I was so excited to be in charge for the Easter menu that I went a little overboard: I made brunch, dinner, and cake for dessert. Luckily, everything turned out great!
Menu: Brunch: Paula Deen's Baked French Toast Casserole Dinner: Dearborn Ham, Grandma's Hot German Potato Salad, & Steamed Asparagus Dessert: Todd's Orange and Raspberry Cake
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.
Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.
**NOTE: We found that the maple syrup wasn't necessary at all, this french toast is sweet enough!
For the cake: Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of 2 nonstick, 8-inch round, baking pans. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cake mix and orange zest. Mix for 20 seconds at low speed until the zest is incorporated. Add the orange juice, egg whites, and vegetable oil. Blend at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and creme fraiche at high speed until smooth, about 10 seconds. With the machine running at medium-low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the raspberry jam and increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.
To assemble the cake: Arrange 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a cake stand. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting on top leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread 1/4 cup of raspberry jam on top of the frosting. Arrange the other cake layer on top. Using a spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with fresh raspberries. Cut the cake into wedges with a slightly wet knife and serve.
Store the cake in a plastic container in the refrigerator. Allow the refrigerated cake to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
**If you like citrus-flavored cake and homemade frosting, this cake is to die for!
Slow Cooker Meatballs: adapted from a recipe for Cocktail sausages in the December 2009 issue of Food Network magazine
Ingredients: - Frozen meatballs (equivalent to 1 pkg. lil smokies sausages) - 1 12-oz bottle chili sauce - 1 12-oz jar grape jelly
1. Place meatballs in slow-cooker. 2. Combine chili sauce and jelly in medium saucepan; heat, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until jelly is melted. Pour over meatballs and stir to combine. 3. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours.
**This was my own version of a recipe that I found for Lil Smokies sausages and an idea that I got from recipezaar.com. It was super easy and very delicious!
Combine the allspice and 3 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Season the turkey thighs with half the salt mixture in a 5-quart slow cooker.
Toss the squash, chickpeas, tomatoes, apricots, raisins, carrots, onions and chiles with the remaining spiced salt. Pour the vegetables over the turkey (the cooker will be full; arrange the mixture so the lid fits). Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Spoon the vegetables and broth into bowls. Remove and discard the turkey bones and place the meat on top of the vegetables.
Juice the lemon; pulse with the cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Add the oil and process until smooth. Serve the stew in bowls; drizzle with the cilantro sauce.
**Note: This was good, but I thought there were too many competing flavors. My roommate tried it without the cilantro sauce and said it was great, so if I ever make it again, I'll just forgo the sauce and make the stew, with the full amount of squash and chickpeas next time.**
Shoemaker Chicken, Lemon-Pepper Fettuccine, and steamed green beans
Pollo Alla Scarpariello (Sauteed Chicken, Shoemaker Style) from How the World Cooks Chicken by H.J. Mussen
Ingredients 1 3-pound Chicken, cut up 1 cup flour salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup dry white wine Juice of 1 lemon Parsley sprigs for garnish
Directions Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry. Combine the flour with a little salt and pepper and dredge the pieces thoroughly. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown 1 clove of minced garlic, then remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Place the chicken in the pan and cook over low to moderate heat, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes on a side. When done remove and keep warm. Now saute the second clove of garlic in the same pan, then remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Deglaze the pan with the wine, add the lemon juice, and return the chicken, coating each piece. Cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes to reheat. Serve on a warm platter garnished with parsley sprigs. Serves 4.
**Note: most recipes in this book call for a whole 3 pound chicken, I usually just use 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Also, I did not use parsley to garnish this dish (as is apparent from the photo).**
1/3 cup grated pecorino cheese, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground pepper
Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook as the label directs. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk the cream, egg yolk and lemon zest in a bowl. Reduce the heat to low and add the cream mixture and cheese to the skillet. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and 2 to 3 teaspoons pepper.
Add the pasta to the skillet and toss, adding enough of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce. Divide among bowls and garnish with more pecorino. Serve with crusty bread, if desired.
**Note: The pecorino cheese is a must here! It's a little bit more expensive, but it is so delicious!**
1 (1 ounce) envelope garlic & herb salad dressing mix
1 cup white minute rice, uncooked
4 large green peppers, halved
1/4 teaspoon garlic powdersalt & pepper
Directions 1. Brown meat and onion in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir in 1 cup of the tomato sauce, 1 cup of the water and salad dressing mix. 2 Bring to boil. 3 Stir in rice, cover. 4 Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. 5 Meanwhile cut tops off peppers, remove seeds and cu in half. 6 Mix remaining tomato sauce, and water in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking disk. 7 Place peppers in dish. 8 Spoon meat mixture into peppers, cover with foil. 9 Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes. 10 Spoon sauce over peppers before serving.
*I used red peppers instead of green per my sister's request: I think it was an improvement and it tasted better!
(13 to 16 ounces)
