boozy brunch

I LOVE brunch. It's my favorite meal of the week! One day I dream of owning a brunch restaurant. I often think of all of the awesome things that would be on my menu. A girl can dream, right?

My favorite brunch beverage is a bellini. There's nothing better than a champagne flute filled with bubbly and a kiss of peach nectar, mmmm. I had my first bellini in Venice at Harry's bar (where bellini's are said to have originated). It was one of Hemingway's favorite places to sit and write - or so I'm told. Regardless, I was introduced to the bellini and I was forever changed.

When I think of a boozy brunch the first two drinks that come to mind are mimosas and bloody marys. I love an excuse to pop open a little bubbly, and brunch is the perfect excuse! Bloody marys on the other hand aren't my favorite. Yes, I said it, I'm not a fan. To me it tastes like cold spiced tomato soup with vodka, yuck! That being said, I know that it's a favorite among many and making a good bloody mary is a desired skill. I was thinking about how to put a fun twist on brunch when suddenly it hit me... jello shots, BLOODY MARY JELLO SHOTS! No? Sound weird? SO!

To me it sounded like fun and I don't even like bloody marys. I decided to take my wacky idea and run with it. I've seen people make jello shots in orange peels so why not make a breakfast version and do bloody mary jello shots in celery sticks?! Maybe I'm crazy but I think it's fun. I know my sorority sisters would love them, too!

I showed up to brunch at my cousins with these little bite sized shots and my whole family thought I was nuts. The only way to describe them is by saying trippy. I love when a dish can take you to a place you've never been before. Sort of like the first time I had jalapeno chocolate ice cream. It was cold and spicy and it totally confused and excited my taste buds. These jello shots are crunchy but jelly and a little spicy and cold... it's a unique experience!

They're very unique and fun. They take a little time to make but they're worth it for the wow factor. Try them and let me know if you think jello shots belong at the brunch table. They're sure to be the center of conversation among your brunchees.

Bloody Mary Jello Shots

Ingredients:

5 celery sticks

1 c. tomato juice

1 packet knox gelatin

¼ t. lemon juice

¼ t. garlic powder

¼ t. onion powder

¼ t. pepper

¼ t. salt

squirt of worcestershire sauce

squirt of tabasco sauce

¾ c. vodka

Mix all ingredients except the vodka, gelatin, and celery stalks in a pot over medium heat. When liquid is warmed, add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Pull mixture off the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Add vodka and then pour into celery stalks.

I put my celery stalks in a casserole dish so that the liquid wouldn't pour out. See the image below for reference. Some of the mixture will spill out but it's ok... you'll have plenty! I let my mixture sit for 3 minutes before I poured it into the celery stalks.

Place in fridge to set for at least 4 hours. Cut into bite sized pieces and enjoy! WARNING: do not attempt to swallow whole! These jello shots are meant to be chewed.

improv style:

you can use clamato juice or veggie juice instead of tomato. you can add your favorite bloody mary spices... jalapeno or pepperoni sticks would be an interesting twist. you can also make these in different vessels other than celery sticks, like inside of a jalapeno, pepperoncini or cherry tomato. you can also make them in regular cups if you don't have the celery sticks or the patience to make them. if you have a favorite spice style for your bloody mary's, use that instead. This is very flexible aside from the gelatin to liquid ratio... keep that the same. ginger would be a great spice to add in the mix.

lunchtime snoozfest

I try to be good and bring my lunch to work every day. Not only does it keep me healthy but it helps me save a TON of money every month. Ironically, I didn't bring my lunch today. The problem with packing a lunch most days is 1. I don't have a lot of time in the morning and 2. sandwiches, while easy, get boring day after day. My new mission is to come up with some tasty and easy lunches for work.

This recipe is my first solve for the boring sandwich blues. I love this pasta salad, it's easy and quick to make. It fits perfectly into a small tupperware container and I can get it ready the night before aka more time for me to sleep in the mornings! This recipe is packed with flavor and the whole grains fill me up!

