Chocolate-Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast

Have you thought about what to serve for breakfast or brunch tomorrow morning? Ponder no more. Your kids will love this Chocolate-Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast! They could help you assemble the sweet and easy egg bake this evening. Pop it in the oven tomorrow morning, relax, read the paper and enjoy that extra cup of coffee while it’s baking. Kristi Anderson created this “kid-friendly” version of her *mother’s cream cheese and fresh strawberries egg bake about five years ago. It’s been a family favorite ever since. CJK

Chocolate-Peanut Butter 
Stuffed French Toast

(Kristi Anderson)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

12 slices white bread

6 tbsp. peanut butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

Syrup

Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together butter, sugar and cinnamon. Spread in pan. Spread 1 tbsp. peanut butter on each of 6 pieces of bread. Lay the bread peanut butter side up in the baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the peanut butter. Top with remaining bread slices. Beat eggs and milk together; pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with your favorite syrup.

Yield: 8 servings

A note from Kristi: My mother got the original recipe for this egg bake while I was in high school. Her recipe is the same except that she used *cream cheese for the filling instead of using chocolate chips and peanut butter. Mom cubed the bread and covered it with 8 oz. of cubed cream cheese, which melts and spreads into mixture. She topped it with fresh strawberries (and syrup for those who wanted it) when she served it. It was heavenly!

Over the years, we’ve tried many variations, including canned apple pie filling and fresh blueberries served with blueberry syrup. It’s a recipe that is open to imagination — it could be topped with whipped cream or even ice cream.

A note from Carol: Kristi Anderson is a fabulous cook! Fortunately, she possesses a generous nature, too — her family, friends and co-workers frequently benefit from her continuing quest for trendy and downright fun recipes. Recently she’s shared an assortment of delightful whoopee pies, an array of “to die for” cake pops and a zesty green pork chili with individuals who work in our building. Watch for more of Kristi’s innovative recipes in Food, Faith and Fellowship.

Kristi and her husband, Chris Anderson, and their three children, Tori (16), Will (8), and Max (7) are members of Sacred Heart Parish in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. She serves as the administrative staff person for the St. Cloud Diocese’s Offices of Development, Vocations and the Catholic Foundation. Kristi, the daughter of Deacon Steve and Laurel Yanish, is currently working on a master’s of theology degree in pastoral ministry through the St. John’s School of Theology/Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota.