Driving slow on Sunday mornings

I needed to borrow a line from Maroon 5 because it perfectly describes the Sundays I’ve been spending this last month and a half. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’re probably sick of hearing me complain about how tired I’ve been recently. Sorry, guys. There just have been weeks when I feel so out of it that I don’t spend time in the kitchen at all (thank goodness for backlogs and former baking frenzies). I haven’t made any breads in a while which makes me sad, but I’ve gained a new appreciation for things that are quick to whip up with an equally satisfying pay-off. And since it’s nearly the weekend once again, I thought it would be nice to share just that kind of recipe.

So what’s so special about French toast? Well technically it’s fancy pan-fried bread, which doesn’t exactly make it the healthiest of breakfasts. But you know what I love about it? The simplicity with which it can be done while at the same time looking like it took some extra effort to prepare. That’s why you often see french toast as part of the surprise-breakfast-in-bed scenes on TV shows. You know, scenes where the kids surprise their moms on Mother’s Day; or when the spouse brings in the wooden breakfast table filled with goodies to apologise for an argument.

For me, french toast is perfect for when you decide to whip yourself and your family a special treat but you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen– maybe you’re tired from a busy week like I have been, or you simply aren’t in the mood to wash too many dishes when you’re done. Whatever your reasons, if you’re planning on taking it easy but you still want to cook up something nice to start the day, I’ve got just the thing.

Picture it: bread + Nutella + bananas + a special cinnamon-y cream concoction for frying your bread with. It’s basically Nutella-banana bread elevated to a different level! Since people of all ages love Nutella, and Nutella-banana is always such a stellar combination, it’s truly easy to love this Nutella & Banana-Stuffed French Toast.

You can use whatever bread is available, though just make sure your bread will hold all your bananas in when you flip your toast over. I used a combination of our usual store-bought whole wheat bread folded in half, and some whole pieces of sandwiched white bread as well. Whichever bread you choose, the banana and Nutella will still shine through, complemented by strong cinnamon notes from the batter used to fry the toast. The French toast is easy to cook since it’s not so finicky. Heck I cooked mine in a wok since I haven’t been able to buy a decent non-stick skillet yet!

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Nutella-Banana French Toast

A really easy way to amp up breakfast using bread, Nutella, and bananas!

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 8 to 10 bread slices, you can use challah, or whatever bread is available
• ¼ cup Nutella
• 2 bananas, sliced, plus additional for serving
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• butter, for frying
• maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

Prepare sandwiches for frying

• 1. If using regular bread, spread Nutella on one piece of bread and place slices of bananas to cover the surface. Top with another piece of bread to create a sandwich. If using challah, slice each into 1 inch thick.
• 2. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket inside each slice of bread being careful not to split the bread into two slices. Spread a portion of the Nutella inside each pocket and then layer in the sliced bananas.
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Prepare the ingredients for the batter

• 3. Whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl. Place bread and batter close to where you will be cooking the toast.
• 
• 4. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough butter to liberally coat the bottom of the pan. You want the pan to be hot, but not smoking.
• 5. Dip each filled bread into the mixture, ensuring the bread is fully soaked on all sides. Repeat with the remaining filled bread. In batches, fry the soaked slices of bread until the egg mixture is fully cooked, about 3 minutes per side.
• 
• 6. Place the cooked toast on top of paper towels to soak away some of the excess butter. Top the French toast with additional banana slices and serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.
• 

Notes

Adapted from Just A Taste blog

And now, after such a yummy breakfast, don’t forget to enjoy the weekend! 🙂