Lime Cilantro Pasta Salad

ingredients:

for the dressing:

¼ c. red wine vinegar

¼ c. lime juice + zest

2 T. honey

1 small shallot minced

½ c. cilantro leaves packed

1 clove garlic

salt + pepper

for the salad:

1 c. whole wheat orzo pasta

2 chicken breasts (cooked and thinly sliced)

2 c. chicken broth

2 c. water

1 c. cherry tomatoes halved

cilantro leaves for garnish

yields 2 hearty servings

In a food processor, combine all the dressing ingredients and pulse until garlic, shallots, and cilantro leaves are pulverized (basically until you have your dressing at a consistency you like).

Meanwhile, heat chicken stock and water in a saucepan for the orzo. Cook orzo until al dente, drain pasta. Add lime cilantro dressing to the warm pasta. It will absorb more flavor this way. Combine chicken slices, tomatoes and cilantro leaves with the pasta. It's that easy! If you like, you can double the dressing recipe and marinade your chicken in it to add even more flavor.

improv style:

for the dressing you can substitute honey for agave nectar or a pinch of sugar instead. Also, you can make this with basil instead of cilantro and add mini mozzarella balls and tomatoes for an italian spin on the dish (think caprese salad)! the recipe isn't set in stone so substitute the herbs and veggies for ingredients you have on hand. don't have orzo? use a different pasta or even a quinoa or cous cous and make it gluten free! you can add some pine nuts or almonds for a bit of crunch too.

luck o' the italian?

The other night I made a spinach + basil risotto. It was the most gorgeous green color and was really tasty too. In true morgan fashion, I made way too much and had a TON of leftovers. I get that from my mom. My dad always teases her saying "what are you feeding an army?!". So I cooked to feed an army and I wanted to do something different with the leftovers than heating them up in the microwave. That's when it hit me...

I remembered my first day living in Rome. I flew to Italy a week before my study abroad program started and met up with my best friend from high school who happened to be doing a semester there as well. Meg picked me up at the train station in Rome and boy was she surprised to see me with all my luggage in tow. I packed 3 GIANT bags and had a carry on sized suitcase. I don't know what I was thinking because I alone could not carry all these bags. It was quite comical towing 2 bags a few feet, going back, grabbing the other two and so on and so forth. I will never make that mistake again! Thank god Meg was there to help me! Back to the food, there was a point to all this! Before we even got to Meg's apartment, she insisted we stop into this deli and get a little rice ball stuffed with mozzarella. We lugged all my bags into this shop, and got 2 "aranchini", my first taste of italy. It was a tomato based risotto ball stuffed with a mozzarella ball and breaded and deep fried, HELLO! Hot gooey mozzarella, risotto, fried, heaven could not make a more perfect combination!

Remembering that first sweet taste of Italy I decided why not make spinach + basil flavored aranchini? So that's what I did. They were gorgeous and green and perfect as a St. Patty's themed dish. No, the ingredients aren't irish but it's bright green... that counts, right?

Make these aranchini for St. Patricks day this year and you won't even miss the guinness and jameson and cabbage and whatever traditional fare people eat for the Irish holiday. Although, you could definitely serve these with a green beer. In fact, I highly recommend it!

Aranchini

ingredients:

2 c. cooked risotto (see recipe below)

2 eggs

2 T. parmesan cheese

2 c. + 4 T. bread crumbs

5 oz mozzarella diced

4 c. olive oil or vegetable oil

yields 16 - 20 balls

Preheat oven to 225º. In a mixing bowl, combine risotto, eggs, parmesan, and 4 T. bread crumbs. Combine until mixed. On a plate, place remaining 2 c. bread crumbs. I made mine with both panko and regular bread crumbs. Both worked great but I preferred the crunch of the panko. Cut mozzarella slices into small chunks about the size of a quarter. I used the fresh mozzarella mini balls and cut them in half. It was the perfect size! Next take 1 mozzarella chunk and a teaspoon full of the rice mixture and roll together to form a ball. Mine ended up being a little bigger than a golf ball. You need just enough rice to cover your cheese. Then roll in the bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you're out of rice. Place in the fridge and let chill for 20 min.

Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium - medium high heat depending on your stove. You know the oil is hot and ready when you toss in A drop of water and it pops. You can also test with a SMALL pinch of flour, it will do the same thing. Fry up 3 - 4 aranchini at a time. Pull out and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towel. Place in the oven between batches. Once the frying is all done, let last batch heat in the oven for 5 minutes with the rest of the balls. This will let the oil drain and the cheese get extra gooey.

