Easter 2016

Polish and Ukrainian Easter Eggs (Pysanki) on my Easter Table.

I enjoy displaying my pysanky (Easter Eggs), some Polish, most Ukrainian, a couple new this year. In my early 20's I bought the dyes, the beeswax, and the stylus, and created several eggs of my own. Some were in the traditional style, but I also branched out and did some modern designs as well. The process was very tedious, painstaking, and time-consuming. Sadly, I lost my entire collection in one of my moves overseas. I could never create them again today; my hands are not still enough to make the tiny straight lines and my eyes would never be strong enough to keep everything straight. Today, I simply enjoy collectingpysanky and add a few to my collection every year. Every area in the Slavic world has their own style of eggs, I wish I could find samples of all of them.

Home-made shrink-wrapped pysanky on my Easter table.

Preparing "pysanky" Easter eggs.

I've also discovered a neat trick for simulating pysanky on my Easter table. You can buy psyanky "sleeves" wrap them over hard-boiled eggs, dip in boiling water for about 5 seconds and you have instant pysanky! You can't save them, but they sure do look pretty on an Easter table.

I bought my package of sleeves online from the Polish Art Center in Hamtramck, Michigan. Here is the link: www.polartcenter.com. 

When we visited my grandmother in Detroit for Easter in the 1950s and 60s, we would always have cake after our traditional Polish breakfast of Easter soup. There would always be Polish poppy seed coffee cake, sometimes a cake made by my Aunt Hattie in the shape of a lamb and covered in coconut, or, my favorite, a cake from Sander's Bakery in Detroit. It would be a yellow cake with "buttercream" icing garnished with finely crushed hazelnuts. The icing was very light and smooth. A "nest" of green-colored coconut with a couple of chocolate malted milk Easter eggs would complete the cake.

Sander's No Butter, No Cream "Buttercream" Easter Cake!

My mother saved a recipe for the icing she found on the "Bob Allison's Ask Your Neighbor" radio program which still, after 50 years, is on the air in the Detroit area. Click here to go to their website. What's interesting about the recipe for the buttercream icing is that it does not contain any butter or cream! I've tweaked the recipe for the cake by adding orange zest and flavoring, and sometimes I substitute toasted sliced almonds in place of the hazelnuts, but the icing itself is always the same recipe.

Sander’s Easter Cake with Buttercream Icing

1 package Duncan Hines butter yellow cake mix

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1/2 teaspoon orange flavoring

2 cups hazelnuts

Toast hazelnuts and remove skins. Chop finely in a food processor.

Bake cake as directed on the package adding the grated orange peel and flavoring to the batter before beating.

When cool, frost with Sander’s Buttercream Icing.

Gently pat hazelnuts on the side of the cake.

If desired, decorate with a “nest” of coconut dyed green and candy Easter eggs or jelly beans.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Sander’s Buttercream Icing

1 stick margarine

1/2 cup Crisco shortening

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk, lukewarm

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together the margarine and Crisco shortening. Add sugar, and then gradually add milk.

Beat on medium high speed for at least 15 minutes. For about the first 14 minutes the mixture will be very watery until suddenly the icing will congeal. Continue beating for a few minutes or until the icing is smooth.

Chill the icing for about an hour before icing the cake.

Note: If you can't find hazelnuts, sliced toasted almonds may be substituted instead.

My Wedding--It began with Polish Polka practice and ended with Pinochle!

I married my partner, John, on December 26th, 2015. I wanted a Christmas wedding, with all the decorations still up, lights lit, and colors of red, white, and gold abounding. I got my wish!

I love this picture. Sometimes simple is the best!

We had the wedding at St. John the Apostle MCC Church in Fort Myers, Florida. The church was awash in red poinsettias. We added two red and white floral arrangements to flank the altar. Pastor Steve Filizzi performed the ceremony. Wonderful friends served as attendants.

John and I at the altar after our wedding service.
The flowers from Cape Coral Florist were beautiful!

A picture of the wedding party.
We are truly blessed to have great friends!

One of the cookie trays.
There weren't any left at the end of the evening!

Cutting the "cakes." We had five! All different.
They came from Fresh Market in Fort Myers and were delicious!

Blake Becker was our caterer.
His friend, Nicole, was his assistant and bartender.
Blake's food was out of this world good!!! And he is a great friend!

 I made a side dish of Polish Hunter's Stew (Bigos) and kielbasa. I also made the cookies that were served and given as favors to take home in little gingerbread houses. 

