3786. SWEET FRENCH TOAST with BACON

Serves 2

4 slices premium center-cut or thick-cut bacon

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

4 slices hearty whole-grain bread

Butter for frying

Berries (strawberries or blueberries are good) or apple slices (optional)

2 Tbsp real maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Put the bacon in the oven; bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

While bacon is cooking, combine milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a pie plate or shallow bowl; whisk until well blended.

Dip 2 bread slices into egg mixture and let stand 30 seconds to absorb the liquid. Flip bread over and let stand in mixture another 30 seconds.

Heat the butter in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat until melted (but be careful not to burn it). Add 2 dipped bread slices and cook for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip over and continue cooking for 1 minute or until done. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining 2 bread slices.

On each plate, place 2 strips of bacon and 2 slices of French toast. Garnish with berries or apple slices, if you'd like, and serve with syrup.

bacon recipe source: philippagraham51 (member), BBC Good Food

3657. NUTELLA and BACON STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

yields four servings


8 slices thick cut bacon
1 medium-sized loaf challah, sliced into 8 pieces about ¾-inch thick
4 heaping tablespoons Nutella
3 large eggs
½ cup half and half
½ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter

Maple syrup for serving

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray and arrange the bacon in an even layer. Transfer the bacon to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Carefully remove bacon from the oven and transfer the strips to a paper towel lined plate to drain. When cool, crumble into small pieces and briefly set aside.

Slice the challah into 8 pieces about ¾-inches thick.

Now it’s time to “stuff” your French toast, which essentially means making Nutella and bacon sandwiches. For each sandwich: Spread one side of two pieces of bread with a heaping teaspoon of Nutella. Sprinkle 2 pieces of crumbled bacon on one of the slices of bread. Sandwich the two pieces of bread together, making sure that they are well sealed.

In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the eggs, half and half, whole milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set it on the counter next to the stove. Place a large pan over medium-low heat.

Add two of the Bacon-Nutella sandwiches to the custard mixture and let soak for 1 minute. Use a spatula to flip the sandwiches over and soak for 1 more minute on the other side.

While the bread is soaking, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When it’s melted and foaming slightly, remove each sandwich from the custard, holding it over the baking dish for a few seconds to let any excess custard drip off. Place the sandwiches gently in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. (Keep a close eye on your French toast while it cooks, friends! Burning it is a bummer.)

When the first batch of stuffed French toast is almost finished cooking, place the remaining two sandwiches in the custard to soak. Repeat the cooking process with the second batch.

Serve your Bacon and Nutella Stuffed French Toast warm. Top with powdered sugar or drizzle with maple syrup and brace yourself...

bacon recipe source: Serena Wolf (@serenagwolf), Domesticate Me, March 20, 2014

3612. FRENCH TOAST stuffed with BACON, ONION TOMATO JAM with GRUYERE, and a FRIED EGG

serves four


For the filling:
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch lardons
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Kosher salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves finely chopped

For the French toast:
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
Kosher salt
8 slices tight-crumbed white bread
11/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

For the fried eggs:
Extra virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

For the filling: Toss the bacon into a large saute pan with a few drops of olive oil. Bring the pan to medium heat and cook the bacon until brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onion and season with salt and the crushed red pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and very aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the tomato, season with more salt, and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and mushy and most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and reseason if needed. Stir in the oregano and let cool.

For the French toast: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

In a wide, flat dish, combine the eggs, milk, cayenne (if using), and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and homogeneous.

Lay 4 slices of bread on a work surface. Using half the Gruyere, sprinkle each piece of bread lightly with cheese. Spoon a quarter of the bacon filling onto each piece of bread and then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top each slice with another piece of bread and press to secure.

Working in batches, soak each "toast" in the egg mixture for about 1 minute; flip and soak the other side.

While the toasts are soaking, coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring the pan to medium heat.

Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, cook the toasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The toasts should be golden brown, lovely, and crisp-YUM! Transfer the toasts to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.

For the fried eggs and assembly: Coat a large nonstick saute pan lightly with olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add the eggs to the pan, working in batches if necessary. Cook them until the whites are cooked through and the yolks are warm and runny, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the toasts from the oven and top each with a perfectly fried egg. Sprinkle with chives if you like and serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Own Your Kitchen by Anne Burrell. Clarkson Potter (Random House, Inc.), 2013

3159. BACON and BROWN SUGAR STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

1/2 – 1 lb. bacon
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or 1 teaspoon maple extract)
12 slices bread
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter

Cut bacon in half and place individual slices on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, until desired crispiness. Drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, combine softened cream cheese, brown sugar and maple syrup in a mixing bowl. Beat until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer or about 5 minutes by hand. Refrigerate both bacon and the cream cheese mixture until using. Spread the cream cheese-brown sugar mixture onto one side of each slice of bread. Add 3-5 slices of bacon on top of half the bread slices. Cover with the remaining slices to make sandwiches. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Melt butter on a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture. Cook about 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and toasty.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kate Miller, Cooking During Stolen Moments, January 16, 2011

2963. POACHED FEIJOAS with FRENCH TOAST and CRISPY BACON

serves four


500 grams feijoas (8 small or 4 large)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup green ginger wine
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla pod
6 whole cloves
6 julienned strips of lemon peel
1/4 cup brown sugar
French toast (recipe below)
bacon

French Toast
4 eggs
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
8 slices of white bread
butter

Break eggs into a wide shallow bowl, add salt and milk and whisk together. Heat a flat fry pan over medium heat and coat with butter. Place the bread slices in the egg mixture and allow to soak both sides. Place in fry pan and cook on each side until golden brown. Grill or fry bacon rashers until crispy.

