Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

I love cooking for loved ones. It’s the main reason I cook – because it allows me to show my love by sharing great food with those I care about.

Valentine’s Day is one of those days where I like to cook a special meal for my family. And French Toast is one of my favorite dishes so why not make it a little more special by stuffing it with creaminess. This was a decadent dish that was excellent with the addition of the balsamic roasted strawberries. I added some oven-baked bacon and skillet potatoes because, let’s be honest, any meal is better with bacon and potatoes in my book. This makes an excellent brunch menu for yourself or loved ones.

Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced in fourths
1/2 c Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
4 (or 6) slices bread
About 3 Tbsp Cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Butter

Instructions:

In a small bowl, add half the strawberries, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Mix together and let marinate.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare a rimmed cookie sheet by covering with foil. Place strawberries in the marinade bowl and let soak. Pour the strawberries and juice in the baking dish. Place dish in oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. (If you are making bacon, place in at the same time.)

Prepare French Toast by spreading cream cheese on one side of each bread. Place sliced strawberries on half the bread. Cover strawberries on bread with another slice of bread to make a sandwich. Press down around the sides to lightly seal.

In a bowl, add eggs, milk and vanilla. Whisk together.

Prepare frying pan by adding about a tablespoon of butter to the pan and let heat up over medium heat.

Dip sandwiches into the egg mixture. Add sandwiches to the frying pan and bake a few minutes until brown on the side down. Flip over and cook until done.

Serve with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries and maple syrup. You can also sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top to add even more sweetness.

Oven Baked Bacon

Ingredients:

Bacon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare cookie sheet by covering with foil. Place bacon on cookie sheet in single layer.

Place in oven and cook for 12 minutes. Turn bacon over and cook for additional 5 minutes, watching to ensure bacon doesn’t burn.

You could also make this sweeter by dredging bacon in brown sugar before baking.

Skillet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Instructions:

Wash the potatoes and dry. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.

Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium heat. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Mix together. Cover and cook for 15-17 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can also add red, green, yellow or orange bell pepper pieces to add color and flavor to the potatoes.