Sunday, February 14, 2010

Apple French Toast

  • 1/2 loaf (16-ounce) French bread
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

1.  Cut bread into 3/4-inch thick slices.  Place slices in a single layer in a lightly greased 13-x-9-inch baking dish.

2.  Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla; pour mixture over bread.  Cover and chill until all liquid is absorbed by the bread, up to 8 hours.

3.  Remove bread from dish.  Wipe dish clean, and coat with vegetable cooking spray.

4.  Cook brown sugar, butter and syrup in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until mixture is smooth.  Pour into baking dish.  Top with apple; arrange bread over apple.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Loosen with a knife, invert onto a serving platter. 

Yield:  8 servings.

I have put together the bread/egg/milk part the night before, and also the morning of baking this wonderful French toast.  It takes about 2-3 hours for the bread to absorb all the liquid.

Monday, February 08, 2010

Shrimp with Basil and Fresh Tomatoes

  • 12 ounces fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chopped, plum or common tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta, cooked and drained
  • 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil leaves (optional)

 
Directions
1.  Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Set aside.

 
2.  Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry onion and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes or until onions are crisp-tender. Remove onion mixture from the wok.

 
3.  Add shrimp to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque.

 
4.  Return onion mixture to the wok. Add tomatoes, basil, capers (if desired), salt, and pepper. Stir all ingredients together. Cook and stir for 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked spaghetti or other pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Makes 4 servings.