Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast

I love this recipe because it's easy and
I can make it ahead. Then pop it into
the oven in the morning. While it's baking we
 can take our morning walk with Sofie the pup
 and walk back into the house to the smell of
apple cinnamon French toast and
coffee brewing. Is anything better

than that on a dreary morning?

This recipe makes enough for 3-4 servings. It's 

just the right size for us because if there's a
  serving left over, I can reheat it in the
 microwave the next day. Double the recipe
and use a 9" x 13" pan for family or guests. 

 If you whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and

  spices in the large bowl, you can just dump in

  the bread and apples. Stir until well combined. 

Let it sit a bit so that the bread really soaks 

up the mixture. I'll do it that way the 

next time. Saves a bowl to wash.

You can make this ahead at this point.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. 

 Eggs, milk, and vanilla. I like to use whole
milk for cooking. If you don't have that
you can substirute about 1/4 C of the milk
 with cream or half & half. 

 After I poured it into my prepared Pampered
  Chef baker I realized it would look so much
  cuter in my apple cobbler pottery baking dish. 

So I scooped it out and used that. 

 Cuter. Am I right? Yes!

Baked and puffy

 Crispy edges and soft center. 

Drizzle with maple syrup. 

 Go back for seconds!

Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast
1/2 loaf day-old French bread,
     cut into cubes, about 5-6 C
1 apple, peeled and diced
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/2 C light brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t vanilla
topping:
4 T butter
1 T cinnamon sugar

Butter 8"x 8" baking dish. In a large bowl,
whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, spices,
and vanilla. Fold in the bread and apples.
Set aside for 5 minutes to soak the bread.
Pour into prepared dish. Drop butter bits
evenly over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
Bake @325 for 35-40 minutes.
serves 4
* Can be made ahead and baked later.
* Can be doubled for a 9" x 13" dish,
   bake 40-45 mins.
* Can add 1/2 C cranberries, washed and lightly
  dusted with sugar

Enjoy!


Links: Facebook, Pinterest,
Between Naps On The Porch

Linguini and White Clam Sauce

I always have a cans of clams in the house
for this favorite, easy, quick dinner.

It's a favorite of ours to order when we go out,
but it's just as good at home. You can add fresh
clams in the shells to the sauce to fancy it up,
but here's the quick version.
I usually have everything else I need.

  Basic pantry items; linguini, garlic,
parsley from my herb garden, olive oil,
butter, and wine

Chop the garlic and fresh parsley

 Saute the garlic with the salt in butter and
olive oil until tender and lightly golden.

 Add the clam broth, and white wine.
I also add a little chopped fresh oregano,
if I have it,  and a dash of Worcestershire
sauce. A lot of clam sauce recipes have
anchovies in them. W-sauce is a
good substitute.

Add the black pepper and red pepper
 flakes to taste, about 1/4t each.
Simmer for about 10  minutes.

 Stir in the chopped clams and fresh parsley.
Heat through.

Toss the sauce with the linguini, and give it a
spray of lemon juice. You can also just
 spoon the sauce over the pasta on your plate.

Here it is in a big serving bowl.

Garnish with parsley.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Linguini & White Clam Sauce

¼ C olive oil
¼ C butter
2 cloves garlic, minced, about 1T
½  t salt
¼ t  red pepper flakes
½  C white wine, about
2 7oz cans chopped clams, drain and reserve liquid
¼  C chopped fresh parsley
1 t chopped fresh oregano, optional
1 squirt (¼ t)  Worcestershire sauce, optional
12 oz. linguini, about 3/4 box, cooked
A spritz of lemon juice 
1. Start the water for the pasta in a large pot.
   Salt the water and cook the linguini for 10-12
   minutes.
         Meanwhile make the clam sauce.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet.
    Saute the chopped garlic, add the salt until
    lightly golden.
3. Drain the  the clams, reserving the liquid in a
    measuring cup.
4. Add enough white wine to equal 1-½ C liquid.
5. Add the liquid to the pan and simmer for 10
    minutes. Add the squirt of Worcestershire
    sauce and oregano, if using.
6. Add the chopped clams, red and black peppers.
7. Stir in the parsley and heat through.
    Spritz with lemon juice.
8. Toss with the linguini. Sprinkle with
    freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
                                             4 servings
A good crusty bread, salad  and the rest of the wine round out this dinner.

Enjoy!

Links: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest,
Between Naps On The Porch

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

The perfect baked oatmeal for summer.

This is a good hot breakfast 
when blueberries are in season.  

 Mixes up quickly and there are leftovers for us

to heat up for a few mornings. You can

double the recipe for a larger group. 

 Mix all the ingredients then stir in the 

blueberries. You can also use frozen. 

I always love a breakfast recipe that bakes

in the oven giving me time to make coffee, 

maybe empty the dishwasher,  and clean up.

