- peanut butter and jelly French toast (takes 10 minutes to make 4 servings, faster than baking muffins)
- lentil-vegetable soup (this was Monday night's dinner, so no extra work, just a large pot)
- hard-boiled eggs
- rice and beans (these were actually leftovers from Sunday dinner, so, again, no extra work there)
- blackberry-granola-yogurt parfaits
- fresh apples
When time is short, what do you throw into a lunch bag for yourself or family?
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Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast
(If you have pbj lovers in your house, you may want to give these a try. Heartier than regular French toast, a half sandwich packs a lot of protein in the peanut butter, egg and milk. Bonus, they are faster to make than muffins.
I make several and layer between sheets of waxed paper, then cover with a plastic bag, in a pie plate to keep in the fridge. They keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave. Alternatively, you can individually wrap and freeze, to keep frozen for up to 3 months.)
(4 hearty servings, or 8 pieces)
8 slices bread
smooth peanut butter (alternatively, you can use butter for this step)
chunky peanut butter
jelly or jam
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
butter and oil for skillet
(optional -- powdered (confectioner's) sugar, raspberry or blackberry jam and/or maple syrup)
Spread 1 side of each slice of bread with smooth peanut butter, to the edges (you can use butter in place of smooth peanut butter).
Spread a layer of chunky peanut butter on one slice of each sandwich. Spread jelly or jam on other slice of each sandwich. Put two sides of sandwiches together. Cut in half.
In a medium-size bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla extract and sugar.
Heat skillet over medium. Add a teaspoon each of butter and oil.
Dip sandwich halves quickly in egg batter. Flip in the batter, then add to skillet. Cook until browned underneath, flip and cook the other side.
To serve on plates (my daughters grab these to-go in a napkin in the mornings, so no optional ingredients for them most days), sprinkle with powdered sugar and provide additional jam for dipping (a la Monte Cristo sandwiches). Otherwise, drizzle with maple syrup.
(I'll get a photo posted as soon as I can figure it out on a borrowed computer, with only a camera and no cell phone camera. They're pretty with the powdered sugar and jam in a ramekin on the side.)
