​Having company this weekend, you may want to prepare a delicious breakfast that’s quick, easy and made ahead.  In the April issue of Southern Living Magazine, I found a recipe for Baked Buttermilk French Toast. I was given the task of bringing French toast to my granddaughter’s brunch. I was going to use an old favorite, but decided to give this recipe a try. You’ll need the obvious buttermilk, heavy cream, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, salt and a 12-ounce loaf of French bread.
 
I followed the recipe as written, but with the modification of preparing the French toast a day ahead. Before baking, I did drain the excess liquid. The casserole cooked up beautifully. It had a different texture and consistency than the baked blueberry-pecan French toast I was going to make.  Everyone loved it.
 
When I returned home from the brunch, I felt ambitious and decided to use a very ripe banana I had on the table in a cookie recipe called “Banana Everything Cookies.” This recipe was in the “Here to Help” column of The New York Times on August 11, 2020. The recipe is by Alex Witchel and couldn’t have been easier or tastier!
 
Beside the banana you’ll need canola oil, sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, quick-cooking or rolled oats, walnuts and chocolate chips. You’ll notice that the recipe does not contain eggs and little flour. I was able to use a fork and spatula to mix the ingredients together. Using a cookie scooper it made 21 cookies. I baked them using my convention setting on my oven for 12 minutes. They were a lovely golden brown when I pulled them from the oven. The cookies were delightful. In each bite you got a taste of banana and chocolate and the crunch of the walnuts. These wonderful little cookies are a nice change of pace in my cookie rotation. Not too sweet, just enough chocolate and satisfies anyone’s sweet/chocolate craving. Enjoy!

​Oven-Baked Buttermilk French
Southern Living Magazine
April 2020/southernliving.com
 
Active: 15 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Yield: Serves 8
 
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups whole buttermilk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
27 (1/2-inch-thick) French bread slices (from about 12 oz. bread)
Pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries
 
Directions
 

1. Lightly coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, cream, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl. Working with 1 slice at a time, dip bread in egg mixture to completely saturate on both sides. Shingle soaked bread slices in prepared baking dish. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Meanwhile, pour out and discard any egg mixture that has accumulated in bottom of baking dish. Transfer baking dish to oven, and bake French toast until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

 

1. Remove dish from oven; let stand 15 minutes. Serve with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and berries.

 

​Banana Everything Cookies
The New York Times
Alex Witchel 
From the column “Here to Help” and
Featured in: One Sister’s ‘Mmm’ Is Another’s ‘Um, No Thanks
 
Yield: About 2 dozen cookies
Time: 12 minutes
 
INGREDIENTS
 
 Nonstick cooking oil spray
1 very ripe medium banana
⅓ cup canola oil
⅔ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal or rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup chocolate chips (vegan, if desired)
 
PREPARATION
 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray two baking sheets with oil. In a mixing bowl, mash banana well. Add oil, sugar and vanilla, and mix with a strong fork. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and mix until just moistened.
2. Add oatmeal, walnuts and chocolate chips. Using your hands or a sturdy spoon, mix well, making sure oats are well moistened. (If dough is very slippery, add one or two extra tablespoons flour.)
3. Using clean, wet hands, re-wetting as needed, roll dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, about 1 1/3 inches in diameter. Flatten slightly and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.