By BeeWench

My mom always made a special breakfast for Christmas morning, so I love to make the french toast bake the night before and cook in the morning. The oranges are so good right now, so make sure to get fresh ones from the market to use in the recipe and to make some fresh orange juice to go with breakfast. You can make or use regular caramel, but I personally love making caramel with the peanut butter olive oil from The Groves on 41 and maple syrup. This is a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast or just a great weekend morning brunch meal. 

My favorite dish every holiday was my grandma’s scalloped potatoes. I love experimenting with different cheeses, so check out Black Market Cheese, Stepladder Creamery, and Central Coast Creamery for samples and use your favorites in this dish. I made ours with the Tomme to Kill from Black Market Cheese and some Seascape from Central Coast Creamery. You can always stick with tradition and make it with cheddar also. Add some ham to make this a full meal.

Make sure to check out the Paso Farmers Market and Crafts every Saturday morning downtown for fresh veggies, tasty food to enjoy and beautiful handmade gifts. If you are looking for something special to share with your family, CK Scones has the best flavors and even offers take-and-bake options. You can even order ahead and pick it up from the Tuesday Paso Robles market. 

Fruits:

  • Pomegranates
  • Citrus
  • Persimmons 

Vegetables:

  • Arugula
  • Beets
  • Broccoli 
  • Cabbage
  • Kale
  • Sweet Potato
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Peas
  • Mushrooms
  • Celery

Orange Caramel French Toast Bake

Ingredients:

For the caramel:

  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, but give it a good crunch)

For the french toast:

  • 1 1/4 cup orange juice (fresh is great!)
  • 1 1/4 cup almond milk (any milk will work)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (pure maple syrup also works)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 pound/loaf day old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

For the topping

  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish or casserole dish with spray or butter.
  2. Combine melted butter and brown sugar in a small bowl, pour the mixture into prepared baking dish, be sure to spread out evenly towards the sides. Sprinkle with chopped pecans (optional). Place cubed bread evenly over the pecan mixture.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, almond milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and orange zest. Pour egg mixture over the bread, making sure to soak each cube. If there are some dry pieces, simply push them down a bit to soak up some of the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
  4. Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of the bread. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the top of the french toast bake is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes then cut into 8 servings.
  5. When you plate, flip each piece upside-down so the caramel and pecans are on top. Serve with fresh berries, yogurt, powdered sugar, or maple syrup. Enjoy!

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup broth (any kind, but I love using chicken broth)
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 pounds yellow potatoes, sliced â…›-inch thick
  • ½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute, then slowly add the milk followed by the broth, whisking continuously. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.
  3. Layer half of the potatoes at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half the onion, then half the sauce and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes, onion, sauce, and ½ cup cheese.
  4. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese on top is browned. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

If making this the night before, cover and cook for 30 minutes and remove from oven. Keep in the fridge and put on the counter 30 minutes before cooking without a cover for 35-40 minutes at 400.

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