Overnight French toast: Perfect for Christmas morning

For the French toast:

 1 loaf French bread, torn into bite-sized pieces

8 eggs

2 cups milk (I used 2 percent)

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

For the topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

For serving:

pure maple syrup

Grease a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish. Distribute the torn bread evenly in the dish. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla and bourbon (if using) until it's smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing the bread down into the mixture gently until fully coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make the topping: in a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Using a pastry blender, cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the French toast and sprinkle it evenly with all of the cinnamon crumble mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, until puffed up, browned and set in the center. Slice into squares and serve while warm with pure maple syrup. Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Maya Wilson lives in Kenai and blogs about food at alaskafromscratch.com. Have a food question or recipe request? Email maya@alaskafromscratch.com and your inquiry may appear in a future column.

Caramel Apple-Pecan Pie

CRUST

1 single crust pastry (add 3T sugar to your normal recipe)

10 caramels, each cut into 4 pieces

FILLING

7 C. apples

1/2 c light brown sugar

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. granulated sugar

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

PECAN CRUMB TOPPING

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 T. butter (cold and cut into pieces)

CARAMEL AND GARNISH
3 T. butter
1 T. water
30 caramels
1/2 c. chopped pecans
Large handful of pecan halves (I didn't have any so I just put a bit more chopped pecans)

1. Tuck pastry into 9 1/2 inch deep-dish pie pan. Scatter the caramel pieces in teh pie shell and place in freezer while you make filling. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Combine apples, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Then set aside while apples juice. (I drained this juice into a no-stick sauce pan and added 1 tsp butter and then carmelized it on the stove; shaking the pan - not stirring. Then I poured it back into the apples) Stir in the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour into crust and smooth fruit with your hands. Put pie on bottom rack and bake for 30 minutes.

3. Make crumb topping using a pastry cutter until you have damp, gravelly crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. After 30 minutes remove pie from oven and reduce temp to 375. Dump crumbs in center of pie and spread them evenly over the surface. Tamp them down lightly. Return pie to oven for another 30-40 minutes. Turn the pie 180 degrees from where it was originally so you get an even cooking. You may need to cover your crust with tented foil in the last 15 minutes if it's getting too dark.

5. Let pie cool for 1 hour. Then prepare caramel. Combine butter, water, and caramels in top of a double boiler and melt the carmels over (not in) simmering water. This may take about 10 minutes or more. Stir until smooth. Then drizzle the caramel over the entire surface of the pie. Immediatly sprinkle with the pecans and let cool for another hour before serving.


Tastes best warm.
I make a lot of pie, and this might just be one of my favorites. It took more time to do all the steps than just a standard two-crust apple pie, but I think it might have been worth it.

Pecan Caramel Rolls

OVERNIGHT RECIPE
* 1 package dry yeast (about 1 T)
* 1 cup warm water
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 1 egg
* 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups flour
* 1 cup butter (more)
* 2 cup brown sugar (more)
* 4 tablespoon corn syrup (more)
* 2 T cream
* 2/3 to 1 cup pecan halves
* sprinkle of Cinnamon if you like

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast with the warm water. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 2 tablespoons margarine, egg, and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. With spoon or hand, work in enough remaining flour until the dough is easy to handle (if it becomes too sticky, dampen your hands with cold water). Place in a greased bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate for a few hours.

In a non-stick sauce pan melt butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and cream. Pour half of the caramel into greased oblong 9 by 13-inch pan or two round cake pans. Sprinkle pecans on the bottom of the pan. Place the rest of the caramel on stove on low to keep soft. On floured board, roll out the dough into about a 9 by 15-inch shape. Spread rest of the caramel over the dough and sprinkle with Cinnamon. (The last time I made this I actually had to make the caramel a few times because I wasn't able to cover all of the dough so you may want to double the amount of caramel you make). Begin rolling the dough up tightly starting with the long side. Seal the edges when the dough is rolled. Cut into 1-inch slices (I use string or floss) and place in the 9 by 13-inch prepared pan. Spray plastic wrap with non-stick spray and then cover the rolls. Place in refrigerator overnight. In the morning take it out of the refrigerator while you preheat the oven. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. For the last 5 to 10 minutes, cover with tin foil and put on the bottom rack. Remove from the oven and IMMEDIATELY turn upside down onto a platter.

I found the basics for this recipe here and then adjusted it and tweaked it over a few times to make a gooey -sticky caramel roll. We use it for Christmas morning so I make the whole thing and then refrigerate it overnight. Then I just take it out and pop it in the oven in the morning. It's even better if you use mom's Cinnamon roll recipe and add the caramel instead of her filling, but I can't spin it like she does when I have caramel inside.

Easy Fantasy Fudge

1 1/2 c. butter
6 c. sugar
2 cans (5 oz.) evaporated milk - 1 1/3 cups
2 packages (12 oz. each) chocolate chips
1 jar (13 oz.) marshmallow creme
2 c. chopped nuts
2 t. vanilla

Lightly grease 2 (13x9) or 3 (9x9) pans. Mix butter, sugar and milk in heavy 4 or 5 quart sauce pan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling on medium heat for 5 minutes or until temperature reaches 234 degrees (stirring constantly). Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into pans. Cook at room temperature. Cut into squares.

