father's day 2016

I have some suggestions that may help  make things a bit easier for you. Baked Blueberry-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup is a recipe that I have made for years. It's from Gourmet Magazine's June 1999 issue. It's a great do ahead recipe that you can make this evening and bake tomorrow morning. I recently made it during wedding weekend at our house. You can omit the nuts and berries, if that is what your family prefers. However, do invest in real maple syrup to bring your game up a notch.

 To go along with the French Toast is another Gourmet Magazine recipe (November 2001), Sweet and Spicy Bacon. No standing over a frying pan, lay it out on a broiler pan or I use a cookie rack over a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. It's delicious!

As both my son and I have to work tomorrow, I'll be making a quick breakfast here for my husband and kids to enjoy. I'll be making homemade buttermilk waffles. Also on the menu will be Wegmans All Natural Chicken Breakfast Sausage with Sage (8 oz. $3.99). This is the only one I tried so far and I really enjoy the taste. 

Waffles - The Betty Crocker Cookbook Recipe - circa 1969
​2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tea. baking powder
1  tea. baking soda
1/2 tea. salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. shortening (I use corn oil)

Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs; beat in remaining ingredients with rotary beater until smooth. Pour batter from cup or pitcher onto center of waffle iron. Bake about 5 minutes or until steam stops. Remove waffle carefully. Makes about eight 7" waffles.

---

Baked Blueberry-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
“Gourmet Magazine”
June 1999
  
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
a 24-inch baguette
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pecans (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries (about 12 ounces)
 
For syrup
1 cup blueberries (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
 

1. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cut twenty 1-inch slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 3/4 cup brown sugar and pour evenly over bread. Chill mixture, covered, until all liquid is absorbed by bread, at least 8 hours, and up to 1 day. 
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   
3. In a shallow baking pan spread pecans evenly and toast in middle of oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Toss pecans in pan with 1 teaspoon butter and salt. 
4. Increase temperature to 400°F.
   
5. Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture. Cut 1/2 stick butter into pieces and in a small saucepan heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring, until butter is melted. Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture 20 minutes, or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling. 

Make syrup while French toast is baking:
 
In a small saucepan cook blueberries and maple syrup over moderate heat until berries have burst, about 3 minutes. Pour syrup through a sieve into a heatproof pitcher, pressing on solids, and stir in lemon juice. Syrup may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat syrup before serving.
 
Serve French toast with syrup.