Mangoes with Sour Cream

My new favorite "potluck " dish.

1 - 3 lb bag of frozen mango chunks

1 - cup of sour cream
1/2 to 1 cup cane sugar
1-2 tsp salt to taste

1 - 2 TBS of unflavored gelatin (optional)
1 tsp - 1 TBS cream of tartar (optional)
1 cup of milk (only needed if using gelatin)

I have decided that sour cream makes the best dressing for just about anything.  Fruit salads, instead of mayonnaise for tuna fish, dips, whatever.  The sour complements the mangoes so well and it's so  to just defrost the fruit in the fridge, then apply sour cream sauce.  If you leave the fruit slightly frozen, it will be its own chilling mechanism if its not going to be eaten immediately.

The first time I made this, I was in a hurry and just threw it together and was thankful that it turned out ok.  The second time I made it, I wanted to sneak a little protein in there....mostly so when I ate the leftovers as a snack, it would be a wee bit more balanced.

If you want to add the gelatin, dissolved it in the milk first.   Then add everything else except the mangoes.  Stir well until declumped.  Heat to dissolve the gelatin, then pour over the mangoes, stirring or folding over quickly.  It will usually last the day, but overnight, the mangoes get a little soggy.

Cowboy Cookies - GF

I hate oatmeal.  It's ok going down loaded with butter and sugar, but it never satisfies me.  I am still hungry after eating oatmeal, so I haven't eaten it in years....not kept any in the house either.  I don't even go down the cereal aisle.

Picture me in the fall, with some friends, picnicking on a pontoon boat on the lake on a GORGEOUS "just the right temperature" day.  Picture me being offered a cookie made by someone else introduced as a coconut oil cookie. Picture me trying not to have an "Ewww" face. (I'm not really a cookie person, ice cream is my "go to", and not all women are good bakers and coconut oil is NOT always baking friendly. The cookies I tried to make with coconut oil a while back were horrible.) Picture my eyes popping out of my head at the surprise at how much I like this cookie. An oatmeal cookie that's relatively healthy and not a hockey puck.

Cowboy Cookies

All bagged up to save for later......

Blend:
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl whisk together or sift:
2 cups white rice flour
2-3 TBS unflavored gelatin
1/2-1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2-1 tsp cream of tartar

Blend flour mix into wet mix.

Add:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semi or dark chocolate chips (approx 5 oz)

Dough will be crumbly.  Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet (actually, I didn't grease).  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

These bad boys will SPREAD, so give them room to grow.  I used an ice cream scoop to keep them an even size, made hand sized cookies.  The first batch I made I used less gelatin and less cream of tartar, made for a crispier cookie...like a granola bar on the edges.  The second batch I used the larger amounts and it made for chewier cookies.  I also made a double batch and used the Bosch.  We had votes for both variations in our household.  Extras can be frozen and make for convenient snacks and travel food....just add milk.

Would work well for making ice cream sandwiches....just sayin'.

Edited 032013: Not to shock you or anything, but this is NOT a weight loss friendly food....just sayin'. ;)

See ya in the Gumbo 
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday 
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Melt in your Mouth Monday

Irish Soda Bread - GF

Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
1-2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cane sugar (optional)

1 egg
2 cups milk#

1/4 cup melted coconut oil, butter or lard

• Preheat oven to 325* (I skip this step for my toaster oven.)

• Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  (Sugar is optional, simply because I forgot to add it the second time I made this and didn't notice.  Ketchup boy noticed.) 

• Set aside.  

• Beat egg and add milk in a separate bowl.  

• Mix egg/milk into dry ingredients and blend.  

• Add melted coconut oil or fat of choice. 

• Blend.  

• Pour ( or plop) bread mix into a greased bread pan.  It rises, but doesn't spread much, so you will need to add it evenly, if you want an even loaf.

• Bake for 65-70 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.  

• Let cool completely on wire rack before cutting.  I made this in the toaster oven in the evening,  let it cool over night and sliced in the morning.

#The original recipe called for buttermilk.  You can sour milk quickly by adding a little ACV, if desired.


Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Unglazed Gelatin Donut Holes - GF, DF

The evolution of leftover onion ring batter.