Orange Sherbet Jello

1 large package of vanilla pudding (not instant)
1 large package of orange jello
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
2 cans of mandarin oranges
1 large can of crushed pineapple

Add 2 cups of water to the pudding mixture in a pan and cook until the mixture is thick. Dissolve the orange jello into the pudding mixture and stir until it is completely blended. Let this mixture cool completely. Drain the oranges and pineapple well. Whip the cream (adding 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to sweeten). When the pudding mixture is cook, gently fold the pudding mixture, whipping cream, and fruit together until uniformly blended. Chill.

This recipe comes from Trent's Christmas food traditions.

Butterscotch Bubble-Loaf

24 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 pkg. 3 oz. regular butterscotch pudding (not instant)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. melted butter
1 c. nuts (optional)

Mix all the ingredients, but the rolls, in a sauce pan. Heat until sugar has dissolved. Place the frozen rolls into a greased bundt pan. Pour liquid mixture over the rolls. Cover pan with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam. Let rolls rise until double or even w/top of pan. Put tinfoil underneath your pan in the oven because it usually drips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

This is our family's traditional Christmas morning breakfast (comes from Trent's family).

Jonah's Microwave Caramels

1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. butter (not margarine)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. karo syrup





Put all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 2 minutes and then stir. Repeat for 2 minutes then stir. Cook again for 1 1/2 minutes and stir. Cook for 1 minute and then pour into a well buttered 8x8 pan and let cool for 3 hours. Cut and wrap in waxed paper.

For a slightly softer caramel use these times: (2 min, 1.5 min, 1.5 min, 1 min)

For black licorice caramels add:
1/2 t. black food coloring
1/2 t. anise flavoring (before pouring into pan)

This recipe is for a high wattage microwave (i.e. 1100 watts).

This recipe is so easy! 8 minutes and you have perfect caramels. We made these for our neighbors this year and boys are already clamoring for another pan.

Chex Mix

3/4 stick of butter
1 1/4 t. all season salt
4 1/2 t. worcestershire sauce
2 2/3 c. each of Corn, Rice and Wheat Chex
1 c. + mixed nuts
1 c. + pretzels

Melt the butter and mix in theseasoned salt and Warcestershire sauce. Mix all the dry ingredients together and then coat with the melted butter mix. Spread out on baking sheet and cook at 250 for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

This and fudge are our annual Christmas "snacks."

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
3/4 c. milk
1 1/4 c. canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
3 egg whites
1/3 c. sugar
19 inch graham-cracker or regular crust

In saucepan, combine brown sugar, gelatin, salt and spices. Combine egg yolks and milk. Stir into brown sugar mixture. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in pumpkin. Chill until mixture mounds slightly when spooned (test every now and then - don't let it get too stiff). Beat egg whites until s oft peaks form. Gradually add white sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Fold pumpkin mixture thoroughly into egg whites. Turn into crust. Chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream.

This is the traditional pumpkin pie recipe at the Hickman's house.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Cut & Boil 4 lbs of Sweet Potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes until they are fork tender.

Sauce:
2/3 c. brown sugar
5 T. butter
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 pinch ginger

Cook sauce until smooth (Use 1 minute increments in the microwave or cook on stove top for 5 minutes or so).
Mash potatoes as usual.
Stir in sauce.

I threw some marshmallows on top and microwaved the whole bowl for about 30 seconds.

Triple Cheese Fondue

2 T. minced celery
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 c. milk
1 can chicken broth
1/2 to 3/4 lb. swiss cheese, shredded
1/4 lb. monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 t. worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. dry mustard (1/2 to 1 t. wet mustard)
1/4 t. onion or garlic salt
1/16 cayenne pepper (optional)

Saute celery in melted butter until tender. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk and broth. Cook stirring until thick. Add worcestershire, mustard and salt. Stir in well. Slowly add cheese. Stir until melted.

We have this fondue as well as chocolate fondue for our Christmas Eve dinner every other year (Hickman traditions).

Turkey Spice Rub

1/2 c. soft butter
3 -4 cloves garlic (minced)
Poultry Fresh Herbs (usually available in a clear plastic box around the holidays)

Prepare this rub the day before use.

Wash herbs and chop up finely. Mix all ingredients including a dash of pepper. Lie out a strip of plastic wrap on the counter and lay the butter mixture out like a log. Roll it up tight and let it harden in the fridge or freezer. When it is hard, cut it up into 1/2 inch slices. Gently loosen the skin from the turkey and slide the slices underneath as far as you can go. Put the butter slices all over the turkey. If you have butter left over, spread it on top of your stuffing and the bird.

Natalie's Sweet Potatoes

4 lbs Sweet Potatoes -- peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2/3 c. brown sugar
5 T. butter
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
2 c. marshmallows
1/2 c. sliced almonds (or other nuts)

Preheat oven to 375. Put potatoes into a 9x13 pan.

Mix everything else except Marshmallows and nuts in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves. Drizzle over potatoes.

Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and stir to coat all pieces. Bake for an additional 20 minutes (uncovered) until potatoes are cooked and syrup thickens.

Take out of oven. Increase temperature to 500. Put marshmallows and nuts on top. Cook for 3-4 minutes until marshmallows are browned.