Serve with marinara sauce or ranch. You can serve them with your favorite dipping sauce but I actually prefer them plain.

improv style:

the risotto is where you can get really playful in this dish. instead of spinach + basil, try a more traditional tomato based rice. You can put your favorite flavors into the rice. The second area you can improvise is the breading. If you can't find panko or don't have any on hand use the traditional bread crumb or even the italian flavored kind. Don't have any bread crumbs? Put 2-3 slices of bread in the food processor and make your own! Add some cayenne or other seasonings to give your bread crumbs a kick of flavor! You can make this gluten free by substituting the bread crumbs with rice flour. They're not quite as crispy on the outside but they're still tasty!

Spinach + Basil Risotto

ingredients:

1 clove garlic

1 shallot

1 c. arborio risotto

1 34 oz box of good quality chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics)

3 c. spinach leaves slightly packed (one big bag)

2 c. basil leaves loosely packed

¼ c. white wine (I like Kendall Jackson Chardonnay)

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

½ c. parmesan cheese

yields 4 hearty servings

In a food processor, combine the basil and spinach leaves. I pulsed mine until it was very fine but if you like a bit of texture, you can play with the coarseness.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken stock to a mild simmer. Dice shallot and place in a deep medium sized skillet or sauce pan and saute with olive oil for 2 minutes. Peel garlic and give it a whack and place smashed clove (do not chop) in pan with shallots. Add arborio rice and brown for 1-2 minutes. This gives the rice a great flavor and is an important step in the risotto making process!

Next add wine to the pan, give it a good stir. Then slowly, 1-2 ladles full at a time, add the warmed chicken stock to the rice mixture, just enough to cover the top of the rice. Constantly stir the rice and continue to add chicken stock as its absorbed by the rice. You'll start to notice that the rice expands. You want to cook arborio al dente so be sure not to add too much liquid. You can always add more, but you can't take liquid out. Not sure if your rice is done? Take a spoon and try a few grains. You want it to be firm but chewy, not hard and not mushy. When the rice is done, stir in spinach + basil mixture, butter, and ¼ c. parmesan cheese. Stir until it's incorporated.

improv style:

don't have shallots? use onions instead. you can substitute the basil for any herb you love. mint or italian parsley would be great. just don't go overboard on the mint, it's a powerful herb! you can leave the wine out if you don't have any or don't want to open a bottle. i just love the flavor it adds to the dish!

simplicity

There was a point in time when I thought more was more, especially when cooking. I'd add all sorts of ingredients to the dishes I made. Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. The more I cook, the more I've come to realize that most of the time, the simpler the dish, the better.

I was shopping at Trader Joe's the other day and stumbled upon the cutest little potatoes. I immediately grabbed them, not knowing what I was going to do with them. For me, inspiration usually comes from ingredients, not from recipes. I decided to keep it simple and let the "teeny tiny potatoes" be the star. I pan roasted them with a little garlic, butter + olive oil. I had some fresh thyme leftover from the coq au vin I made a few nights before so I finished the potatoes with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, salt + pepper. Simple, yes, but they were so fabulous!

In honor of keeping it simple, I'll let the recipe and photos speak for itself... enjoy!

Pan Roasted Teeny Tiny Potatoes

ingredients:

1 lb (16 oz) teeny tiny potatoes

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 T. fresh thyme leaves

salt + pepper

yields 3 - 4 servings

In a heavy bottomed skillet heat oil and butter. Once the oil is hot, drop in your potatoes and 2 smashed garlic cloves. Place a lid on for about 15 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes). Give the pan a few good shakes throughout the cooking process to ensure they brown on all sides. Poke potato with fork to check doneness. In the last minute of cooking add thyme, salt + pepper.

improv style:

This recipe can be done with pretty much any vegetable/herb combination. It would be great with sweet potatoes or butternut squash and onions. Try making it with chives and fresh parsley for a burst of freshness. For recipes like this, simple is the key! Don't try to throw in too many flavors. A splash of lemon juice with a hint of lemon zest would be nice too.

there's no place like ROME!

In college I studied abroad in Rome, Italy. I lived in an apartment with 9 girls in Campo de Fiori (an incredibly touristy part of the city). Of the 9 women I lived with I believe fate led me to the perfect roommate. My roma roomie Ashley and I hit it off immediately!

