Honeyed French Toast Sandwich

Yes, we are doing another French Toast recipe. Obviously, we are big French Toast fans around here. D and I both had today off so he wanted to make something out of a cookbook. He decided on using the Breakfast All Day by Edon Waycott cookbook. He found two more french toast recipes. We tried one today with a few substitutions for items that I didn't have in the house. We both loved these "sammies" as Rachel Ray would call them. But that is for another day.

We substituted marscapone cheese for the ricotta cheese. You may be wondering why we had marscapone cheese in our house. That is a valid question. D has been on a marscapone cheese kick since he found out it is a good substitute for cream cheese. It has less calories and fat in it. I have to agree that it tastes great. Try it some time.

Honeyed French Toast Sandwich

3 large eggs

1/2 cup low fat milk

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 slices firm-textured white or egg bread

1 tablespoon safflower oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup thinly sliced strawberries

powdered sugar

maple syrup (optional)

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey, flour, and baking powder. Press each piece of bread into the mixture and allow to soak for several minutes. Using a spatula, turn, and allow the other side to soak.

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and butter. Using a spatula, lift the bread from the batter into the pan and brown on both sides. Spread the yogurt cheese on 2 of the slices and distribute the strawberries evenly over the cheese. Top with the remaining slices, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve. Pass maple syrup, if desired. Makes 2 sandwiches.

There is a variation to make ham sandwiches:

After browning, spread one side of each of the 2 slices with Dijon mustard, add thinly sliced ham, and top with the remaining slice of toast. Serve hot. This sounds really yummy, too!

The Creative Cook & Son

Olive Garden Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I went to lunch today with a friend. We ate at Olive Garden. We had their soup, bread sticks and salad lunch special. It was a wonderful treat. We both got the new Chicken Gnocchi Soup. My friend was so enamored with the soup that she thought about buying three more servings to take home for her hubby and kids but I convinced her to try making it herself at home. I had high hopes of finding a "copycat" recipe inspired by this wonderful Olive Garden soup. I was very successful and I plan to make this soup very soon for my family. Please try it. I will most likely substitute chicken broth for the bullion cubes because of the MSG in most (if not all) bullion cubes that I have ever seen. If you know about any chicken bullion cubes sold that do not contain any form of MSG, please please please email me or send me some feedback about them. Here is the recipe that I found:


Olive Garden Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Post By Heather (Guest Post) (11/09/2008)

I used this recipe and I absolutely loved the soup. It seems to be the closest to the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Cream Soup. From beginning to end it takes about 10 min. of prep and 30 min. cook time.

1/3 cup olive oil or butter
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 lb. chicken
1/3 cup flour
1/2 carrot shredded
1 stick of celery
1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach
2-1/2 cups whole milk
1-1/2 cup heavy cream
3 chicken bullion cubes
Cracked pepper to taste
17.6 oz. of Gnocchi from Target

On medium heat. Melt butter in a soup pot, add in the garlic and saute, add your chicken and cook through out. Add flour and stir in flour and mix well until the flour is cooked into the chicken. Next add your milk and heavy cream, then add the veggies (carrots, celery, spinach). Add three bullion cubes. Add your Gnocchi last it, takes 3-4 min. to cook through. Mix ingredients well until soup thickens and stir occasionally. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook