Baked French Toast

 My family does not like to eat the ends of the bread in their lunches. I can't say I blame them. I also don't want to throw them out to the birds because inevitably, Maverick (our black Lab) will find and eat them long before the birds do, so I freeze them. When I have enough, I make this recipe, and now I also make this. The three youngest eat it simply because it has maple syrup on it, but the older four think it just as good as French toast. I like it because it uses up all the excess crusts in one simple recipe.

Here is how I made it:

Bread crusts of your choice
6 eggs,
4 cups milk
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Tear bread crusts into bite sized pieces and place in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Break eggs into deep bowl and beat. Add milk and remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over bread. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until centre is no longer moist and top is nicely brown. Remove from oven cut into nice sized servings. Pour on some maple syrup and eat up! It also refrigerates well to be reheated later.

*I'm thinking it would also be good with strawberries and cream or any of those other fun arrangements you can find at pancake houses :o).

Beans on Leaves (aka The Everything Salad)

Once lettuce prices go down to under a dollar a head again, Beans on Leaves becomes a once a week meal here. We usually have it sometime on the weekend. We like it because you can throw pretty much anything you have in the refrigerator into it and it will still taste good. The only requirement we have is that there has to be beans in it as it is our protein for the night that gives the holding power to prevent the hungries until morning.

Yesterday's salad consisted of Romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, zucchini, tomatoes, black beans, feta cheese, mushrooms, and the dressing of one's choice. I usually just have a splash of balsamic vinegar.

We've also been know to add pineapple, leftover quinoa, barley, rice, mango chunks, almonds, hemp seed, sunflower seeds, cucumber, beet slices, egg, tuna, croutons, olives, you get the idea. Really the sky (and perhaps your tastebuds) is the limit. You could never eat the same salad twice if you didn't want to. That's why this is a very popular meal in our home because you never know what's going to be in it :o).