We were the perfect combination for each other. I was deemed the "travel nazi" by our study abroad group because every free minute we had I wanted to go explore another city in Italy. Most people only took 2 or 3 weekend trips while living in Rome, I took 7. Ashley was always down for an adventure. When I was being cheap she would put me in my place and tell me "you only live once". When she was feeling tired I would tell her "when are you going to be able to say you did ____ in ____ again?! LETS GO!". I couldn't have asked for a better travel buddy or friend. We've had some fun adventures back in the states too but I'll save that for future posts...

When I first met Ashley, she didn't know how to cook pasta. Literally, she put pasta in cold water and then turned the burner on. I will never forget the first time we cooked together. We still laugh about it to this day (sorry to call you out, ash!).

I can't beat on her too hard though because Ashley took me to one of my favorite restaurants in Rome - Restaurante Gioia Mia. Aside from an incredibly handsome waiter named Salim (not the most Italian name), Gioia Mia has FANTASTIC food. Like the heart shaped pizza Salim delivered when trying to win Ashley's heart. The pizza was adorable and tasty, I wish we got a picture of it.

My favorite dish was Pasta Gioia Mia - pasta with cognac, cream, peas, and prosciutto. I would order any version of a cream sauce when I was in Rome, its one of my favorite flavor combinations. Who am I kidding, to this day I typically order this! I am hands down a cream sauce girl... I will ALWAYS pick it over a tomato sauce. Ashley used to tease me when we'd go to a restaurant saying "let me guess what you're ordering...". You can't help what you love!

Looking back I wish I had realized that I was in the land of amazing food and should have tried a variety of dishes. Don't get me wrong, I tried lots of things but I also ate A LOT of cream sauce pasta!

This pasta dish is inspired by Gioia Mia and by my lovely roma roomie. Because without her I would never have eaten at this fabulous place!

Pasta Gioia Mo

ingredients:

1 package pappardelle pasta (or your fav pasta)

6 slices pancetta

3 shallots

8 - 10 crimini mushrooms

¼ c. cognac (I use courvoisier)

2 c. heavy cream

2 garlic cloves

½ c. grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

½ c. frozen peas

yields 5 - 6 servings

In a skillet, brown up the pancetta like you would bacon. Remove the Pancetta and place on a paper towel to drain. Don't let that pancetta grease go to waste! Brown your shallots, thinly sliced and your crimini mushrooms. Chop these however you prefer to have your veggies. I like my shallots in thin rings and my mushrooms in thin slices. When cooked until golden brown, add your cognac to deglaze the pan and get all those good brown bits off the bottom. Add your cream and 2 smashed garlic cloves (leave them whole, just smash them with the flat side of a knife). Cook this mixture for a good 20 minutes until the flavors blend and the sauce reduces a little. In the last 3 minutes, add the parmesan cheese and whisk in one circular direction until the sauce thickens. In the final minute, add the peas and chopped pancetta.

Meanwhile, boil a pot of water on the stove for your pasta. *Note that the more water you have, the faster and better your pasta will cook. Also, when salting your water, make sure you add it once the water is hot. Otherwise, you'll corrode your pan.

Once pasta is cooked, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water. Add the pappardelle to the cream sauce pan and let it absorb the sauce for 1 - 2 minutes. If you notice the sauce getting too thick, add a little of the pasta water. There's great starches in pasta water that give sauce the perfect consistency. Depending on the amount of pasta you cook and how thick your sauce is you may need to add a few tbsp of the water up to ¾ c.

Plate and serve with a little extra grated parmesan on top! Buono Appetito!

improv style:

not a boozer or don't want to spend the money on cognac? you can leave it out. i love the depth of flavor that it gives but it won't ruin the recipe to leave it out. vegetarian? leave out the pancetta and fry up some basil leaves for a different flavor and a little crunch. Not a fan of mushrooms? TONS of people aren't... you can leave them out or add your favorite veggies into the mix, like asparagus. This would be really tasty with cherry tomatoes and basil instead.

don't YUCK my YUM!

