Episode 3 Stuffed and unstuffed

Cheese! There I said it. I LOVE CHEESE!!!! My love affair with cheese started like all the other kids my age, with Kraft imitation slices. There was also the well known and highly heat resistant “government” cheese. Don’t act like you don’t know what I am talking about. It came in a block and had that oh so unique taste that I have never found in a cheese again.

There was also the cheese in the can. Yeah that was tasty! And then at some point I started getting introduced into actual cheeses. The Cheddar brothers mild and sharp and their sister extra sharp. Colby, Colbyjack, Perpperjack, Swiss, and even hog’s head.

But the subject of today’s cheesy post is French toast which sometimes uses one of m favorites…Cream Cheese! You have your usual run of the mill restaurant quality stuffed French toast.

As I said before, when beating Cream Cheese into submission I always find it best to nuke it for a few seconds to soften it up. So 1 package (8 oz) of creamy cheese and 1 tsp. of Vanilla extract whipped into a froth creamy frenzy and set aside.

In another bowl crack 4 eggs. As always I do my eggs first just in case you get a little shell in there. It is easier to get out if it’s all just egg. Beat slightly with a fork and then add 1 Cup of whipping cream ( yes who knew all this whipping violence went into making French toast?) ½ tsp of both vanilla and nutmeg.

Alright now here is where you can go one of two ways. If you’re feeling footloose and fancy free get yourself a loaf of French bread.

Did you know that while the exact origin of French toast can’t be traced it has been around since at least the 4th century? And just like chitterlings it seems that every culture has a version of it. Anyway take 1 loaf (16 oz) French bread and cut it into 1 ½ inch slices. Cut a pocket in the top of each slice and add the cream cheese filling. Then place the piece of bread in the egg mixture. While the bread is soaking up the eggy goodness get your grill and or pan good and hot. Add a little BUTTER and place the piece of bread in the pan.

Make sure you use tongs and be careful not to squeeze the filling out. Cook until golden brown.

Now if you just woke up and decided clear out the blue you want some French toast and you don’t have any French bread in the house, well I just use white bread. You do everything above until you get to the cutting the French loaf. You just take a couple of slices of your favorite slices and make a sandwich. Then you throw it in the skillet and fry both sides to a golden brown…..

Next you add a little more BUTTER, some syrup and perhaps a little powdered sugar and go to town.

Now I have a diabetic in the house who does not care for large amounts of bread. So for him I soak the bread in the egg mixture in single slices and serve them up. I leave a little cream cheese mixture if he wants to use some but it is not stuffed.

A last thought for those with sugar issues or those watching their figure… I recently discovered Neufchâtel cheese, which is much like Cream Cheese but has 33% less fat content.