French Toast for the Lovers

Here is an old photo, and recipe, reposted per special request. While this recipe (from Cook’s Illustrated January/February 2009) includes ingredients I rarely have on hand (e.g., white bread, whole milk), they are worth scrounging up for a special occasion. The special occasion…the best French toast you’ll ever eat, or at least make yourself. Whether making it as a special treat for yourself, or someone else (which I highly recommend), don’t skimp on any of the steps or ingredients. Indulgent and sweet, this dish is worth sharing on a weekend morning (or afternoon).

Ingredients: 

8 large slices hearty challah bread

11/2 cups whole milk, warmed

3 large egg yolks

3 Tbsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 Tbsp for cooking

1/4 tsp table salt

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Maple Syrup

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees.

2. Whisk milk, yolks, sugar, cinnamon, 2 Tbsp melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking pan.

3. Soak bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling part, about 20 seconds a side. Using a slotted spatula, pick up bread slice, allowing excess milk mixture to drip off. Repeat with all slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter.

4. Heat ½ Tbsp butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices of soaked bread to skillet and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper town and continue cooking remaining bread 2 pieces at a time, adding ½ Tbsp of butter for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup separately. 

Summer Harvest Menu

One of my favorite weekend activities involves planning and preparing healthy delicious meals for the week. First, I will attend one of the local farmer's market and purchase the brightest and most beautiful produce. Then, I spend Saturday mornings leisurely drinking coffee and combing through cookbooks looking for recipes that highlight the chosen ingredients. After that, I'm off to the grocery store to purchase additional ingredients. 


This weekend started with my mother telling me about a cucumber tomatillo mint beverage she had made recently. After hearing about her recipe and researching agua fresca recipes, I settled on the following beverage.  It was maybe a little adventuresome for the party I took it to, so before making it, make sure the idea of drinking cucumber juice sounds good to you. 

Watermelon Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca

1 lb of cucumbers coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 1/4 cup packed (spearmint) mint leaves

1/2 cup sugar (optional)

1/2 seedless watermelon

Approximately 1 and 1/4 cup of water

Directions: Put ingredients in blender, add enough water to fill 3/4 of blender (may have to do in two batches). Hold the lid on the blender and purée until smooth. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the purée through it, pressing against the sieve with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid out as possible. Fill a large pitcher halfway with ice cubes. Add the juice. Serve with sprigs of mint and slices of lime.

I also recently had a very delicious jalapeno lemonade, so some sliced up jalapenos might be a nice addition to an agua fresca as well. 

Next, I had to find some recipes to use up fresh basil, zucchinis, and more cucumber. I made the following fresh basil vinaigrette to put on salads or steamed fish and vegetables throughout the week. I also recently received enough cans of Thai curry paste to supply me with curry for the next 15 years, thanks to a friend's miscalculation, so I have been on a curry kick as well. The following are the recipes that I settled on. I HIGHLY recommend this veggie burger recipe. Muy delicioso, and I am not usually one to love my own food. 

Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

3/4 cup olive oil

2 cups chopped fresh basil leaves

1 shallot, peeled

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground back pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions: Heat 1/4 cup oil with 1 cup basil in medium saucepan over medium heat until basil turns bright green. Turn off heat and steep for 5 minutes. Process shallot, garlic, vinegar, water, salt, pepper and mustard in food processor (or blender) until garlic and shallot are finely chopped. With blender still running add remaining olive oil and steeped basil oil until emulsified. Pack remaining 1 cup basil into food processor or blender and process until smooth. Note: I only had about 1 cup of basil. You could also sneak in some spinach here too.

Sweet Potato Meatless Burgers

1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated

1 large zucchini, grated

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

1 sleeve low-salt, whole-wheat saltine crackers, crushed into crumbs

1 cup cooked brown rice

3 egg whites

juice of 1 fresh lemon

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds

1 tsp unrefined sea salt

pinch of freshly ground back pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a very large mixing bowl. With clean hands mix everything together. Using your hands, shape them into balls and press them into a burger shape on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for 5 more minutes. Patties should be golden brown on top.

Cucumber Salad

1 English cucumber, unpeeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup ice cubes

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions: Mix vinegar and salt in mixing bowl. Coat cucumbers. Place ice cubes on top until time to serve or keep refrigerated. 

Summer Squash Soup

8 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into cubes

Fine-grain sea salt

1 Tbsp red Thai curry paste, plus more if desired

3 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil

3 large shallots

11/2 pounds yellow summer squash or zucchini

12 ounces potatoes, unpeeled and cut into cubes

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups lightly favored vegetable broth or water

1 can coconut milk

Directions: Place tofu between two layers of a kitchen cloth until some of the moisture is removed. Season with a pinch of salt, and toss with oil, and cook in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently and cook until tofu is firm and browned and then set aside (I have yet to figure out how to do this without the tofu crumbling). Mash the curry paste into the coconut oil and heat in a large saucepan over medium high heat until fragrant. Stir in the shallots and a few pinches of sat until the shallots are tender. Stir in the squash and potatoes and cook until tender (a few minutes). Stir in the garlic, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes until the potato is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve each bowl topped with some of the tofu croutons.

Mexican Dinner Teaser

I have future plans of cooking a Mexican dinner with my friend Gina who made me aware of the Better Homes and Garden Special Edition Publication entitled Ultimate Mexican. Besides beautiful pictures, it also appears to contain authentic recipes. A future goal will be to practice the art of tamale making, but in the mean time, here is a recipe for some darn good guacamole.


Chunky Guacamole
1 seeded and chopped jalepeno pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped roma tomato
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 very ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and cubed


In a bowl combine tomato, onion, lime juice, oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Gently stir in avocados. Serve immediately or cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill for up to 1 hour.