Fantastic French Toast

French Toasts made with LA BOULANGERIE Super Flakey Croissant Toast and Fresh Raspberries.

I think I am in love!

I found the perfect bread to make French Toast  and itis  LA BOULANGERIE Super Flakey Croissant Toast!

World Wide, the Croissant is everyone’s favorite pastry, but now in a mouth-watering loaf-style toast. I discovered this wonder bread while stocking my kitchen box from Imperfect Foods. With a glossy crust and a soft buttery inside, it looks almost too good to eat. Almost. A simple addition to any breakfast or lunch, enjoy it fresh with butter and jam, toasted and topped with avocado, or go crazy and make French toast, like I did in the recipe below. With top-quality, non-GMO ingredients and cage-free eggs, this toast tastes like it is just fresh out of a Parisien bakery. Who says you cannot travel from your kitchen! 

And even if you cannot find LA BOULANGERIE Super Flakey Croissant Toast in your area, any thick sliced,  brioche, challah,  Italian,  or plain white sandwich bread will work as well.

Serves  4 to 6

Ingredients:
8 slices (1-inch thick) brioche, Italian,  or plain white sandwich bread
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

6-8 tablespoons unsalted butter
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
seasonal fresh fruit, for garnish
warm maple syrup,for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 170º F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar and cinnamon; and then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Pour the egg batter into a shallow 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add the bread and allow the bread to soak for 5 minutes.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet of medium heat. Add the soaked bread to skillet, two pieces at at time, and fry until golden brown on both sides. Placed the toast on a baking sheet and place it in oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with remaining slices of bread.

Transfer the toast of a platter. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with seasonal fresh fruit. Serve family style with maple syrup, if desired.

Voila, easy French toast.

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Heart-Shaped Red Velvet and Cheesecake Puff Pastries

hearts puffed

Photo Credit: The Classic Catering People, 2017.

For me, cooking and baking is a true expression of love. And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner I can’t think of a better way to express love by treating the special people in my life with this delightful scrumptious dessert.

Adapted from
The Classic Catering People
January 31, 2017

Makes 2 Pastries

Ingredients:
For the Red Velvet Filling:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4  commercially prepared red velvet cupcakes, without icing
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg yolk

For the Cheesecake Filling:
1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces sour cream

Confectioners sugar, optional

Special Equipment:
Heart-shaped cookie cutters
Pastry bag with plain tip (#3 or #4 tip)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 365 º F.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until smooth. Add sour cream; mix until combined.
Fill a pastry bag with the cream cheese filling and set aside.

Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut 4 heart pieces out of the   puff pastry, to have a top and bottom for each heart.Layer half of graham cracker crumbs in a heart shape on top of the puff pastry, keeping it away from the edges.

Pipe a layer of cheesecake in a zigzag pattern on top of the graham cracker crumbs.

Crumble the red velvet cupcakes and sprinkle some on top of the cheesecake layer, covering the cheesecake as much as possible.

Pipe another layer of cheesecake filling on top of the red velvet cake, making sure to stay away from edges.

Place a puff pastry heart on top of the layers; line it up to meet the edges of the bottom heart. Using the same cookie cutter push down to cut the edges off the heart and seal the pastry together.

Brush the pastries with the egg yolk wash. Place the pastries on the prepared cookie sheet and place in the oven and bake until golden brown, turning over once.

Remove from the oven. Dust with a little confectioners sugar and serve with coffee, if desired.

 

Cook’s Notes:

If you prefer to bake a red velvet cake from scratch, please click here for the link to a great recipes. 

If you are using frozen commercially prepared puff pastry sheets, be sure to thaw them according to the directions on the package.

Substitutes for pastry bags
Plastic Sandwich Bag:Plastic sandwich bags are a popular substitute for pastry bags. They are useful because they are disposable, most homes have them and they are easy to handle. You can use zip-top bags, slider-tip bags or simple sandwich bags that have a fold-over top. Simply put the frosting in the bag and push it to one corner. Twist the top of the bag shut and place one hand at the back of the frosting. Snip the tip of the corner with a pair of scissors and begin piping. Begin with a small cut and gradually adjust if you want your pipes bigger. You can also snip the corner and place a metal pastry piper into the bag before you put the frosting in so that you can make designs.

Paper:You can use parchment, greaseproof or waxed paper to make a pastry bag. Simply cut the paper into a square. Then, fold it into a triangle by bringing one corner to the opposite corner. Roll the triangle into a cone so that the point will be where the frosting comes out. Tape the cone together. Add a metal piping tool and then the frosting. Fold the top of the bag down and begin piping. Paper is a popular substitute for pastry bags because most kitchens will have some variety of glossy paper.