We never danced the polka at the reception, but we did end the evening with a couple of rousing hands of pinochle at the hotel where relatives were staying.

How we spent our honeymoon--
after the reception playing pinochle with the family!
My sister, Felicia, joined, us later.

It was a magical day! I am so happy that John and I had the opportunity to join our lives together from now to eternity!

Our friends, Kurt and Jack, gave us this ornament.
It is very special!

Feel free to post a comment below.

Christmas 2015

I am so very busy...getting married on the 26th of December. So here I am on Sunday evening baking Christmas cookies for the reception. Magic bars and fruitcake cookies are done. The last batch of chocolate chip cookies are in the oven. Tomorrow I will make mocha crackle cookies and lemon squares and Reece's peanut butter cookie cups if I have the time. Should have started last weekend!

One cookie I will have to make this year is a new cookie that is quickly becoming a favorite--it's a play on jam thumbprint cookies, but with a Florida twist. I use orange marmalade for the jam and add minced rosemary to the shortbread. The cookies have a touch of sliced almonds and are dusted with powdered sugar--a cookie that says this is Christmas.

P.S. It's a prize winner!! My recipe won the prize for being the best Holiday Cookie in the Fort Myers News-Press Holiday Cookie Baking Contest!

I tried making these Florida's Finest Orange Marmalade Thumbprint with Fresh Rosemary cookies a couple of different ways,  but liked them best with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

Florida’s Finest Orange Marmalade Thumbprints with Fresh Rosemary

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1 egg white, beaten

1 cup sliced almonds, roughly chopped

1/4 cup powdered sugar

In a small bowl stir together flour, cornstarch, and salt; set aside.

Beat butter until fluffy. 

Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, minced rosemary and almond extract. Beat until combined.

Stir in flour until just combined.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

Dip into beaten egg white.

Roll ball in chopped almonds.

Indent each cookie with thumb or back of 1/2 inch measuring spoon.

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon marmalade into center of each cookie.

Arrange 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake about 14-17 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.

Cool on rack. When completely cool, sift powdered sugar lightly over cookies.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Caramel, Coconut, Chocolate, and Pecans—Oh My, What a Brownie!

I like to take a standard brownie mix and jazz it up and make it my own. The recipe that follows is one of my best!

Caramel, Coconut, Chocolate, and Pecans

Oh My, What a Brownie!

Ingredients

1 egg

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon coconut flavoring

1 box Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips

25 Rolo Minis chocolate covered caramels

25 pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9” baking pan with baking spray.

Whisk together egg, water, oil, and coconut flavoring. Add brownie mix and stir until well blended. Add chopped pecans, coconut and chocolate chips and stir until mixed in with brownie batter. Pour into baking pan and spread evenly. Bake 39-43 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Turn oven off. Place Rolo Minis upside-down in a 5 x 5 grid pattern over the baked brownies, pressing each one about half way into the brownie. Return to oven for about 3 minutes to allow caramel to melt. Remove from oven and place a pecan half on top of each Rolo.

Makes 25 scrumptious brownies!

Happy Easter!

Wesolego Alleluja! is Happy Easter in Polish.

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars with White Chocolate Chips

On Sunday I prepared Brunch at St. John the Apostle MCC in Ft. Myers. I served an assortment of breakfast egg casseroles based on my previous post (Made four pans of the sausage version, three of the corned beef, and one vegetarian). I also served Raspberry Cheesecake Bars from a recipe that appears on the Krusteaz Raspberry Bar Mix. I  modified it by adding almond flavoring and white chocolate chips. It turned out great!

The dining room was decorated with dark green and light green tablecloths and tulips on both the buffet table and the individual round dining tables. I enjoy creating an atmosphere that feels special and inviting.

These tulips were on the Buffet Table at Brunch. I had individual yellow tulips in bud vases on the dining tables. 

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars with White Chocolate Chips

I couldn't find real white mini-chocolate chips so had to use regular size baking chips. I think the white chocolate would be better, but they are hard to find for my Raspberry Cheesecake Bars.

1 package Krusteaz Raspberry Bar Mix (1 pouch each crust mix and raspberry filling)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

16 oz (2 cups) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring

2/3 cup mini white chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 13x9x2-inch pan.

For Crust: Place crust mix and melted butter in medium bowl. Stir with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Press crust mixture firmly into bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Set aside.

