French Toast

This recipe request for plain French toast comes from Roxanne.

This is a very good (or should I say delicious?) recipe that I’ve been making for many years. I can’t even remember where I got it…that’s how long it’s been. All I know is that it always brings smiles to the faces of those that try it.

I hope that it brings a smile to your face Roxanne!

Your Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 eggs
1/2-cup heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 slices of white bread (or sliced brioche) cut diagonally to make 8 pieces
1/2-stick butter, divided (yeah, I know)
pure maple syrup
confectioners’ sugar

IN a large shallow bowl (like a soup bowl), use a wire whisk to mix together the eggs, whipping cream, and vanilla.

DIP bread slices into the egg mixture and after you’ve dipped them all, place them back into the bowl with the remaining egg mixture.

CONTINUE to rearrange the slices in the bowl so that the remaining egg mixture soaks through all of the bread slices.

MELT 1/4-stick of butter in a large skillet over low heat.

WHEN the butter has melted, pick up each slice and allow the excess egg mixture to fall back into the bowl and arrange all of the slices in the pan (hopefully your pan is large enough so that you don’t need to repeat). Cook the slices until they reach a golden brown on one side.

ADD the remaining 1/4-stick of butter to the pan and quickly turn the slices. You want the new melted butter to be the base for the second side so that it will also turn golden brown.

SERVE on dinner plates with hot, crispy bacon slices around the edges.

LADLE a bit of pure maple syrup on top of the French toast.

GARNISH with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar. You can also add strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or peaches.

NOTE: Leave the heat on low. It may seem as though the toast would cook faster with a higher flame (and it would), but you want to avoid burning the butter while completely cooking the toast.

Also, it’s nice when you use a skillet or griddle large enough to hold all of the slices at one time because when you finish the second side, the pan will probably need cleaning from the cooked butter bits. If you need to cook the French toast in two separate stages, just clean your skillet and repeat the steps. Keep the finished slices of French toast in a warm preheated oven, around 200ºF.

If you decide that you love the French toast sprinkled with the powdered sugar, you may want to invest in a shaker that’s made specifically for sprinkling (really inexpensive). Otherwise, you can just use a small strainer to accomplish the same task.

Always Enjoy!

Vegetarian Fried Rice

This vegetarian fried rice was requested by Suzanne. I cannot take credit for this recipe though. It was originally one of my late Aunt Nancy’s recipes. Boy oh boy…could that woman cook! Thank you Aunt Nancy.

For others who may be interested in another really yummy version of fried rice, try this one:

Chinese Fast Food Recipe For Fabulous Fried Rice

I hope that you enjoy this recipe Suzanne!

Your Ingredients:

NOTE: Make 2 cups of cooked white rice (you could also use brown) the day before according to package directions. Place it in a covered bowl and freeze it until right before using. (DO NOT use Minute Rice)

4-tbsp vegetable oil, or as needed
couple of dashes of sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten slightly
4 green onions, washed, dried and sliced thinly on the bias (diagonally)…use the green part too
1-cup bean sprouts, washed, picked through, blanched, and drained well
1/2-cup shredded Napa cabbage, washed and blanched
1-cup blanched shredded carrots (you can use the packaged ones but wash them even though they say they’re ready to eat and dry them well…you can even take a sharp knife to chop them even smaller if you like)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 rounded tbsps crushed fresh ginger, more or less
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2-cups of frozen cooked rice, use your fingers or a fork to separate all of the grains completely
1-cup frozen peas
1/3 cup Tamari, dark aged soy sauce
1-tsp oyster sauce (or omit if this dish should be truly vegan)
Crushed red pepper flakes (only if you like a little bite…otherwise, just use freshly ground black pepper to taste)
Salt, you probably won’t need any

PREHEAT your wok on high heat.

ADD the vegetable and sesame oil and be careful not to burn.

ADD the slightly beaten eggs to the wok and continually shred the scrambled pieces with your fork.

ADD the onions, sprouts, cabbage, carrots, garlic, ginger, and red bell pepper and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

ADD the cold rice and continue to stir-fry until the rice begins to brown (or with brown rice, maybe a couple of minutes).

ADD the peas, Tamari, oyster sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes and continue to stir fry for 2-3 more minutes.

MAKE sure all ingredients are blended well and continue stir-frying until everything is nice and hot, about 2-3 minutes more.

PLACE into warmed oriental bowls and garnish with a few snips of fresh scallions (greens onions) on top.

ANOTHER NOTE: Blanch: place your vegetables in boiling water for just a couple of minutes and drain.

LAST NOTE: If the rice sticks to the fork while you’re trying to separate the grains, place your fork under cold running water every few separations.

Always Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse

This recipe request for Chocolate Mousse comes from Thalia.

I must confess that I’ve never made any type of mousse, although I love to order it while dining out because it’s just so darn creamy and yummy.

This recipe is from my girlfriend Andre’ who lives in Florida. She’s a pretty good source for tons of things. Well, maybe not all things. No…on second thought, there are some things that I’ve learned to refrain from asking her.