Mix equal parts beef gelatin and cane sugar with a wee bit of cream of tartar and extra salt, if needed. Mix with leftover egg and rice flour and add extra flour until you can work it like Playdo and not have it stick to your hands.  I like to divided the ball in half and then half again, then half again and so on until I have multiple, roughly equal pieces, that are about the size of my thumb to the first joint.  They expand a little when they fry in the coconut oil.  They are more forgiving of temperature, so I usually stick them in last. You may have to roll them to get them to brown evenly.

I can think of all sorts of ways to doctor these up...cinnamon sugar coatings, dipped in melted chocolate, fruit centers....but I usually am so full on onions rings by the time I get to these, I don't feel like being adventurous anymore.

Orange Whip

Sweet and simple.

Orange Whip (recipe fits a "personal sized" blender)

• 2-3 oz frozen concentrated orange juice (pulp free)

• fresh milk, skimmed or whole (this is a good recipe for hold up queen's milk)

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• ice cubes (optional, but help the whipped cream effect)

• 2 TBS cane sugar (optional, recommended if using vanilla)

• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (extra potassium and makes it fluffy)

• dash of vanilla (optional, make it a really small dash if not using sugar)

I few months back, I got myself a "personal blender" to fit my 60's era blender....you know the kind that's compatible with mason jars. ;)  I didn't want it, but pricing wise, it was almost the same as the replacement parts I needed.  I admit, it's handy and I like the spill resistant personal drinking lid....fits on a regular mouth mason jar just fine.  Great for sipping.

Anyway, this is one of those blended drinks that need to be finished shortly after making, so small batches are good.  (OJ will turn the milk into cheese if left to sit too long, not nearly as appealing. IMO.)  Leave extra room at the top for the whipping, a few inches at least.  The minuscule amount of cream on my current batch of milk is whipped and firm when prepared this way and makes it taste very rich indeed.

See Ya In The Gumbo
Gluten Free Wednesday
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday
Hearth and Soul Hop
Fat Tuesday

Sausage and Potato Casserole

This makes a lasagna pan's worth of food, or 2 smaller casseroles.

Ingredients
4-6 lbs of potatoes, peeled and sliced.
1 onion, diced

1/2 lb cream cheese or nuefchatel
1/2 lb of queso fresco **
1/2 lb farmer's cheese
2-4 TBS prepared mustard
4 TBS coconut oil
4-6 TBS gelatin
2 eggs
8 TBS cane sugar
Sea Salt, a lot.....2 TBS?
Cream of tartar as needed

1 lb Sausage, bite sized

1. Prep potatoes and onions and set aside
2. Combine sauce/filling ingredients until smooth.
3. Correct seasoning, should be slightly saltier/zestier than needed as the potatoes will neutralize some of the taste when it's all cooked together.
4. Combine sauce with potatoes and onions and pour into a coconut oil greased pan/s.
5. Add bite sized sausage evenly over the top.
6. Cook for about an hour at 350*-375*, cover, if needed to prevent burning.  
7. Check for softness of middle potatoes.  Adjust cooking time as needed.
8. Cool for about 20 minutes and serve.

This was a big hit the first time around.  It doesn't reheat well, as is. I used the leftovers as a soup by adding broth, some tomatoes and a little extra gelatin and salt. Traveled very well in my thermos. Fabulous!


**Queso fresco is ricotta-ish, without the additives usually found in commercial ricotta.

Hunk of Meat Monday 
Hearth and Soul Hop 
Fat Tuesday

Onion Rings

This was breakfast! 

I have had a love/hate thing with onion rings.  I love onions and nothing smells better than onion rings....but I stopped eating them because they regularly disappointed me.....all batter, no onion.  I have never made onion rings myself before.  I have deep fried onions when already making fries, without batter, and they're tasty, but not the same.  These were light and crisp and just the right balance of batter and onion.

Ummmm, I think I need to go make some more....

