Marscapone Stuffed French Toast with Fried Apples

We've been on a pancake kick at our house lately. First it was the pumpkin pancakes. Then, we made those delightful whole grain pancakes with a touch of whole grain pancakes with a touch of granola. It was starting to feel as if we were stuck in a rut.

So, this week, we decided to change gears and make up a nice batch of French toast. Initially, it started with a pretty basic craving (which I probably wouldn't have considered particularly blog-worthy). But, by the time I got to the store to buy the loaf of bread to get us started, the French toast concept had gotten a bit out of hand.

First of all, I fell in love with a loaf of cranberry nut bread. But, really -- take a look at that --is it any wonder?
I also remembered that I had a container of marscapone cheese in the fridge that needed to be used. So, I got to thinking -- maybe the two would play nicely together. I sliced the cranberry nut bread quite thick, leaving enough room for a pocket. Then, I mixed a bit of cinnamon and sugar into the marscapone... which, of course, made me all drooly inside.
I packed a nice amount of the marscapone inside the neat little pocket I'd made in each slice of bread.
And I tossed together a couple of eggs with some milk and a bit more sugar.
And, because he likes to be involved in the more violent aspects of cooking, Peef was good enough to whip it into a frenzy.
We nestled the stuffed bread into the eggy batter, and coated both sides nicely.
And then we threw the french toast onto a hot griddle, which had been rubbed down with a pat of butter.
While the French toast was cooking, I did my thing with a couple of sliced apples, which I figured would make a decidedly delightful topping. And that turned out to be true enough.
These slices of French toast were quite the indulgence. The cranberry nut bread caramelized nicely on the outside, the fruit in the bread offered intrigue, and the creamy marscapone mingled with the slightly firm, tart apples... making it feel like a genuinely special occasion.

This was some of the best weekend French toast I've ever had. And considering the chill in the air, I'd say it was downright perfect. So, I wrote it down. Cuz we'll definitely be doing it again.

Marscapone Stuffed French Toast with Fried Apples


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Quick Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillos weren't on my radar for a very long time. Sure, I'd eaten salsa verde, and indulged in chiles verde at my favorite Mexican haunts. But, I never stopped to think about the little green nightshade veg that made my favorite dishes so very delish.

And then, one unusually dreary spring day, I found them in a seed catalog.
Mexican husk tomato, prolific bushy plant 3-4' tall and across. Green 2" sweet fruits are ripe when the fruits burst through husks. Blended with hot peppers to make traditional Mexican green sauce. 90 days from transplant.

My interest was picqued. I grew four tomatillo plants in my tiny backyard garden that year (and yes, those of you who know how prolific tomatillos tend to be can laugh). And I froze enough tomatillo sauce to last us almost two years.
We were eating tomatillo sauce on everything. Straight from the container as a salsa. Into the crockpot with pork loin. Mixed with roasted poblanos for chiles verde. Over the top of enchiladas. As an accompaniment for fish tacos. In chili. As a sauce for stewed chicken. You name it, we put tomatillo sauce on it. And life was good.

These days, I'm a bit more modest in my tomatillo growing habits (in fact, this year, I had to buy tomatillos from a woman at the farmer's market, since I hadn't planted any). But, I still make tomatillo sauce. And I still think it's one of the best things ever.

This sauce recipe is fairly quick to throw together. If I have time, I like to add a few sauteed onions and a bit of garlic, and give the sauce a bit of time to sear in a hot pan, which I think deepens the flavor and gives everything a bit more time to meld. But, sometimes I'm just looking for the fastest route to dinner, and that's when this recipe serves me well.

Quick Roasted Tomatillo Sauce


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