With good reason, I might add. For instance, one day I asked her why she didn’t listen to a particular CD on her computer since it was right there in her bedroom. She said, “Don’t be silly…I don’t feel like going downstairs and disconnecting the CD player to bring it up here to place it on top of my computer and find a plug and all of that.”

I said, “No Andre’, there's no need for that. You have a built-in player right inside your computer. It looks like the drawer in your player downstairs.”

She got extremely defensive and started ranting and raving about…”What do you know about my computer…when my son gave it to me he didn’t put any drawers in it! I don’t have any drawers and I wish you’d stop telling me about some stupid computer drawer that I don’t have!”

Well, just to let you know…I’d used her computer frequently while I was visiting. I’d played tons of music from the drawer that she ‘just didn’t have’ and even danced to it!

About two hours later, she sheepishly admitted “Oh, that’s where it is…they should put the damn thing where I can see it!”

So Thalia, luckily for you, she’s not that absentminded when it comes to digging up recipes. I hope that the following recipe will whet your appetite.

NOTE: You will need an Insta-Read Cooking Thermometer (or a candy thermometer).

Your Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated
1/2-cup + 1/4-cup granulated sugar
1/2-stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4-cup water
1/2-pound bittersweet (NOT unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

PLACE the large (empty) bowl of an electric mixer in the fridge.

PLACE a saucepan of water over medium heat and allow it to simmer.

IN a large stainless steel bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, butter, and water.

USE a wire whisk to blend the ingredients.

PLACE the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the thermometer reaches 160ºF, about 3-4 minutes (you’re dealing with raw eggs).

ADD the chocolate and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the simmering water.

REMOVE the chilled bowl from the fridge and add the egg whites. Beat the whites until they have soft peaks.

GRADUALLY add the remaining 1/4-cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (but not dry).

FOLD in about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture (to temper). Then fold in the remaining whites.

DIVIDE the mousse into 6 fancy dessert glasses, place a piece of plastic wrap on each, and chill overnight.

GARNISH with a dollop of whipping cream (the real stuff) and sprinkle a few raspberries on top.

YUM! Thalia, please let me know if you enjoy this recipe.

Always Enjoy!

Smothered Chicken For Tiffanye

This post is specifically for Tiffanye, but I thought that everyone would benefit.

Tiffanye's recipe request was for Smothered Chicken. Since it's already posted within this blog, I thought that I would bring the "search" feature to everyone's attention.

In the upper left-hand corner of your screen, there's a teeny, tiny orange box with a white "B" inside. Hey...I missed it too for the longest time! Next to it there's a search box with "Search Blog" button next to it.

Now I know that everyone's "search request" won't be found, that's why I have that little box there that asks for "Your Recipe Request." It is my intention to post recipes that you like, in addition to recipes that I think you may like.

So Tiffanye, click here to get your request for a delicious Smothered Chicken recipe.

And be sure to serve the Sinful Mashed Potatoes on the side!

Then go jogging for 3 hours and eat lettuce for 2 weeks...

Always Enjoy!

Vegetarian Corn Chowder

This is for you Amanda! I don’t know what part of the world you live in, but it is below zero where I live and my fingers just couldn’t type up anything for you that wasn’t all warm and cozy. I just couldn’t!

So forgive me if you happen to live somewhere like sunny Florida, where it’s around 90-degrees! Just save this recipe for a cooler day.

This really creamy vegetarian corn chowder is thickened by using silken tofu instead of the usual cream.


Your Ingredients: (4-6 servings)

2-tbsp olive oil (or butter)
1 medium onion, washed and diced
2 ribs celery, washed and sliced on the bias (diagonally)
2 carrots, peeled, washed and thinly sliced
1/2-cup red bell pepper, minced
3-4 cups frozen corn kernels
4-5 cups homemade vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1/2-tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, washed and diced
1/2-tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1-1/2 packages (12.3-ounces plus) silken tofu
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
soy milk, as needed

HEAT olive oil (or butter) in a medium stockpot over medium heat.

ADD the onions, celery, and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

ADD the carrots and minced bell pepper and sauté until carrots are tender, about 5 more minutes.

ADD the corn kernels (and stripped cobs if you have them).

ADD the homemade vegetable stock, bay, and thyme leaves.

TURN heat to medium high until tiny bubbles begin to form.

LOWER heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

ADD the potatoes and cumin, cover again, and continue to simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 15-20 more minutes.

IN a blender, puree the silken tofu until smooth. Add it to the chowder and blend well with a wire whisk.

ADD salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for another 10 minutes.

TURN off heat, discard the bay leaves, and allow chowder to rest for about an hour.

SERVE in heated bowls (just run hot water in them for a couple of minutes and dry) and sprinkle with a bit of Spanish paprika to add a smoky bite to the chowder.

NOTE: If the consistency of the chowder is too thick, add a little soy milk and stir well.

ANOTHER NOTE: If you can get fresh ears of corn and slice the kernels off the cob, that will be even more flavorful. You’ll need about 6-7 ears to make 3-4 cups of kernels.

Do not discard the stripped cobs. Add them to the chowder while it’s simmering and discard at the end.

Always Enjoy!