 Done when golden, about 20 minutes.

Cut into soft squares. You can add more cream 

and cinnamon sugar if desired.

                                Leftovers can be heated in the microwave.

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
¼ C butter, melted
¼ C honey
1 egg
1-½ C oatmeal
½  C milk
1 t baking powder
½ t cinnamon
½ t vanilla
pinch salt
½ C blueberries

Mix all ingredients, then stir in blueberries last.
Pour into a buttered 8x8 baking dish
Bake @350º for 20 minutes. 
4 servings. 
Can double recipe for 9x13 pan

Enjoy!

my other baked oatmeal recipes

Apple-Cinnamon

Cranberry

Links: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
Between Naps On The Porch

Sour Cream Pancakes

These extra light and fluffy pancakes may 

just become your new favorites.

They taste a lot like buttermilk pancakes, but
since I seldom have real buttermilk, I
always have sour cream in the refrigerator. 

It makes these easy to make any time.

You'll get that "buttermilk fluff and tang" taste

with these pancakes because the sour cream acts

much the same way as buttermilk in the batter.

Basic ingredients: 

 These mix up quickly. I used 2 bowls;
one for wet ingredients and one for dry.

Add the wet to the dry ingredients.

Mix until combined. 

 Let the batter rest for 5  minutes while you
pre heat the skillet and put plates in a warm
oven. This is also when I start the coffee. 

Add butter to a hot skillet on medium heat.

 Use a small ladle to scoop out the batter, 

about ¼ C for each 4" pancake.

Cook until golden on the underside and bubbles

 just begin to burst on top, then flip. 

Cook another minute on the other side.

Keep pancakes warm in the oven as you make 

more, but these pancakes are best eaten 

immediately to keep them nice and puffy, 

Great taste slathered with

butter and maple syrup. 

  I usually put the

syrup on the side and dip the pancakes

so they don't get syrup-soggy. 

 Adding blueberries would be a delicious.  

Just sprinkle a few on top of each pancake

 before flipping. Don't stop there. How about 

mini chocolate chips and raspberries? 

Try your favorite add-ins.

Sour Cream Pancakes
1 C  flour
2 T sugar
1 t baking soda
pinch salt
In a bowl whisk the dry ingredients.

1 egg
½ C sour cream
½ C milk
2 T melted butter
In another bowl whisk the wet ingredients.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix just
until combined.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Use ¼ C batter for each pancake for 4" pancakes
Cook 1-2 minutes. Flip when the
sides look set and bubbles start to form on top.
Cook another 1-2 minutes until golden. 
Serve immediately on heated plates. 
Top with butter and maple syrup. 

ENJOY!

Links: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
Between Naps on The Porch

Cola Crock Pot Roast

When I'm in the mood for some 

"meat and potatoes"  there's nothing like 

a good pot roast. This is such an easy

crock pot recipe. Anyone in your family can

 make this one. Perfect for a lazy day.

It's fast and slow. Fast prep and slow cook.

You'll have a very tender roast and lots of 

rich gravy for your mashed potatoes.

We love mashed potatoes and gravy!

 An au jus packet, a slow cooker packet, water 

and cola, any brand will work. Do NOT use 

diet cola. Diet cola should not be heated.

 If I'm thinking ahead and out grabbing lunch, 

I'll just dump the ice and refill my drink 

with regular cola. 

 Chuck roast, or whatever cut of boneless beef 

you use for a pot roast, 3-5 lbs. 

 You can be gone all day and come home to dinner.

 Thicken the gravy after the roast is fork tender.

 Mix cornstarch with a little water.

 Stir in the mixture and turn to high and cover for 

about 10 minutes. This gives you time to mash the 

potatoes. I use my old hand masher. It's quick and 

easy. You'll have mashed potatoes more often 

without needing to get out the hand mixer. 

Micro steam a green vegetable or carrots, or both.

 Remove the meat and slice. It will fall apart.

 Laddle lots of that yummy grave over the roast.  

Pour some in a big gravy boat to pass at the table.

Crock Pot Roast
3-5 lb pot roast
1 pkg Savory Pot Roast Mix 
(McCormick Slow Cooker Savory Pot Roast Mix)
1 pkg au jus mix
1 C water
1 can cola (1½ C) NOT diet, 12oz
1.  Put the meat in the crock pot.
2.  Combine the mix packets with 1 C water.
     Pour mixture over the meat.
3.  Pour in the the cola.
4.  Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours until fork
     tender.
5.  To thicken the gravy, combine 3 T cornstarch
      and 3 T water in a cup and stir into the gravy
      in the pot. Cover and turn the to high, cook
      until thickened, about 10  minutes.


*can cook on high for 4-5 hours.



Links: Between Naps On The Porch