Croissant French Toast

Best French toast ever, period.  Wish I could claim to have invented it, but that honor goes to my mother-in-law Jeanne.  Apparently there was a morning where some old croissants were the only bread around, and the rest is history.  They become tender without losing their structure, they brown beautifully, and of course they're chock full of buttery goodness.

These don't require top-notch croissants -- we've used ones from Costco and Food Lion so far.  You want to halve them through the equator, so you expose a lot of the inside surface.  If they're small, you can cut them not-quite-through, so you get a butterfly shape.  The rest of the recipe is pretty standard.  You just want to dunk them into the custard, let the excess drip off, and then put them in the pan.  If you leave them soaking, (1) you'll need more custard and (2) they may fall apart.

Heat a griddle or 12" skillet over medium.  In a medium bowl, whisk

1. 3 eggs
2. 1 c milk
3. 1 T sugar
4. salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to taste

Into this mixture, dip

1. croissants, halved

Fry croissants in batches in a few tablespoons of butter until nicely browned on both sides.  Hold in warm oven until ready to serve.  Serve with syrup or cinnamon sugar.

Chewy Granola Bars

Although granola is awesome, bars are easier to transport.  This recipe and variations on it has been my daily breakfast for the past few months.  I adapted it from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from King Arthur Flour.  I've reworked the process to dirty the absolute minimum number of dishes, taking good advantage of the kitchen scale.

In the food processor, combine these ingredients.  Process the oats to flour, then add the fruit and chop, then add the nuts and chop again:

1. 1 1/2 (1/3 c) oz old-fashioned oats, processed to flour
2. 5 oz (1 c) dried fruit, such as apricots or figs
3. 5 oz  (1 c) nuts, such as pecans or peanuts

In the bowl you just used for weighing the fruit and nuts, now combine these ingredients and whisk together until smooth:

1. 1/2 oz (1 T) water
2. 1 3/8 oz (2 T) corn syrup
3. 3 3/8 oz (1/4 c) honey
4. 3 1/2 oz (1/2 c) granulated sugar
5. 2 5/8 oz (6 T) oil, such as canola
6. 2 7/8 oz (1/3 c) nut butter, such as peanut or almond
7. 1 t vanilla
8. 1/4 t cinnamon
9. 1/2 t salt

Mix in the contents of the food processor plus:

1. 5 1/2 oz (1 2/3 c) old-fashioned oats
2. 5 oz (1 c) chocolate chips (optional but encouraged)

Line a 9" x 9" pan with greased aluminum foil or parchment paper.  (The paper is harder to work, but doesn't leave little slivers of foil in your bars when you cut them.)  Use plastic wrap to keep your hands clean while you pack the granola very firmly into the pan.  Cook for 35-40 min at 350 F, until they're bubbly and have picked up some color.  Cool completely before cutting (I cut into 16 squares), store in refrigerator.  If bars are too crumbly, cook them longer next time.  The add-ins (fruit, nuts, and chocolate) can be exchanged for other ingredients as long as the total is kept at 10-15 oz / 2-3 cups.

Baby Meatballs

As in, meatballs for a baby, not cute little meatballs. These are one of the few proteins Evan will eat, and I can see why -- they're really quite delicious, no matter how old you are. The trick is in the grated apple and in breading them before cooking. The recipe is from First Meals by Annabel Karmel.

In a mixing bowl, combine

1. 1 lb. ground beef
2. 1 onion, finely chopped
3. 1 T chopped fresh parsley (optional)
4. 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 2 T hot water (Mmmm, MSG!)
5. 1 small apple, peeled and coarsely grated
6. 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
7. pinch brown sugar
8. salt and pepper, to taste

Mix thoroughly, then shape into about 24 meatballs. Roll in all-purpose flour to coat, then saute in a little olive oil until browned on all sides and cooked through.

These keep for a few days in the fridge, or you can put them in a plastic container and freeze them. It's easy to take out 1 or 2 frozen meatballs and heat them for ~30 seconds in the microwave for instant baby dinner!