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.

Spinach Quiche

Here is an easy quiche recipe perfect for a brunch!  Use a deep pie dish if you have one.   This was part of our Fathers Day brunch.  What a lucky dad if I do say so myself :)

Ingredients:
9 inch pie pastry
1 TBSP butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach,
    thawed and well drained
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1/8 tsp pepper

Prick bottom of pie crust with a fork and bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Set aside.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the chopped onions and red bell pepper, saute until tender.

Add cream cheese and  milk to mixture, cook over low heat, whisk until the cream cheese is melted.

Very slowly whisk about 1/4th of the hot mixture into the eggs. then add the remaining hot mixture. 
Whisk in the spinach and pepper.

Pour into the prepared pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until it is set. 

Strawberry Pretzel Layered Dessert

Today we are visiting cousin Katie her husband Cory and her little baby boy Everette.  They just moved into a new house and are having a pot luck!  Yay!  Another excuse for me to make something.  I learned this recipe in a Toast masters meeting.  The exercise that day was giving instructions.  One of the girls did a presentation on how to make pretzel salad dessert and she even brought samples.  This recipe is so good.  There is a crunchy pretzel layer and a creamy cream cheese layer. It has sweet and salty flavors as well.  It is just so good!  Be prepared to share the recipe because more times that not someone will ask you for it. 

Ingredients:
3 cups crushed pretzels
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
3 TBSP granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 package cream cheese softened
1 tub whipped topping, thawed
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 large package strawberry jello
4 cups water
12 oz frozen strawberries or mixed berries

Make the crust:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the pretzels into a zipper bag or use a food processor and crush them.  You want smallish sized pieces not pretzel dust.  Melt the butter and pour into a 8x11 baking dish.  Mix in the pretzels and the granulated sugar.  Spread this mixture evenly onto the bottom of your pan.  Bake for 7-8 minutes.  You will see the mixture bubbling.  Don't bake it for more than 8 minutes or you will have concrete instead of a nice crust.  Sprinkle top with kosher salt.  Set aside and let it cool completely.

Make the Jello topping:  Dissolve the jello in 2 cups boiling water.  Add 2 cups very cold water and frozen berries and let set just a little in the fridge about 20-30 minutes.  Its ok if it looks a little  bit lumpy. Don't forget about it or you wont be able to top your dessert! 

Make the cream cheese filling:  With a hand mixer or stand mixer mix the softened cream cheese and the powdered sugar together.  Fold in the whipped topping.  It will look like marshmallow cream when it is blended.  Let this set in the fridge for about 10 minutes.

Cameron snuck this out of the sink!

Build your dessert:  Very gently spread the cream cheese filling over the completely cooled crust.  Be sure the spread all the way to the edges of the pan so your jello won't leak through to the crust.  Pour the jello on top of the cream cheese layer.  Cover and put it back into the fridge to let it set up completely. Its best if  it sets overnight. Be ready to share the recipe!  Everyone loves this dessert!

Remember, spread all the way to the edges.