I recently found out I won one of the grand prizes in the 2011 Taste of Home Every Day, Every Way Recipe Contest sponsored by Taste of Home and the Mushroom Council. I thought I’d pass along my recipe for Mushroom Herb Stuffed French Toast. Hope you enjoy it! I made this again the other day and forgot how incredible it makes the house smell! It’s a savory stuffed french toast recipe full of cheese, herbs, and of course mushrooms! It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner! To make this recipe “lighter” you can use skim milk, light cheeses, and egg substitute. To make this recipe a little more “snappy” you can assemble the “sandwiches” ahead of time, cover and refrigerate, then fry everything up before serving. If you’d like to see the recipe, click here to go to Mushroom Info to see the winning recipes.
Yep, you read that right…ICE CREAM! This decadent dish is great for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner! You prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake making it a great dish when you have company or just don’t feel like doing a lot of work in the morning making a nice breakfast. Perfect for the holidays!
I strongly suggest using a good quality bread from a bakery for this recipe such as Challah or Brioche or any sturdy type bread. If the bread is too soft it will get too soggy and fall apart. I made a Cinnamon Banana Syrup to go with it that only takes a few minutes to make in the microwave. You could however, just serve with regular maple syrup.
Here’s a picture of the Challah bread I used. It was so beautiful that I kind of felt bad cutting it up. It was a large loaf and probably about a pound and a half in weight.
After you slice the bread, mix together the ice cream, eggs, and cinnamon. I like to use a pie pan.
Dip the bread and let it soak for a moment then place on a baking/cookie sheet or a few 13×9-inch baking dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight before baking.
Overnight Ice Cream French Toast with Cinnamon Banana Syrup
You can assemble this French Toast the night before and serve with a warm Cinnamon Banana Syrup.
Ingredients
French Toast:
2-3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
2 cups melted vanilla ice cream (or any flavor; regular or low fat)
6 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
12 large slices Challah (or Brioche or other good white bread), cut into thick slices about ¾-inch wide
Syrup:
1½ cups maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 bananas; peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
Instructions
Spread melted butter on baking sheet(s) until well coated. Set aside.
Whisk together ice cream, eggs, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in large shallow bowl until well combined. Dip bread slices in mixture, allow to soak for a few seconds, then place on baking sheet(s). Cover bread and set in refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove French toast from refrigerator (bring to room temperature if using a temperature sensitive baking dish such as glass) and remove cover. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes per side or until golden brown and slightly crispy.
Meanwhile, place maple syrup, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and banana in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 1 minute increments, stirring after each, until bananas are soft, about 3-5 minutes. Serve over French Toast.
Notes
SNAPPY TIPS:
If you use a temperature sensitive baking dish (such as glass) be sure to bring the pan to room temperature before placing it in a preheated oven. Otherwise, the baking dish may crack or break. Be sure to use a good sturdy bread for this dish. If the bread is too soft it will fall apart. You can also make the syrup ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate until ready to heat and serve.
SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS:
Use your favorite ice cream flavor such as coffee, pumpkin, caramel, etc. instead of the vanilla. Stir in some toasted nuts such as walnuts or pecans to the syrup for a little crunch.
