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Foodie Friday: Challah If You Love French Toast!
In my house, there is only one way to make french toast. With Challah bread.
Challah bread is a traditional Jewish bread that is usually served on Shabbat. You can usually find this type of bread in the bakery section of most major grocery stores, however they may call it “braided egg bread.” I don’t usually buy Challah at the grocery store since I have a few local bakeries that bake delicious Challah bread. Check in with your local bakery before heading to the grocery store. It makes a big difference.
If I’m planning on preparing my Challah french toast on a Sunday morning, I buy the bread on Friday. It’s best to to use 1-2 day old bread for this recipe. Just keep in mind that if you’re buying Challah bread on Shabbat, you may want to call ahead to order in advance.
Ingredients:
- One loaf of Challah Bread (10-12 slices)
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups of milk. I use low-fat, skim, or light soy milk.
- 4 tablespoons of honey
- 4 tablespoons of orange juice
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher/sea salt
- Cinnamon, optional
- 4 tablespoons of butter for grilling purposes only
(Click on pics to expand)
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- image from The Daily World Buzz
Make sure to have a 10-inch non-stick pan and a cooling rack over a baking sheet ready.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the eggs, milk, honey, orange juice, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl and whisk well. Dip a slice of bread in the mixture and coat well on each side. Allow the bread to soak for about 30 seconds and then place the battered slice of bread on the cooling rack. Once all the bread slices have been coated, start heating up the griddle pan.
Over a medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Place up to three bread slices in the pan but just make sure they can all fit. Cook each slice until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes for each side. Remove from pan and place back on the cooling rack. Once all the slices have been cooked and placed back on the cooling rack, put the baking pan in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Serve with REAL maple syrup and fresh fruit. I like my french toast with either mixed berries and/or slices of banana.
Bon Appétit
Edited on 6/29/10 to add: Rachel from Peanut Couture informed me about a great recipe she has for a baked challah french toast casserole and I asked her for the recipe. See below in the comments section for the recipe. I haven’t tried it out yet, but doesn’t it sound delicious?
11
Foodie Friday: The Grown-Up Version Of A Hot Dog
Hot dogs are easily one of the favorite food staples for kids, but sometimes even adults get a craving for a good ol’ hot dog. However, unless I’m at the ball park or passing a hot dog cart in NYC (what is it about those NYC hot dogs?!?) I prefer my hot dogs to be a bit more, shall we say, sophisticated. This means, I like alcohol to be involved.
Instead of buying a package of Hebrew National hot dogs, I either head down to my local butcher or to the grocery store to buy a package of sausages. If you’re buying pre-packed sausages, I have a few favorites. Try the Chicken & Apple from Aidells or the Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe’s. Both are excellent. You can buy these ahead of time and freeze them since this recipe actually works best with frozen sausage.
This is what you need for the rest of the recipe:
Serves 4
1 package of 4 sausages
2 12oz. bottles of dark ale/beer
1 large white onion (cut into rings)
4 good quality buns (I like the small square or round sourdough rolls from Trader Joe’s)
1 bottle of good quality mustard. Save the French’s Mustard for the kids.
I like to make these adult hot dogs with a side of flavorful grilled veggies. Our favorite veggies to grill are zucchini, asparagus, and eggplant. Simply cut or slice the veggies and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle on fresh ground pepper, sea salt, lemon pepper, red chili pepper, and garlic powder. Throw on the grill along with the sausages.
Sausage Recipe: (continues…)
21
Foodie Friday: The AYMB Guide To Trader Joe’s
You know those *haul* shopping videos on youtube? This is my version.
Who doesn’t love Trader Joe’s?!?
No. Really. I actually want to know who you are, because I’ve yet to meet someone that doesn’t love that place. I’ve been a loyal customer of Trader Joe’s since about 1997 and I tend to move to areas that have a TJ’s within 10 minutes of my house. When realtors talk about location, location, location, all I want to know is if there is a TJ’s nearby.