For Filling: Place cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla or almond flavoring. Continue to mix on low speed until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup mini white vanilla chips.

Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over baked crust. Cut corner of raspberry filling pouch. 

I poured the raspberry filling in to rows the long way, and then used a toothpick to draw lines crosswise.

Randomly squeeze raspberry filling over cream cheese mixture. Swirl with knife for marbled effect. Bake 28-32 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely and cut into squares. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Tater Tots and Corned Beef? Possible?

I've been thinking about this recipe for weeks now. I've been scouring the Internet and have been trying to come up with a recipe that includes both Tater Tots and corned beef. I am doing Sunday Brunch at church this weekend and am working with a St. Patrick's Day theme--table covers, napkins and flower arrangements all in an assortment of greens. I've settled on a Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Gorgonzola crumbles and toasted pecans lightly dressed with a honey balsamic vinagrette, but am still stumbling with the main dish. My intention is to use this recipe, which I've cobbled together from a number of recipes, and substitute diced corned beef in a couple of the casseroles (I am making 8--3 corned beef, 3 sausage, and 2 vegetarian).

If you've ever made this type of casserole and used corned beef I would love to hear from you!

Note from Sunday Brunch: Although I liked the corned beef version, the pork sausage recipe is much tastier!

Overnight Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

1 pound bulk pork sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

8 eggs

2 cups half and half

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 32 ounce package tater tots

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Baking spray

Brown sausage in olive oil until no longer pink. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until vegetables are wilted. Drain off extra oil.

Spray 9 x 13 casserole pan with olive oil baking spray. Spread sausage mixture in bottom of pan. Allow to cool.

Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar cheese. Spread tater tots over sausage and cheese and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Combine eggs, half and half, mustard and salt in blender. Blend until smooth about 1-2 minutes. 

Pour egg mixture over tater tots.*

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until eggs are set and tater tots have browned.

*If you are making this dish overnight, you may  cover the sausage, cheese and tater tot mixture with tin foil and store in the refrigerator overnight. Make the egg and milk mixture in the morning and pour over the casserole and bake as directed.

Chicken Crescent Rolls with Cheddar Cheese Sauce

“Getting old is not for sissies,” my partner, John, says, when the aches and pains of aging take their toll.  I recently stumbled on a comment by “Pastor Ryan” (Detzel), senior pastor at Vineyard Westside Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. On getting older he says:  "I don’t get it…when people struggle with getting older. This is a moment for us to be a little more experienced, a little more connected to what’s really going on, a little more thankful for what you’ve learned, and a little more excited about what you’ll do tomorrow."

Pastor Ryan is a young man, a fellow foodie, a photographer, a handsome man with a lot of tattoos, a spiritual man sharing God’s love. Nice. I stumbled upon him in my search for a recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara. I like his recipes and I like the bits of writing he has posted on the Internet. I wish there was more.  His busy physical life has supplanted his previously active “virtual” life.

What struck me, however, is how excited I am about where I am in my life today. For a long time I struggled with life. God was absent. It was all about me. And it wasn’t enough. Today, I am comfortable with myself, and I am comfortable with the idea of having a Higher Power, who I choose to call God, guiding me and loving me no matter what. It’s a nice feeling to have!

I look forward to the future. It’s a gift that I have only just begun to unwrap.

Today’s recipe is one I served at Second Sunday Brunch at St. John the Apostle, MCC, Church  in January, 2014. It’s very easy to prepare and looks very elegant if you are having company.

We did a taste test before I made the recipe for Second Sunday Brunch. 

Chicken Crescent Rolls with Cheddar Cheese Sauce

1 can Grands® Big and Flaky Crescent Rolls (8 crescent rolls)

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

3/4 cup half and half

FILLING

4 ounces cream cheese (very soft)

4 tablespoons butter (very soft but not melted)

1/2 teaspoon Montreal Chicken spice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cups cooked chicken breasts; finely chopped (I use rotisserie chicken from the Deli)

3/4 cup finely grated Italian blend cheese or cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup butter, melted

TOPPING

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Set oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl whisk together the cream of chicken soup and the half and half till smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, and mayonnaise until very smooth.  Add in the chopped chicken, onion, cheddar cheese, Montreal Chicken spice, and garlic power. Mix well.  Season with additional salt or black pepper to taste.

Unroll the crescent rolls.

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Be sure to seal the filling inside the dough.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with butter flavored spray. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom. Place the crescent rolls seam-side down in the casserole.