Before I start this post, I'd like to state that I am not a foodie, I'm a food lover. There's a big difference in my book. There's a certain stigma that goes along with the term foodie. In my opinion, it's a stuffy word for people who like gourmet food and turn their noses to dishes that don't meet these standards. And while I love "gourmet foods", I also believe there's a time and a place for all foods that I equally enjoy... hot dogs, shitty pizza, Kraft mac-n-cheese, buttered noodles (my dad's specialty), and SPAM.

Yes, SPAM! Spam was always a bit of a joke in my family. It's not something that would even be consumed if the zombie apocalypse happened. This all changed one random spring day in Seattle.

It all started when someone from work came back from lunch with a big ass grin on his face. There may have even been a little dance involved (he loves food like I do). I quickly learned that his favorite food truck was 3 blocks away from our office. A special treat indeed! I had never heard of Marination but I'm so glad my colleague shared his knowledge with me.

Off I was to wait in the block long line to get my lunch. It was hard to choose so I of course got one of everything to split with my boyfriend for lunch. That is, one of everything BUT the SPAM slider, yuck! I'm definitely the one who knows food in our relationship and when my boyfriend ordered 2 SPAM sliders I thought he was out of his mind. He looked at me and said, "What? Why not?". UM, BECAUSE IT'S SPAM, GROSS! 25 minutes later (it was a long line) we walked away with our hands full of tasty treats. I seriously felt like a crazed woman walking with hands and arms full of food, everyone staring, jealous. Marination is a Korean Hawaiian fusion cart that serves tacos, kimchi, and sliders with rotating specials. If you're visiting Seattle or live there I highly recommend you find them and eat there.

Halfway through my tacos, Matt got to the SPAM slider. One bite in when his eyes almost bulged out of his head, I knew I needed to try it. I swooped up his other slider and was instantly convinced that SPAM was indeed a worthy food. The Hawaiians know what's up!

Living in Chicago, I find myself missing Marination. I decided to try my hand at my own version of their SPAM sliders. This is a perfect dish to serve on Super Bowl Sunday! It can be served as an appetizer, lunch or dinner. Give SPAM a try, you might just be pleasantly surprised!

SPAM Sliders with Asian Slaw

ingredients:

1 can SPAM

Asian Slaw (see recipe below)

24 Hawaiian sweet bread rolls

6 T. butter

Yields 24 sliders

Slice SPAM into ¼ inch thin slices and then cut rectangle in half to make perfect little squares. The key to making these sliders extra tasty is to keep the SPAM on the thin side.

you ever have those instant cravings, no matter where or when, you just NEED chocolate immediately? I have them fairly often. My sisters and I share that same need. We love our chocolate, especially molten chocolate cakes. One of our favorite steak houses has an amazing Valrhona molten chocolate cake. We always order our own because sharing chocolate is not an option when you have this need.

In a skillet place butter over medium heat. Once melted and hot, place SPAM slices in pan. Meanwhile, in another skillet, toast your rolls to golden perfection. Once SPAM is browned on both sides, place one square on each roll. Top with slaw and you're ready to eat!

improv style:

Asian slaw sliders are delicious but so are regular coleslaw sliders. Not convinced on SPAM? It's ok, make it with fresh ham. Don't eat ham? Make it with ground turkey instead. Try putting some of the slaw flavors into the ground meat before browning them up.

Asian Slaw

ingredients:

3 c. shredded cabbage

2 whole carrots

3-4 scallions (green + white parts)

⅛ c. rice wine vinegar

¼ t. grated fresh ginger

2 pieces of pickled ginger

½ t. pickled ginger juice (from jar)

1 t. toasted sesame oil

1 t. soy sauce

In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Cut your carrots into thin slices, mince the scallions, and combine with shredded cabbage. Place veggie mixture in bowl and toss to coat. Let sit for 30 minutes until the vinegar has slightly wilted the cabbage and worked its magical flavors into the slaw.

improv style:

you can add your favorite asian flavors here. You can add some purple cabbage for a nice color and slightly different flavor. Try putting in a little hoisin sauce with the mix for a slight sweetness or siracha for a bit of spicy.

