Comfort Foods and Indulgences

We love pulled pork sandwiches in our house, but I don’t always love working with pork. I do admit to loving the taste and making a huge 5 pound pork butt is easier than any week night meal. And I know that pork is the “other” white meat, but I just don’t like eating it that often.

I do make a really good pulled turkey recipe that I discovered over ten years ago in Sara Foster’s The Foster's Market Cookbook, but like the pork, it takes hours to cook. This recipe is great fall dish when the weather is cooler and turning the oven on for 3 to 4 hours is no big deal. I have been searching for a pulled chicken recipe and alas, I finally found one over at The Comfort of Cooking. Georgia uses a dry rub to marinate her chicken and I think it is the rub that gives the chicken it’s tenderness.

I use organic, grass fed chicken from Whole Foods. For this dish, I don’t purchase the boneless, chicken breasts. Instead, I get the chicken breasts with the ribs attached. I then ask the butcher to remove the ribs. The breasts without bones tend to dry out on the grill. The taste, using the chicken in this way, is significantly different. If you don’t use your butcher at your local supermarket, you are missing out! They are always so accommodating, friendly, and they love their meats and poultry.

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I always have leftover bread.  Challah, french bread, sour dough.  Generally, I make bread crumbs.  But my freezer is full of bread crumbs.  So, I am forced to cook and create. With all the rain we have been having, I am happily staying indoors.  The weekends can sometimes be filled with way too many commitments.  However, this past weekend, it was lazy days, matinees, board games, and lots and lots of cooking.

A big pot (a triple recipe) of my bolognese simmers on the stove, scones are flash freezing in the freezer(the perfect school day breakfast), carrot soup is pureed for a quick weekday lunch, and this baked french toast sends the smells of morning wafting though out my home.

When making a baked french toast, it is usually best to soak it ahead (overnight), similar to a bread pudding. But, Eli’s early morning request didn’t allow me to prepare.  Instead, I assembled the casserole, covered it with plastic wrap, and let sit in the fridge for an hour.  

Let start by saying that the flavor in this breakfast bake is absolutely fantastic. We couldn't stop eating it. My husband came out of his cave (office) four times while I was making this. The aromas were just so hearty and comfort-food-smelling, he couldn't stay away.

Between the knock your socks off flavor, the crisp bottom and the chewy moist bread? Oh my goodness, this is a breakfast I want to wake up to. The truth is, it's great for dinner too. It's one of those meals that you take the first bite and throw your head back as you are experiencing the incredible flavors.

If you ever have a houseful of guests coming over, I recommend making this...however, with food this good, they may not go home!!