Challah Bread French Toast

This lovely and light French toast is wonderful topped with syrup, berry jam, or confectioner’s sugar.

Ingredients:
1 large loaf Challah bread
2 eggs
1½ cups milk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon smoked cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
Unsalted butter
Vegetable oil

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 250°.

2. In a large shallow bowl or pan, whisk together the eggs, milk, orange zest, vanilla, smoked cinnamon, honey and salt. Slice the Challah in ¾-inch thick slices. Soak the slices in the egg mixture for 5 minutes, turning once.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked French toast on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed.

Holiday Gatherings Recipes

It’s almost turkey time! And as families, friends and loved ones gather around the table, this week’s box is filled with farm-fresh provisions to help make your holiday entertaining a breeze—everything from our signature turkey brining kit and tart cranberries to a wealth of produce like winter squash, Yukon Gold potatoes, baby beets, leeks and carrots to utilize in classic side dishes for the big meal. Also included: Challah bread, farm-fresh eggs, gorgeous salad greens and fragrant herbs. Here’s to a happy holiday—and satisfied stomachs, too!

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

How-To: Brine Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Soaking a turkey overnight in a solution of salt and water ensures a moist, juicy interior; beautiful aromatics infuse it with flavor.

Rustic Challah Bread, Mushroom & Herb Dressing
Fragrant with fresh herbs and accented by toasted Challah bread and meaty mushrooms, this stuffing is always a hit!

Potatoes à la Robuchon
Of all the haute cuisine in legendary chef Joël Robuchon’s repertoire, he was best known for these super-silky potatoes.

Balsamic-Glazed Root Vegetables
An herb-packed marinade infuses fresh flavor into late fall staples like carrots, squash and parsnips.

Parmesan-Crusted Winter Squash
This versatile recipe works with pretty much any type of squash—like Autumn Frost, Butternut, Acorn or Delicata.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Kissed with a hint of orange juice, this sweet-tart recipe is a holiday classic.

Rustic Challah Bread, Mushroom & Herb Dressing

Fragrant with fresh herbs and accented by toasted Challah bread and meaty mushrooms, this stuffing is always a hit!

Ingredients:
1 large loaf challah (about 1 pound)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering baking dishes
2 cups yellow onion, diced (from 2 medium onions)
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups wild mushrooms, diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable broth

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 300° and set an oven rack in the middle position. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. Cut the challah into 1-inch cubes and spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until dry and lightly toasted. Set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 350°.

3. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Cook the onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the celery, mushrooms, herbs, salt, and pepper and cook until celery is slightly softened, about 5 minutes more.

4. In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread cubes, onion/vegetable mixture, and chicken broth and toss well. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish with buttered foil and refrigerate until ready to bake (up to overnight).

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until golden, about 25 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding

Made with challah bread and farm-fresh eggs, this easy-to-assemble dessert always wows.

Ingredients:
1 loaf stale challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Dulce de Leche sauce:
1 cup Dulce de Leche, store-bought or homemade
¼ cup milk

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the bread pieces in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream, milk, both sugars, eggs and the vanilla until well combined. Pour the mixture over the bread and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until the bread soaks up all the mixture.

2. Coat the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with the melted butter making sure to cover the sides of the pan as well. Spoon the bread mixture into the pan and spread into a single layer. Place it in the oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the bread pudding has set and the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

3. To make the dulce de leche sauce: Place dulce de leche in a small bowl and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add milk and mix well, until smooth. Stir in more milk if necessary to thin it out until you achieve the desired consistency.

4. Drizzle half of the dulce the leche over the bread pudding. Cut the bread pudding into squares to serve. Drizzle a bit more dulce de leche if you’d like and top with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

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