BLOW YOUR MIND

Have you ever been to a restaurant and had a dish that combined all of your favorite things in a way you never thought to try before? I will never forget the day my friend Helena took me to my now favorite, well, tied for favorite breakfast place in San Francisco. Brenda's French Soul Food is a tiny little gem hidden on Polk street. Helena took me here for breakfast on my last day living in SF. I didn't want to leave! Helena loves food like I do and we both did our happy dances as we ate breakfast.

This place is soul food with a gourmet twist. The menu is fantastic and they have a rotating menu with seasonal specials. This is the kind of place where you want to order one of everything on the menu including the watermelon sweet tea and beignet flight.

On to the moment that BLEW. MY. MIND... one of the specials for the day was a pumpkin bread french toast with maple syrup and chantilly cream. I love french toast but I had never thought to play around with the bread outside of french, challah, and your standard white bread. I know, it seems obvious to use flavored breads or other variations but I had never given it much thought until I experienced BFS. Life changing to say the least.

I re-created this dish with my own take of course. What goes better with pumpkin than bourbon?! I decided to take this dish to another level and add a bourbon vanilla bean caramel syrup, and to keep the chantilly cream because who doesn't love chantilly cream?! It sounds so much more fabulous than whipped cream. We eat with our eyes and that starts with the visual description of a dish!

I wish I could take credit for the bourbon caramel syrup but it's 100% Martha. I'll give it to her, she knows her shit! I don't think there's a way to make this sauce any better than it already is (unless you add salt, obvi). This sauce is good all by itself but it gets even better when you put it on things. I first made it with a pumpkin brioche bread pudding (yes, pumpkin again... do you not remember that post titled "obsessions"?! I wasn't exaggerating).

This dish is not for the light stomached. It is incredibly rich. Honestly, its more like dessert than breakfast but I'd eat this any time of day. The first time I had pumpkin bread french toast I was dancing throughout my meal. When I re-created the dish, the dance got even more intense. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Pumpkin Bread French Toast with Bourbon Caramel Syrup and Chantilly Cream

recipe inspired by brendas french soul food and martha stewart's caramel

ingredients:

for the french toast:

1 small loaf pumpkin bread (see recipe: i didn't use nuts)

2 eggs

¾ c. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

for the bourbon caramel:

2 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon bourbon

for the chantilly cream (fancy name for whip cream):

½ c. heavy whipping cream

1 T. powdered sugar

½ vanilla bean

1 t. vanilla extract

Start with the Bourbon caramel. You can make this a day in advance or a week in advance. I wish I could somehow tweak this recipe to make it better but martha NAILED it. This sauce is good by itself and great on everything, mmmmmmm...

Start by combining the sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan on medium heat. Without stirring (don't even think about giving it a little help, let it do it's thing). Let the sugar and water do it's thing until it turns a dark amber color. This will take about 20 minutes, no joke.

When the mixture is a deep amber color, reduce the heat to low. Slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Don't get scared if it turns into a hard ball. Give it a minute and keep stirring. It will slowly melt into a rich caramel. Next, scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan and add the bean too. Add lemon juice, butter, and bourbon. Stir to combine. Your heavenly sauce is now ready to be devoured. You can let it cool and put it in a jar or tupperware container and into the fridge. To reheat, place in the microwave for about 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds.

When you're ready to blow your mind and assemble the dish, make the chantilly cream first. Beat heavy whipping cream, vanilla beans and powdered sugar on high until light, fluffy medium peaks form. TRICK: if you freeze your bowl and beaters for 5 minutes before it will whip up faster!

For the french toast: Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla extract in a shallow bowl. Slice pumpkin bread to your desired thickness and dip in egg mixture. Slap that baby on a griddle or in a frying pan over medium - medium high heat depending on your stove. Brown on both sides and get ready to assemble!

Plop 2 pieces down if you're really hungry, 1 if you have a normal appetite and drizzle that baby with caramel and plop a bit of whipping cream on top. This dish is incredibly rich. Enjoy!

improv style:

you can add cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder or your favorite spice or flavored extract to the egg mixture before dipping the bread. not a huge pumpkin fan? banana bread french toast with a rum caramel would be fantastic! or zucchini bread, chocolate chip loaf, take your favorite and try it here! you can leave the booze out of the caramel sauce if you don't have it or substitute it for rum, brandy or a flavored liquor. try adding some pecans or walnuts for a nice crunch. you can add your favorite flavors easily to this dish!