Seriously, the most decadent baked French toast ever.....

French Toast.....pain perdu

"This dish does have its origins in France, where it is known as "ameritte" or *pain perdu* ("lost bread"), a term that has persisted, in Creole and Cajun cookery; in Spain it is called "torriga" and in England "Poor Knights of Windsor," which is the same name for the dish in Denmark, "arme riddere," and Germany, "arme ritter." At one time or another in America it has been referred to as "Spanish," "German," or "nun's toast," and its first appearance in print as "French Toast" was in 1871. "
---The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani (p. 134)

We had company over for brunch and I wanted to try something new. I did some research and decided to check  The Pioneer Woman's website in case she had it. Not surprising she did. I compared a few other recipes and decided to try hers. She is amazing and even has her own show now. I can understand why.......You can make it with any stale bread but I made it with challah bread. I soaked the bread and liquid all night, before baking it the next morning.
So whether you're making this dish for yourself or company you will never eat regular French toast again.

Here is the link for it :
http://thepioneerwoman.com/

I would love to hear from you if you make it............
Bon appetit !

Mini Pastry Canoli Cups................to die for

 Because so many people have asked me for the recipe I've decided to put it here on my blog. Please note that I did alter a few things from the original recipe from the  Pillsbury's site. The only other change I would recommend is that you double the cream filling recipe. I found that the one they give in the recipe doesn't make enough.

• 20 min
• total time 45 min
• ingredients 9
• servings 48

  Ingredients

Filling

1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cups

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Garnish

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Additional powdered sugar

Steps

1 In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Place filling in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate while making cups. Or you can spoon it instead when ready to fill.

2 Heat oven to 350°F. On lightly floured work surface, unroll pie crusts. Sprinkle each crust with turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Lightly roll rolling pin over sugar and cinnamon to press into pastry. With 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut out pastry rounds. Lightly press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cup.

3 Bake about 7 minutes or until pastry cups are golden brown. Cool completely in pans, about 15 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling racks.

4 Just before serving, remove filling from refrigerator. Cut 1 bottom corner off bag; pipe scant tablespoon filling into cooled pastry cups. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Store any remaining pastry cups at room temperature and filling in refrigerator.

Enjoy .Buon Appetito.....

My Kitchen Aid mixer is tired....very tired

This year I decided to not bake 14 different kinds of cookies. After all who needs all those calories ?
I did make an all time favorite : chocolate espresso cookies and I also made Russian tea cakes, Florentine Lace cookies and Brown sugar chocolate chip cookies..........all quite decadent and I suppose all favorites. As if that wasn't enough I made some cupcakes with butter cream frosting adorned with pretty little Holiday decorations.
If I died after our Christmas meal, I'd die happy.
I also tried a new dessert this year because I saw a picture of it on facebook, and it looked wonderful. So wonderful I wanted to dive into the photo itself.
 They are mini cannoli pastry cups. In fact I just finished straining the riccota cheese over night in order to make the cannoli filling. I cannot wait to taste them tomorrow, after I fill the cups I'll cheat and taste one. I wouldn't want to serve the family AKA my guests anything that didn't taste good.

PS> Before posting this blog, I must make a confession : I am truly ashamed of myself. I couldn't resist, I just had to fill two pastry cups with the cannoli cream.............All I can tell you is that I could eat these at every single meal for the rest of my life and be very content............they are light and just sweet enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make one more.......I pray I have some left for tomorrow.