Challah bread is far and away the best bread for making french toast.  We like to pick up a loaf of Challah bread from the San Francisco Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s and have this great Challah French Toast on Sunday mornings!

Challah Bread French Toast Ingredients:
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Virgin Olive Oil
1 Loaf of Fresh Challah Bread

Challah Bread French Toast Instructions:

Step 1: Combine the eggs, milk, honey, sugar, vanilla and salt in a bowl.

Step 2: Cut the Challah Bread into slices about 3/4 of an inch thick (should come out to about 8 pieces)

Step 3: Pour half of the liquid mixture into a shallow baking dish.

Step 4: Place the 8 slices of bread into the baking dish, coating the bottom of the bread with the liquid mixture.

Step 5: Pour the remaining mixture over the bread, soaking the pieces for about 5 minutes.

Step 6: Heat a pan on the stove on medium, melt the butter and oil.

Step 7: Cook the soaked pieces of bread in the pan – roughly 3 minutes per side.  Since all the slices won’t fit in the pan at once, when you remove the first batch from the stove, keep the french toast pieces warm in the oven.

Step 8: Serve & enjoy!  Popular french toast toppings include butter, powdered sugar, syrup, raspberries, and blueberries.

I made this for Easter brunch and it was amazing. It was savory and rich without being heavy. You can add in additional vegetables, such as a chopped Roma tomato or 1/2 bag chopped cooked spinach for more color, but then it is no longer a traditional quiche “Lorraine”.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out one Pie Pastry Crust (recipe to follow) or store brought pie pastry crust to fit a 9 inch glass pie plate or tart pan. Carefully line pastry with foil, gently pressing the foil to the bottom and side of the pastry. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 2-3 minutes or until pastry just begins to brown. If bubbles form in pastry, gently press them down. After removing from oven, reduce heat to 325 degrees. Sprinkle onto pastry crust:

8 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely diced onion
If adding a vegetable, add chopped vegetable now.

In a small bowl, whisk together:
4 eggs
2 cups half and half (can use fat free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pour egg mixture over bacon, cheese and onion in the pastry crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

Pie Pastry Crust Recipe
This recipe makes enough for two 9-inch pie crusts.

In a shallow bowl, mix together:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut the mixture until it resembles crumbs. Slowly start adding ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, using a fork or pastry blender to combine the mixture. Continue to to this just until the dry ingredients cling together, but mixture is not too wet. You could add up to 6 tablespoons of water. Divide mixture, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour before rolling out.

Preheat oven to broil.  Generously brush four salmon fillets (about 1-1 1/2 pounds) with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet.  Place in oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes or salmon is flaky and cooked through.

While salmon is cooking, in a small skillet, over medium-high heat:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

8 large sage leaves

Cook leaves for about 4 minutes or until crisp.  Remove leaves to paper towels and let cool.  Using the same skillet, add:

1/2 cup vodka

Bring to a boil and reduce by half.  Once liquid is reduced, add:

1 cup heavy cream

zest and juice from 1 lemon

Continue to boil for about 3 minutes then reduce heat to low, stirring frequently.  Once salmon is cooked, remove from oven and top with vodka cream sauce along with fried sage leaves.

Serves 4

I prepared this tart for Easter brunch this year and it turned out so beautifully and was delicious.  The flaky and buttery tart complimented the bacon and egg perefectly.  This would be a great dish to serve for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day brunch or a bridal or baby shower.

Thaw one sheet of puff pastry dough according to the directions on the package (you can find puff pastry sheets in the freezer section of the grocery store).  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Once puff pastry sheet has thawed, on a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry so that it is and 1/2 inch thick and 10×8 in size.  Place sheet on a greased baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Fold over edges of sheet, creating a border about 1/4 inch wide and prick center of sheet with a fork.  Brush pastry with egg wash made of:

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon of water

Refrigerate sheet for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, fry:

8 slices of bacon, until crisp

Once bacon is cooked, set aside.  In a small bowl, mix together:

1/3 cup creme fraiche

1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

Spread the creme fraiche and cheese mixture onto the pastry sheet, keeping border clean.  Lay bacon slices on top, slightly overlapping if necessary.  Bake tart of about 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time.  Remove from oven and place on a level surface.  Pop any bubbles in the pastry.  Carefully crack 4 eggs onto pastry , spacing about 2 inches apart.  Season with salt and pepper and return to oven for about 7-9 minutes or until egg whites are set, but yolks are soft.   Garnish with:

2 tablespoons chives, chopped

Serve immediately

Serves 4 as a main dish or 8 as a first course

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Trim any excess fat from your 2 racks (8 chops each or about 2 and 1/2 pounds each).  Place the lamb racks into a large roasting pan, bone side down and roast for about 18-25 minutes.  Meat should read 135 degrees on a meat thermometer when it is done.