Lightly brush tops with melted butter.

Drizzle the remaining sauce on top and around crescent rolls.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

This dish just needs a simple salad to make a complete meal. For Second Sunday Brunch I combined apples, mandarin oranges, and broccoli florets with a dressing made from Marie’s Coleslaw dressing, mayonnaise, and a touch of curry powder and a sprinkling of toasted almonds.

Super Easy Date Nut Bars

When I was growing up, Date Nut Bars were a fixture on the cookie tray at Christmas. They came from a mix probably made by Betty Crocker. I don’t think it is made any more, but I found an excellent substitute. This is a quick and easy recipe that will amaze you if you have the same craving for Date Nut Bars that I have.

Super Easy Date Nut Bars

2 cups chopped pitted dates

3/4 cup water

1 package of Krusteaz Brand Raspberry Bars Mix (Set aside raspberry filling for another use—like over vanilla ice cream!)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Combine chopped dates and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and stir continuously until dates begin to dissolve and mixture thickens. About 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8” square baking pan with baking spray.

Combine butter with pouch crust mix and stir with fork until mixture is crumbly.

Spoon 2/3 of crust mixture into prepared pan. Press firmly into bottom of pan.

Bake 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Remove from oven and spread date filling over hot crust.

Combine remaining crust mixture with chopped walnuts. Crumble nut mixture over date filling.

Bake for 25-28 minutes until top begins to brown.

Cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in sealed container. 

The last piece of Date Nut Bar from Christmas Cookie Baking 2013!

A Prize-Winning Cookie Recipe!

Yesterday, I hosted a Christmas Cookie Baking Party. It is the 3rd year that I have done this. We bake about 500 plus cookies in my kitchen. Most of the cookies go to a local senior citizen complex for their annual Christmas party. Everyone who comes also gets to take a box of cookies to take home with them.  I really enjoy doing this.

Let's see, We have classic sugar cookies, pecan tassies, chocolate fudge, lemon squares, magic seven layer bars, chocolate cookies with pistachios and candied orange peel and peanut butter cup cookies. Hmm. What am I missing? Working on jam thumb prints and then fruitcake cookies. Yummers! Had great helpers today! My own set of elves! What fun! And my partner,  John Rush, spent all day Saturday cleaning the house from top to bottom so I could concentrate on the kitchen. I am truly blessed!

Verna's scrumptious cookies!

About 8 years ago I tasted these cookies for the first time. I fell in love with them and have made them ever since. Verna is my sister Kay's mother-in-law. She is now 90 years old and still lives on her own. I hope she doesn't mind my sharing her wonderful recipe. Christmas is not Christmas without these cookies!! UPDATE 12/18/2013: These cookies won the Fort Myers News-Press Holiday Cookie Contest! Here's the link to the article.Not sure how long you will be able to access it. This is is a cached copy.: 

Verna's Apple Walnut Spice Cookies with Vanilla Glaze

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup shortening

1 1/3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup finely diced apple

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup milk

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2-3 tablespoons milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.

Cream shortening, sugar, and egg. Add 1/2 sifted dry ingredients. Blend in milk. Add nuts, apples, and raisins and mix well. Add remaining dry ingredients, mix well.

Drop by heaping teaspoon on greased baking sheet (I always use lightly greased parchment paper on my cookie sheet).

Bake at 400 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Brush on glaze while still warm.

Glaze:

Whisk together all ingredients as shown. If too dry to spread add a little more milk.

UPDATE 01/24/14: I found out Verna, who is 90 years old, was hospitalized over the Christmas holidays. It was pretty serious. I had sent her a clipping from the Ft. Myers News-Press about my winning the Christmas Cookie Baking Contest using the recipe she had shared with me several years ago. Her family told me that getting that clipping had made her day and that she was absolutely beaming. She was sharing the article with everyone who came to visit.

God works in mysterious ways, indeed.

Here is a pic of Verna with the newspaper clipping.

Thank you, Verna, for sharing that absolutely wonderful recipe with me. You deserve all the credit!

I've made many versions of pumpkin bread, but this one is, by far, the best!

Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Bread

This is one of the best pumpkin breads I have ever made.
The surprise difference is using olive oil instead of butter.

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray with flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup solid pack canned pumpkin

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup white raisins

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°.

Coat 9 x 5-inch loaf pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray with flour.

In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.

