Stuffed French Toast with a Side of Augustine...

I'm in the mood for a little distraction....a smidgen of reckless abandon (from my normally mostly clean diet that is).....

and I have just the recipe for times such as these.

Although some might consider this an indulgent way

to jump start your day,

this culinary delight is CLEARLY meant to be enjoyed

any time you are craving a sweet escape...

I was inspired to create this dish to celebrate my husband's love for peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and my love for french toast.

Throw in some challah bread and a few secret ingredients

to add a little mystery and drama to the dish, and we're talking

complete.

sensory.

overload.

Enter Stuffed French Toast

*recipe below*

With plate in hand, I headed to my bookshelf, and pulled down a copy of one of my favorite books, "Confessions" by Augustine,

a sure fire way to magnify the intensity of this morning's decadence.

As I flipped through the pages, I quickly remembered why this is one of my all time favorite guilty pleasures that I like to indulge in

from time to time ~

I sunk back into what seemed to be the comfiest pillow in the whole universe as the pages came alive:

"I came to love you late,

O Beauty so ancient and so new;

I came to love you late.

You were within me and I was outside

where I rushed about wildly searching for you

like some monster loose in your beautiful world.

You were with me but I was not with you.

You called me,

you SHOUTED to me,

you broke past my deafness!

You bathed me in your light,

you wrapped me in your splendour,

you sent my blindness reeling!

You gave out such a delightful fragrance,

and I drew it in

and came breathing hard after you.

I tasted, and it made me hunger and thirst;

you touched me, and I burned to know your peace.

So give what you command

And command what you will

For it is your order that we should practice self-control.

The man who insists on loving something besides you

does not really love you as he should,

unless he loves it because of you.

O love that always burns and is never extinguished

O love that is MY GOD

Set me a fire!"

I'm always amazed at how you can always find copies of his "Confessions" at any used bookstore.

How could anyone part with that jewel???

Must be hard pressed for cash or a true unbeliever.

Sometimes I can't read for too long or too much because it's just too much pleasure, ya know?

Like overeating ice cream, only you don't get a stomach ache or a wierd lactose intolerant reaction.....ha!

Serve up some of my stuffed french toast with a side of Augustine...

Go on Sweet Bellas, Try It...

and enjoy a double dose of delight

for both body and soul,

guaranteed.

Stuffed French Toast

3 eggs

1/2 cup half & half

1/4 cup Orange Juice

3 Tbsp Vanilla

Couple of Sprinkles of Ground Cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp of Rum

6 slices of Challah Bread, 1/4" thick

4 Tbsp of Creamy Natural Peanut Butter

One Banana, sliced

mix first 7 ingredients in a bowl large enough to dip bread in

quickly dip each side of challah bread into "batter" allowing excess to drip off

place on hot griddle

cook 1-2 minutes or until light golden brown, then flip and repeat on other side

place one slice of bread on plate

spread one tablespoon of peanut butter evenly on french toast slice

place 1/4 of banana slices evenly on slice

cover with 2nd slice of french toast

spread another one tablespoon of peanut butter evenly on french toast slice

place another 1/4 of banana slices evenly on slice

cover with 3rd french toast slice

top with homemade *cinnamon syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, if desired

*Cinnamon Syrup

Simmer 1 Cup of Water

add 1 cup of Brown Sugar

Let the Brown Sugar melt & reduce down to 1 cup total

Remove from heat

add 2 Tbsp of heavy cream and 1/2 tsp of ground cinammon

*Can substitute real maple syrup, or, for those watching their sugar intake, try drizzling agave nectar!

mangia!