The yellowed pages fell from an old cookbook that hadn’t been off the shelf for several years.
They immediately drew attention away from the frayed pages and other recipe clippings stored inside the book.
Three of the pages provide this week’s recipes.
• • •
Brandy French Toast
1 loaf French bread
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 cup brandy
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar
3 tbsps. light corn syrup
Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Cut the French bread diagonally in thick slices and arrange slices in the bottom of the pan.
Beat together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, brandy and cinnamon. Pour over the bread slices, cover and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat until bubbling. Pour over the bread and egg mixture.
Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes. Let cool slightly and then dust with powered sugar before cutting. Makes 12 medium servings.
Note: if using brandy is not acceptable, substitute another 1/2 cup of half-and-half cream.
• • •
Autumn Apple Cakes
4 tbsps. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 cup fresh diced apple
1 tbsp. baking powder
ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.
In a large bowl, mix honey, vanilla, water, applesauce and egg.
Mix baking powder and flour in a separate bowl. Then slowly stir the flour mixture into the honey mixture. Blend well. Fold diced apples into mixture.
Spoon batter into muffin tins. Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry. Do not over bake.
Cool completely on a wire rack then remove paper cups from muffin tin.
Store in cool, dry place, covered. May be frozen.
• • •
Lemon Shrimp Linguine
1 lb. dry linguine
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined and thawed
juice and zest of two lemons, in separate bowls
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the linguine according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan with deep sides. Add shrimp and lemon zest.
Cook until shrimp is opaque, about 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through but otherwise not stirring.
Stir in lemon juice and cream. Scrape up the browned bits from the shrimp. Continue cooking until slightly thickened.
Add pasta and cheese, toss and season with salt and pepper. Serve while hot.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
