Baked French Toast

Not bad, but not my favorite.  I just love love love my momma's French toast so much  :)

1 C brown sugar
1/2 C melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
3 apples (optional)
1/2 C raisins (optional

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1-lb loaf French bread
6 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 C milk
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix together brown sugar, butter and cinnamon.  If using apples and raisins, add them to this mixture.

Spread in 9x13 pan.

Slice bread into 1-inch thick slices.  Arrange them in pan over sugar mixture.

Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and 2 tsp cinnamon.  Pour this over the bread.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 375˚F, covered, for 40 minutes.

Remove cover and bake 5-10 minutes more.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


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I halved this recipe.  I think I would do a tad bit more of the sugar mixture and maybe tear the bread up a bit more.  I didn't let it soak up overnight as the bread was pretty saturated when I threw it in the oven.
I love bread pudding and that's what this really reminded me of.  I'd also lightly spray the pan with some cooking spray just so it doesn't bake to the sides around the top of the pan.  :)

Other than that, verrrry tasty!  I drizzled a tiny bit of maple syrup over my portion :)

Butter Paneer Masala

First, I'd just like to start off by saying...

I LOVE PEPPERPLATE!!!

PepperPlate is an app/website that you can use with tablets, such as the iPad.  I've been going through and typing my recipes into the website and it automatically uploads it to the free iPad app!  Aaaa-mazing!

ANYWAY!  Back to my recipe.  I made an Indian dish that was absolutely delish.  Paneer is a homemade cheese that is going to be very similar to cottage cheese in texture.  It's super easy to make and it sounds kind of gross when you read the recipe.  I didn't make my own paneer, I bought it from the Asian/American store on Main here in Fargo.  If you'd like a recipe for paneer, here you go! :)

I served it with some saffron rice.  I just put a couple of threads in with the rice and water when I was steaming it along with a splash of lemon juice.

• 1/2 lb. paneer (cubed) ****You're going to need to fry the paneer - if you're purchasing the paneer from the market you can buy fried paneer
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 green chili
• 1/4 inch piece ginger
• 1/2 cup green peas (optional)
• 1/2 cup yogurt, whipped
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Pinch of asafetida (hing)  ****This stuff STINKS!!  Like, bad.  I have it double bagged and then sealed in a Tupperware container in the cupboard.  It would stink up the place if I didn't.  That being said, you don't HAVE to purchase it, but even though it's stinky, the flavor is nice when added in small amounts.
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch)
• 2 bay leaves (tajpat)
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (Green coriander)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1. Deep-fry the paneer on low-medium heat until the paneer has a little golden- brown color. Set aside.
2. Blend tomatoes, green chilly and ginger to make a puree.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
4. Add hing and cumin seeds.
5. After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder and bay leaves. Cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
6. Tomato mixture will start to leave the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.
7. Add the whipped yogurt into the gravy. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes on medium heat.
8. To thicken the gravy, dissolve the cornstarch in 1-2 tablespoons of water and add to the gravy.
9. Add the green peas and paneer. Let it cook for a few minutes until the peas are tender.
10. Add the garam masala and cilantro. Add a little sugar if the gravy is sour.

[Variations]
You can substitute the yogurt with heavy cream for a richer flavor.
1 tablespoon of fresh or dried methi leaves (Fenugreek leaves) can be added at the end.
Add in the yogurt powder of 4 to 5 cashews to make it creamier.
This gravy can be used in any combination of vegetables you desire.
This recipe is only a method – feel free to be creative and experiment!

Let's see if it works... Engagement Chicken

Quite some time ago I saw something on TV about how Howard Stern's wife, Beth Ostrosky Stern, had made a recipe she got out of Glamour magazine called "Engagement Chicken."  It was actually quite a funny story because on his show he was ranting and raving about how amazing this meal she made was.  Soon after listener called in and was asking some details about the meal.  She told Howard that the recipe was in an article in Glamour and the recipe was called Engagement Chicken because it's said that whenever a woman makes it for her partner, he ends up proposing.  Long story short, he was pretty much shocked and he called Beth while he was on the air and was all "Engagement Chicken, huh?"

Here's the links for the show:
Part One    and    Part Two

ANYWAY!  I'd been meaning to make it for sometime now...   Not because I want to get engaged (ok, well kinda..   But I'm definitely NOT in a rush) but because it sounds AMAZING!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons-including 1 sliced for garnish
• 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley)

1.  Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

2.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.

I didn't have a roasting pan...  I bent an old cooling rack and made my own.  BRILLIANT! :-P

3.  Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)

Heh..  Butts :)

4.  Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast- side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

This chicken was acting very unladylike spreading her legs and all.. So I tied 'em together.

6.  Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken- this is the “marry me juice.” Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

I steamed some potatoes with fresh rosemary for a side as well as some asparagus.  Deeeelishus!

I also baked some honey cornbread.  It was really good!  I lined the glass dish with some parchment paper and gave it a light spritz of Pam so it wouldn't stick.  

And here's dinner!  Now let's see if the whole story behind this recipe works.  :-P