French Toast Muffins

I made these muffins for brunch one weekend for my sisters and nieces. they were well received!
The original recipe calls for Frozen Jumbleberry fruit blend. I used fresh raspberries instead. Either would be great!

To remove these from the muffin tin, don't just flip it over. I did that and half the fruit fell off the muffins. Oops!
The ones we had left over I froze and we used for breakfast during the week. Nice treat.

French Toast Muffins From Inspired Magazine, Fall 2011
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 40 miutes (from frozen); 35 minutes from fresh
Mkes: 12 Muffins
Preheat oven: 375F (190C)
Greased muffin tin

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups 1% milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
10 slices bread, cubed
1 cup frozen berries
2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions
In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until well combined.
Add cubed bread and toss gently until the egg mixture is absorbed.
Add berries and toss gently to combine

Divide muffin mixture evenly into a greased muffin tin and drizzle with maple syrup.
Bake in the centre of a oven for 25 minutes

Eat fresh with a little extra maple syrup drizzled on top.

To freeze:
Cool completely from oven, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a resealable plastic bag or container.
To reheat frozen muffins, remove plastic wrap and place in micrwave on defrost for 1 minute. If desired, drizzle warm muffins with a little more mape syrup before serving.

Freeze and Bake later
To freeze now and bake later, place the muffin tin in the freezer until batter is solid and remove "pucks" to a freezer bag for storage (they don't need to be wrapped individually).
Bake from frozen either in a muffin tin or on a baking sheet.

French Toast Baked in Honey-Pecan sauce

This is by far the best French Toast recipe I've ever had. It's perfect for a weekend. Make half the night before, and bake it in the morning. It's a huge sugar overload, so make sure you have something light to go along with it.

From The New Intercourses (an aphrodisiac cookbook) pg 87

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 slices day old French bread

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter cut into pieces

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Combine Eggs, half-and-half, brown sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl.

Pour HALF the mixture into a baking dish.

Place bread in the pan and top with other half of mixture.

Refrigerate covered overnight.

Next Day:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in oven in a baking dish.

When melted, stir in brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and pecans.

Set soaked bread on top of pecan mixture.

Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Remove with spatula and invert each slice onto plates. Spoon remaining syrup and nuts on top.

Muesli Muffins

125 g Muesli
355 ml Milk
70 ml Peanut oil
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
125 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
180 g wholemeal flour
1 tsp ground allspice

Preheat oven to 355 F

1) Grease muffin tray 2) Mix muesli with one cup of milk and leave to soak for 5 min 3) Combine oil, remaining milk, vanilla, golden syrup, and muesli mixture 4) Mix together the remaining dry ingredients and add to the wet mixture until just combined 5) Use a teaspoon to divide the mixture equally into the muffin tray. Sprinkle the tops with a little muesli. Bake muffins for 15-20 minutes 6) Leave muffins in the tray until cooled, turn out and enjoy!

optional: Drizzle some lemon icing over for a zesty taste

Lemon Risotto

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced (a little more than 1 cup)
4 tablespoons butter
1 lemon
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese
Extra parmesan to garnish each dish

Directions

1) Stew the onion in butter over medium heat until soft, then zest the lemon and stir it with the onion.

2) Stir in the rice to coat all the grains of rice with butter.

3) Start adding broth 1/2 cup at a time. Adjust the heat so the broth just simmers. The broth will reduce and thicken into a sort of gravy. Every time that happens, add another half cup, then add the water. Stir frequently and continue until the rice is done. (If the broth and water are gone and the rice isn't done, keep adding more water.) Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon and add a couple tablespoons along with some broth. (Save the last bit of lemon juice to season the dish with at the end.)

4) When the rice is done—tender but not mushy—stir in the parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and the last bit of lemon juice. Serve with grated or shaved parmesan over the top.

Crockpot Crust-less Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 can pumpkin OR pumpkin pie filling
• 1 can condensed milk
• 2 eggs (or egg whites)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
  
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• ginger

Directions:

• Combine ingredients.
• Place in crockpot.
• Cook on low for 4 hours, or until middle is set (consistency of pumpkin pie).
• Let cool, and enjoy!
  

Cupcakes!

For you Heather....

http://www.countryliving.com/cooking/recipes/cupcake-decorating-ideas-0309?click=smart&kw=ist&src=smart&mag=DEL&link=http://www.countryliving.com/cooking/recipes/cupcake-decorating-ideas-0309-SMT-DEL

Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients:
1. Ground meat (beef, turkey... whatever) ~ 1lb
2. 1 Jar Tomato/Spaghetti sauce

3. No boil Lasagna sheet noodles (amount will vary due to size and shape of crockpot)

4. Cottage Cheese (~1 container)
5. 1/4 cup of milk
6. 1 egg
7. 1 package of spinach

8. Optional: herbs, mushrooms, other veggies....

Directions.
1. Cook meat. Add in jar of sauce. Set aside.

2. Mix together milk, egg, cottage cheese, and spinach. Set aside.

3. In crockpot, layer mixtures and noodles: meat, noodles, cheese, noodles, meat, noodles, cheese, noodles, meat.

4. Cook on low setting 4-6 hours. When almost done, top with mozzarella cheese, if desired.