The weekend is here and it is time for a treat. There has been a lot of healthy cooking going on here – Mushroom & Edamame Salad, Baked Trout (or Salmon), Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins and Roasted Cauliflower, to name a few. For weekend brunch, we are going to break out the cream cheese, pumpkin and white bread, and cook up some stuffed French toast. Besides, with what we experienced in Utah yesterday, we deserve some comfort food. Keep going, you’ll see what I mean.
Last weekend, we loaded up our daypacks with water, sunscreen, sandwiches and apples, and headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon for a hike. If you have ever skied Solitude or Brighton, then you have travelled up this beautiful canyon, complete with dramatic mountains jutting straight up from the side of the road and pine and aspen trees interspersed between the slate gray rocks. It is beautiful in every season, but really shows off its best side at the beginning of autumn.
We started at the trailhead, ready to set off on the 3-mile hike to Lake Blanche, which is flanked by Sundial, Dromedary and Sunrise Peaks. Three miles may not sound like a long route but when the elevation change is 2700 feet, you work up a sweat and an appetite. Let me tell you, turkey sandwiches never taste as good as they do when you are sitting by a mountain lake after a big hike. The boys were troupers, never complaining on the 5-hour round-trip journey. Our youngest picked up a walking stick within the first five minutes and strolled with it the whole way.
As much as I enjoy playing in the leaves in our own backyard and watching the mountains from afar as they change from a blanket of green to a rainbow of fall colors, there is something special about experiencing the changes of autumn right smack dab in the middle of nature. It is peaceful, it is spectacularly beautiful and it provides an opportunity to share it with each other. My husband and I always say that a quiet spot high in the mountains, where the hustle and bustle of every day life seems so far away, is our church.
Yesterday, a mere four days after the hike (in which we were wearing shorts and t-shirts), a cold front came through. I don’t mean that there was just a nip in the air. No, I mean that the temperature plummeted from 85 degrees to 35 degrees F. And it snowed! In case you think I’m pulling your leg, here’s a scene from our back door.
You can see why we might be craving comfort foods – foods that warm us from our fingertips to our toes. Pumpkin and spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon hold a natural warmth, as though someone is wrapping a blanket around you. This stuffed French toast is full of all of those things and is a lovely way to start a weekend morning. Top it with toasted pecans for a little crunch and nutty flavor that complement the tenderness of the French toast nicely. Serve with pure maple syrup and a pat of butter, if you wish.
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg until fairly smooth (it’s okay if there are a few lumps).
Divide the pumpkin mixture across 6 pieces of bread, spreading almost to the edges. Place the pieces of bread on top to form sandwiches.
Note: I photographed this post with sandwich bread, but I highly recommend that you use a sturdy French country bread for better results.
Preheat a nonstick griddle to 375 degrees F or set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. With a nonstick griddle, it’s not necessary to use any butter, but you may find you need to coat a nonstick skillet with some butter or cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Transfer to a shallow dish.
Place sandwiches in the egg batter, working with 2 at a time. Let the mixture soak into the bread, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer the sandwiches to the prepared griddle or skillet and cook until the bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to the oven to keep warm, laying the French toast in a single layer on a wire rack set over a large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Serve with toasted pecans and pure maple syrup.
Other stuffed French toast recipes:
Inn Cuisine’s Strawberries & Cream Stuffed French Toast
Panini Kathy’s Banana-Stuffed French Toast
Eclectic Recipes’ Nutella Stuffed French Toast with Maple Strawberry Syrup
La Bella Vita’s Raspberry & Italian Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com Inspired by The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.
Ingredients
- 6 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 16 slices French country-style bread
- 1 3/4 cups 1% milk
- 8 eggs
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg until fairly smooth (it's okay if there are a few lumps).
- Divide the pumpkin mixture across 6 pieces of bread. Place the pieces of bread on top to form sandwiches.
- Preheat a nonstick griddle to 375 degrees or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. With a nonstick griddle, it's not necessary to use any butter, but you may find you need to coat a nonstick skillet with some butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Transfer to a shallow dish.
