Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast

This is our General Conference Sunday morning tradition - YUM!!!

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 t. cinnamon
8 slices bread, white or whole wheat
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced  (we use frozen mixed berries)
3 eggs, beaten
2 T. milk
4 T. butter, optional
2 T. powdered sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon; mix until smooth. Spread one side of each slice of bread evenly with the cream cheese mixture. On the cream cheese side of four slices of bread, layer with some sliced strawberries evenly over the surface of each slice. Top each slice with a remaining slice of bread, pressing the cream cheese side down onto the strawberries. Press together gently to seal berries inside sandwich.

In a shallow bowl, combine the eggs and milk; mix well and set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray and place in oven. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray or melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-high heat.

Dip strawberry sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to soak each side. Place soaked sandwich in the hot skillet and cook on each side until browned. Remove sandwich from skillet and place on baking sheet in warm oven and repeat until all sandwiches are cooked.

Just before serving, cut each sandwich diagonally; top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Serve with syrup!  (and sausage or some other protein to balance all the sugar/carbs)


Note - We just use our sandwich maker for these.  It's really messy but super easy! 

Grilled Sweet Peppers

2 pounds sweet baby (small) bell peppers (green, red, orange, purple, and/or yellow)*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

* If you can find baby bell peppers, use large peppers with stem end cut off and seeds removed.

Core, seed, and rinse peppers. Cut each pepper into fourths. In a large resealable plastic bag, place sweet pepper chunks.

In a small bowl, combine garlic, salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper; mix well. Pour sauce over pepper chunk. Reseal bag and shake to distribute sauce.

Preheat barbecue grill. Remove peppers from sauce. Place peppers, smooth-side down, on hot grill. Cook 6 to 8 minutes (turning occasionally) or until lightly charred on both sides. Remove peppers from grill; either leave in chunks or slice into 1/2-inch-wide strips.  Arrange chunks or strips on a platter, alternating colors. Sprinkle
with crumbled feta cheese. (we skipped the cheese cause it sounded gross to me).

Makes 4 servings.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS

1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	cup packed brown sugar
1	can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved (I use 2 cans)
1	jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix (I use French Vanilla Cake)
	Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 42 to 48 minutes (or what it says on the cake mix box) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes (we usually eat it right away with whipping cream on top!) . Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.