Day 309: French Toast Casserole

Last night we had breakfast for dinner.  I've had this recipe for a while and I thought last night would be the perfect time to try it. 

French toast casserole
12" dutch oven

2 tsp. butter, softened
8 slices white bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
7 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used our cheap sugar-free syrup)
4 T granulated sugar, divided
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp.  nutmeg1/4 t cardamom
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
maple syrup, for serving

Grease a 12" dutch oven with butter and fill the dish with bread cubes, distributing evenly.  In large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, 2 T sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.

Pour this mixture over the bread cubes, and press down over the surface of the casserole with a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before baking.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until the casserole if puffy and brown.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares and topping with the chopped pecans and warmed maple syrup.  Serve with fresh fruit.  Refrigerate all leftovers.  We had ours with a fruit syrup.  You can find that recipe here.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was really good.  We had it for dinner so I put it together in the morning.  It was really easy and the whole family loved it.  I think it would be a great camping breakfast.  Just be sure not to put hot coals on a cold oven...please.  This would also be a good Easter or Christmas morning breakfast since all the prep work is done in advance.  Grade B+.

Day 272: Blueberry Sausage Cake

Today I have a breakfast recipe.  For some reason, breakfast recipes seem harder to find.  Its probably because mornings are busy and there never seems to be enough time to make anything good!  That's my reasoning for not trying this recipe sooner.  We finally decided to have "Brinner" (breakfast for dinner) just so I could try this recipe.  I got this from Randy Goodman.  He says this dish is one of the most requested meals at a bed and breakfast run by his relatives.

Blueberry Sausage Cake
12" dutch oven

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 lb. pork sausage, cooked and well drained
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture and sour cream, beating until combined.  Fold in the sausage and berries.
Pour the batter into a greased dutch oven.  Sprinkle nuts on top.  Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve warm with blueberry sauce (recipe below).  Serves 12-15.

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar and cornstarch.  Add the water and blueberries.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Stir in lemon juice.  Cool slightly.  Makes 2 cups sauce.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was SERIOUSLY good!  The combination of sausage and blueberries may sound weird, but it is delicious!  I ate way more of this than I should have.  The 9 of us ate all but 2 pieces.  We had this with scrambled eggs and it was a hearty meal.  This is a perfect Sunday breakfast, and it would be awesome to wake up to this when you're camping.  We ran out of sauce, so you'll want to double it for sure.  This gets an A.

Day 208: Stuffed Peach French Toast Pudding

When most of us think of Dutch oven breakfast the first thing that comes to mind is a Mountain Man breakfast. While it is hard to beat , you might want to try this one for a change. and one of the best parts about is that you can fix everything together the night before and finish the cooking when you get up in the morning.

STUFFED PEACH FRENCH TOAST PUDDING

1 Loaf French bread sliced into 1” pieces
8 oz cream cheese cut into small pieces
2 large cans peaches
10 eggs beaten
1 ½ cup half and half
1/3 cup maple syrup
½ Cup melted butter
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Place half of the bread into a greased baking dish. Scatter cream cheese over bread. Cover with peaches reserving juice. Cover with rest of bread. Mix peach juice, eggs, half and half, syrup, and melted butter together and mix well. Pour liquid mixture over bread and let stand overnight.
Before cooking sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over mixture. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.(1 ring on top and bottom)

I like to chop my peaches up into small pieces so that you don't get a huge piece of peach in one bite and nothing in the next. While it may say 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, with cinnamon and butter(I must be kin to Paula Deen) you can't ever have too much. LOL!

Day 135: Emeril's German Apple Pancakes

I hope everyone is having a beautiful Sunday!  The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the bees are buzzing.  Who could ask for more?  German pancakes are a favorite at our house.  My oldest son, Colton, loves to make them.  We have them for dinner, breakfast, after school... You get the idea.  They are easy and quick, and sweet and delicious.  Since my days are so stinking busy lately, we had a quick dinner, and these were on the menu.

