The Tradition: Blueberry French Toast

Every year since I can remember, I have made my grandson  Blueberry French Toast for the first day of school.  This year is no exception.  He was sitting on a stool in the kitchen this morning while I was looking for the recipe.  I was having trouble finding it and finally broke down and had to confess to him, "I can't find that recipe, Jake."  "Grandma," he said, if you can't find that recipe, I might cry."  I can't have that, I thought, so I dug deeper and looked in another place I have recipes.  (I have recipes I have had for years: recipes of my mom's and Gene's mom, recipes from when I worked outside my home and recipes from friends.  The road to Hell will be paved with those recipes because I have every intention of trying every one of them.)  Lo and behold, there it was, stuck between my Thanksgiving Butternut Squash recipe and my Christmas Snowflake Pudding recipe.  Jake and I both had big smiles on our faces as I waved the sheet of paper in the air.  Of all the recipes to misplace, the Blueberry French Toast was not one of them, especially the day before the day before school starts, and particularly since this is his senior year.

Now, why am I telling you all this?  I am telling you all this because Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4, 2016, Gene and I had a show in Bend.  A wonderfully kind lady came by the booth who had viewed our website.  As we talked, I asked her what she would like to see on the website and she said "recipes."  I'm not really a cook (my mom differentiated between "plain" cooks and "fancy" cooks and I am in the "plain" cook category) but my grandson loves this Blueberry French Toast so I thought I'd share it with you.  A relative gave me the recipe years ago so I don't know who she got the recipe from.  She had it in the category "Breakfast/Brunch" and it makes 6-8 servings.

Blueberry French Toast

• 12 slices day-old white bread, crust removed
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 12 eggs (we have our own chickens so my husband sees $3.50 fly out the window every time I make this recipe)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup Lavender Gourmet Honey

Sauce

• 1 cup granulated pure cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon butter
• (Option:  2 full capfuls of Monin Lavender Syrup)

Directions

1. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes.  Place one-half in a greased 13" x 9" baking dish.  Cut cream cheese into 1-inch cubes.  Place over bread.  Top with 1 cup blueberries and remaining bread crumbs.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs.  Add milk and syrup to the eggs.  Mix well.  Pour over bread mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.  (I cover and refrigerate until all the egg mixture is absorbed by the bread.)
3. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake 350° for 30 minutes.  Uncover.  Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until golden brown and center is set.

Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water and stir until smooth.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Stir in blueberries.  (Sometimes I add 2 full capfuls of Monin Lavender Syrup.)  Reduce heat.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until blueberries burst.  Stir in butter.  (Approximately 1-3/4 cups sauce). Pour over bread mixture.

I think this would be good over ice cream but my family eats it "as is".  It's made to serve with french toast.

 I hope you enjoy this recipe.