T Stands For this is NOT a food blog

In case someone saw this post and thought it was a food blog, I assure you, it is not.  It's an art blog, and once a week, a drink blog.  So why, you ask, am I showing a bunch of food this week?

It's winter and I've been cooking comfort food for my friend Sally.  Granted, this is the only photo you will see of my mug or a glass in these photos, but I had to show that on Sunday I cooked a turkey for Sally, made mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and a corn chowder that turned out rather more like creamy corn than chowder.  I had everything but the turkey and disgusting gelled cranberries that Sally drug out of the refrigerator.  Not sure you can tell, but this photo was taken at Sally's kitchen table after I cleaned most of it off.  That's the sling she has to wear for several more weeks.

When I got home, I was in a baking mood, so I grabbed the makings of French Toast Casserole.  Some people call it Overnight French Toast.  On the table are eggs, butter, half and half, eggnog, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lots and lots and lots of bread.  The idea was to whittle down my bread I seem to have accumulated that needed to get used.  I take spurts at eating bread, but Sally eats bread every day.

I'm sure you will find various recipes on the internet that, in no way, represent how I made my French Toast.  First, I'm a lazy cook.  Why waste six bowls and a pan when one will do?  If I had made this at Sally's, she would have insisted it was done the "right" way, but I was home and did it the "lazy" way.  After all, I don't have a dishwasher at this house, and have suffered all these years with dishpan hands.  I've never been able to convince Bleubeard or Squiggles to help with the clean-up, either.

One thing every recipe agrees on is to coat your baking dish (or pan in my case) with butter.  What they don't agree on is slathering the butter all over the pan!  That's definite slathering.

I decided to get rid of the three cinnamon raisin bagels.  That took awhile to tear them up and place them in the pan.    Most people would use a knife and not put them in the pan, but in a bowl.

I could only get three slices of Oatmeal bread in the pan until I thought it was probably full enough.  So much for getting rid of all that bread.

Next, it was time to add the half and half (most people would use milk, but I used what I had.  They would also have mixed all the liquids and dry ingredients together before adding it to the baking dish.  However, the lazy way won out!

I may have gotten a bit too much liquid when I added the eggnog.  Sally doesn't like eggnog, so I'm hoping she won't be able to taste it.  Note there are no measuring utensils, either.  I cook by eye, not by measurements. 

Next came cinnamon, a bit of nutmeg I added in hindsight, and lots of brown sugar.

Before I stirred anything, I added six egg whites.  That may have added to my downfall.

Then I covered it, placed it in the fridge, and waited for the bread and bagels to soak up all that liquid.   Note that all I had to wash was one large serving spoon. 

Monday about noon, I preheated the oven to 350 F (gas mark 4, 180 C, moderate heat).  I removed the pan from the fridge, and was very concerned that the bread had not soaked up the liquid.  Unfortunately, the bagels and bread were too fresh, so didn't soak up as much liquid as I'd hoped.

I had planned to add butter to the top, then thought better of it.  I decided to wait till the French Toast had baked for an hour before adding butter.  No sense adding more liquid to the already soggy mix.

After about 30 minutes, I checked the oven and was shocked at what I saw.  Instead of the toast like I had made in the past, I now had baked a souffle.   Remind me to clean my camera lens, please!

I had to wait until the French Toast cooled slightly in order to remove it from the pan.  There was no way I could take it to Sally's in the original pan I baked it in, although it did deflate slightly as I was photographing it.  It came out easily, though.  How did it taste?  Delicious.  It had a moderately crisp outside and was wonderfully perfect on the inside.  It tasted like cinnamon brown sugar French Toast Souffle.    And I even impressed myself, too.

So, for this Tuesday before Christmas, I want to wish the entire T Stands For Tuesday group a simply wonderful (and safe) Christmas.  May all your dreams come true and all your recipes turn out as beautiful successful as my overnight French Toast.

What are you cooking up this Tuesday before Christmas?  That means it's time to share your T post by linking below.  The rules are simple.  Any drink related post is welcome.  Art, including hybrid, digital, or traditional in an AB, journal, scrapbook page, tag, moo, or sketch is acceptable.  A movie, postcard, or book relating to a drink is acceptable, too.  Of course, photos of a mug, cup, teapot, or just a trip out and about can be linked. Be sure your link goes directly to your T post and not to your blog in general.   That way the T group doesn't have to scroll through other posts to find yours in case they are late visiting.  BTW, Bleubeard would like to remind you that your photos may be taken any time, not just on Tuesday.  And of course, after linking, Bleubeard, the T group, and I will be by to visit this final Tuesday before Christmas.


Bleubeard, Squiggles, and I wish you a very merry Christmas that includes lots of good food and drink.