Recipe: Homemade Baked Strawberry French Toast
My kids love breakfast. French Toast is one of their favorites. They will eat slice after slice, covered in fruit and drizzled with a little real maple syrup. I make homemade Challah Bread or other sweet bread and then slice it up, freeze it and then it is all ready to go when the kids want me to make this. It is super simple.
Sometimes when I am up at the crack of dawn, I will fix this up and put it in the oven about 45 minutes before everyone’s set to wake up. The house smells divine…it’s sort of like Christmas Morning…you have that warm fuzzy, it’s going to be an amazing day sort of vibe.
If you don’t have strawberries, peaches, blueberries and other berries work well. You’ll love the recipe…it’s so easy!
Baked Strawberry French Toast
1 loaf day old challah, sliced into 3/4” thick slices
1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced, plus more for garnish
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups milk
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh grated nutmeg
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon for dusting over the top
Butter a 9 x 13” baking pan. Arrange the challah slices so that they are overlapping, tearing a few pieces in half if needed. Tuck the strawberries between the slices.
In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the milk, sugar, salt, nutmeg, zest, and vanilla. Then pour mixture over the challah.
Make sure that all of the slices are just about covered by the egg mixture–add more milk or rearrange the slices until they are. If refrigerating overnight, cover and chill. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for a half hour, or longer if you have time.
Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees and take the baking dish out of the fridge. Once the oven is up to temperature, bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until the french toast is a light golden brown and has puffed up nicely.
Slice and serve immediately with maple syrup and sliced strawberries. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
Recipe: Frozen Strawberry Crunch Cake
This simple take on an ice cream cake will be a big hit at your next family get together, or even just for dessert tonight! The Frozen Strawberry Crunch Cake from Spoonful calls for Nature Valley bars, but regular granola would work just fine as well.
Ingredients:
- 1 box Nature Valley Granola Bars
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 lemon
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups freshly chopped strawberries
Directions:
- Unwrap and put the Nature Valley granola bars (or regular granola) in a food processor until you it becomes a course crumb.
- In a large bowl, add crumbs, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter, then mix together. Spread into an 8×8″ pan covered with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then divide in half and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine eggs whites and sugar, then mix on high. Add the heavy cream and continue to mix for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and softened cream cheese to mixture, then mix on low speed until completely combined.
- Fold the strawberries into the cream mixture until as evenly mixed as possible.
- In a glass cake pan that has been buttered fully, press half of the crumb crust mixture to the bottom, then top with strawberry mix, then add the rest of the granola crumbs to the top.
- Cover and freeze for at least three hours. ENJOY!
Recipe: Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas
Skip the drive-thru the next time you have a Taco Bell craving! Make this amazing copycat Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe at home with ingredients you actually know and can pronounce. Thanks to Kate at Stolen Moments Cooking for the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 8 flour tortillas, soft taco sized
- Oil for frying
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 2 t. chili powder
- 2 t. cumin
- 1 t. salt
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 can or 1 1/2 c. homemade refried beans
- 1/3 c. taco sauce
- 2 c. shredded cheese
- 1/4 c. diced tomato
- 1/4 c. sliced green onions
Directions:
1. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 inch oil over medium heat. Add the tortillas one at a time and cook about 20 – 30 seconds per side, until lightly browned and crispy. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, cook ground beef. Drain. Stir in seasonings. Add 1/4 c. water, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and add refried beans to pan. Cook over low heat until warmed.
3. Take 4 crisped tortillas and spread with the refried beans on each. Add the ground beef and evenly spread over each tortilla. Top each with a second tortilla. Spoon an even amount of taco sauce over the tortillas and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Or place under a broiler just until the cheese melts.
4. Sprinkle each with diced tomatoes and green onions. Cut into quarters before serving, and that’s it!
Recipe: Nutella No Bake Bites
A take on the favorite recipe of peanut butter and chocolate no bake cookies, this recipe adds the addicting and amazing NUTELLA spread, too! These cookies can be made gluten-free if you make sure the oats are certified GF and not cross-contaminated. YUM!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup nutella
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup flax
- 1/3 cup coconut
- 1/3 cup cranberries or raisins
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients. Mix ingredients together well.
- Once fully mixed, spoon out the mix onto a tray. It’s totally up to you how large you want the bites to be.
- Refrigerate and serve!
Recipe: Creamy 3-Ingredient Nutella Popsicles
Change up the ice or fruit popsicles and makes these SUPER easy Creamy Nutella Popsicles instead. Just make sure you have popsicle molds (you can even get them at some dollar stores!), a blender, and patience to wait for them to harden in the mold. Thanks to 52 Kitchen Adventures for the recipe!
Ingredients: (Makes 3 Popsicles, so you will probably want to double the ingredients)
- 1 cup of Cool Whip (or other whipped topping)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 3 Tbsp of Nutella
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Process until blended.
- Pour mixture into popsicle molds.
- Freeze for several hours (overnight or from morning until evening are easiest way to know they’re fully frozen), serve and enjoy.