Great Grains Crunchy Stuffed French Toast

Happy National French Toast Day!

Did you know that my favorite French toast of all time involves cereal? True story. There's a local catering company with a tiny cafe that only serves lunch and brunch, and they make this Crisp French Toast which is coated in corn flakes. It's the greatest thing ever, all crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

This recipe reminded me of that French toast, which made me super excited to try it. Except this French toast is stuffed with bananas and chocolate, so it was almost like it was invented just for me.

This stuffed French toast is a healthier twist on the usual brunch favorite. It's baked and not fried (which is also convenient when serving a crowd), and it's coated in Great Grains Banana Nut Crunch cereal. The cereal not only adds a great crunch, but it's also packed with protein, fiber, and whole grains.

Unfortunately, this French toast didn't quite measure up to my favorite. It was tasty, but my testers all agreed that it was missing something. I think adding some cinnamon and a little extra vanilla could really take it to the next level. Still, nobody was turning down a slice.

(Also, because I am a crazy person, I used fresh baked bread. I had literally baked it that morning. That probably contributed to the problem, since stale bread soaks up liquid better. So, you know, use old bread.)

Great Grains Crunchy Stuffed French Toast
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup fat free milk
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. sale
2 cups Great Grains Banana Nut Crunch
8 slices challah bread, 1/2 inch thick
2 oz. bittersweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
1 large banana, sliced
2 cups sliced strawberries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large shallow dish with wire whisk until well blended; set aside. Place cereal in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Crush cereal with rolling pin. Dip both sides of the bread slices in egg mixture; place on clean work surface. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate; top with bananas. Dip both sides of remaining 4 bread slices in remaining egg mixture; place over bananas to make four sandwiches. Press together gently. Coat both sides of sandwiches with cereal crumbs; press crumbs firmly into sandwiches to secure.

Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake 20 to 25 min. or until lightly browned. Cut diagonally in half. Serve with the strawberries.

Tips and Suggestions
Substitute: Prepare as directed, using semi-sweet baking chocolate
http://postfoods.com/recipes/crunchy-stuffed-french-toast/?alttemplate=greatgrainsrecipe&brands=1171

*Disclaimer: I was provided with free samples of Great Grains cereal in order to feature this recipe. I received no further compensation. All opinions are, as always, my own.*

Sweet Vanilla French Toast Sticks

There are certain benefits to being a pantser like me. For one thing, it means most of the things I write or make or create are going to be original. It's like I'm giving myself a surprise, because I often don't know myself how these things are going to turn out. It's a new adventure every time. XD

For another-- and this is especially true of cooking/baking-- it means I have to use the things that I already have on hand. If I don't have something, and I don't know how to substitute it, it means I'm probably not making that recipe. That doesn't mean that I never go out to buy ingredients, but as I'm generally in my pajamas when I start rummaging through the kitchen looking for something to make, and I'm generally too lazy to actually get dressed and go out before I start cooking, it's very rare. Unless the insomnia monster hit and I'm up at 4 in the morning and I'm a wee bit manic and I run to the store right when it opens. Or I'm already going to the store for staples like flour, butter, and sugar.

These French toast sticks are an example of how little I actually like going to the store. I found the recipe for them in Fast Food Fix and saw they used Hawaiian sweet bread. I almost flipped right past it, because Hawaiian sweet bread isn't exactly a staple in my house, and I'm not even sure if the stores around me carry it (the first time I ever even heard of it was when I was in Florida a few years back). I certainly wasn't going to go looking for it.

Then I remembered that I had a box of sweet bread mix that I had nabbed from Wegman's on one of my rare ingredient runs. So I lugged out Max, my bread machine, mixed up the dough, and was able to clear something out of the pantry and make these French toast sticks. Double win.

(Yes, I spent 3 hours making bread so I didn't have to go to the store. What? I said I was lazy)

These French toast sticks are very sweet, and certainly not something I'd make for an everyday breakfast. But for a brunch or special occasion, these suckers are totally winners. Sweet, vanilla-y, with just a hint of cinnamon, and the slight carmelization of the sugar the sticks are dipped in, these are a totally great alternative to doughnuts. Serve with butter and maple syrup, or dust with powdered sugar. These are eminently nommable breakfast treats.


Sweet Vanilla French Toast Sticks {Printable Version}
Yield: 10 sticks

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 tbsp. milk
½ tbsp. vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Approx. 4 oz. Hawaiian sweet bread (2 sandwich-sized rolls)
2 tbsp. butter or vegetable oil

Directions
In a wide mouthed, shallow bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and ground cinnamon.

Cut the bread into strips, about 1 inch wide, and ½ an inch thick. Heat the oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working with one strip at a time, dip in the egg mixture to coat completely (but do not soak), and then coat in the sugar mixture. Place the strips in an even layer in the skillet and cook about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, and serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Fast Food Fix