- Place sandwiches in the egg batter, working with 2 at a time. Let the mixture soak into the bread, about 1 minute per side.
- Transfer the sandwiches to the prepared griddle or skillet and cook until the bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer to the oven to keep warm, laying the French toast in a single layer on a wire rack set over a large baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
- Serve with toasted pecans and maple syrup.
Heidi / foodiecrush says
Oct 7, 2011 at 12:26 amOkay Dara, you’re killing me. First, the photo of the lake is beyond killer. Then the snowstorm we endured today, nearly killed my hopes of fall tomatoes. And now? This stuffed french toast fantasticism. RIP.
Kathryn says
Oct 7, 2011 at 2:27 amThis is such a great weekend brunch!
bellini says
Oct 7, 2011 at 3:53 amI had to shield my eyes when I saw the photo of the snow flurry in your backyard. We have definitely hit a cold patch and on the mountain passes I am sure there is snow, but I am peacefully oblivious for now. The light of the day though is this pumpkin stuffed French toast with syrup!!!
Katrina says
Oct 7, 2011 at 4:22 amThis looks like the yummiest thing I’ve seen all day! Love it!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
Oct 7, 2011 at 4:30 amThis looks insanely good. And easy. Which makes it a double winner!
Jessica @ How Sweet says
Oct 7, 2011 at 4:47 amThis looks fabulous – and I can’t believe it snowed!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
Oct 7, 2011 at 6:01 ami need this for breakfast today! i love it!
foodwanderings says
Oct 7, 2011 at 6:43 amOh my snow & loved seeing a slice of life as we as a slice of pumpkin french toast. I never stuffed them before a great seasonal twist! Your kids are a dorable,
Jennifer @ Jane Deere says
Oct 7, 2011 at 6:51 amOh YUM! I so can’t wait to make this!!! Pinning…
Deborah says
Oct 7, 2011 at 7:49 amThis looks truly amazing, Dara! What a great idea!
Belunda @zomppa says
Oct 7, 2011 at 8:08 amIt snowed!!! Whoa!! Definitely time for comforting dishes like this.
Maria says
Oct 7, 2011 at 8:25 amI love Utah in the fall, too bad we already had some snow:( Love the French toast-perfect for fall!
Jeanette says
Oct 7, 2011 at 2:58 pmWhat stunning views and a nice hike your family took. You all are having some crazy weather already! This French Toast looks so good, I think my kids would really enjoy it.
Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet says
Oct 7, 2011 at 4:34 pmI have to make this. YUM! I am All-Pumpkin-All-The-Time right now. And yum….this is going on the table in the morning. Thanks Dara. You rock darlin!
xoxo
Heather
claudia lamascolo/aka pegasuslegend says
Oct 7, 2011 at 7:39 pmAll I can say is having two boys all grown myself, yours will look back and no one ever will cook as good as their mom. They are getting first hand what the best cooking ever will be in their lives. These are some wonderful memories… your doing a fabulous job. What a great looking family!
MikeVFMK says
Oct 7, 2011 at 7:43 pmWhat a change of events. From hiking in the great outdoors and warm weather to snow?! Love the idea of these stuffed french toast to warm me back up. Plus, they look awfully tasty! Lovely pictures!
Katherine Martinelli says
Oct 8, 2011 at 12:41 pmThis french toast is pure indulgence and I love it! I’m having a pumpkin linky party at my blog right now – hope you link this awesome dish up! http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2011/friday-shout-out-pumpkin-blog-hop/
Also that is just insane that the weather plummeted so quickly! I can’t even imagine.
Louise says
Oct 8, 2011 at 2:35 pmO.M.G.
Jen at The Three Little Piglets says
Oct 8, 2011 at 2:56 pmThe snow looks so beautiful! It’s still a litte too hot for my liking down south…
Helen @ Helen's Cooking says
Oct 8, 2011 at 3:16 pmReally delicious looking recipe!A Great dish for a Sunday morning brunch 🙂 Teaching the family to <3 pumpkin and this should be an awesome start!