Emeril's German Apple Pancakes
12" dutch oven

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 cup flour
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. butter
2 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
pinch salt
powdered sugar for  serving
maple syrup, for serving

In a large bowl, combing the eggs, milk, flour and vanilla extract and whisk until just blended.  Be careful not to over mix.  Set the batter aside to rest while you prepare the apples.
In you dutch oven, over about 20 coals, melt 2 Tbs. butter and add the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are soft and lightly golden around the edges, about 6-8 minutes.  Add the sugar and cook, stirring, until the apples are caramelized and very soft, 2-3 minutes longer.  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir to melt. 
Quickly pour the batter evenly over the top of the apples.  Bake at 450*, using 22 coals on top and 11 on the bottom, for 20 minutes or until it is golden brown and puffed.  It will puff up almost to the top of your DO.  To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with maple syrup.  Makes 1 12" pancake.

The Finished Product

I will the pic could show how puffy they are!

I  tried to get a good pic of the apple layer, but they were so soft they just fell off the spoon!

The Review

This is the best German pancake I have ever had!  It is perfectly spiced and the caramelized apples were wonderful.  I really wish I had thought this one up.  It is really easy to prepare.  This will become our new go to German Pancake recipe!  I had a hard time sharing it.  It is so sweet and good, you could serve it with ice cream as a dessert!  It would be a good camping recipe too!  We gave this an A.

Day 133: Strawberry Breakfast Braid

We have another glorious day on tap, and I'm anxious to finish planting my garden!  So here is today's recipe.  It is a favorite at my house.  I get up early on Christmas morning to make this, and my kids love it as an after school snack!

Strawberry Breakfast Braid
14" dutch oven

1 loaf of you favorite bread dough (Rhoade's works great!)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 jar strawberry jam

Roll the bread dough into a 10 x 14 rectangle.  Along each long side, cut strips 1" wide and about 1/3 of the way into the dough.  (See picture)  Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Spread down the center of the dough.  Spoon the jam over the cream cheese.  Now fold the strips over the filling, alternating sides to form a braid.  Try to enclose as much of the filling as you can so it won't leak out during baking.  Pinch the ends closed.  Transfer to your dutch oven and allow to rise for 25 minutes.  Bake at 350* for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Use 16 coals on top and 12 on the bottom.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

These are really good.  You can make them with any kind of jam you want.  Homemade strawberry and apricot are our favorites.  You could also use pie filling in place of the jam.  This is something we make all the time because it is so easy.  Remember to roll the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper that has been cut to fit the bottom of your DO.  Not only does it make transferring the braid to the pan easier, but it serves as a guide for size.  Grade A.

Day 118: BLT Braid

I woke up this morning with the worst headache I've ever had. I think I would rather have a baby than a bad headache! But now that I can sit up without barfing, here is today's recipe. I got it from Paula Deen. I really love her. She either deep frys everything or cooks it in bacon grease. What's not to love about that? Her recipe used puff pastry, which I love, but never have on hand. I just used bread dough. You can make your own dough like I did, or use Rhoade's. It will work either way. This would be great for breakfast or brunch. I made it in the middle of the day, and my kids ate it when they got home from school.

BLT Braid

14" dutch oven

12 large eggs, divided

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 lb. bacon, chopped

1 (6 oz) package fresh baby spinach

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup shredded swiss cheese (I used an Italian blend and some mozzarella)

1 cup seeded and chopped tomato

1/4 tsp. salt

2 loaves bread dough

In a large bowl, whisk together 11 eggs and mayonnaise until smooth. Set aside. In a DO (I used my 12" with 18-20 coals), cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 Tbs. bacon drippings in DO. Add the spinach and garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until spinach is wilted. Add egg mixture and cook until eggs are set, but not dry, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, tomato, salt and reserved bacon. Spoon mixture into a bowl, cover and chill 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out bread dough to a 10 x 15 inch rectangle. Cut strips 1 inch wide and 4 inches long along the long sides of the dough (see pic below). Spoon half of the egg mixture down the center of the dough. Criss cross the strips over the filling alternating sides to form a braid (see pic below). Carefully transfer to a 14" dutch oven. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. 