While lamb is roasting, in a small bowl, combine:

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

When the lamb is finished roasting, remove from oven and preheat the broiler.  Spread the bread crumb mixture over the racks of lamb.  Broil for about 2-3 minutes, making sure not to let the crust burn.  Transfer to a warmed platter and serve 2-3 chops per person.

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish and set aside.  In a small saucepan, melt:

2 tablespoons butter

Add:

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

Once onion is tender but before it is browned, add:

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Slowly add, whisking the entire time:

1and 1/4 cup whole milk

Stir sauce constantly until it starts to thicken and bubble.  Remove from heat.  Thinly slice 4 medium peeled potatoes (1 and 1/2 to 2 pounds) into thin 1/4 inch slices.  Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the prepared casserole dish.  Cover with 1/3 of the sauce.  Repeat with the another two layers.  Bake covered for about 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and golden crust has formed.

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Using a fork, poke a few holes into 5 washed potatoes (russet is a great baking potato).  Place directly onto rack and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until tender when squeezed.  Allow potatoes to cool and then cut in half (the long way).  Scoop out potatoes into a large mixing bowl and place skins on a baking sheet.  To the mixing bowl of potatoes, add:

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Using a hand held mixer or standing mixer, beat potatoes until fluffy and whipped.  Spoon potatoes back into skins.  Potato skins should be heaping with mashed potato mixture.  Either refrigerate potatoes for up to one day or reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown crust forms on potatoes.  If potatoes have been refrigerated, you may want to bake an additional 10n minutes or remove potatoes from the refrigerator a half an hour prior to baking.

Serves 5-6 people

I am cooking a prime rib this year for Christmas dinner.  I used this same recipe when I made my first successful Christmas dinner.  The key to a great prime rib is the beef you start with.  Be sure to seek out the freshest meat and ask your butcher to tie the beef.  I generally purchase at least one pound per person, to make sure I have enough.  Prime rib is actually very simple to make and is so decadent for special occasions, like Christmas.

1. Position an oven rack in the lower part of your oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. In a roasting pan, with a roasting rack, let roast come to room temperature, fat side up.

3. Pat the prime rib with olive oil, about 2 tablespoons and a heavy dose of kosher salt and pepper.

4. Cook the prime rib for about 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 325 degrees.  Continue cooking, for about an hour (for a 6 pound roast) and then begin testing meat with a meat thermometer in the center to determine if it is done.  For medium-rare meat should read 130 degree and for medium 140 degrees.  Once the prime rib reaches appropriate temperature, remove and cover with foil.

5. Let the meat rest for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, remove the fat from the roasting pan and pour juices into a large sauce pan over medium heat.

6. Make sure to scrape the pan and remove any bits of meat to add to the sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and add up to 1/2 cup water depending on taste and desired consistency.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and serve along side sliced prime rib.

Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray two 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together:
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 heaping cup finely chopped ham
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

On a lightly floured surface, unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry from a package of two sheets. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 14-inch square and cut into 16 equal pieces. Press puff pastry pieces into muffin cups and fill all equally with ham and cheese mixture. Bake for about 8 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

*If you want to serve this at brunch, you can omit the mustard and add 4 beaten eggs with one tablespoon of milk to the mixture. Cook until egg is solid and pastry is puffed, about 9-10 minutes.

Makes 16 appetizers
Recipe adapted from Raley’s Something Extra

In a large bowl, sprinkle:
1 package of active yeast over
1/4 cup warm water

Let stand about five minutes or until yeast is dissolved and foamy. Stir in:
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
2 tablespoons of melted butter

1 beaten egg

1 to 1/2 cups milk

Stir until combined, then add:
3 1/4 flour

Stir to moisten and then knead dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic and not sticky. You may need to add more flour as you go in order to prevent dough from sticking. Once dough is smooth, form into twelve equal shaped balls and place in a buttered 9×13 pan.
(*If preparing the rolls in advance, cover rolls and freeze, at this point. Do not let them rise. Thaw in refrigerator before allowing to rise.)
Let dough rise in a warm place, until doubled in size about 45-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once rolls have risen brush with an additional beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with kosher or coarse salt. Bake for 25-30 or until golden brown.