Darla | Bakingdom says
Oct 8, 2011 at 3:41 pmOh lordy. I didn’t even have a chance to read your post yet, because I had to tell you right off just how delicious this looks, Dara. Absolutely beautiful. I can hardly wait to try it!
CouponClippingCook says
Oct 9, 2011 at 12:23 amThis recipe is so clever. It sounds delicious too. Pumpkin filling is a great compliment to french toast. Love the scenes from your hike and the snow in your backyard. Wow…the temperature really changed in a short time.
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says
Oct 9, 2011 at 8:41 amI think I’m in love with this recipe. Actually I know I’m in love. This recipe is just incredible and so creative. I wish I had this for breakfast! Loveeeee it! 🙂
And I can’t believe it snowed. wow! What a complete change in temperature.
sippitysup says
Oct 9, 2011 at 11:58 amCrazy weather, beautiful scenery, delicious food. I like Utah! GREG
Tracy says
Oct 9, 2011 at 1:06 pmI love this recipe! So perfect for fall and I love anything with pumpkin. Yum!
Erin says
Oct 9, 2011 at 1:18 pmThis sounds like the best french toast ever!
Russell at Chasing Delicious says
Oct 9, 2011 at 3:34 pmYum, yum, yum! I saw an apple stuffed french toast the other day that I thought was cool but I’m thinking this one is way cooler. I am going to have to try this one soon.
Esi says
Oct 9, 2011 at 7:30 pmI just got my first can of pumpkin this season, but I can’t decide what to do with it. I love the idea of this french toast.
Baking Serendipity says
Oct 9, 2011 at 9:20 pmI absolutely love this fall breakfast 🙂
Janet says
Oct 10, 2011 at 7:15 amLooks amazing!
Happy Thanksgiving — Hopefully you were able to spend some quality time with the fam this weekend — perhaps over this breakfast!
Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray says
Oct 10, 2011 at 9:09 amThis looks SO good. I’m quite sure I could eat this every day 🙂
Sandy says
Oct 10, 2011 at 12:18 pmCan you scoop up some of that snow and send it down here? We are supposed to top 100 degrees again on Thursday . Oh well, I can dream about mittens, hot cider and this yummy French toast!
Becky at VintageMixer says
Oct 10, 2011 at 4:32 pmThis sounds amazing! I’m loving all of the pumpkin recipes this year. Also, the photo of the mountains is just as stunning as the breakfast!
Ashley's Cooking Adventures says
Oct 10, 2011 at 6:55 pmThis looks like the most amazing breakfast! Can I come over next time you make it? 🙂
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Oct 10, 2011 at 8:18 pmI love pumpkin flavored/filled EVERYTHING! This is a very exciting recipe to me. 🙂
brandi says
Oct 11, 2011 at 7:27 amsnow?!? i’m not ready for that yet 🙂
Love this recipe – I made some pumpkin stuffed french toast last year, and it was awesome! I think it’s time to make some again.
a spoonful of yumm says
Oct 13, 2011 at 7:15 amnever thought of stuffing french toast with pumpkin ! interesting….
marla says
Oct 13, 2011 at 7:52 amThis post is stunning! I love that you do hikes like this as a family. As challenging as they are they bring us closer to one another and this beautiful place we live. Your fall photos are beautiful. And that pumpkin french toast…bring it!
Alicia says
Oct 15, 2011 at 7:53 amMade this last Sunday morning following our Thanksgiving dinner the night before (using leftover pumpkin from the pie I made). It was an absolute hit…so delicious! It was actually close to 30 degrees during the afternoon (in Southern Ontario in october!!), so we weren’t craving anything typically Thanksgiving-like…but this really hit the spot. Thanks for the great recipe!
Katelyn says
Oct 15, 2011 at 7:55 amI almost swooned when I saw the recipe title. It incorporates lots of my favorite brunch things and I happen to have some challah in my freezer just waiting to be made into french toast.
I have to tell you to that your pear applesauce has become a favorite with me and my family. My 18-month-old niece went bonkers for it. I’m going to try canning it in the next week or two and will report back with how it goes.