Ingredients
1 medium Onion
1 medium Egg
Rice Flour for coating (or corn masa)
Salt
Coconut Oil for frying

1. Heat oil in deep pot.  Make sure to leave room from the top for bubbling oil.
2. Slice onion in rounds perpendicular to the stem/roots ends.
3. Remove skin and ends and save for broth in freezer.
4. Beat egg in small bowl.
5. Pop rings out of onion rounds.
6. Put some flour in a small, wide bowl or plate with sides.
7. Add some salt to the flour or egg at this point.
8. Dip rings in egg, then dip in flour, coating thoroughly. 
9. Place coated rings aside until oil is hot.  
10. Add coated rings in small batches to hot oil.
11. Cook for a few minutes, until desired color, but not too dark.
12. Strain out of oil and place on baking sheet or other wide, oven safe container.
13. Salt more.
14. Keep warm in oven until finished with all the batches.

Bonus step:  When you are finished making onion rings, add the remaining flour to the egg and add some sugar and possibly salt and cream of tartar, if needed.  Drop little balls of dough into the hot oil and fry up the extra.  They cook up fast, so don't turn your back. Oh, and don't forget to turn OFF the oil when you are done cooking.

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Monday Mania 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays 
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Real Food Wednesday

Banana Bread & Muffins - GF

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking: 

Banana Bread & Muffins
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil  or butter
1-1 1/4 cup bananas mashed

 1 3/4 cup rice flour
2/3 cup cane sugar 
2 TBS unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped apricots (optional)



I haven't had any bananas for YEARS. Cooked bananas do not cause discomfort like raw ones do though.  I could not resist the bargain of a huge bag of bananas for $1...and had a get together coming up.  I peeled the bananas and stuck them in the freezer until needed. 

Mix ingredients in order.  I use a potato masher or ricer for the banana and leave it on the chunky side.  I used Sucanat for the sugar, the caramel ish flavor goes well.  1 loaf recipe makes about a dozen muffins using an ice cream scoop for measuring.  Bake at 350*  for about 25-30 minutes for muffins, 1 hour for a loaf.  I used my toaster oven, so no preheating necessary.  Use a greased pan or tin or use liners.

The muffins were a huge hit and we actually had leftovers too. They freeze well and make a nice snack on the go....or a light meal with a glass of milk.

See Ya In The Gumbo
Melt in your Mouth Monday
Hearth and Soul Hop
Fat Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Potato Salad with Pickled Eggs

Ingredients:

Cooked potatoes

Diced Beet Pickled Eggs

Mustard 

Diced Butter Pickles or Relish

Pickle Juice or ACV

Sour Cream

Cane sugar/Cream of tartar to taste

Salt to taste

I thought I had posted this a while ago, I guess it got lost in the shuffle. 

I know I used a Russet type potato and adding the pickle juice gave it the right moistness.

Adjust proportions to your personal tastes...I kept adding stuff until it tasted "right"....and I can't remember what I did anyway.....

See Ya In The Gumbo  
Fat Tuesday 
Hearth and Soul Hop

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

I make a mean fruit dip.  I love it for dipping strawberries and it goes great as a brownie topping too.  I got my recipes confused the other day and put WAY too much gelatin in the dip.  Seriously, dip should not be slice-able.


Directions:
I added 2 slices too firm cheesecake dip to 2 eggs in the blender and whipped. Much to my delight, the gelatin dip actually did blend in. I was concerned I would get a chunky smoothie....like adding coconut oil that turns gritty in the cold, ewwww.  I added OJ for liquid as needed and a large handful of frozen strawberries. "Seasoning" was some salt, cream of tartar, cane sugar and homemade vanilla extract.

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie

Meet my new favorite hot weather breakfast...and lunch....and dinner.....

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie!

Ingredients per serving:
1 forage fed egg
1 cup lemonade
1 generous pinch salt
1/4-1 tsp cream of tartar
1 handful frozen red raspberries
sugar to taste **

**These raspberries are exceptional and don't really need extra sugar, but sometimes commercial berries need a little help.

Blend and pour immediately, fresh is best.

No Bake Cheesecake - GF

The original recipe: Rich No Bake Cheesecake

I replaced the whipping cream with sour cream, orange juice for the water in the filling.  The crust I made with cocoa butter (didn't have any butter) and chopped, dried coconut instead of crumbs and I added a little homemade baking powder. Oh and a little salt and cream of tartar, well, because I add it to almost everything.

