Recipes normally prepared on the stove quickly become new found favorites when adapted for the oven. Easy works for me, and I’m lovin’ the easy bake oven recipe! Perusing through old Southern Living emails, I came across not one but two attention grabbing recipes. Several tweaks later I officially added oven baked Orange French Toast with a side of Cornmeal & Brown Sugar-Crusted Bacon to the list of favorite combination meals.
In my humble opinion, these dishes rank in taste excellence along the lines of other great culinary combos. Add them to the list of notables – meatloaf and mashed potatoes, ham and cheese anything, hamburgers and french fries. C’est si bon!
Orange French Toast
Ingredients
1 12oz. jar orange marmalade
orange zest
1 loaf French bread, cut into cubes
1 8 0z. package cream cheese, cut into cubes *optional ingredient*
2 cups half and half
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Syrup for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Over medium heat cook orange marmalade, orange zest and 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1-2 minutes to a smooth consistency. Lightly grease or spray with cooking spray 13 X 9 inch baking dish.
I included the cream cheese and although good, I don’t believe it is a necessary ingredient. I f using cream cheese cubes, place half of the bread cubes in pan and top with cream cheese cubes. Drizzle half the orange marmalade mixture over the bread and cream cheese.
Top with the other half of the bread cubes and drizzle with remaining orange marmalade. If choosing to omit the cream cheese, place all the bread cubes in pan, topping with the orange marmalade mixture.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, 1 tsp. cinnamon, vanilla and ½ cup brown sugar.
Pour over bread mixture, coating all pieces. You may have to use a spoon to push down some of the pieces to coat. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup brown sugar over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with syrup. Serves 8.
Cornmeal & Brown Sugar-Coated Bacon
Ingredients
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon black pepper
12 slices bacon
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, combine first 3 ingredients in a baking dish. Dredge bacon slice in cornmeal mixture.
Place bacon on foil lined baking sheet, spacing pieces equally apart.
Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until browned and crisp. Let stand 5 minutes.
