EASY BUT SPECIAL

These days I have so little time to potter in the kitchen, I want to get maximum bang for a minimum time buck (I have a feeling I'm sounding a bit like Jamie Oliver here!!!).  This french toast gives me bang (well great taste really) by the bucketload - it's a Nigella recipe, from Express, and I can't understand why it has taken me so long to try it - I suppose it looked just a bit too easy to bother with.

It is hard to imagine how the addition of just one ingredient can transform an old regular - but man oh man, one teaspoon of vanilla paste (or extract) makes all the difference, this is a "special treat breakfast", a "cheer me up supper", a "I don't have the energy to make a proper meal, but still want to serve something healthy meal", and this time of the year, it really is the perfect "I am so tired of heavy meals and chocolates option".

I love to serve the toast with berries, fresh or frozen depending on budget and time of year, but I always serve it with Glenisk Greek Yogurt (and I should admit much more than I used in the photo, I thought I shouldn't look like too much of a piggie!!).  I know I've mentioned this product before (and I'm not on their payroll) but it is so worth a try - it is thick, creamy and utterly delicious.


French Toast To Be Proud Of

2          eggs
2 tbsp   whole milk
2           slices of bread, it's best to use thickly sliced bread which is slightly stale
2 tsp      vanilla paste (I love this stuff, but 4 tsp vanilla extract would be excellent too)
1 tbsp    caster sugar
              butter and oil for frying

Beat the eggs with the vanilla.
Soak the bread in the egg mixture, allow to absorb it all.
Heat a knob of butter with some flavourless oil.
Fry until golden.
Sprinkle with the sugar (Nigella dredges the toast in sugar at this stage, but that would be too sweet for me)

The perfect treat for two people.

Enjoy.

EASY HANDY AND YUMMY

Eggs, goats cheese and mint - not a combination I would have thought of, but a very popular one in Corsica.  This omelette was a "cookalong" recipe on Nigella.com a few months ago, and has been a regular here ever since.  The tanginess of the cheese contrasts wonderfully with the smooth eggs, and then the mint brings along an unexpected fresh edge.

Somehow I always seem to have goats cheese in the fridge, even I have managed not to kill my mint plant (well not this current one anyway!) and there are usually eggs in the house (unless of course I have gone mad baking again!) making this a handy - but out of the ordinary - store cupboard standby.

In the background you can see the photo from Forever Summer and I have to say that Nigella (or her stylist) has done a far better job of shredding her mint!! 

Seemingly the Corsicans sometimes like to sprinkle their omelette with sugar which doesn't appeal to me at all - but reminds me of my first efforts in the culinary field,  Santy brought me "Look I Can Cook" (amongst other things!!) one Christmas, and I loved it!!  My favorite recipe was for an orange omelette - I made it all the time, my poor parents were given it at least once a week (parental love is a great thing!!) That is until a new rule was introduced - all mess had to be cleaned up by the cook - worked a treat!!!!!

Corsican Omelette

3       eggs    (I use 2) - beaten
15g   butter  (I use 1 tsp)
100g goats cheese (from a log)
fistful of mint leaves - shredded
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a small frying pan, it needs to be hot and sizzling.
Add most of the mint and fry for a few moments.
Add the beaten egg and tip around the pan - add salt and pepper after about 30 seconds. (A tip I saw on T.V. stops the eggs going grey)
Crumble the cheese over the omelette and cook - lift the sides and swill the pan around to cook any runny egg.
When the top of the omelette looks nearly cooked - but still gooey.  Fold over as you like.
Sprinkle with the remaining mint and serve.

Enjoy.