Ingredients:

.5 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 TBS cream of tartar

Dissolve gelatin in OJ, then add the rest of the ingredients from the above group.  Heat, while stirring, until the liquid become translucent.  Let cool a bit.


16 oz cream cheese (softened)
8-16 oz sour cream
1-2 TBS coconut oil (optional)
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the above ingredients in a blender or food processor, then add orange juice mix.

Crust: (Optional)
2 cups dried coconut, chopped fine in blender or food processor
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1 TBS arrowroot powder (optional?)
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp baking soda

The To-Go Version

 Chop coconut as small as you can, then add in cocoa butter, then the rest of the ingredients.  Fill pie pan or spring form pan and bake at 350* F for 5 minutes.  Let cool completely. (If you make the crust first, you can stick it in the freezer to chill while prepping the filling.)

Put filling in crust and chill for about 2 hours.  The filling makes 1 large cheesecake in a spring form pan or 2 pies....or 1 pie and 4 individual serving sized crust-less cheesecakes for "To Go" food.

Future variations:

• Using baking chocolate in place of some of the fat in the crust, perhaps with butter.  The crust had an awesome flavor and texture, but was a little bit firm for cutting a bite off.  (The first piece I thought I cut lifted the WHOLE thing out of the pan.)  Butter would be a softer fat when chilled.
• Using rice flour in part or instead of coconut.  Every once in a while, the dried coconut taste was too strong or slightly "twangy."
• Omitting or reducing the sour cream to make a summer weight cheesecake.  The flavor was spectacular, worked well, but I wanted a little more "cheese" in the cheesecake.
• Cherries! (Does that really need explanation?)

UPDATE:
This makes a fabulous brownie topping at room temperature, just add extra OJ. Seriously, it's good.

See Ya In The Gumbo

Beet Pickled Eggs

The grass is popping and the chickens are laying, so fresh eggs are in abundance....yeah, taking over the fridge. I was inspired by the many GORGEOUS pictures of eggs pickled with beet juice...they look like a sunrise when cut open.

Ingredients:
Leftover beet juice or pickling liquid
ACV
Cane Sugar
Hard cooked Eggs
Sea Salt
Cream of Tartar
Pickling Spices (optional)

1. Cook eggs to the hard cooked stage and chill WELL, this can be done in advance.
2. Mix the ACV, juice, sugar, salt, cream of tartar and spices, if using, together in a pan. 
3. Adjust proportions to taste,  I like a sweet tart flavor with emphasis on sweet.  
4. Bring to a quick boil and let cool while peeling chilled eggs.
5. Layer eggs in a wide mouth jar and cover with warm beet juice.
6. Let sit, refrigerated, for a few days, at least.
7. Enjoy!

Update:  Taste test after 2 days soaking earns 2 thumbs up...even better than I expected!
(No picture available of one cut open, I couldn't wait to eat it.)

Orange Brittle - homemade hard candy

3 cups cane sugar
1 cup water
pinch of sea salt
a dash or 2 of liquid minerals
a drop of orange essential oil
3 tbs cream of tartar
1 stick of butter

Cook until temp reaches 302* .....an hour or 2...I didn't keep track....just kept stirring occasionally. Let cool in a shallow,  level pan, I used a broiler pan.  Break apart when completely cool.


See Ya In The Gumbo
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Hearth and Soul Hop
Made from Scratch Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Chunky Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
Leftover Creamy Orzo with Tomatoes
1 can of Tomatoes and chilies
Chicken tidbits, OG (optional)
2 TBS beef gelatin
2 TBS cane sugar
1 TBS cream of tartar
Milk
Sea salt


Leftovers don't have to be "old" to be used, it's actually better if they aren't.  We ate the Orzo for one meal, then it got re-purposed for the very next meal. Ketchup Boy hates tomatoes (no, I haven't figured that one out yet....) but begrudgingly admitted he really liked this.

