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Breakfast for Dinner

Friday, March 12, 2010 Leave a Comment

Sometimes, I just need to mix it up a little at dinner time.  Really.  There always comes a day where I find myself in front of the refrigerator wondering just how much chicken one family can possibly eat.  So when I feel stuck in a dinner rut (and--truth be told--when I am looking for something easy to make) breakfast for dinner can do the trick! And I don't feel guilty about it, because breakfast can be delicious and filling and even have some nutritional value.

Lately, I've been making this extremely delicious baked french toast dish based on a recipe from Paula Deen.  I love Paula Deen.  Now, I will admit that I have eased off of some of the extremely delicious and stunningly rich ingredients she uses in her version--but the french toast is delicious nonetheless.  You prepare it the night before--or even in the morning when you're doing the breakfast stuff-- and then just stick it in the oven when you're ready to make dinner.
When I'm feeding us all something rich like this, I do feel obligated to heavy up on the healthy stuff, too.  Fruit smoothies are an easy way to get the maximum amount of fruit into the kids (and us) and are fabulous because they don't require lots of chopping, peeling, etc.

A meal like this is fun for the kids too. When my big kids were little, they used to write up "Brinner" menus on a wipe board and run around with pads taking orders.  Whatever works, right?

Here are the recipes.  Let me know what you think!

Baked French Toast

  • 1 loaf of challah bread (16 ounces)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 3 cups milk (whatever you have is fine; whole milk, 1% or any combo.)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Praline Topping, recipe follows
Slice challah into 16-20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 x 13-inch pyrex baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and whisk until blended. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight, or for the rest of the day.
45 min before you're ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake (uncovered) for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. 

Praline Topping:

(My son  is allergic to nuts, so we actually do this without pecans in our house; it is still extremely delicious.)
    • 1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
    • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
    • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  Don't refrigerate it or it will harden--just cover and leave on the counter if you make it ahead of time.  Pour over french toast before putting in the oven.

    Fruit Smoothies
    These are so great, because you can buy good quality frozen fruit and just keep it on hand.  Trader Joe's and Whole Foods both sell organic frozen berries, mango, etc.  You can really mix up whatever fruit you like or have on hand, but here's a recipe I like.  (This recipe uses coconut milk--if you don't like it, you can use 1 1/2 cups almond milk or water instead--but the coconut milk gives it a nice consistency.  Coconut milk comes in a can, usually in the Asian foods section.  Light or regular are both fine.)

    • 2 cups mixed berries ( I use the frozen ones, right from the freezer.)
    • 2 cups coconut milk
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1-2 tsp agave (it's like honey, but comes from better for you because it has a lower glycemic index.  If you don't have agave, or aren't concerned about that stuff, honey is great too.)
    • 1/2 cup ice
    Blend together until smooth.  Makes four 6 oz servings.
    Enjoy your brinner!





     

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