Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

I realize my last three posts have been sweets. I will try for something out of that category for next time. But for today, there is this yummy-ness. I found this recipe at Real Mom Kitchen. I don't know who needs to go out to breakfast when you can make this at home. Although, we had it for dinner and it was great for that, too. While its a few more steps than plain french toast, it is still very easy and SUPER delicious! I should have taken a picture of my little boy and his friend with their cheeks stuffed. They totally loved it.

What You Need:
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
10 slices bread {Texas toast works or a good sourdough}
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
4 eggs, beaten
2-3 tablespoon milk
4 tablespoons butter, oil, cooking spray for pan
2 tablespoon powdered sugar {extra}


Directions:
Combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and beat until smooth, and then spread 1/2 the mixture on one side of five slices of bread. Top with the sliced strawberries. You will have some extra for topping the toast later. Spread more of the remaining mixture on the remaining five pieces of bread and place on to pressing them together gently to enclose strawberries inside.

Beat the eggs and milk together and set aside.

Coat your pan with butter, oil or spray. Take the sandwiches, one by one, and place in the egg and milk mixture, turning so that the mixture covers both sides. Transfer the sandwich to the pan and cook until the first side is  brown. Flip over and cook the other side. Before serving, top with the extra sliced strawberries and 2 tbsp powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup or the Strawberry Syrup recipe below.


What You Need:
Strawberry Syrup
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons orange juice
3/4 cup pureed strawberries

Combine all the ingredients in a small pan. Stirring constantly, heat mixture over medium heat until it begins to thicken (approximately 5 minutes). While still warm, pour over French Toast and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Spiced Zucchini Cake with Creamy Maple Frosting

I think that this cake needs a name that really describes how wonderful it is, but I wasn't creative enough to come up with one. This recipe is so fall-perfect {in spite of our temperatures not being very fall-like}. It is super moist, has just the right amount of spice and the frosting is perfect. When I read that the frosting had maple syrup in it, I was sure I wouldn't like that and was going to skip it but didn't and I am so glad. Trust me- it is awesome just the way it is. I found this recipe at My Baking Addiction and only made one slight change. I will warn you- this recipe calls for one ingredient that is expensive- cardamom. While I decided to splurge and use it, the source says you can omit it if you reallly need to. You can add it to your spice rack and find some other yummy uses for it.

What You Need:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon minced crystallized ginger { I used regular ground ginger}
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt {I use regular salt}
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 cup shredded zucchini

 Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg,  ginger, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

3. Combine oil, applesauce, eggs and sugars; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Add zucchini; stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared 8×8 inch baking pan. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

5. For the icing: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and cardamom until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix well. Frost cake with icing. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

So I was going full force into fall recipes and had some great ones lined up but then, just like that, I had a craving for something gooey and chocolatey and peanut butter fit in there somewhere. It was a toss up between this recipe and another dessert that goes in the slow cooker. Well, these turned out just plain delicious and they were really easy and quick. They are not layered like your typical pb brownie but they are swirled together which is fabulous. These are so good, in fact, that even though chocolate makes my newly pregnant self pretty sick, I have been eating them anyway. Its a sad confession, but true. If that doesn't convince you then nothing will. Oh and my family is loving them too!



What You Need: {For the batter}

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped {I like to mix semi sweet and milk choco}
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

{For the filling}
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square or 8 x 11 baking dish.

Make batter: Put butter and chocolates in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Whisk granulated sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well incorporated.

Make filling: Stir together butter, confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.

Pour one-third of batter into prepared pan; spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Drop dollops of peanut butter filling (about 1 tablespoon each) on top of batter, spacing about 1 inch apart. Drizzle remaining batter on top, and gently spread to fill pan. Drop dollops of remaining filling on top. Gently swirl peanut butter filling into batter with a butter knife, running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into brownies comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Enjoy!

My {Fail-Proof} Slow Cooker Roast

I have been a terrible blogger in recent weeks and I apologize. I swear I have a lot of legitimate reasons and I know for sure that as the weather gets colder and my life slows down a bit, I'll be back. In the meantime, I thought I would share a recipe that I use all the time. It is truly impossible to mess up, cooks while you go about your day, and leaves leftovers for mexican dishes, bbq sandwiches, stew, or whatever else you can think of that I haven't. You can have this in the slow cooker in less than ten minutes and not think about it again until dinner, which is my favorite part. Your house will smell great and you'll have a tender flavorful roast at the end, promise. Note: This recipe is set for my 6 quart slow cooker.

What You Need:
1 chuck roast
3-4 celery stalks
3-4 carrots
1 small onion
3 cups beef broth
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Turn your slow cooker to low or high to get it warming up. Low if you are cooking for more than 4 hours, high if less. {Adjust for your slow cooker temps}. Using a large fry pan or skillet to brown, coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil and turn to medium high.

 I leave the roast right in the package to season, just exposing the top. Generously season the roast with seasoned salt, then coat in flour, shaking off the excess. Turn the roast over and do the same to the other side. Once your fry pan is hot, place the roast in the pan to sear. The trick to getting a nice brown crust on the roast is that your pan must be hot when you place the roast. You can test this by putting a drop of water in the pan and it sizzles.

While one side is browning, cut your washed celery, carrots and onion into large chunks. Place them into the bottom of the slow cooker. You are creating a "shelf" for your roast. Once the roast has a nice crust, turn it to the other side. {3-4 minutes}.

Place the browned roast into the slow cooker. Pour the beef broth around the sides of the roast, not over the top. The liquid should not come more than halfway up the sides of the roast or you will be boiling the meat.

Cook until the roast is cooked through and tender. {4 hours on high in my 6 quart cooker}. Enjoy!