French toast w/1000+ calories so you KNOW it has to be GOOD.

Saturday mornings in our house are spent in the kitchen cooking up something DELICIOUS and FAR from the normal health conscious recipes. I do have a slew of recipes I have acquired that I'm dying to share that don't fatten you up, but tomorrow is Saturday and therefore those recipes will have to wait. My hubby-hunny eats what I give him and never complains - probably partially because he knows what's coming on Saturday, ha. Anyways! We're going to my nieces gymnastics recital early tomorrow and therefore will be skimping out a little bit, but this is what I had planned on making. I found this recipe a while back at Epicurious (a website dedicated to those who like to eat, I visit it frequently) and can't get through reading the recipe without salivating. It was taken from Bon Appetit magazine - December issue of '06. I will constantly be sharing recipes, and in return I hope you share with me! I can never get enough! Next Saturday we are having a bunch of people over and I already have the perfect thing to make that I can't wait to post next Friday. It will be part of next week's blog theme dedicated to Super Bowl parties. Woo Hoo! Can't wait. One more thing before I get going, Valentine's Day is on a Saturday this year! The hunt is on for the PERFECT V-Day, Saturday Breakfast recipe!

K, here we go...

In case you can't read the ingredients above:
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 large ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-think rounds
1 1-pound unsliced loaf egg bread, ends trimmed, bread cut into 6 slices (each about 1 1/2 inches thick)
2 cups milk (They say not to use low fat! It's up to you!)
6 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 extract vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue stirring until mixture is foamy, about 2 minutes. Add bananas; cook until tender, stirring occasionaly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; cool. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 350'F. Using small sharp knife, cut 2-inch-long slit in 1 side of each bread slice, cutting 3/4 of way through bread and creating pocket that leaves 3 sides of bread intact. Divide banana mixture equally among pockets in bread. Whisk milk, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Pour into large glass baking dish. Place bread in egg mixture; let soak 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Place almonds in shallow bowl. Carefully remove bread from egg mixture and coat both sides with almonds. Place bread on heavy large baking sheet. Mix brown sugar, oats, flour and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon in medium bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup butter and rub in, using fingertips, until moist clumps form. Sprinkle topping over bread.

Bake French toast until topping is golden brown and filling is hot, about 25 minutes. Transfer toast to plates. Serve hot with maple syrup.

** Recipe card above was made using Whimsical Romance at digitalcandy.

Have an amazing Saturday Breakfast, whatever it may be! Bon Appetit!

XOXO,