Peel the feijoas, leaving flower end intact. Cut across bottom so that the fruits sit upright in saucepan. Mix all remaining ingredients together and pour over the fruit. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes until fruit softened. Remove fruit and set aside with half of the poaching syrup. Continue to simmer the remaining syrup until it has reduced by half and thickened. Serve the poached feijoas alongside French toast and crispy bacon with a small dish of the reduced syrup.


bacon recipe courtesy of: New World Supermarket, Foodstuffs Limited, PO Box 5401, Wellington, New Zealand

1907. MAPLE FRENCH TOAST and BACON CUPCAKES

yields 12 cupcakes


For the Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 3.9-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon potato starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half, at room temperature
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 strips)

For the Frosting:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Prepare the cupcakes: Combine the flours, pudding mix, baking powder, potato starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars with a mixer on low speed until combined, 6 to 8 minutes. Gradually mix in the vanilla and egg whites. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; continue mixing until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the maple syrup and half-and-half, mixing after each addition and ending with flour. Mix until the ingredients are just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the bacon.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon; beat until combined. Spread on the cooled cupcakes; top with chopped bacon, if desired.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kara Scow, Food Network Magazine

1709. BANANA and BACON STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

serves six


1 lb. bacon, cooked until crisp
1(500 grams) loaf of brioche (substitute egg bread)
3-4 bananas, sliced lengthwise (each banana should yield 4 slices)
1 pkg. of mascarpone (substitute cream cheese)
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teapoon orange zest
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
6 tablespoons butter
fresh maple syrup, warm
1 pint of fresh berries for garnish
powdered sugar for dusting

Slice brioche into 6 slices approximately 1" wide. Cut each slice almost all the way in half leaving a "hinged" edge. Spread a thin layer of mascarpone cheese on the inside of one side of each slice. Place two banana slices atop the mascarpone and finally, add two slices of the cooked bacon. Press together. In a large bowl add eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Working in batches in a large skillet or on a griddle, melt the butter. Dip each stuffed bread into the egg mixture, being careful not to allow the bacon and bananas to fall out. Grill on each side until golden brown.

Pour warm maple syrup on a large plate and place one piece of stuffed bread on the syrup. Sprinkle fresh berries on top of the bread and dust the entire plate with powdered sugar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Paula Deen, Paula's Kitchen, Smithfield

1649. FRENCH TOAST CRUMPETS with BACON CURLS and CHILI JAM

serves four


3 free range eggs
¼ cup milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
50 grams butter
8 crumpets
1 red chili, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, very finely chopped
8 long rashers bacon, rind removed

Chili Jam
makes about 1 medium jar
2 large red capsicums
2 medium tomatoes
4 fresh red chilies (smaller the chili, the hotter the jam will be)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
300 grams golden caster sugar, (or Demerara)
100 ml red wine vinegar
2 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 fresh lime

Heat the oven to 200°C. Starting from the thick end of the bacon, roll up reasonably tightly to form curls (use a toothpick if they don’t want to stay rolled). Stand upright in a baking tray and cook for about 20 minutes or until crispy. Drain any fat into the pan you are using to cook the crumpets and keep the bacon warm until required.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and chili and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the frypan and add any excess bacon fat you have collected. Dip the crumpets in the beaten eggs and let soak for a few seconds. Add four of the crumpets to the pan and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Keep warm in the oven with the bacon. Dip and cook the remaining crumpets.

Serve two crumpets and two bacon curls per person with the chilli jam (see recipe below). You could serve with maple syrup instead of the jam if you prefer.

For the chili jam: Roughly chop the capsicums and the tomatoes. Chop the chillies, leaving the seeds in. In a food processor, puree all of the chopped mix and put it into a heavy-based saucepan with the crushed garlic (I find it easier to puree all the ingredients now before they are hot and sticky, but you can do it later if you prefer). Add the ginger and then add the sugar and red wine vinegar. Bring everything to the boil stirring continuously. Skim off any foam you see forming on top.

