Wilsonville Spokesman Online

Food Column: It’s all delicious at a ‘cooking club’

Web exclusive: recipes included in column

• By: Amelia Crookston Bullock  
• Published: 3/11/2010 10:36:22 AM

Photo By: submitted photoDanish
Marcie Fister provided this sugary, almond bread, fanned out in the shape of a star.

I belonged to a great book club. We read, talked and, of course, enjoyed food together. The book club fizzled out after over three years, and I missed our monthly gathering. So I gladly accepted the invitation to attend a new club — a cooking one. Each month, our host Elizabeth Stevens organizes a theme and a discussion topic. We show up with our favorite dish and the recipe. We’ve explored salads and cakes, learned entertainment/hosting tips and cake decorating techniques. Most recently, we met to share brunch recipes and talk about etiquette.

The table soon was covered with sweets and egg dishes. The Monte Cristo Casserole was tasty and unique with a bread, egg, and ham base topped with fresh strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar. The Celestial Eggs were, of course, heavenly, and the Hashbrown Quiche was delicious. We had a moist Blueberry Bruckle Coffee Cake and a Baked Blueberry French Toast with just the right touch of cinnamon.
Marcie Fister brought a beautiful, sugary, almond bread, fanned out in the shape of a star. Jana Fish made a Milk Chocolate Bubble Ring, which is balls of cinnamon and sugar bread with a burst of chocolate in the center. Jana is the queen of easy and fun. She shared another family recipe that starts with a marshmallow dipped in butter and then in cinnamon and sugar. Next, she wraps a refrigerated crescent roll around it and bakes it — sounds like a perfect afternoon cooking project for the kids.

With full plates, we sat down together to enjoy the food and listen to cooking and etiquette tips. Brook Gore convinced us to add ground flax seed to pancakes and muffins—or anything else—because of its healthy, cancer-fighting agents. Brook also taught us that having the right vanilla and cinnamon can make a huge difference in the taste of many breakfast dishes. She buys Ape cinnamon at Thriftway, and she orders Watkin’s vanilla online.

One of the best parts of this club is learning practical, real-life hints from fellow-cookers. Elisa Walch told of a time when her brunch was headed to disaster. Her huge batch of cinnamon rolls had burned. With only moments before serving, she grabbed the croissants (meant for a later lunch), cut them in half lengthwise, layered butter, cinnamon, and sugar over the tops and then warmed them. She said they were a hit.

After learning about proper etiquette — did you know that you should never pick up your napkin if it falls to the floor and that even rinsing the dishes, instead of leaving them for after your guests leave, is considered rude? — we left with full tummies and a lot of great breakfast ideas. Please send ideas and comments to bullock.amelia@gmail.com. 

 Baked Blueberry French Toast, Brook GoreServes 6-8 1 16 oz. loaf Italian bread1/2 cup 2% milk1 tbsp vanilla1/2 cup sugar1 tbsp corn starchpowdered sugar4 eggs1/4 tbsp baking powder2 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries1 tbsp cinnamon2 tsp butter melted Slice bread on the diagonal to create 8 3/4-inch pieces, heels removed.  Arrange bread slices in a 10x15 inch baking dish. In medium bowl, whip together the eggs, milk, baking powder, and vanilla.  Slowly pour the mixture over the bread, turning each slice to coat completely.  Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, overnight is best. Preheat over to 425 degrees.  Coat another 10x15-inch pan with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle the blueberries over the bottom of the pan.  Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch and pour evenly over the top of the berries.  Tightly wedge bread slices over the blueberries, wettest side up.  Brush the bread with melted butter.  Bake french toast in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. To serve, place toast-berry side down on warmed plates.  Stir remaining berry mixture in baking dish, then scoop over toast.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
 
Celestial Eggs, Elizabeth Stevens
 
Unsalted butter
10 to 12 slices good-quality white bread
5 to 6 (1 oz.) wedges process Gruyere cheese, softened
(I used Laughing Cow cheese because I couldn’t find soft Gruyere cheese)
2 cups coarsely shredded cheddar cheese
8 eggs
2 ½ cups light cream or half and half
Salt and pepper
 
Butter a baking dish that is deep enough (2 to 4 inches) and large enough to hold the bread in 2 or 3 layers.  Butter the bread on 1 side, then spread each slice with ½ wedge of the cheese.  At this point, cut the crust from the bread.  Arrange the bread to cover the bottom of the pan, cutting the slices in thirds if necessary (cheese side up.)  Sprinkle with some of the shredded cheese.  Add a second layer of bread and cheese, and a third layer if possible.
 
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs well, then beat in the cream or half & half.  Gently and slowly pour this mixture over the bread, thoroughly soaking the top slices.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.  Remove the foil and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until golden and puffy.  Serve immediately while piping hot.  Serves 8.

  (log in to rate)