Banana Brie French Toast

Now i don't usually make french toast, i'm not a big sweet breakfast kinda person, but occasionally i like to make something a little challenging and just different. I had some of the brie left over from the Cheese Dinner Feast, and thought it would make a nice addition to "stuffed" french toast.

La Hacienda (which i'm sure you're all sick of reading about) has a french toast i've mentioned before that uses croissants and has brie and various fruits inside. I took that as a inspiration and made a banana french toast with brie and candied walnuts.

For the egg mixture i did eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Before i put the french toast together i heated up some butter and added the walnuts and some more maple syrup, cooking them until they were browned and crispy with the sugar.

I made this french toast both on the stove top and the oven. I did the bread in the egg mixture, cooking both sides. I then lay four pieces out, added sliced bananas, brie, walnuts and a bit of syrup.


I then topped them with another piece of the french toast, poured some of the left over egg mixture and walnuts and baked it for about 7 minutes. When they were done i put them on a platter, added the rest of the nuts, some more syrup and butter. (yeah i love maple syrup).

A decedent brunch on a rainy sunday.

Asparagus Arugula Scramble

This long weekend, due to my need to study stats i did not go away to any cottages. I was a little down about this, but thought i could still make some tasty food while i was in the city. I started with a pretty sweet brunch on saturday morning - i actually didn't have much of a plan, at first i was going to make an omlette, then i thought i'd prefer a fritatta, but i finally settled on a scramble.

As for the ingredients i used green onions, asparagus, arugual/spinach mix and some left-over oka cheese i had around. I served it with some buttered dark rye and an arugua salad.

Maybe staying at home wasn't a bad decision.

Monday Dinner - Mushrooms and Eggs

There are some days - especially mondays, where i am less than inspired, but as i'm trying to save some money and eat a little better i push myself to eat at home. This monday i didn't get in until later, but i had gone grocery shopping, so i decided to make Mushrooms On Toast, with simple white mushrooms, but thought for a little protein i would add a poached egg.

I used the ceramic poacher, and perhaps wasn't paying attention as i should have, so the eggs were't as runny as i had wanted, but they were still good. As i've mentioned before, this recipe is a family favorite, but sometimes i like to switch it up - different bread, fancy mushrooms or the addition of a poached egg. For this one, i also added some spinach and arugula mix for extra veggies.

The ingredients

(excuse the low light - i have a few out right now)


Last bites

My plate f0r ready for eating

Mixing the mushrooms

Tiny Restaurant Breakfast

The cottage i often visit is in a little town called Tiny - and they have this sweet little restaurant and mini-grocery store. The May 24th weekend was the first time it was open for this year, and we all went for a well needed greasy breakfast on our first morning there.

The menu isn't anything fancy, but they also do dinners. For breakfast they had all your standards - three egg breakfast, western on toast. I chose to get a fried egg on toast - which is a real stand-by for me when eating at this type of place. I find those breakfasts with multiple meats a little too much, and depending on place home fries can be hit and miss. (i need to see them first)


They have a little indoor area, but since it was so nice we were able to sit together on a bunch of picnic tables. It was amazing how many people were coming by for coffee and breakfast - or just to say hello to the owners - it was the first weekend.

My fried egg on toast, using the tomato garnish from someone elses' plate
(i don't know why i put ketchup down - i don't really like it)

Jen's Western

Mark's big breakfast
(and i did like the home fries - thanks Mark)

Return of Jarred - Guest Chef

Up at Mike's cottage - Jarred stepped up yet again and cheffed up a couple great meals, a great pork loin along with some vanilla french toast with a mango-maple syrup couli. We served this with some Watermelon and sweet baked ham.

Peeling the mango

Adding the "maple syrup"

Mango in the blender

The French toast mix (with real vanilla)

Slicing the ham

The spread!