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg until smooth. Brush egg evenly over both braids (I forgot to do this).  Allow to rise 25-30 minutes. Bake at 350* using 16 coals on top and 14 on the bottom for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

The Finished Product

What I Learned

When you make this, or any braid, use parchment paper. Cut it to the size of the DO and then roll the dough out on top of the parchment. After it is filled and shaped, it is easy to transfer to the DO without ruining the shape. I also removed about 1/3 of the bottom coals after 15-18 minutes so I didn't burn the bottom.

The Review

My kids ate this as an afterschool snack. My 15 year old son ate half of one braid. They loved it. I was lucky to get a piece. The filling was moist and delicious and had awesome flavor. They didn't even complain that there was green stuff inside it. This was a total hit with my family. It was also very simple to make. I didn't take a lot of time either. You could do it faster with puff pastry, though. You really should try this recipe. Everyone will think you spent a lot of time and will be impressed by the braid! We gave it an A.

Day 52: Chili-Cheese Rice Frittata

Happy Sunday everyone! Or in my case happy snow-day! We woke up to 3" of the white stuff and we were running late for church this morning. Running late and bad roads are not a good combination! Needless to say, we were late as usual. I hope we get brownie points in heaven for trying! :)

Okay, today's recipe is a breakfast recipe. It is a little different than most frittatas I have had. They have usually used pasta and veggies. But I really liked the rice in this. So here goes!

Chili-Cheese Rice Frittata

10" dutch oven

1 medium green pepper, julienned (I chopped mine)

1 medium red onion, chopped

1/2 cup sliced green onion

1 Tbs. butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies

5 eggs

1/3 cups milk

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Salsa

In your dutch oven, saute the onions and peppers in butter. I used 12 coals for this. Remove from the heat; stir in the rice, cheese, tomato and chilies. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and hot pepper sauce. Stir into the rice mixture.

Bake uncovered at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. I used 8 coals on the bottom and 12 on top. Halfway through cooking I moved 3 coals from the bottom to the top so the bottom wouldn't burn. Serves 4-6.

The Finished Product

What I Learned

When cooking any dish that has a large number of eggs in it, it is a good idea to move a few of the coals from the bottom to the top part way through cooking. It keeps the bottom from burning. The last breakfast I did burned on the bottom. Live and learn!

The Review

I really liked this. I liked the onions and the fresh tomatoes the most. The rice was nice and gave it some substance. My kids on the other hand, did not like it at all. The peppers and onions pushed the limit of their "barf-o-meter". Not one of them would touch it. Oh well, their loss is my gain--I get the leftovers! I'll give this one a B+.

Day 13: Mountain Man Breakfast

Last night was a busy one! My 4 oldest kids all had activities with our church's youth group. I spent most of the evening running them around. Thank heaven for an easy dutch oven meal! This one comes from Mark's Black Pot. It is called Mountain Man Breakfast (in our case it was mountain man "brinner"). I love breakfast foods, and this one was hot, hearty and really hit the spot.

Mountain Man Breakfast

12" Dutch oven

sausage, ham, or bacon

potatoes, either peeled and sliced or diced or hash browns

onions, green peppers or what ever veggies you like

8 eggs, beaten with a little milk

salt and pepper

shredded cheese

Using 15-20 coals brown the sausage with the veggies. I drained off most of the grease. Then layer the potatoes and meat and veggies. Season with what ever you like. I used salt, pepper and rosemary. Pour the eggs over the meat and potatoes, they will soak through everything. Cook with 8-10 coals on the bottom and 16-18 on top for 30-45 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese. Replace the lid and let cheese melt. We served this with salsa, Tabasco or ketchup.

The Finished Product

Please forgive my dismal picture taking skills!

What I Learned

I learned that if you overcook eggs in your dutch oven they are terrible to get out. I didn't watch them closely enough toward the end, and the very bottom of the dish burned just a little. I also learned that boiling out your dutch oven is the perfect way to remove burned on eggs.

The Review

This is a really good recipe. It has great flavor. I used sausage, but next time I will use ham or bacon. It is all personal preference with the meat. It was quick and easy to put together (especially if you use frozen hash browns), and even with it being just a little too done on the bottom it was still great. The family loved it and there weren't any leftovers. This one gets an A.