Tomato Basil Bread Side Dish

Well it happened again.  We ate this before I could take a picture of the final product!  Earlier this year I got the new Weeknights with Giada cookbook.  It hasn't let me down yet!  This is a great side dish.  Something different than just bread and butter.  In the cookbook it is called a bread pudding but that is just weird to me.  I think of bread pudding as a dessert.  This is a savory bread dish.  Its really good so try it!!

Ingredients:
1/2 multi grain loaf (8 oz) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
7 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and be sure that the rack is in the center of the oven.  Butter or spray pam into a 9x13 glass baking dish and add the bread cubes.  Set this aside. 

Over medium high heat in a large skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add the shallots and garlic, stir constantly and cook for about 1 minute. 

Add the tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Cook for about 2 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil.

oops a little blurry!

 Pour this tomato mixture into the bread cubes, add the Parmesan cheese and stir together. 

yayy for cheese!

  In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper until well blended.

 Pour this mixture over the bread and toss gently to coat. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until it is slightly puffy and golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes then cut into wedges to serve. 

French Bread with Herbed Butter

Who doesn't love a fresh loaf of bread.  The smell, the chewy texture that just melts in your mouth.  Then you slather it with a good butter.  Yum!  My house has that bakery smell right now.  This bread recipe is really good and fairly easy to make.  Throw your ingredients into your stand mixer and it pretty much does all of the work.   

Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 TBSP granulated sugar
1 14 tsp salt
2-2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup plus 2 TBSP warm water  (115-120 degrees)
1 TBSP olive oil
1 egg white

6 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
1 TBSP fresh herbs (chives, oregano, thyme) minced

Make the bread:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, stir together yeast, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of flour.  Add the warm water and the oil.  Using the regular beater mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Change the beater to the dough hook.  Add flour as needed so that the dough isn't sticky and beat for another 6 minutes.  Add flour 1 TBSP at a time.

Place the dough ball on a floured surface, cover with a cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

Punch down the dough and shape into a long narrow loaf.  Place on an oiled pan, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brush the loaf with egg white and with a serrated knife cut a few slits along the top of the dough.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until bread is a golden brown and smells delicious.  Move to a wire rack to cool.

Make the butter:
In a small bowl combine the butter and the herbs.

Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  Serve with the french bread.

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

Have you had any blueberries yet this summer?  They are so good, sweet and juicy.  Just perfect.   This is a great one dish breakfast and perfect for a brunch or pot luck as it is made in a casserole dish.  Easy and delicious.  It doesn't get any better.  Oh and did I mention the blueberry syrup.  It's pretty darn good too! 

For the blueberry stuffed french toast:
1 lb french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 8oz package cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
10 large eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream (maybe a little more)

For the blueberry syrup:
1 cup sugar
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
1 TBSP butter

Make the french toast:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.  Put half of the bread cubes on the bottom of the dish.

Scatter the cream cheese pieces over the bread and then sprinkle on the blueberries.

Place the remaining bread cubes evenly over the blueberries.

 In a large bowl mix the eggs, maple syrup, whole milk and heavy cream.

Whisk well and then pour evenly over the bread mixture.  Press bread down to moisten and then add a little more cream if some of the bread is dry.  It can be covered and chilled overnight at this point.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Make the syrup:
In a small saucepan mix the sugar, cornstarch and water over medium heat.   Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.  Stir in the blueberries and simmer for about 10 minutes.  The berries will start to burst.  Add the butter until it is melted then transfer to serving bowl and spoon over the blueberry french toast.