FRENCH TOAST WITH PECANS There is no better dish to prep for the weekend than French Toast with Pecans. In our Junior League Cookbook: Salt to Honey: Recipes for Great Gatherings, there is a great and it’s an easy recipe to follow. INGREDIENTS 1 loaf of rustic bread 8 eggs 2 cups half-and-half 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon mace ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened 1 ⅓ cups packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup 1 ⅓ cups chopped pecans DIRECTIONS First, cut the bread into slices. Cut each bread slice into halves. Layer the bread in a heavily buttered 9x13-inch baking pan to within ½ inch of the top of the pan. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and mace in a bowl and mix well. Pour over the bread — cover and chill for 8 to 12 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and pecans in a bowl and mix well. Spoon over the bread mixture. Bake for 50 minutes, tenting with foil halfway after 25 minutes. CHAMPAIGN COSMOPOLITAN What better way is there to celebrate than with a fruity pink drink? A Champagne Cosmopolitan will definitely hit the spot. INGREDIENTS 1 cup Cointreau 1 cup cranberry juice cocktail ½ cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons superfine sugar 2 (750-milliliter) bottles of Champagne or other sparkling wine DIRECTIONS Mix the Cointreau, cranberry juice cocktail, lime, and sugar in a small pitcher and mix well. Chill uncovered for 2 to 4 hours. Stir the juice mixture. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the juice mixture in a martini glass. Add enough Champagne to fill the glass. 29
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