Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bites

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bites

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3 Tablespoons Sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of Salt

1 loaf french bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Maple Syrup

Instructions:

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, milk, vanilla, and salt until blended. Place the bread cubes in the egg mixture and using a large spoon, toss gently until the cubes are evenly coated and all the egg mixture has been absorbed.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add half the coated bread cubes and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cubes to the bowl holding the cinnamon sugar and toss to coat. Repeat with the remaining bread cubes and 1 tablespoon butter.

Divide the french toast bites into individual servings and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar. Serve with maple syrup.

Shrimp with Avocado-Mango Salsa

In addition to being a great source of good-for-you fat, avocados are

full of fiber and bloat-busting potassium.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 large mango, peeled and diced
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• PREPARATION

  1. Heat grill. Fold four 18-inch-long pieces of foil in half; unfold and coat inside with cooking spray. Place 2 cups spinach in center of 1 half of each piece of foil. Combine couscous with 1/4 cup water; divide evenly among packets, placing on top of spinach. Combine shrimp, 1/4 cup cilantro, oil and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Divide shrimp evenly among packets, placing next to couscous. Fold foil to close and crimp edges to seal; place on grill; close lid; cook until packets are fully puffed, 10 minutes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro with remaining 1/4 tsp salt, mango, avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeño and lime juice in a bowl. Carefully cut foil to open; stir contents; garnish with salsa before serving.

Artichoke Flatbread

Prep: 15 minutesGrill: 4 minutes

ingredients

• 4
  whole wheat flat bread (naan)
• 3
  Tbsp. olive oil
• 6
  cups fresh spinach leaves
• 6
  oz. garlic and herb flavored goat cheese, crumbled
• 2
  6-oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1
  medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2
  tsp. salt
• 1/4
  tsp. pepper
• Pizza seasoning (optional
  
  
  
  
  directions

  1.Brush both sides of flat breads lightly with some of the oil. For a charcoal grill, place the flat breads on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 2 minutes or until golden. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Add flat breads to grill rack. Cover and grill as above.) Remove from heat.

  2.Top the grilled side of each flat bread with spinach, cheese, artichoke hearts, and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return to grill rack and grill about 2 minutes more until bottoms are browned and toppings are heated through. Top with pizza seasoning. Makes 4 servings.

  
  

Stuffed Zucchini

I like the simple things in life. Simple ingredients, simple techniques, maximum flavor. But I guess you know that by now. Especially when you hand me a recipe that doubles as an appetizer or side dish, you just reel me in.

Stuffed zucchinis are so versatile. It creates an endless amount of possibilities because almost anything goes with the smooth and silky flavor (and texture) of the zucchinis. Preparing them can be tedious for me (note how I’m saying for me?) though. Boiling them first, stuffing them and then in the oven. Too time consuming. It’s how I learned it along time ago and it seems I got stuck in my ways.

So lately I’ve been wondering if there are easier and faster ways to prepare them. Now the blog name doesn’t say ‘Dutch Girl Cooking’ for nothing, so I trodded back to my kitchen, slaved over a hot stove and can now safely say: Yes, there is an easier way!

Now please, please, don’t tell me you’ve been doing it like this for 10 years straight! You’ll make me feel completely and utterly stupid! A little white lie, for my sake? Please?

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tomato
1 tsp thyme
2 zucchinis
1 onion
cheese
pepper

Optional: bacon

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 (200C).

Give the zucchini a good scrub.

Slice them in half length-ways. You can trim the ends if you like. I never do, I kinda like how rustic it makes them look.

Spoon out the guts. I love how that sounds, has to be the Halloween thing. Oh wait, we don’t celebrate Halloween here! Never mind. Just take it out (leave about 1/2 an inch in) until you end up with boat like shells.

See the pink ‘bracelet’ I’m wearing? Yes, it’s (of course) linked tothis posting.

Now give the zucchini pulp a good chop, also chop a small onion and 1/2 a tomato while you’re at it. I’m only using half a tomato (more for color than flavor, really) otherwise things will become a teeny bit too fluid. Having everything gush out of your zucchini is not a pretty sight, trust me!

Notice how I didn’t use garlic for a change? It’s the rebel in me. What can I say? I just don’t want to be predictable after all. Sautee the onions in one tbsp oil or butter. It’s ok for them to brown a little this time ’round.

When the onions are almost done, add 1/4 tsp curry powder and cook everything for an additional 30 seconds. No longer or the curry powder will turn bitter. When they’re done, transfer them to a big bowl.

Now this is completely optional. If you want to stick with a vegetable dish, fine, just leave the bacon out. I personally like the crunch and saltiness it gives, so I cook a few slices and let them drain on a paper towel.

Now (in no particular order), add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt, 1 heaping tbsp sour cream, a good pinch of pepper, the zucchini pulp, the tomato and crumble the bacon in as well.

Lightly butter a baking dish and put the zucchini boats in. You only see two of them in my photos because I’ll finish the rest tonight. They’re best served straight out of the oven. Afraid I’ll just have to sacrifice myself and eat both of them pretty soon, all for the sake of blogging, of course. It would be a shame if they’d go to waste, wouldn’t it?

Grab a spoon and fill the shells with the mix. Sprinkle some aged cheese on top.

Put them in a preheated oven, give them about 20 minutes and then turn on the grill until the top is golden brown. Sprinkle some coarsely chopped curly leaf parsley (the most underrated herb there is) on top and you’re done.

Hello, my pretties!