See Ya In The Gumbo
Ingredient Spotlight : Tomatoes

Creamy Orzo with Tomatoes

A variation on Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese:

Ingredients:
2 TBS Coconut Oil
2 cups Orzo Pasta
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
2 cups full fat fresh Milk
2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
1 tsp Sea Salt 

2 TBS cane sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
8 oz  lowfat cream cheese or neufchatel (in chunks)

Plop all the ingredient in the cooker, give it a stir, set to "cook" and wait. VERY rich and creamy with a little kick from the chilis. If you can't handle the heat, just use plain diced tomatoes.

Slow Cooked Pepsi Pig Ribs

Pepsi BBQ Sauce
1 can Pepsi throwback
1 cup gelatin
1 cup pizza, spaghetti or tomato sauce
1/4-1/2 cup Gulden's mustard
1 TBS cream of tartar
1 TBS sea salt
2 TBS coconut oil


4-5 lb rack of ribs
(This was Sally's side, tons of meat and tiny bones.)

Rice or mashed potatoes for absorbing extra sauce.

1. Preheat oven to 450*F.
2. Grease broiler pan with coconut oil to make clean up easier.
3. Combine ingredients for sauce.
4. Slather ribs with BBQ sauce.
5. Place ribs fat side up on broiler pan.
6. Put in oven and immediately turn down to 170-190*F setting on oven. 
7. Cook for 9 hours or so. (This makes a great set it and forget it meal.)
8. Broil for a few minutes right before serving.

See Ya In The Gumbo
Hunk of Meat Monday

First Homemade Pizza (including GF crust)

I give this a B+. This was really easy to make...until things went wrong....mostly due to inexperience.

I had problems with wetness while mixing and stickiness after rolling  trying to get it off the rolling surface onto the pizza board and again off the board and onto the pizza stone in the oven.  It looked and tasted yummy enough to try again though....otherwise, I would be sticking to the occasional English Muffin Pizza. ;)

My surface area for rolling was too small, in hindsight, I should have divided the dough into 2 pizzas....or used less liquid?  I ended up adding a LOT of extra flour correcting the original wetness.  As it was, the dough when cooked was THICK, too much bread for my liking.  It held together very well though...only breaking where I ripped it trying to transport.

I don't know about you, but I try to avoid gums....guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthum gum.  Quite honestly, my digestive system can handle wheat on occasion BETTER than the gums.  The gums aren't just in gluten free baking products/flours, but in dairy, coconut and other products you wouldn't think needed "gluing."

Ingredients
2 tsp yeast
1 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 cups rice flour
2 tsp cane sugar
2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp sea salt
2 TBS coconut oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

(Added to correct too wet dough)
1/2 cup corn masa, white or blue
1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour/starch
2 tsp coconut flour (optional)

Mix yeast into warm milk first in a separate container.  Add egg to mixer or food processor and whip.  Add other ingredients in order a little at a time, blending as you go.

Flour your rolling area well, I used additional corn masa flour.  My dough stuck where I missed a few spots. This amount of dough will make a very large pizza or 2 smaller pizzas, so adjust accordingly. ;)  Roll in thin as the dough will double, at least, in thickness.  Based on my experience, I would flour the paddle as well.

Cook crust for 10 minutes at 425* F.

Add desired toppings and bake for an additional 15 minutes or so.

The pizza pictured above is a freshly shredded Mozzarella/Parmesan blend  with dried basil and red pepper flakes.  We let is sit for about 15 minutes on a cookie rack before cutting.

Coffee and "Cream" Beef with Rice

This is a "use it up" meal.  It was "sticky" sweet and a little overwhelming for me after one meal.  Ketchup boy was THRILLED and was quite pleased to hog most of the leftovers.


I had 3 chubs of lb packages of my beef in the upstairs freezer.  They don't stack well and I needed to freeze some goat milk, so they got defrosted in the fridge all at once.  I had a partial container of sour cream and nuefchatel, so they got tossed in.  I also had a Tupperware container of brown sugar (a light Muscovado, I think) that has been sitting in the cupboard for a LONG time because it was too hard to use.  I tossed that in too, in one big block.  The gelatin balances the meat and the cream of tartar balances the sugar.  You can get away with cream of tartar with the coffee in moderation because of all the other ingredients.


HINT: If you get the rice cooking first, they should both be ready about the same time.