Stir olive oil and sugar together. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add pumpkin and milk and mix well. Add flour mixture stirring until well combined. Stir in pecans and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pan.

For streusel topping, combine 1/2 cup pecans, brown sugar, flour, and olive oil until mixed and crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. 

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If topping begins to brown too much near the end of the baking time, lightly tent with tin foil. Cool 20 minutes. 

Remove from pan and allow to cool completely before serving.

Second Sunday Brunch at St. John the Apostle, MCC, in Ft. Myers, Florida - August 2012

I made quiche for fifty people for Second Sunday Brunch. Tried something different--a quiche made with chicken. It turned out great! I served it with a colesaw with grapes and raisins (my friend Jack made the coleslaw), herbed French bread and mini-pineapple upside down cakes.

I think next month I am going to try a Southern breakfast--Sausage gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs with chive, cheese grits and a fruit salad.

Chicken, Mushroom and Asparagus Quiche

1 pre-made refrigerated pie crust

8 ounces (2 cups) Sargento® Artisan Blends® Shredded Swiss Cheese with Gruyere or 2 cups shredded swiss cheese, divided

1 cup coarsely chopped cooked chicken

1/2 teaspoon Grill Mates Montreal Chicken spice

1/2 cups thinly sliced and coarsely chopped onion, sautéed in 1 tablespoon olive oil, drained on paper towel

1/2 cups thinly sliced button mushrooms, sautéed in 1 tablespoon olive oil, drained on paper towel

4 slices crisply cooked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces, optional

10 spears asparagus, blanched and divided

1 1/2 cups half and half

4 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 slice small tomato, optional

Quiches almost ready for the oven. Just waiting for their egg and cream bath.

  

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 9 inch pie pan with butter spray. Place prepared pie crust in pie pan. Flute edges.

Spread 1 cup of cheese over bottom of crust. Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon of Montreal Chicken spice. Spread on top of cheese.

Spread onions and mushrooms over chicken. Spread bacon over mushrooms.

Chop 4 spears of asparagus into 1” pieces. Spread over bacon. Spread remaining cheese over asparagus.

Combine half and half, eggs, and Dijon mustard and beat well. Pour over filling until filling is covered.

Arrange remaining six spears on top of pie. Place tomato slice in center.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden and set in center. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  

2nd Sunday Brunch at St. John the Apostle MCC Church in Fort Myers, Florida - July 8, 2012

It's been a long time since I posted on my blog--too long. I've been experimenting with lots of recipes, not just Polish, but all kinds.

For the last couple of months I've taken the responsibility of putting together (with the help of lots of other folks) the 2nd Sunday Brunch at St. John the Apostle, MCC church in Ft. Myers. I really enjoy St. Johns--the message, the fellowship, and the brunches.  Here's a link to the church if you want to know more about it.

This past Sunday we had Monte Cristo sandwiches as a main course, accented with Peach Salsa and a Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad. Dessert was Mini Fresh Cherry and Almond Cakes.

Note: This is not a picture of my sandwiches. I didn't have my camera around when I made them so I found a sample pic on the web that looks very similar.

Adam’s Baked Monte Cristo Sandwiches

4 tablespoons melted butter

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

18 1” diagonal slices of French bread

9 tablespoons prepared Pesto sauce

9 slices Honey baked ham

9 slices smoked turkey

9 slices of Swiss cheese

9 tablespoons French’s French Fried Onions

9 tablespoons peach preserves

3 tablespoons confectiners’ sugar

Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread 2 tablespoons of melted butter over bottom of pan.

Combine eggs, milk, mustard and salt in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into shallow bowl. Dip 9 slices of the French bread into egg mixture and place in the baking pan. Put 1 tablespoon Pesto sauce on each slice and spread to edges of bread.

Top bread with one slice each of ham, turkey and Swiss cheese. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon French fried onions on top.

Dip remaining nine slices of bread into egg mixture. Top each slice with 1 tablespoon peach preserves and place bread on top of sandwich, peach preserve side down.

Brush tops of sandwiches with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

Cover baking pan with tin foil and refrigerate overnight.

In morning, set oven to 350 degrees. Bake sandwiches for 30 minutes. Remove tin foil, set oven to broil and brown tops of French toast, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully as toast browns fast.

Remove from oven. Place on serving platter if desired. Sift confectioners’ sugar over sandwiches.

Note: These sandwiches can be placed in a buttered frying pan and fried as you would French toast. Just be sure that you cover the pan for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt.