Innside New Jersey

EAT INN: Fried Pastry Bows and Bread Pudding sweeten the new year!

Blueberry French Toast

Cream cheese is the magic ingredient in this Blueberry French Toast recipe from Whistling Swann Inn in Stanhope.

1 (1-pound) loaf Italian bread, cut
into 1-inch cubes
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, diced
1 cup blueberries

12 eggs
2 cups milk
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup

Blueberry Sauce:

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water

1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon butter

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Place half of the bread cubes in the baking pan. Sprinkle the cream cheese on top of the bread cubes. Top with the blueberries and the remaining bread cubes.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer or until golden brown and the center is set. Cut into squares and serve with the blueberry sauce.

 

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Egg and Sausage Soufflé

Add some diced chilies to this Egg and Sausage Soufflé from The Cottage on the River in Island Heights and fire up your day.

To save time, prepare the sausage and cheese the day before and refrigerate them. In the morning, everything is ready to bake. You can also assemble the whole dish the night before with excellent results.

1 small loaf day-old French bread,
  cut in 1-inch slices
4 cups milk
8 eggs

1 pound bulk pork breakfast sausage
1 (4-ounce) jar diced chilies (optional)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Grease a 12 by 10-inch baking dish.

Cover the bottom of the baking dish with the bread, filling any cracks or spaces with pieces of bread.

In a large bowl, beat the milk with the eggs. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350˚F.

In a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain well. Sprinkle the sausage over the egg-soaked bread. Add the chilies and grated cheeses. Turn the bread mixture over with a fork so that all the ingredients are distributed evenly throughout.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer or until evenly browned and puffy. Serve hot, with salsa if desired.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings.