 per pound size range)
–1 stick of butter (the sinful part, I know it’s a lot though)

–1/4 cup olive oil
–1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
–1-2 T Tabasco sauce

–1 tsp ground black pepper
–1 tsp kosher salt
–3 lemons, juiced
–1 T chopped fresh basil

 Directions:
You’ll need a 5 to 6 quart crockpot for this meal.
Rinse the shrimp, but don’t soak them too much. Add them into the crockpot after you drain them.

Add the stick of butter, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Measure out the Tabasco, salt and pepper, and add those in there, too. Juice the lemons, and add that, and top with the freshly chopped basil. Toss just a bit with a big spoon to mingle the flavors. The butter will be in a big stick, but that’s okay.
 
Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes. You’ll know the shrimp is done when it has turned pink, and can be peeled easily.

The Ingredients.

–2 pounds fresh raw shell-on shrimp (shrimp in the 21-25 per pound work best)
–1 stick of butter

–1/4 cup olive oil
–1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
–1-2 T Tabasco sauce

–1 tsp ground black pepper
–1 tsp kosher salt
–3 lemons, juiced
–1 T chopped fresh basil

The Directions.

You’ll need a 5 to 6 quart crockpot for this meal.
Rinse the shrimp, but don’t soak them too much. Dump them into the crockpot.

Add the stick of butter, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Measure out  Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper, and throw that in there, too. Juice the lemons, and add that, and top with the freshly chopped basil. Toss just a bit with a big spoon to mingle the flavors. The butter will be in a big stick, but that’s okay.

Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes. You’ll know the shrimp is done when it has turned pink, and can be peeled easily. Serve with bread to sop up the juice or over rice.  The juice is amazing either way.

Amazing Nature Photography

I know, this is not food related, so maybe I need to change my blog name. Anyway, the following website has the most amazing time lapse and night sky photography images. Brad, the photographer, is a gifted photographer, artist. His abilty to see the world and how he captures its images is tremendous. What sets him apart is he doesn’t just capture “the shot,” he captures “the experience”.

The easiest thing to say is that Brad, the photographer, is that he is a gifted photographer, andartist. What strikes me most about his pictures is how he sees the world and how he captures its images. What sets him apart is he doesn’t just capture the shot he is able to capture the entire experience.

Do yourself a favor and check out his site, you’ll be glad you did: http://goldpaintphotography.com/about/

A Fear I’m Working to Overcome

Of course, my blog is allthingsfoodtpa but this item is not food-related directly but more “food for thought”. A fear I’m working to overcome is an anxiety of hospitals, blood or needles. Although I’m getting better at it, I still don’t quite understand it but I’m defintely more brave about facing this issue than previously. By the way, anyone having suggestions about this, I’m listening.

 

Barbecue Ribs

 

Baby Back Ribs

About This Recipe

This is a terrific recipe and so simple. This creation originally comes from the Reynolds Company.  These get even better the next day! If you can’t find the foil bags you can just fold the foil into a packet. (For some reason, the foil bags are hard to find, but really not necessary if you seal the packet up well and place a sheet pan or cookie tin under the packet.)

For those with gluten-sensitivity, you can replace the flour with an equal amount of corn starch to keep the ribs from sticking to the foil. You may choose to leave off the cayenne, as I do, because it is so potent, with minimal change in the flavor.

Serves 6

 Ingredients:

1 Reynolds Hot Bags Foil Bag,  large size

2 1/2 to 3 pounds baby back pork ribs, cut into 4 sections

1 1/2 teaspoons EACH salt and sugar

1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and paprika

1/4 teaspoon EACH cayenne pepper and black pepper

1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon flour

Preparation:

Heat grill to medium (350-375 F) or oven to 400 degrees F. Place foil bag in a 1 inch deep pan.

Combine all seasonings. Coat both sides of ribs with seasonings; arrange in foil bag in an even layer. Combine bbq sauce and flour; spread evenly over ribs.

To seal, double fold open end of bag.

To cook, slide bag onto grill or leave in pan and place in hot oven. Grill for 1 hour or bake in oven for 1 1/4 hours.

Using oven mitts and a knife, carefully cut bag open. Fold back top for steam to escape. Brush ribs with additional barbecue sauce. Continue grilling or baking for 15 minutes to brown ribs.

Nutritional Information:

calories                                        960

fat grams                                        71

cholesterol milligrams          280

sodium milligrams                 774

carbohydrates milligrams         9

fiber grams                                        1

protein grams                               68

Fabulous Frosting

This is the most delightful decadent frosting I have ever had. It is made using bittersweet chocolate, confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, and butter.

It is wonderful for frosting cakes and cupcakes but equally delicious on strawberries. Since it has a high butter content, it hardens up once cooled but can be gently reheated to soften again.

Ingredients:

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I prefer Ghiradelli)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

Preparation:

Melt chocolate in a double-boiler pan with the chocolate in the top portion over simmering water. Be careful not to let the water or steam get into the chocolate, as this will change the consistency. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium until smooth and creamy, approximately 3 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate until blended.

If you desire to frost cupcakes, fill a pastry bag with a 12 mm, 1/2 inch star tip with frosting and pipe a spiral on top. Refrigerate until a half hour before serving to ensure that frosting is set.

Cook’s Illustrated Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

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