Coffee and Cream Beef

Leftover coffee (2 cups?)
Beef gelatin (1 cup)
Grass fed ground beef (3 lbs?)
Sour cream (1 cup?)
Cream cheese or neufchatel (1/4 of a package)
Balsamic Vinegar (A few generous shakes)
Brown Sugar (pint sized container, 3/4 full)
Cream of Tartar (1 tsp, at least)
Sea Salt (2 TBS?)

Soak the gelatin in the coffee.  Meanwhile, brown the burger and toss in ingredients in the proportions that appeal to you. Add gelatin coffee mix and heat until blended.  Adjust salt to taste....more salt balances the sweet....up to a point, so does the vinegar. ;)


Rice Cooker Rice
4 scoops jasmine rice
1 TSP cream of tartar
1 TSP sea salt
2-4 TBS Coconut oil
Water to 4 scoop fill line

Place all ingredients in cooker and stir with rice paddle a few times to mix powder with rice and water.  Cook and serve.

Fried Okra, French Toast and Maple Milk

I have a confession to make...I am not a "real" gourmet.  I can't be, I am disqualified.  My bulk bottle of Cinnamon is older than my first born, who drives now.  I am about halfway through...perhaps I will be forced to buy a replacement sometime before I die.

In the spirit of out with the old and in with the new, I have been digging DEEP into my freezers, yes plural.  I found in the back of one of the freezers a bag of unopened breaded okra, a unopened loaf of bread, a half loaf of bread, 3 mostly empty, but air filled plastic bags (I seemed to have a collection of meat bone/onion kin bags), 4 half filled bags of freezer burned french cut green beans (now chicken food) and a jar of ?????, I think it's a dried herb, possibly burdock. I haven't purchased any frozen veggies for a few years now, so I can only guess how long they've been there.  They took up more space than the bread, and at least I can remember WHEN the bread was purchased.


Fried Okra
The secret to non slimy okra is to slice it REALLY, REALLY thin before breading and fry the snot out of it....pun intended.  A friend taught me that...her's are almost crouton crispy and much loved by people who "don't like okra".  This was purchased, so thickness was predetermined, but I did manage to fry it to a crisp.

Okras is really easy to grow if you have SUN and live in an area with hot summers.  It will keep going long after the cucumbers and tomatoes have burned to a crisp.  You need to pick the pod when young, but the over grown ones make great chicken feed.  The flowers are very pretty too.

Ingredients
Coconut oil
Breaded Okra
Salt

Heat the oil and add a small soup bowl's worth of okra per batch.  Fry until golden and crisp...about 7 minutes or more.  Drain well.  Put it in a bowl and add a thin layer of salt.  Repeat batches until finished.  I did a sniff test before using the Okra, it was ok...and coconut oil can cover up for a multitude of sins so to speak. We ate it like popcorn straight from the bowl.




Breakfast this AM was built around using up "remnants" of stuff that was taking up space in the fridge as well.  Obviously, I have a LONG way to go on the cinnamon. ;)

French Toast
The last 4 eggs in the carton
The last few sips of milk in the jar, 1/4 cup?
Dash of cinnamon (hey, every little bit counts)
Dash of homemade vanilla
Remnants of a cream of tartar/salt mix, 1/2 tsp or so
2 TBS of cane sugar

About a half a loaf of previously frozen sourdough spelt bread
(My guesstimate for how much dip to make is approximately 1 egg per 2 slices of bread.  Your mileage will vary depending on the density of the bread.)

And, of course, the last few drizzles of the too big bottle of maple syrup from the fridge door for topping.
(The whole point of french toast IS maple syrup in our house.  Adding sugar and cream of tartar to the egg helps stretch it though.)

I used coconut oil on the griddle and cooked at medium low ("egg" temperature) for a few minutes on each side, then placed them on my pizza tone in the warmed oven while I made the rest of the batch.

Maple Milk
Pour a glass of milk in the empty maple syrup bottle and shake, shake, shake.  Pour into glasses and serve with the french toast.  It comes out very foamy, almost doubles in volume.  You could substitute it for a whipped topping in a glass of hot chocolate too.

Pantry Challenge