Amazing French Toast Bake - Banana, Chocolate, Caramel Oh MY! (Kristi Original)

This creation turned out AMAZING! It is one of my favorites. It was inspired by looking around my kitchen and realizing that I had hot dog buns and bananas that were going to go bad. This is what popped into my head. My kid's new saying is, 'If it's in Mom's mind, it is amazing! ❤

Ingredients

1 Package of White Break Hot Dog Buns (You could probably use any bread, but this is what I had)

3 Sliced Bananas - Ripe to Over Ripe

6 Eggs

2 Cups of Milk

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Sugar

1 Tsp of Vanilla

1/2 Stick of Melted Butter

1/2 Cup or to Taste - Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees
2. Spray a 9 x 13 Pan with Non-Stick Cooking Spray. 
3. Rip up or cut up the hot dog buns and put them into the 9 x 13 pan until the pan is almost full. Leave enough room for the bananas and chocolate chips. 
4. Mix the Eggs, Milk, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Sugar to make a batter. It should be medium yellow. Add more milk if it isn't light enough.
5. Evenly Pour the batter onto the buns. Try to make sure all the buns get wet.
6. Top with Bananas and drizzle the Butter over everything
7. Top with the Chocolate Chips and generously drizzle Caramel Sauce over the top. 
8. Bake in the Oven Uncovered for 45 Minutes

Ham and Cheese Egg Bake (Kristi Original)

Ingredients:
12 Eggs
1 Cup of cubed ham
1 to 1.5 cups of shredded cheese
2 slices of processed cheese slices - cut into little pieces
2 Tbsp butter melted or broken up into little pieces
2 slices of bread broken into little pieces (I ripped the bread up)
3 Tbsp of milk
1/4 cup of chopped onions
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Beat the eggs, add milk and seasoning
2. Add the other ingredients
3. Add to a greased 9x13 pan
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Banana Peanut Butter French Toast (Kristi Original)

I saw banana french toast listed at the state fair, so I thought I'd give it a try. They turned out AMAZING! If you don't like peanut butter or if you have allergies, this would still be amazing. 

Ingredients
White Bread (I used Sarah Lee Artisan White)
Eggs (4-5)
Milk (Splash/Dump) 1/4 Cup
Vanilla (Splash/Dump) 2 tsp to 1/2 Tbsp
Maple Syrup (Drizzle) 1 TBSP
1/2 -1 Very Smashed Ripe Banana
Peanut Butter (1 TBSP)
Cinnamon (Dump - 2 tsp)

Mix all the ingredients together. Dunk each slice of bread fully into the batter. Then grill the bread until it is fully cooked. Top with butter and syrup and enjoy. Yum!

Low Carb Bacon and Egg Bake / Quiche

I made this low carb egg bake for my family over the holiday's. My 5 year old is an incredibly picky eater. He took one bite without any argument, jumped up from the table, squealed for joy and ran and gave me a HUGE hug. He said it was the best food he had EVER eaten. :) We will be making it again.

http://www.food.com/recipe/low-carb-bacon-and-egg-quiche-256210

Ingredients
6 Large Eggs
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup of Grated Cheddar or Swiss Cheese (I used Cheddar)
1/2 Cup of Crispy Cooked Bacon Crumbled
Salt
Pepper

1. Mix the Eggs and Cream
2. Add in Remaining Ingrediants
3. Grease a Pan (I used a pie pan with pan spray)
4. Cook at 350 Degrees for 40 Minutes or until the egg bake becomes a golden brown.

Nutrition Info

Serving Size: 1 (173 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value

Calories 481.8

Calories from Fat 385  80%

Total Fat 42.8 g  65%

Saturated Fat 23.4 g  117%

Cholesterol 401.4 mg  133%

Sodium 541.3 mg  22%

Total Carbohydrate 2.7 g  0%

Dietary Fiber 0 g  0%

Sugars 0.5 g  1%

Protein 21.5 g  42%

Cinnamon Egg Nog French Toast

This recipe came off the back of a Kemp's Golden Egg Nog container. We made it tonight and everyone really liked it. The egg nog flavor was slight and not overwhelming. My husband isn't a huge egg nog fan and he liked the French toast too. Also we used Land O Lakes egg nog.

