This breakfast was so good I used it for dinner one night!

Peach French Toast

Susie Theodorou, Real Simple, JULY 2005

Yield:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 ripe yellow peaches, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 slices white or sourdough bread or brioche
• 3 large eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter until it foams. Add the brown sugar and stir for 30 seconds. Add the peaches, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat oven to 200° F. Place 4 slices of the bread on a cutting board. Divide the peach mixture evenly among the slices, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Top with another slice of bread and press gently. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs and cinnamon. Working in batches, soak the sandwiches in the egg mixture for 2 minutes per side. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry 2 sandwiches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Beat the remaining cream until soft peaks form. Halve each sandwich on the diagonal, sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar, and serve with the whipped cream.

Tip: If you're using day-old bread to make the French toast, trim the crusts, which may have become tough.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 504.5 (64% from fat)

Fat: 36.12g (sat 20.71g)

Protein: 10.17mg

Carbohydrate: 36.2g

Fiber: 1.97g

Cholesterol: 260.05mg

Iron: 2.81mg

Sodium: 416.11mg

Calcium: 140.25mg

This has been a favorite since the first time I made it - it has quite a kick, so it's not for those who prefer milder dishes. I prefer mine with cheese rather than sour cream, and I use Red Leicester.

Tacos al Carbon

Julianna Grimes Bottcher, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005 (via www.myrecipes.com)

Although "al carbon" means to cook over charcoal, bring this dish indoors by sautéing steak, onions, and peppers to make a one-pan taco filling reminiscent of fajitas. The piquant flavors of lime and garlic in the dressing enhance almost anything, so feel free to substitute chicken, lamb, or shrimp for the beef.

Yield:

4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion (about 1 medium)
• 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

Preparation:

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper to pan, and cook 4 minutes. Add onion to pan, and sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Place pepper mixture in a large bowl; cover and keep warm.

Add beef to pan; cook 7 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Add to pepper mixture. Add chili powder, juice, oil, salt, and garlic to bowl; toss to coat.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Spoon steak mixture evenly over 8 tortillas. Top each taco with about 1 teaspoon cilantro and 2 1/4 teaspoons sour cream.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 371 (32% from fat)

Fat: 13.1g (sat 3.8g,mono 5.7g,poly 1.7g)

Protein: 29g

Carbohydrate: 36g

Fiber: 4g

Cholesterol: 49mg

Iron: 2.9mg

Sodium: 608mg

Calcium: 164mg