Peaches 'n Cream Stuffed French Toast

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Land O' Lakes, Inc. All opinions are my own.

Summer...lounging by the pool, fresh produce everywhere you turn, glowing skin, cook-outs and bonfires...longer days to connect with family and friends. Sunshine and beautiful days are glorious things. But there's a dark side too all of that sunshine too, and it manifests itself in butter dishes on kitchen counters across the country in the form of a pool of melted butter.

Baked Honey Cinnamon French Toast inspired by In Twenty Years

Today I'm happy to be hosting a book tour stop for In Twenty Years, a the latest novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, Allison Winn Scotch. The prologue takes us back to May of 1998, the final day on campus for a group of Penn graduating seniors who formed a bond freshman year and have since become so tight that they consider themselves a six-pointed star.

The main thing that drew me to this book in the first place was that I am the same age as the characters, so I figured I could identify with the premise—great friendships and hopeful dreams formed in college...and the reality of what's happened over the next 20(-ish) years. I knew the moment I started reading that I was right. Both of my favorite bands from that time period were referenced (Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band—still my fave, by the way), as well as some other pop culture and iconic references from the time.

Mexican (& Mexican-inspired) Breakfasts {#blogbreakfastclub roundup}

So you say it's breakfast time?  And you are in the mood for a little Mexican food?  Or maybe just something along those lines?  Well, look no further!  Last month I had the pleasure of hosting Breakfast Club, an event created by Helen of Fuss Free Flavours .  As the host, I was able to pick the theme, and since I'm almost ALWAYS craving them, you can bet that Mexican (& Mexican-inspired) breakfasts were my choice for the month.

So to inspire you to head into the kitchen with a little south-of-the-border flair, I bring you all of the mouthwatering recipes submitted this month.

First up, Karen from Karen's Kitchen Stories combined tortillas, eggs, poblanos, chorizo, cheese and so much more to make this mouthwatering Mexican Breakfast Casserole.  Seriously, just looking at it makes my mouth water.  I'll be making it sooner rather than later.

And then Jessica from Tejana Made decided to tickle a craving that I have had for at least two or three months with her absolutely amazing looking Machacado con Huevo.  I should probably tell you that I made it the very next morning.  And I couldn't be bothered to take pictures because I needed it my belly.  Next time.

Now we have two more of my favorite things to start the day with from Katie at Mexican Wildflower.  She brought (my all-time fave) Chilaquiles and Huevos Divociados.  I'm not sure what she's trying to do to me, but salsa-softened tortillas and eggs smothered in two types of salsa really gets me excited.  Just sayin'.

For my first submission this month, I decided to try yet another dish from a book that I currently can't get enough of.  Roasted poblanos and mushrooms topped with a golden yolk and ooey-gooey cheese...oh yeah.   I (Heather from girlichef) just had to bring these Poblano & Mushroom Baked Eggs.  It won't be my last time making them.

So.  Sunnyside up or scrambled?  What's that you say...both!?  Yeah, me too.  But no matter which version you choose, it's guaranteed to be tasty if you spice it up with a little Mexican flair and serve it inside of bright, beautiful pepper rings atop a bed of spiced onion like Karen from Lavender and Lovage did with her Mexican Breakfast Eggs - Two Ways!

Does anyone else wish that they could wake up to a cast-iron skillet filled with golden chunks of potato and the seductive heat of hatch chiles?  Come on, I know it's not just me.  I know Vianney from Sweet Life would share her Hatch Chile Breakfast Potatoes if I asked nicely.  And Vianney - one egg, over-easy and salsa, por favor!

Sometimes, you wake up with a sweet tooth.  Well, sometimes I wake up with a sweet tooth.  And I'm guessing that this delectable Mexican Chocolate French Toast from Chica Chocolatina would cradle that sweet tooth like a baby and make it feel loved.  Who doesn't want to start their day with a little chocolate and cinnamon now and then?

Katie from Mexican Wildflower is back (as if her other dishes didn't make me hungry enough) and this time she shared a protein-packed way to start the day with her Refried Black Beans.  We often start our day with a side of beans in my house...and I think a scoop of these would put a smile on my family's faces.

Another way that I love to start any day is with a plate of Migas.  Well, Claire from Chez Cayenne brought a beautiful plate of Tofu Migas to the table this month...and I just KNOW that I NEED to try them for myself.   What an awesome recipe to have in your arsenal for your vegan friends and family...or just when the mood strikes!

Let's bring this utterly fabulous Mexican (& Mexican-inspired) breakfast buffet to a close with another personal favorite (and a quickie) from my (Heather from girlichef) kitchen, Huevos Rancheros.  Tortillas, eggs, your favorite salsa, and some queso fresco.  That's pretty much my idea of happiness.

Muchas gracias to all of the amazing ladies that helped fill up my breakfast table during the month of August with their amazing dishes.  All that's left to do now is fill up my plate!

For more information on the Breakfast Club and future installments, please visit Helen at Fuss Free Flavours.

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #28 Anne-Sophie Pic - Pain Perdu (French Toast)

the "Gourmet" prompt...

28. Anne–Sophie Pic- OK, Le Fooding is more au courant than the stuffy old Michelin Guide, but that three–star award still means something. And Pic was the first woman to win it—in 50 years at her century–old family restaurant, La Maison Pic.

She's French.  Her father was a chef.  Her grandfather was a chef.  Growing up, her bedroom was situated over the kitchen of her family's restaurant.  So of course Anne-Sophie did what any normal teenager would do.  She rebelled. She rebelled against the family business of being in the kitchen.  She did (what I consider to be) a complete one-eighty by going overseas to study "management".  Fortunately, at 23 the pull of the kitchen led her back and she decided to train under her father.  Sadly, he passed away not long after she made her decision.  But she kept on...and she shook up the restaurant by changing the menu to "reflect her devotion to plain, natural ingredients".*  Can't you just hear the French curses flying!?

 Pain Perdu

{French Toast}

adapted from: Anne-Sophie Pic

serves: 2-4 people

4 fat slices of Brioche

2 eggs

10 grams sugar

5 dl (~1 c.) whole milk

½ vanilla bean

butter

Whisk together the eggs and the sugar.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and whisk them and the milk into the eggs.

Place a skillet over medium heat.  Dip each slice of Brioche into the custardy mixture and flip.  Let sit to soak for about five minutes.  

Add a pat of butter to the hot skillet and once it melts, lay on the soaked bread.  Cook for a few minutes, or until golden.  Flip and repeat.  Repeat with remaining slices.

Serve warm with more soft butter, seasonal jam (like this Pumpkin Jam), and/or maple syrup.  (note: I also love adding a good grating of nutmeg to my custard mixture.)

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Nancy- Picadillo, Mireya- My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica- My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Lovely Things, Claudia- Journey of an Italian Cook  

*source: The Guardian - A woman's place: France rocked by Michelin's latest three-star chef

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