Cinnamon Swirl Baked French Toast

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS

• 1 loaf (16 ounces) Cinnamon Swirl Bread, cut into 1-inch pieces (Pepperidge Farm <no raisins> or similar- in this case it’s JessicasBrickOven.com bread I found at Hannaford
• 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries or fresh blueberries (optional)
• 5 eggs
• 2.5 cups half and half or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the bread pieces and cranberries into a lightly greased 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Beat the eggs, half-and-half and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the bread pieces. Stir and press the bread pieces into the egg mixture to coat.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to over-toast the top, tent with foil if it starts to brown. 

Serve with maple syrup and favorite breakfast meat. I like breakfast sausages pattys with this. 

Banana Muffins

These delicious banana muffins are light and cake-like. Great way to use up some ripe bananas. 

A new favorite! 

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

4 large bananas, mashed 

3⁄4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1⁄3 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.

Mix bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla and melted butter in a separate large bowl until well combined; fold in flour mixture until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. I sprinkle with a little (one packet) of sugar in the raw (turbinado). 

Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 30 minutes. Cool briefly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.