A Little Hangover Brunch

There are some Sunday mornings you wake up so unmercifully hung over you temporarily consider rehab. It's on these days you wish you had brought your sunglasses out with you so that your walk of shame could be a little less obvious the next morning. Have no fear, the Starbucks barista has probably seen worse stumble in on a weekend morning. You'll really thank yourself for this make-ahead French toast as it's almost the perfect cure for your throbbing head and gurgling belly, especially when served with salty breakfast meats. 

Summer Cherry French Toast

I think we can all agree that making pancakes and French toast in a skillet is pretty annoying, especially when you have company. You have to eat in shifts which is inconvenient. I pieced this baked French toast recipe together from a few different blogs I read. It's a keeper. It's way better than the yucky French toast my mom used to make, sorry mom. I really hate cheapy sandwich bread so I used French bread instead. 

You will need the following: 

2 demi baguettes 

1 c whole milk

3 eggs

1/3 c maple syrup

pinch of salt

cinnamon & sugar

butter pats

2 c pitted cherries

1/4 c orange juice

3 tbsp sugar

dash of pie spice

1 vanilla yogurt

confectioner's sugar

Step 1: Slice bread in 1/4" slices. In a bowl, whisk milk, eggs, syrup and salt. Lightly butter each slice of bread and dip in egg mixture. Place in a single layer in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Cover and allow to sit overnight. 

Step 2: Steep pitted cherries in sugar, spice and orange juice overnight. 

Step 3: The next morning (in your still-kinda-drunk haze), put toast slices in a single layer on a buttered baking sheet and bake 15-17 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn toasts over half-way into bake time. While toasts are baking boil cherry compote in a sauce pan until thickened. 

Step 4: Arrange toasts and top with cherry compote, vanilla yogurt and confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately. 

A Little Bastille Day Brunch

We had our blow-em-up day, now the French will have theirs. True, our independence wasn't based on cutting the heads off nobles, but it should have been. I usually forget Bastille Day and I think, merde, I forgot Bastille Day again. This year, I remembered it and baked a beautiful quiche pour un. If the apron doesn't say Francophile or spinster, I don't know what does. It comes courtesy of a friend of mine who visited Paris last fall. I remember really wanting it when I was in Paris, but too ashamed to buy it for myself. 

"Aidez-Moi, Je suis Pauvre"...Quiche Lorraine

I had the best quiche lorraine in Paris shortly after my traveling companion puked into the Seine. It's a lovely memory. Some recipes will try to tell you that you need a special quiche pan. I'm not even trying to hear that. I've never seen this so-called "quiche pan." Quiches are great because you can basically clean out your fridge, bake it with some eggs and voila! Quiche. I actually used a traditional recipe here because it's France day! Quiche is also tres cheap especially when you use Swiss instead of gruyere, and French people were poor during the revolution...

You will need the following

For the crust..

1-1/4 c flour 

1 stick butter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic salt

pepper & dry thyme 

for the filling..

5 eggs

2 c whole milk

3 strips cooked bacon

1 c shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 sliced sweet onion

2 tsp dried thyme

Salt & pepper

dash of paprika 

Step 1: Make a savory pie crust by combining dry ingredients and cold butter cut into coarse crumbs. Add 3-4 tablespoons ice water and roll out. Chill dough while making filling. *Add some shredded cheese to the crust if you want. 

Step 3: Preheat oven to 425. Grate cheese, slice onions, cook and crumble bacon, set aside. Whisk together milk, eggs and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Press pastry into dish and bake ten minutes. 

Step 4: Reduce oven to 325. Layer lightly browned pastry with bacon, onion, cheese and thyme. Pour egg mix over and bake one hour or until solid. Allow to cool completely before serving.

*I used a pie bird to keep the filling from bubbling over.

Vive la France!