Valentine’s Day Dinner

Reservations are scarce, restaurants are crowded, and the weather can be frightful this time of year — so why brave the Valentine’s Day scramble for a restaurant reservation when you can go to the best restaurant of all: The one in your kitchen. You don’t need to make a reservation, you get to call the shots on the lighting, the music — and most importantly — the menu.

 

 

 

The secret to this menu is fresh, top-quality ingredients simply and deliciously. All you will need to do is a quick shop and do it early in the day if you can, then get out some candles and cue your favorite music for an intimate meal you can have ready in under an hour.

Plus, the act of preparing a meal for, or maybe even with, someone can be a romantic gesture. So, yes, a Valentine’s Day date night at home can be special, memorable, romantic — and delicious. Here’s our ultimate Valentine’s Day dinner menu that feels just as special as a table at a fine dining restaurant, minus the whole going-out hassle and it will leave you plenty of time for relaxed, indulgent dining.

 

 

THE MENU

 

Oysters

Oysters

Start with an appetizer of sweet, briny, velvety oysters: They are  the classic aphrodisiac for lovers and a great at-home treat. You can shuck them yourself — just watch this how-to video.

Serving them can be as simple as placing some lemon wedges and a small bowl of cocktail sauce on the side, or try an easy topping like chimichurri, a fresh, herbal sauce that is an unexpectedly delicious topping for oysters; try this recipe for a simple mild chimichurri sauce with chopped bacon and finely diced jalapeño, a pleasure for bacon lovers.

Oysters can also be served with sriracha and lime, a modern riff on the spicy-tangy combo. Also, a  Classic mignonette sauce, a sophisticated pairing of red-wine vinegar and shallots that’s so easy to make. They will be absolutely delicious.

 

 

Surf & turf: Ribeye Steak and Lobster Tails
Few dishes say “special occasion” like surf and turf, a white tablecloth classic. Pair a beautifully marbled, ribeye with creamy, rich lobster tail.

There’s nothing quite like sharing tender, succulent lobster with someone you love. Wild-caught lobster tails are a fantastic way to indulge,How to Cook: Steamed Lobster Tails with minimal prep and mess (no bibs required!). Steamed lobster is a classic and tops for enjoying the pure taste of the luscious tail meat. Or you can roast the tails with a flavorful herb topping; this easy recipe shows you how.

You will want one or two tails per person, and have extra lemon slices and melted butter on the side, plus some flaky seas salt and cracked pepper — simplicity rules.

 

 

Twice-baked New Potatoes
Baking these creamy, fluffy potatoes twice — once to cook the potato, and again to crisp up the topping — gives a special occasion­–worthy upgrade to an otherwise everyday side dish. The technique results in a much more striking visual presentation than standard mashed potato fare, without being too labor-intensive or tedious. Add an extra-special touch of decadence by topping with chives and caviar.

 

 

Lemony Asparagus Spears
With their juicy stalks and slightly crispy ends, oven-roasted asparagus make a perfect counterpart to a fancy entrée like steak and lobster. Plus, it’s delicious enough to stand on its own without taking over the plate. Steam the spears or blanch them in lightly salted water, and they’ll be ready in minutes; cook them just until they turn bright green and the stalks just turn tender. Drizzle them with a little fresh lemon juice for a subtle pop of acidity and sprinkle of salt and pepper that takes this takes this side dish to the next level. For the roasted version on this dish click on the link here.

Simple roasted asparagus recipe (the perfect spring side dish!) - cookieandkate.com

                   Photo Credit: Cookie+Kate

 

 

Chocolate-covered Strawberries
Chocolate Covered StrawberriesEvery romantic dinner should end things on a sweet note. Chocolate-covered strawberries are an all-time classic romantic dessert, and for good reason: The juicy, sweet-tart berries pair perfectly with the creaminess of milk chocolate or the bittersweet flavor of dark chocolate. For and easy chocolate-covered strawberry recipe click on the link here.

 

 

Don’t Forget the Bubbly
For the requisite champagne, fill your flutes with Jacques Bardelot Brut, a crisp, dry French  Champagne with clean and balanced flavors that will complement, rather than overpower, the meal. Not a fan of bubbly? Consider the wine pairing or H&G Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon with the ribeye.

Another suggestion is a sparkling wine: Toad Hollow Risque French Sparkling Wine,  which is a fruity sparkling wine with a natural delicate sweetness.

And in serving champagne or wine at at home with your special dinner has another benefit to staying in: no corkage fee!


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