All loyal TJ’s customers have their favorites and I am no exception. I may have relied on their frozen meals and cheap wine (Two Buck Chuck!) back in the 90′s, but now I rely on their organic and healthy products to feed my family. Trader Joe’s proves that organic, healthy, and natural products do not have to cost an arm and a leg. From a starving college student on a tight budget to a mom cooking for her family, Trader Joe’s has come through for me time and time again. The majority of my grocery receipts come from TJ’s, which should tell you everything.
Without further ado, these are my favorite Trader Joe’s products. Prices are current as of this post date:
Breakfast/Bread
Organic Oats & Flax Instant Oatmeal ($3.29) – when I feel the need to have a particularly healthy breakfast, these individual packets of oatmeal do the job.
8 Plus 2 100% Stone Ground Whole Grain Bread ($2.29) – my favorite bread, made with natural whole grains, soy & flax.
Vanilla Almond Crunch Cereal ($3.99) - this cereal is a favorite in my family. It’s good with or without milk!
Trader Joe’s Low-Fat Cereal Bars ($1.69) – made with organic grains, these cereal bars are perfect for a quick breakfast or healthy snack. I always have a few of these in my bag for when the the Monkey gets hungry.
Lavosh Bread ($1.99) - perfect for wraps or a snack with tahini or hummus.
Condiments
Organic Creamy Peanut Butter ($2.99) – this is quite possibly the best peanut butter I’ve tried. When mixed well, it doesn’t dry out, either.
Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce ($2.49) - this mustard is incredible and works deliciously on anything from a turkey sandwich to grilled sausage.
Garlic Hummus ($2.49) – spread on lavosh or pita bread or dip your chips and veggies in it. This hummus is the best!
Organic Marinara Sauce ($2.29) - I use this tasty marinara for individual pizzas on English muffins or in pastas.
Panko Breadcrumbs ($1.69) – I prefer panko breadcrumbs to regular breadcrumbs and this panko is one of my favorites.
Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals ($1.99) – this fabulous pink salt comes with a built-in grinder!
Taco Seasoning Mix ($0.79) - this is a great alternative to other taco seasoning packs because you can actually pronounce the ingredients. (continues…)
07
Foodie Friday: Eat Your Heart Out, San Francisco
From this view, there is a whole world of wonderful restaurants and delicious food.
It’s been two years since I moved away from San Francisco, a place I called home for about 12 years. I miss many aspects of that city, but I mostly miss the food. For any foodie that has lived in or visited San Francisco, you know that it’s food heaven.
Each San Francisco neighborhood is unique with its own flavor and food culture. From fine dining in Nob Hill and picnic-ing in the Embarcadero to tamales in the Mission and brunch in the Castro to spicy Indian food in South of Market (SOMA) and Ethiopian food in Western Addition, San Francisco has everything. This list of where to eat is my own personal food diary of the places that helped refine my palate.
So, in homage of the fabulous Foggy City and the various neighborhoods and eateries that I frequented, I want to share all my secret and not-so secret places to eat great food and shop for delectable treats.
Note: Not all San Francisco Districts are listed. Neighborhoods are listed in alphabetical order. This list is subject to change. (continues…)
23
Guest Post: Foodie Friday — Sunday Morning Bacon & Zucchini Frittata
perfect Sunday breakfast (click to enlarge)
According to Ben Franklin, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Much as I’d like to believe that, I find bacon more reliable proof of divine benevolence. Combined with the some good ingredients, patience, TLC, and the right soundtrack, that cured pork treat serves as the foundation of a perfect Sunday morning frittata. (More pics after the jump.)
The Setup
Put the White Album on the hi-fi, turn your oven to 350F, power up your espresso machine, park the little one(s) in front of a blank notebook and crayons, and begin prep.
The Ingredients
- 4 slices of thick bacon, diced
- 1 onion, small dice
- 4 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/8”-1/4” rounds (use the slicing disc on your food processor or a Japanese mandoline)
- a handful of freshly-grated parmigiano-reggiano
- 8 organic brown eggs (six plus two egg whites)
- lemon pepper
- chili powder
- tbsp of freshly-minced garlic
- fresh-brewed double-shot Americano