Serves 8 to 10

Baked Peach French Toast
Ingredients

• 6 1"-thick slices whole-grain bread

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese

• 6 sliced medium (or 8 small) fresh peaches

• ½-cup pecans, chopped

• ½-cup whole milk

• ½-cup buttermilk

• 1/3-cup maple syrup

• 3 large eggs

• 2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tbs. sugar

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 tbs. Kahlua coffee liqueur (optional)

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

• Lay bread slices in a casserole dish or other baking dish

• Prick bread 3-4 times each with a paring knife

• Spread a layer of cream cheese on top of each slice of bread

• Arrange peach slices on top of bread slices to cover bread

• Sprinkle nuts over peaches

• Combine remaining ingredients well

• Pour over bread, trying not to dislodge nuts too much from top of peaches

• Bake 20-30 minutes, or until bread is no longer "soggy" and just begins to brown on the edges

Note: You may also let assembled French toast sit refrigerated in liquid for several hours or overnight before baking. Cored and peeled apple slices may also be substituted for the peach slices.
Serves 6

Potato Gratin
Ingredients

• 2 lbs. potatoes (Yukon Gold or other waxy potato), unpeeled

• 1 ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 3 oz. apple wood smoked ham, cut into bite-size pieces (smoked turkey also works, or omit meat altogether for a vegetarian version)

• 1 tbs. cornstarch or arrowroot

• 2 cups whole milk

• 4 tsp Dijon mustard

• 8 drops Tabasco sauce

• 4 tbs unsalted butter

• 6 oz to 1 cup chopped fresh chives

• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

• Butter a 12-inch oval gratin dish, or six individual (10-12-inch) ramekins

• Cut the potatoes into disks no more than ¼-inch thick (use a mandoline or the slicer blade on a food processor)

• Place half the potatoes on the bottom of the dish, arranging them around the edge of the dish in concentric circles (like roof shingles, with the edge of one slice at the center of the previous one). If they don’t cover the center of the dish completely, add one or two more slices to cover the dish.

• Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg

• Sprinkle with about 1/3 of the cheese.

• Arrange ham on top, spreading evenly throughout dish

• Sprinkle ½ of the chives on top

• Place the remaining potatoes in another layer, overlapping as before

• Sprinkle again with salt, pepper, and nutmeg

• Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese

• Add cornstarch to the milk in a large bowl and whisk until dissolved

• Stir in mustard until thoroughly blended

• Add Tabasco sauce

• Pour the mixture evenly over the potatoes.

• Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the top

• Bake until potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife and the top is deep golden brown, about 1 hour.

• Sprinkle with the rest of the chives and serve hot

Serves 6

Baked Sour Cream Omelet
Ingredients

• 1/2 loaf whole-grain bread (crusts removed), cubed

• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded

• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

• 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (Applewwod Smoked bacon is particularly good if you can get it)

• 4 scallions, chopped

• 8 medium eggs

• 1 1/3 cups milk (optional: substitute ½ the milk with buttermilk)

• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or basil

• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

• 1/3 cup white wine (optional)

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3/4 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche, if you can find it)

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 cup grated Parmeggioano Reggiano cheese

• Paprika to taste

• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

• Arrange bread cubes on bottom in a checkerboard pattern (a space between each cube) and sprinkle cheeses, thyme/basil, bacon and scallions over bread. Continue with additional layers until all ingredients are used.

• In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, wine, mustard, sour cream, nutmeg and peppers until foamy.

• Pour mixture evenly over the cheese and bread.

• Cover tightly with foil.

• Bake in a 325-degree oven for 45 minutes or until set.

• Remove foil and sprinkle omelet with Parmesan cheese and paprika.

• Return uncovered to the oven and bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.