2 cups of egg nog
1 tsp of cinnamon
2 eggs
12-14 slices of white bread
Cooking Spray

Combine the egg nog, cinnamon in a bowl and beat with a whisk.

Dip the bread into the batter, coating both sides.
Spray your pan with cooking spray or melt butter in the pan.
Cook the bread over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

Note: I topped it with Land O' Lakes Cinnamon Sugar butter. It added a great sweet flavor so I could enjoy a few pieces as a person with gestational diabetes. I didn't have to add any syrup!

Left Overs? No problem. You can put the french toast on a plate and cover it with saran wrap or put it in a zip lock bag. The next morning put the french toast in the toaster and eat it again. Or put the french toast in a zip lock bag and freeze it. When you are ready to eat it, pull out the frozen french toasts and put it in your toaster. Voila! Breakfast is ready!

Minnesota Farmers Market - Meal Ideas

At the end of the summer I went to several Minnesota Farmers Markets and loaded up on veggies. Then I had to decide what to do with all that produce. I wanted to make a quick list of all the things I made so I could remember for next year. Please add in the comments if you have any additional ideas. :)

Items Purchased
Corn
Tomatoes
Squash
Peppers
Onions
Potatoes
Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash
Green Beans
Cauliflower
Carrots
Lettuce
Spinach
Cucumbers
Fresh Seasoning
Strawberries
Apples
Cantaloupe
Fresh Meat
Local Maple Syrup


Meals Made

• Gazpacho (On Blog)
• Shish-ka-bobs
• Steak, Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad and Fruit
• Homemade Tomato Sauce
• Squash Soup (On Blog)
• Roasted Cauliflower (On Blog - Yummy Cauliflower)
• Breakfast with pancakes and french toast topped with strawberries and local maple syrup. Served with a side of fried potatoes/onions/squash and eggs
• Tacos (Taco Seasoning on Blog)
• Zucchini Pizzas (On Blog)
• Fruit Salad
• Fruit and Vegetable Smoothies
• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Chili - Loaded with lots of extra veggies 

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

I got this recipe from my sister Heather. I have not had a chance to try it, but her family really enjoys it.

Ingredients
Bisquick or biscuit mix - 2 Cups
Milk - 1 Cup
Pumpkin - 1/2 Cup
Sugar - 2 Tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 1/8 tsp
Eggs - 2
Vegetable Oil - 1-2 Tbsp

Mix together all ingredients and pour onto a hot griddle. Serve with butter and syrup.

Swedish Pancakes

I got this recipe from my sister Heather. Her family really enjoys it. I have not had a chance to try it.

Ingredients
Eggs - 3
Milk - 2 Cups
Butter - 2 Tbsp Melted
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 3 Tbsp
Flour - 1-1/2 Cup
Powdered Sugar

Beat eggs, milk, and melted butter together. In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt together. While beating the egg mixture, add the flour mixture until smooth. Add the vanilla. Melt some butter or use butter spray on the griddle. Cook and serve with butter and powdered sugar. Roll and eat.

Monkey Bread (Made by my sister for my son's birth)

My sister made this recipe for my family when I had my son. It was loved by the whole family.

Ingredients
Refrigerated Biscuits - 4 Tubes
White Sugar - 1 Cup
Brown Sugar - 1 Cup
Cinnamon - 1 Tbsp
Margarine - 1 Stick

Remove the biscuits from the tube and cut into half or quarters. In a bowl or bag, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Dip the cut biscuits in the mixture and put in a greased bundt pan or 9x13 pan. In another dish, mix the melted margarine and brown sugar together and pour over the top of the biscuites. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until brown, flip onto a plate, remove bundt/pan and serve.