Fantastic Baked French Toast

I just finished making and eating this. Was perfectly delicious. Sinfully rich and sweet. Perfect for a weekend treat!! 

Oven-Baked Caramel Apple French Toast
Adapted from Taste of Home

Caramel Sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

French Toast
one apple chopped up.
8 to 12 slices french bread
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ( extra nutmeg)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

options: Copped pecans and raisins.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F







In a small saucepan, combine caramel ingredients.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Meanwhile make the eggs. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a blender. Pour caramel sauce in pan, add apples and nuts and raisins, if using.

Put a layer of french bread over top. Crowding it in is fine.

Pour egg mixture evenly over bread. Sprinkle some more cinnamon over the bread.  (can be made the night before just cover and refrigerate it overnight.)

bake for 40 to 45 minutes until puffy and light golden brown.

To serve, invert onto a serving latter, but so it very carefully, that caramel sauce is hot and will burn.

 Serve with whipped cream and drizzle some of the warm sauce and apples over top!

Cheesecake Squares

Ingredients

1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup white sugar
Pinch nutmeg
Fruit of your choice. We used Blueberries. and whipped cream( optional)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small square baking pan. I used Butter flavored spray oil.   Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan

In a medium bowl add the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Whip with an egg beater until smooth and creamy.

Spread over the crescent layer.

 Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden.

 Let cool completey. Cut into squares and serve with fresh fruit and a dollop of whipped cream.

Coffee Frappes

About 6 ounces of strong coffee
Ice( about 2 cups)
Milk or half and half( about a cup)
Powdered flavored coffee. I used Vanilla Caramel( 2-3 tablespoons)
Whipped cream and caramel ice cream topping (optional)

Put Ice, Milk and Coffee in blender. Start blending. Through the hole on the top of the blender slowly add the flavored powder.  Blend until well mixed.

pour into a chilled glass, add a touch of whipped cream and drizzle with caramel.

Mango Lime Grilled Chicken

Juice of 4 limes
one large Mango. or two small ones
chicken.  About a pound total. I am using 8 legs today.
1 tablespoon of Steak seasoning
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
2 large mixing bowls
potato masher or a food processor

Peel and cut the Mango up

. Using a food processor, blend until smooth. I used a Potato masher today,was faster. Add the lime juice, mix well. Add the last two ingredients. mix well.

Get a gallon sized ziploc or a extra produce bag( I used the produce bag the limes came in) Put your chicken in the bag, and set inside a clean mixing bowl

Pour the marinade over top.

Close the bag, making sure its sealed. If using a produce bag, just knot it real tight.  Flip bag over inside the bowl.

Put in fridge and flip bag every 20 minutes. Marinate about an hour.  Grilling time varies for chicken type.  Id grill at 350 for 45 minutes for thighs, 35 for legs, and 30 for half breasts and wings.

***NOTE***

We just made these, they were so very tasty.  Grilling presented a slight challenge, because we made legs. They take longer too cook than breasts.  Be sure to turn the meat often and spray the grill with oil before cooking. Also, you can baste with the mango sauce as its cooking. On the last baste be sure to turn and cook on each side once more, so you kill any bacteria from the marinate.

 

Chicken Enchiladas for Shelby :)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3-4 cups of water
1 large a Herdez Red Salsa
one can of Mexican stewed tomatoes (chopped, juices saved)
1/2 onion, largely sliced
1 large can or 3 small of Herdez green salsa
2 packages of taco seasonings
1 can of green chili peppers
1 can of chopped jalapeno or a large jar for more spice.
1/2 onion, chopped
3-6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
one brightly colored sweet pepper, chopped( I usually use a red one)
1/2 can of corn
burrito sized tortillas, about 8
shredded mixed cheeses
olive oil
one tomato, chopped
can of olives, sliced


Enchilada Sauce:
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tsp flour
2 T cup chili powder
1/2 cups chicken stock
one small can of ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped ground cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt



In a large pot,place  one package of the taco seasoning ,the sliced onion( not the chopped) the stewed tomatoes(WITH THE JUICES) and about a 1/3 cup of the red salsa. Add the breasts, and add water until the breasts are just barely covered( you don't want to water down the flavor too much)  For spicier, add the water from the Jalapenos. Bring down to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes,( adding more water as needed.....the water will cook out, and you can burn the filling) or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.and the water has mostly dissipated.

Meanwhile make the Sauce to top them off with:
In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a whisk.  Cook for about 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano,cilantro and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.Whisking occasionally to help  The sauce will thicken and smooth out.  If not spicy enough. Add more chili powder. If too spicy add a small amount of Brown sugar to smooth out the flavor.

Now Back to the Breasts:


Remove the onion, and toss out.  Shred the chicken once its cool. Place back into the liquid.  Using one fork, hold the breast in place and use the other to 'shred' the meat apart. Continue until all the meat is shredded.  Add another 1/3 cup of salsa.  Add green salsa, about 3/4s of the olives, jalapenos, corn and green chiles.  Take the last taco seasoning, and dump into a bowl, add about a half cup of warm water and mix well. Add to your chicken mix. Bring the mix to a simmer.

Cool mix. Get out your baking pan. you can use any square pan. I usually use a 13 x 8 for my family. But for a smaller family, use the 8 x 8 or 9x 9 and cut the enchiladas in half.  Grease well with Olive oil.

Tortillas are easier to roll if they are warm. Open the bag at the top carefully, with just a open seam running across it. Dab about 10 drops of water into the bag, roll the open seam under the tortillas( to create a resemblance of a seal)and nuke for about 20 seconds. or until they are soft and pliable. Warm but not hot

Place about 3-4 heaping tablespoons on the lower third of your tortilla.  Fold up the bottom, over the mix, and roll them up. Takes practice, but anyone can do it.

Make and cut ONE at a time. So when u roll it, either place the whole thing in a large pan, or cut as u go along and place in the smaller pan. Immediately.  You don't want to be handling them over and over, because the filling will fall out. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas.


Top with as much cheese as you want. Bake at 350 for about 25/35 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and light brown.  Sprinkle the top with some Cilantro, chopped tomatoes and sliced olives.  :) Serve with Sour cream and my creamy Guacamole. :)