Weekend Meals

Ahhh...Friday. Can the weekend be far behind? We still need to eat, so here are some more yummy recipes for your weekend. Enjoy!

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH FRESH BERRY TOPPING

This comes from the Family Time emailing list. The direct link to this recipe is http://www.familytime.com/asp/ShowRecipe.asp?printMode=1&RecipeId=13713&. It starts off, "Your favorite strawberry preserves mixed with creamy ricotta cheese comprise the delectable filling in these French toast 'sandwiches'. Fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar top them off for an attractive and colorful presentation."

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 12 minutes; Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 cup fresh mixed berries*

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2/3 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

3 large eggs

2/3 cup (5 fl. Oz. can) NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Fat Free Milk

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla, extract

12 (3/4 inch) slices French bread

2 tablespoons butter, or vegetable oil

1/4 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup maple syrup, heated

Directions

Combine berries and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Combine ricotta cheese and strawberry preserves in another small bowl; mix well. Combine eggs, evaporated milk, brown sugar and vanilla in a pie plate or shallow pan; mix well.

Spread ricotta-preserve mixture evenly over half the bread slices. Top with remaining slices of bread to form sandwiches.

Heat butter or vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture, coating both sides. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar; top with berries. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.

*raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and/or halved strawberries

SOUTHERN-STYLE BREAD PUDDING

This one is from the Food Network's kitchens; the direct link to this yummy recipe is here.

Total Time: 3 hr 15 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 1 hr 40 min; Cook: 50 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy

Ingredients

Bread Pudding:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

6 cups 1-inch cubes Italian bread

5 cups half-and-half

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Sauce:

2 cups raspberries (a few reserved for garnish)

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 tablespoon honey, plus more if desired

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Directions

For the bread pudding: Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Put the bread cubes in the dish.

Whisk together the half-and-half, 3/4 cup of the sugar, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, salt and eggs in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave or on the stove and drizzle over the top of the bread pudding. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Place on the center rack in the oven. Bake until the edges start to rise, a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean and the pudding jiggles when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a rack 35 to 40 minutes before serving.

For the sauce: Puree the berries in food processor. Press through a fine-mesh strainer. Stir in the honey and lime juice. Taste and adjust with more honey if it's not sweet enough for you.

Serve the bread pudding with a drizzle of sauce. Garnish with additional berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

GLUTEN-FREE BISCUITS WITH JAM

This is from Seattle's Macrina Bakery.

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

3/4 cup oat flour

1/2 cup sugar, divided

*1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, divided

1/2 cup good-quality jam or jelly

*Found in the specialty flour section of most food stores.

Preparation

Makes Eight 4-Inch Biscuits

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together the flours, 1/4 cup of sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Make a well in the center and pour in 2 cups of the cream. Working quickly and gently with a rubber spatula (overmixing can result in tough biscuits), fold the cream into the dry ingredients. This should take about 1 minute.

Sprinkle a work surface with brown rice flour. Turn the dough out and roll it into a 3-by-14-inch log. Divide the log in half, then cut each half into 4 pieces to make a total of 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a roughly circle-shaped biscuit. Place the biscuits 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown on top and bottom. Cool on the sheet for 15 minutes.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out a quarter-size piece from the center of each biscuit, digging about halfway down. Fill each indentation with about 1 tablespoon of the jam or jelly.

HEALTHY ONION RINGS

From Sandra Lee of the Food Network's Semi-Homemade Cooking. Sandra writes, "Extra crunchy onion rings with half the guilt!" Prep. time: 8 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes; Serves: Serves 4

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable cooking spray, PAM®

1 large onion

1 1/4 cups Italian style bread crumbs, Progresso®

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, McCormick®

1 cup lowfat milk

1 cup all-purpose flour, Pillsbury®

3 large egg whites, beaten slightly

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

Cut onion into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Separate slices into rings.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and garlic. Set aside. Place milk, flour, and egg whites into three separate small bowls.

Dip each onion ring into milk, flour, egg white, and bread crumbs (in that order). Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes. Turn onion rings over and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes longer.

OLIVE GARDEN'S CHOCOLATE LASAGNA RECIPE

I was on Olive Garden's emailing list for a while. This was one of the recipes on the list. The recipe starts with, "Layers of rich chocolate cake and sweet buttercream icing… no longer being served at Olive Garden, but you can still enjoy it at home!"

Ingredients:

Cake

6 cups cake flour

5 1/4 cups sugar

2 1/4 cups baking cocoa

2 tablespoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup butter

12 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Butter Cream

2/3 cup water

4 tablespoons meringue powder

12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 1/4 cup shortening

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon clear almond extract

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

1 teaspoon colorless butter flavoring

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 10-inch springform pans.

Cake:

In mixing bowl, stir together sifted cake flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add butter and mix well. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour about 5 cups of the cake batter into each prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before you remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Butter Cream:

Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth. Thin out 1/2 of the frosting with a little extra water. The thinned frosting is used as the filling between layers.

To Assemble:

Place one 10 inch cake on a large round plate or a large round cake platter. Spread 1/2 of the thinned frosting on top. (Only frost the top of the cake) Sprinkle very lightly with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (There are very few chips on this layer, usually only 1 or 2 per wedge, so sprinkle very very lightly).

Place the second cake on top of the first. Frost the top with the remaining thinned frosting. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (You can be a bit more generous with this layer).

Place the third layer on top of the second. Frost the top with all of the Butter Cream that was not thinned. This is a thick layer of frosting so pile it on. Try to get the top as smooth as you can. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Cut the cake into wedges, as you would cut a pizza. Using chocolate syrup, create a design on your dessert plate. Place the wedge of chocolate lasagna at the 11 o’clock position on your dessert plate with the point facing down. (So that you can see some of the syrup design).

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from a really cool emailing list called Roadfood.com. Check it out! The recipe starts out, "The South is not unique in its love for macaroni and cheese, one of the true all-American comfort foods. At the Blue Willow Inn, it is one of the few items served every day, every meal." This one is from the Blue Willow Inn. Preparation Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package macaroni noodles

1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup Cheese Whiz

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Cook macaroni according to package instructions, adding shortening to water. Do not overcook. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine macaroni with all other ingredients, reserving 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in ungreased 9x12-inch casserole for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with reserved cheese. Return to oven only long enough for the cheese to melt.