Author: SupremeCmdr

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Baked French Toast

“I’ll take a loaf of challah please.”

“Sorry, we just ran out 10 minutes ago.”

“You must have had quite a few people buying challah this morning.”

“No.  We only made one loaf for the morning.”

This really happened at a bakery contained within one of those fancy we sell you everything type of grocery stores.  It was a Saturday morning.  I came to the store specifically for this type of bread.  So this little story explains how a loaf brioche got into this recipe now adapted from a recipe of nearly the same name by the Steep Acres Farm B&B somewhere in Oregon.

Seriously.  Why does a bakery make one loaf of bread?

  1. One stick butter
  2. Half cup brown sugar
  3. Half cup pure maple syrup
  4. One cup chopped pecans
  5. Eight large eggs
  6. One and a half cups of half and half
  7. One and a half tsp cinnamon
  8. One tsp vanilla extract
  9. One loaf brioche sliced thick

Heat butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth.  Transfer to a 13 x 9 x 2 glass baking dish.  Sprinkle pecans.

Whisk the eggs, half and half, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Dip bread slices into the mixture and arrange in a single layer in the baking dish.  Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread slices, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, take the dish out of the refrigerator a minimum of thirty minutes prior to baking.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake the dish uncovered until it becomes golden brown and puffy.  This will take between 35 and 40 minutes.  It will be done when a knife stuck in the center of the puffiest part comes out clean.

Serve warm with more maple syrup.  Sit back, savor, and enjoy the compliments.

Tips

Pure maple syrup and pure vanilla extract.  Any usage of maple flavored sugar syrup or imitation vanilla will destroy this dish and you’ll never be invited over for anyone’s pot luck brunch ever again.  In a pinch, a loaf of soft French bread will work.

 

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Happy Holidays 2015

Biscuit08

I haven’t been a very good boy this year Santa.  It seems every year is the same.  I want to write more and dig some more recipes out of my brain but life gets in the way.  This year was both good and bad for me.  While I’d like to blame aging and memory loss, the truth behind the lack of words was something else.  A child leaves the nest. My best friend died this year.  Around the same time I was adjusting to additional hours needed for a second work project.  I look back, especially at this online journal and can see when the writing stopped.

But as it always does we humans change and adapt.  The words are flowing again.  The recipes are popping up and asking “Did you write me down yet?”  I’ve adjusted to my new normal and changed my shopping and cooking habits.  There are more slimmed down recipes to serve two.

Santa, I will be a better person next year.  I need to finish writing the book I promised the boys when they were in high school.

 

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High glycemic index diet as a risk factor for depression: analyses from the Women’s Health Initiative

High glycemic index diet as a risk factor for depression: analyses from the Women’s Health Initiative.

Results: We found a progressively higher dietary GI to be associated with increasing odds of incident depression in fully adjusted models (OR for the fifth compared with first quintile: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.37), with the trend being statistically significant (P = 0.0032). Progressively higher consumption of dietary added sugars was also associated with increasing odds of incident depression (OR for the fifth compared with first quintile: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.41; P-trend = 0.0029). Higher consumption of lactose, fiber, nonjuice fruit, and vegetables was significantly associated with lower odds of incident depression, and nonwhole/refined grain consumption was associated with increased odds of depression.

via High glycemic index diet as a risk factor for depression: analyses from the Women’s Health Initiative.

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Teaching Students to Cook Now Makes Them Better Doctors Later

Lifestyle factors — including nutrition, physical activity and stress — are critical determinants of health and, when poorly managed, can cause a veritable pandemic of chronic disease and unsustainable health care costs. Yet despite overwhelming connections between lifestyle factors and disease, most medical schools lack a cohesive approach to helping students translate their basic science education into practical patient advice and care.

via Teaching Students to Cook Now Makes Them Better Doctors Later.

I’m not quite sure if I actually taught my offspring how to cook.  But having a role model certainly helps.  My father did all the cooking when I was a kid.  One day I asked, “Why do you do all the cooking?” and his reply was,

“You’ve tasted your Mother’s cooking.  Survival.”

I taught myself how to cook because I thought all Dads did the cooking.  Don’t they?

 

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Chickpeas Potatoes and Tomatoes

Chickpeas Potatoes and Tomatoes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 red potatoes, peeled & diced
2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. dried red chili pepper flakes
3 C cooked chickpeas (or 2 (15oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed & drained)
1 C diced tomatoes with chipotle, drained
1/2 cup organic vegetable stock (water is OK too)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (use dried, if fresh not available)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1.) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-heat.
2.) Add the onion, & cook until wilted, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes).
3.) Add the potatoes, carrots, garlic, red chili flakes and coriander. Saute for 5 more minutes.
4.) Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, stock, salt, & a few grinds of pepper.
5.) Cover & gently simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 – 20 mins.
6.) Stir in the cilantro and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.

This dish started out as a lot of dishes start out.  I had some fresh cilantro that I originally bought for guacamole.  I was in the mood for chickpeas.  Last week I ate the last portion of my homemade bean soup supply from the freezer and needed another bean dish for quick lunches.      I went to my cookbook shelf and opened Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone in search of a chickpea recipe. This is what I found.

The changes I made to the original recipe were made to accommodate some ingredients I had in the pantry.  The only diced tomatoes I had on hand consisted of one tiny 10 ounce container that included chipotle.  Into the pool.  Red pepper chili flakes were added for a little more heat and flavor.  Organic vegetable stock replaced water from the original recipe to add depth of flavor.

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Dean Ornish: Can Healthy Eating Reverse Some Cancers? : NPR

Dean Ornish: Can Healthy Eating Reverse Some Cancers? : NPR.

Over 30 years have passed since I was a vegetarian.  My coworkers thought I was crazy.  Dinner invitations were met with hesitation.  Some friends made excuses like “My hamster is sick and I can’t come over for supper”.  My life as a vegetarian lasted 18 months.

At the grocery store the other day I was asked if I was a vegetarian.  I said no.  When I thought about the correct answer, I really had no answer.  There’s not really a good word to describe my eating habits.  Most weeks two thirds of my meals are meatless.  I avoid processed foods and fast food restaurants.  I guess I try to eat less bad food and more good health enhancing foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, less animal products, and more craft beer.

I stumbled upon this old TED talk this morning.  If you are not familiar with the work of Dr. Dean Ornish, this short video is a great place to start.