FRENCH TOAST WITH ORANGE CASSEROLE
1 loaf Texas Toast
8 large eggs
2 c. half-and-half
½ c. 2% milk
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. orange peel
2 tsp. orange extract or 2 Tbs. Grand Marnier (orange liqueur)
½ c. orange juice
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Dash of salt
Syrup
Pecan Topping
1 stick (8 Tbs.) butter, at room temperature
½ c. light brown sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
1 Tbs. light corn syrup
½ tsp. cinnamon
Butter or spray a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange the Texas Toast in 2 rows, overlapping the bread. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, orange peel, orange extract or Grand Marnier, orange juice, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until well combined. Pour the mixture over the bread and pour it in between the bread slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Combine Pecan Topping and set aside until morning.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Top French toast with Pecan Topping and bake for 40 minutes. Serve with your favorite syrup.
HARD-BOILED EGGS
For easier peeling use eggs that are 7 to 10 days old.
Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling. Remove from burner. Cover pan and let eggs stand in hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra-large eggs). Drain immediately and serve warm or cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water, then refrigerate.
Banish the greenish ring. This harmless but unsightly discoloration that sometimes forms around hard-boiled yolks results from a reaction of sulfur in the egg white and iron in the yolk. It occurs when eggs have been cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Our method—cooking eggs in hot, not boiling, water, then cooling immediately—minimizes this. Piercing shells before cooking is not recommended. Never microwave eggs in shells, as steam builds up too quickly inside and eggs are likely to explode.
BACON AND CHEDDAR DEVILED EGGS
14 hard-boiled eggs
½ c. mayonnaise
½ c. sour cream
1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. pepper
1/3 c. crumbled cooked bacon
¼ c. finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 Tbs. fresh chopped chives or green onion tops
Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to medium bowl. Reserve 24 white halves. Chop remaining four white halves. Mash yolks with fork. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, pepper bacon, cheese, chives, and chopped whites; mix well.
No-mess method of filling white halves: Combine filling ingredients in a 1-quart plastic bag. Press out air and seal bag. Press and roll bag with hand until mixture is well blended. Push filling forward to bottom corner of bag. Snip off about ½ inch of corner. Squeeze filling from bag into white halves.
Deviled eggs can be made up to 12 hours ahead. Refrigerate, covered.
EGG SALAD
6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
¼ c. mayonnaise
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced onion
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ c. finely chopped celery
Lettuce leaves
Reserve four center egg slices for garnish, if desired. Chop remaining eggs. Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Add chopped eggs and celery; mix well. Refrigerate, covered, to blend flavors. Serve on lettuce leaves, garnished with reserved egg slices.
SEAFOOD SOUFFLÉ
Fine breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese or cornmeal
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. salt
1½ c. milk
6 egg whites, at room temperature
¾ tsp. cream of tartar
6 egg yolks
1 can (6.5 oz.) minced clams, drained well
1 pkg. (4-oz.) tiny frozen cooked shrimp, defrosted, drained well
½ c. chopped green onions
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a lightly greased 2 to 2½-quart soufflé dish evenly and completely with breadcrumbs. Make a triple thick 4-inch wide step band of aluminum foil, long enough to go around the dish and overlap by 2 inches. Lightly grease one side of the band and coat with crumbs. Wrap around outside of dish, coated side facing in and extending at least 2-inches above the top. Fasten with string or strong masking tape. Set aside.
Mix flour, mustard and salt in medium saucepan; gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in mixer bowl with whisk attachment on high speed, until stiff peaks, but not dry, just until whites no longer slip when bowl is tilted. Stir egg yolks into reserved sauce until blended. Add clams, shrimp, green onions and lemon juice; mix well. Gently, but thoroughly, fold yolk mixture into whites until no streaks of white remain. Carefully pour into prepared dish. For a “Top Hat”: hold metal spatula upright and make a ring in top of mixture, 1 inch from side of dish and 1 inch deep, if desired. Bake at 350°F. until soufflé is puffy, delicately browned and shakes slightly when oven rack is moved gently back and forth, for about 50-60 minutes. Quickly, but gently, remove foil. Serve immediately.
Hint: Room temperature eggs are called for as the whites incorporate much better than cold egg whites. But an egg brought to room temperature should never be left un-refrigerated more than 2 hours.