Simmer gently for 30 or 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam is ready when it becomes sticky and looks shiny. It will thicken more as it cools. Remove the ginger and add the juice of the lime - this will help the jam to set. Pour the jam into a sterilised jar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Arianne Spratt, 9am with David & Kim on Network Ten, 1 Saunders Street, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, GPO BOX 10, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia

1580. FRENCH TOAST with SMOKY BACON, BERRIES and MAPLE SYRUP

One loaf of sourdough bread, cut into thick slices
4 free range eggs
400 ml cream
2 tablespoons castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
12 thick cut rashers thick cut bacon

Berries
1 punnet strawberries
1 punnet raspberries
1 punnet blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
A splash of rum (optional)

Beat eggs, cream, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Soak each slice of bread, one by one. Place onto a lightly oiled grill plate with a medium heat. When golden on one side turn over till other side is golden. Grill bacon until crisp. Place berries in a bowl. Add sugar and rum. Stir very gently.

To serve: Arrange French toast on a platter. Cover with bacon. Spoon on berries. Pour on a generous amount of maple syrup. Dust with icing sugar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Adrian Richardson, "Boys Weekend," LifeStyle FOOD

1335. HOT FRUIT and BACON on FRENCH TOAST

serves one


2 free-range eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons soured cream
2 slices white bread
knob butter
1-2 rashers streaky bacon
1 banana, sliced
few blueberries
maple syrup, to serve

Preheat the grill to medium. Break the eggs into a large shallow bowl. Add the sugar, cinnamon and soured cream. Beat the mixture well with a fork. Place the first slice of bread into the egg mixture, soak both sides of the bread and then hold over the bowl to shake off any excess. Repeat with the next slice. Melt some butter in a large frying pan (be careful not to burn it). When the butter is bubbling, put the egg-coated bread into the pan and fry until crisp and golden on both sides. Meanwhile put the bacon under the grill and cook each side until crisp. Place the French toast on the plate with the bacon and keep warm. Fry the fruit in a pan for 1-2 minutes, or until just soft. Place the fruit on top of the toast and bacon and drizzle with maple syrup.


courtesy of: Sam Stern, Real Food Real Fast, BBC Food

990. CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST with MAPLE SYRUP and CRISPY BACON

serves 4 to 6


12 thick slices of crusty bread (preferably white)
1 jar of maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 egg yolks
1 egg white
¾ cup cream
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 slices of good quality bacon

Place bacon under griller and grill until crisp. Keep warm. Beat egg yolks, egg white, cream, cinnamon and brown sugar. Melt butter in a non-stick fry pan until bubbly. Dip slices of bread in egg mixture and slice into butter. Add more butter for subsequent slices if you run out. Repeat process with all slices of bread. To serve place 2 slices of French Toast per plate. Drizzle generously with maple syrup and place crispy bacon slices in a cross on the top.


courtesy of: Lisa Kerrigan / ABC Australia

405. PEANUT BUTTER, BANANA, and BACON STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

yields 4 servings


Strawberry jelly
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal, or lightly crushed cornflakes
8 slices stale white sandwich bread (2 to 3 days old)
8 teaspoons smooth peanut butter
4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into thin circles, plus extra for garnish
1/2 pound apple smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
1 stick unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar for serving
Chopped peanuts, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the jelly in a plastic squirt bottle. Heat a small pan of water on the stove. Water should be hot, but not boiling. Place the squirt bottle in the water.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add the half-and-half and whisk to combine. Place the cereal on a large plate or in a shallow baking dish.

Place 4 slices of bread on a work surface and spread each with 2 teaspoons of the peanut butter, and a layer of banana slices. Top with the bacon and the remaining bread to form a sandwich and press to tightly close. Place 1 sandwich in the bowl with the batter and let sit until well moistened, about 2 minutes, turning to coat both sides. Place in the dish with the cereal, turning to coat on both sides and pressing to adhere.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Dredge each stuffed and soaked sandwich in rice cereal and add to the pan. Cook undisturbed until golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place on a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, place 1 stuffed French toast on each of 4 plates. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar and top each serving with chopped peanuts and banana slices. Squirt the strawberry jelly over the French toast. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Live, "Let's Play with Food," 2004

99. BACON and MOZZARELLA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

makes two servings


1/2 loaf unsliced Italian or French bread
4 slices cooked bacon, cut in half
1 1/2 oz. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 large eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel, chopped fine
2 tablespoons margarine
maple syrup

Mark 1/2-inch and 1-inch measurements on the loaf of bread. At the 1/2–inch mark slice the bread not quite all the way through. At the 1-inch mark slice the bread all the way through. This creates pockets in the middle of the 1-inch thick slices of bread. Do this twice.

Stuff each pocket with a layer of half the bacon and half the mozzarella cheese.

Press the bread firmly together. Be sure that the bacon and cheese are tucked inside.

Whisk the eggs, orange juice and orange zest in a bowl.

Melt the margarine in a non-stick frying pan over medium

While the margarine melts, place the stuffed bread slices in the egg mixture and thoroughly coat the bread on both sides.

Fry the bread slices on each side until they are golden brown and no longer moist.

Serve the stuffed French toast with maple syrup.


courtesy of: The Cooking Ladies' Recipes From the Road, by Phyllis Hinz and Lamont Mackay