Tag Archives: almonds

January 28, 2012 · 10:09 pm

Banana Stuffed French Toast With Streusel Topping

Sometimes a decadent breakfast is required in order to start the day out right. Although I would not recommend doing this everyday, I completely think that indulging for breakfast every now and then is totally acceptable.

This is exactly how I felt this past weekend – I just wanted French Toast and did not want to care about the dreaded caloric content. My solution? Decadent breakfast + smaller-than-normal portion size = one satisfied lady with a stomach that was not too full!

Step 1: Cut Challah Bread into Slices and
Cut “Pouch”; Cut Banana Slices

Step 2: Carmelize Bananas and Stuff into Bread

Step 3: Whisk the Egg Mixture Together

Step 4: Place Stuffed Bread in Egg Mixture with Almonds

Step 5: Combine Streusel Topping; Place on Top and Bake

Although decadent, I am happy to have made this. One recommendation is to be careful with the soak time of the challah bread and how much liquid it absorbs. Other than that, a perfect start to a Saturday or Sunday!

Cheers!

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Filed under Bake, Cook

Tagged as almonds, banana, Bon Appetit, bread, breakfast, brunch, challah, challah bread, egg bread, Epicurious, food, France, French, french food, french toast, fruit, nuts, recipes, streusel, stuffed french toast, toast

August 21, 2011 · 4:41 pm

Strawberry-Almond-Cream-Tart

So, continuing with this past weekend’s trend of using almonds, I found a recipe for a Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart during a recent shopping excursion at the local grocery store. After looking through recipe after recipe in the grocery store magazine aisle, I finally settled upon this one. But, I’m not going to lie, at first glance, I solely wanted to try this recipe because it looked “pretty” and it contained almonds. It wasn’t until after my impulse buy and I was in the car already on the way home that I realized that this would be a perfect dessert for a dinner party: light, summery, and the strawberries I had chosen were actually ripe!

Step 1: Crush Graham Crackers (You
Can Use a Food Processor — I Just Chose
to Smash Them in Bags!)

Step 2: Combine Crushed Graham Cracker
Crumbs With Butter and Sugar

Step 3: Spray Pan With Cooking Spray;
Press Graham Cracker Crumbs Into Pan

Step 4: Mix Cream Cheese With Almond
and Vanilla Extracts Plus Sugar

Step 5: Cut Fresh Strawberries

Step 6: Add Strawberries and
Almonds to Top; Bake and Enjoy!

Although I altered a few things from the original recipe, I’m happy with how it turned out. I really liked implementing nuts into this dessert because I often don’t ever think to add them to desserts. The key for the best flavor is to toast the almonds and the key to the best construction of this dessert is to use enough cooking spray (I didn’t and had some architectural failure when taking it out of the spring form pan). Anyway, all in all, this is a flavorful dessert that is light and doesn’t leave you feeling too full which is just perfect for summertime!

Cheers!

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Tagged as almonds, berries, butter, cake, cheese, cheesecake, Cooking Light, cream, cream cheese, crust, dessert, eating well, food, fruit, graham cracker, graham cracker crust, nuts, pie, strawberries, strawberry-almond cream tart, sugar, tart, vanilla

· 5:33 am

Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers

Lately, I have been doing a lot of cooking with friends which makes the whole experience just that much better. This past weekend was no different. This time, my lovely roommate found a recipe for Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers that she wanted to try. I don’t have them very often, but every now and then I will crave chicken nuggets — so, let’s just say I was more than excited when she mentioned this recipe. Plus, I was intrigued by the fact that the crust contained almonds which happens to be one of my favorite nuts. Did I mention that the recipe called for few ingredients too? Stellar pick by my roommate!

Step 1: Chop Almonds

Step 2: Pulse Almonds, Spices,
Flour & Olive Oil in Food Processor

Step 3: Cut Chicken; Dip in Egg
Batter and Then Almond Mixture

Step 4: Bake Chicken and Enjoy!

This chicken recipe was fantastic and goes well with salad as a side dish. But, don’t forget to add oil or cooking spray to prevent the underside of the chicken from sticking (we accidentally made that mistake — oops!). And, if you are a sauce fiend like me, don’t forget to use a plethora of sauces too!

Cheers!

Festive Biscotti for December

Biscuit? Bread? Cookie? Depending on who you talk to or what region of the world you are in, Biscotti takes on a different classification. In my opinion, I view Biscotti as a dessert and therefore classify it as a cookie. So, as I searched for Biscotti recipes on FoodNetwork.com, I finally settled upon Almond and Lemon Biscotti Dipped in White Chocolate.

The task of baking Biscotti seemed quite daunting considering that I had never made it before. Unfortunately, my first batch of Biscotti burned on the outside and remained uncooked in the center. By making a few modifications, I was able to reverse my previous mistakes and create some festive Biscotti with a few added elements (sprinkles)!

Step 1: Mix Eggs, Sugar, and Lemon Zest