Just about every family has their own recipe for French toast, but aside from a few who might make the mixture the same way each and every time, there really is no need for a recipe. (Did I just hear Escoffier rolling in his grave?  Perhaps, but it’s a true statement.) The basic foundation is nothing more than bread, eggs and milk.  From there any flavor combinations that suit your fancy are fair game, from vanilla, to sugar to liqueurs, it’s all up to your tastes and creativity.

I prefer to make my french toast simply. I’m not a fan of heavy flavors, especially first thing in the morning.  So when I decided to make this dish for my sons, my only real question was what to top the French toast with, not what I should put into the custard mix.

I haven’t purchased any syrup since we moved, so that was out of the question.  Just dropping on a pat of butter would have suited my tastes just fine, but kids like syrup.  A quick scout of the freezer turned up a bag of frozen blueberries that had been slated for muffins, but with my wife leaving in a few days, I decided it was safe to use them, and my new go-to recipe for berry syrup was born.

A loaf of Texas style white bread, a bit of time with some sugar and water and viola! A breakfast that my kids raved about for three hours.  If that’s not a success, I don’t know what is.

Does your family have a specific French toast method? Is there a certain set of spices used?  Are you a fan of crunchy coatings or of the slightly softer traditional versions?  What do you pour over your French Toast?  Let us know will you?

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Popularity: 3% [?]

I can usually avoid desserts, but cheesecake is my weakness.  I can’t be in the same room with a cheesecake and not just have to have some.  It was love at first bite for me, and it’s a love affair I’m happy to say is still alive and well. That’s why when I saw a recipe for Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake on the cover of a store circular, I knew I just had to make it.

I’m glad I did.  The result was an intensely mousse-like custard with the subtle flavor of a pumpkin pie covered in melting vanilla ice cream.  And you don’t need any ice cream!  This really is one for the “go to” list of recipes, especially if you’re looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie for the holidays.

A word of warning though.  This is a massive cheesecake.  You probably won’t want to make this unless you’ve either  got help polishing it off, or you’re addicted to the gym.  It’s good enough that you won’t be able to stop eating it, and according to the information on the unmodified version, each slice is going to cost you about a quarter of a recommended daily caloric intake. (My version is most definitely higher in calories.)

This thing is like pumpkin flavored crack.  It’s addictive.  You have been warned.

Now where’s my dessert plate?

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Popularity: 10% [?]

Who doesn’t love cheesecake? If made properly it is decadent, creamy, fluffy and just sweet enough to satisfy the cravings of any sweet tooth. It can be made in a variety of flavors, and toppings are always welcome. It plays well with others and finds its place easily as the star dessert at back yard barbecues and five star restaurants.  It’s just that good. The only problem with it is that I have a tendency to eat way too much of one kind and don’t have room to sample others. This little recipe solves all that.

These mini cheesecakes are tiny.  They are perfect for appetizers or if served in all of their possible variations, as a perfect dessert sampling menu. Go crazy with toppings and you could serve a seven course dessert without breaking a sweat. Trust me, the Oooh’s and Ahhhs you’ll get will be worth the effort.

The inspiration for them came from a recipe by Giada DeLaurentis, but as usual, I found Giada’s original version somewhat uninspired.  Oh, they were good, but they weren’t jaw dropping, and they were more labor intensive than this variation. The original called for orange zest, but for my tastes it just didn’t work as well as I’d hoped, so i swapped out for vanilla.  The results were superb.

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Popularity: 4% [?]