Berry Baked French Toast

This is a recipe I adapted from a friend back in Idaho - she wrote a cookbook that included master mixes.  This is a variation on the one she shared - sans the mix.  We save it for once a year on Christmas - since you  make it the night before, it makes for an easy and yummy meal after all the presents have been opened!

1 loaf of day old French Bread, cubed
1/2 to 1 brick cream cheese (Joel likes less, I like more)
small pkg. mixed berries
1 banana, diced
2 C. milk
7 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 C. sugar


Place 1/2 of the cubed bread in a greased 9x13 glass casserole pan.  Spread fruit and cream cheese (broken into small pieces) all over the bread.  Top with remaining bread.  Mix the milk, eggs, vanilla and sugar - pour over the top of bread.  Make sure all of the bread is saturated with the custard - I just use my (clean) fingers and poke it all down.  Then cover it with plastic wrap and something heavy (I use another glass dish) and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning, bake @ 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Cut like you would a cake and serve with regular maple syrup, or our favorite, Fruit syrup:

1 C. of fruit, pureed (I've substituted jam, works great, just super sugary...but hey, it's Christmas, right? :)
1 C. of sugar
1/2 C. water

Put all in small saucepan, bring to a boil. Serve warm. Syrup leftovers can be stored up to 2 weeks in fridge.

Sweet Apple Rolls

Well hello! Anyone reading still? I know it's been forever...so let's try a heavenly recipe that will make up for it!  This was a happy accident I tried while using up a box of honeycrisp apples.  **I would however highly recommend a Kitchenaid or similar large mixer for this one...

2 1/4 C. lukewarm water
1/3 C. + 1 T. honey
1/2 T.salt
1 1/2 T. yeast (heaping)
1/3 C. + 1 T. oil
2 eggs
4 C. flour

Add all above ingredients to mixer, and mix on low until wet.  Turn to med, and mix for 10 min.
Add 3 C. additional flour, and mix until thoroughly combined.
Turn out onto floured counter, and roll into a giant rectangle...roughly 1 1/2 foot by 2 foot.

3/4 C. butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C. brown sugar
2 C. peeled, diced apples, any variety...(the sweeter the better)
1 T. cinnamon

Mix filling ingredients in a small bowl, and spread evenly (using a rubber spatula) over rolled out dough...

 Roll tightly starting from the wide end. Then slice using a serrated knife...or clean length of dental floss. (a nifty little trick I learned at the restaurant!) Slide it under the end about an inch, pull the ends across the top, and pinch off.  It leaves a clean line that doesn't tear out the filling...Place on greased cookie sheets

Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.  Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.  Cool and frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting, (or try this one):
Mix well:
1 brick of cream cheese, at room temp.
1/2 C. apple butter
1 C. (or more) powdered sugar

German Pancakes

1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk
6 eggs, beaten
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Melt butter in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and pour the mixture into the baking dish with the butter. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pancake is puffy and golden brown. Cut it into squares and serve with buttermilk syrup or maple syrup and/or powdered sugar.

Buttermilk Pancake Syrup

Claire's mother-in-law gave me this recipe. It is so good with german pancakes (posted above) and french toast.

1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cube butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring sugar, buttermilk and butter to a rolling boil. Then add baking soda and vanilla. It will get frothy. Serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Delicious Pancakes

Yet another Doughty's Restaurant staple that we love around here. This is the only way I like to eat my pancakes!!! I posted it here over the holidays, which is when we have them the most!