Nutella Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast Bake

Lately I've played with various versions of baked french toast. The BEST french toast (I have to say right from the start that I'm not usually a fan) I've ever had is from The Griddle Cafe in Los Angeles. If you can make it there to get their 'peanut bubba' french toast, you should! This is my ode to that amazing "dessert-disguised-as-breakfast" dish. 

I've hosted a ton of brunches, and without a doubt my tip to success is advance preparation. You don't have the whole day to get a meal ready for breakfast...unless you start the day before. I try to make at least 2 entrees that are 90% ready to go the evening leading up to my gathering, and no matter how hectic things get in the early morning as I'm trying to finish on time, it helps to know I've got a couple things crossed off the list.  This french toast is also perfect for family mornings when you want to wake up, be lazy and still have a delicious homemade breakfast to eat. Let's be honest, this is more dessert than breakfast, but hey, who's complaining?

It took a couple tries to get the exact ratio of eggs/cream/milk for the batter, and now these measurements will give you soft, fluffy french toast with a crispy top. The graham crackers are a fun addition for flavor and texture. The first time I made this french toast it was a strictly peanut butter version (refer back to the first paragraph) and that's when I took the photos. It was amazing as is, but to please the weirdos in my family who don't approve of pb, I threw in the Nutella the next few times around and it was WOW. Complete pb and Nutella bliss. The cookie crumbles on top, freshly whipped cream, warm maple syrup...this is the breakfast that dreams are made of. 

Not a fan of peanut butter? This would taste sooo good if you swap out the pb for cookie butter! Leave it out and use only the Nutella (or vice versa) for other variations. Sliced bananas stuffed in with the filling would also be a nice touch. The possibilities are endless!

All prepped and ready to bake!

Makes 16 slices

Ingredients
-------------------
-3 eggs
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-2/3 cup cane sugar
-1 cup milk
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-3 full sheets graham crackers, finely crushed

-1 loaf french bread, day old preferred

-1/2 cup peanut butter
-1/2 cup powdered sugar
-1/3 cup heavy cream
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cups Nutella

Optional toppings
------------------------------
-maple syrup
-fresh whipped cream
-sliced bananas

To make
---------------
-In a 13x9 baking dish,  crack your eggs and beat them with a fork or whisk. Add salt, vanilla, sugar, milk, cream and cinnamon and whisk the entire mixture. Set aside.
-Starting with a clean surface or cutting board, slice a loaf of thick french bread (or brioche) horizontally leaving the edge attached and lay open. Now your loaf will be split open like you are about to layer a sandwich.
-In a medium bowl whisk together peanut butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla until smooth. Spread the mixture on 1 side of the split loaf of bread.
-On the other length of the split loaf spread the Nutella mixture in a nice thick layer. Make sure your peanut butter mixture and your Nutella extends all the way to the edges of the bread. Gently close the loaf of bread. Now you have a layer of peanut butter and a layer of nutella over it between 2 layers of bread.
- Using a serrated bread knife, carefully cut 16 slices out of the peanut butter Nutella loaf.
-One slice at a time, dip each piece of french toast into the egg mixture. Make sure you dip them on both sides so the bread can soak properly. After you dip the slices layer them in two rows across the baking dish.
-Coarsely crush the graham crackers over the top of the french toast. Cover and refrigerate 6 - 12 hours (overnight).
-When you are ready to bake the french toast, uncover and place it in a preheated oven  at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes on the lower rack of your oven.
-Remove your french toast from the oven and give it a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
-Serve with fresh whipped cream, sliced bananas, and extra maple syrup on the side.
- Enjoy!

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Try these other brunch favorites!

Tisi'yeh/Fattet Hummus

Classic Banana Bread

Raspberry Oat Bars

Cheese and Parsley Pasta: Middle Eastern Mac n' Cheese

Classic Banana Bread

Without a doubt, banana bread is the single most frequently baked treat in my home. I look for ripe bananas at the market so we don't have to wait too long for them to be ready at home...I make a loaf weekly and it doesn't EVER see its 3rd day. At this point baking banana bread has an emotional significance to me because its become one of those unintentional traditions...my kids come home on Monday to the fragrant smells of banana and vanilla and have a slice after school. After dinner, they grab another slice. The next morning on their way out to school, they grab yet another piece...by the time they get home they're lucky if there's any left...and they wait for the following Monday to get their "bb" fix again. Banana bread makes Mondays a little less bleak, and who doesn't love that?!

If you go through my blog, you'll find several versions of this yummy cake. Here's how this new and improved version is different:

1) I've gone back to the basics and removed any extra ingredients or flavors (Greek yogurt, pumpkin, pumpkin butter, oats, etc.) to celebrate banana bread in all its glory, as a simple and utterly amazing bread. This translates into quicker prep time and fewer ingredients for you.

2) The texture of  banana "bread" instead of banana "cake" has been achieved with the tweaking of measurements. I'll let you in on my hugest revelation...an extra EGG was what it took to get a perfectly dense crumb on this treat (and not Greek yogurt or honey or any of the other stuff I've played with over the years).

3) Flax seeds are amazing. Adding them instead of walnuts takes care of potential nut allergies, gives a huge boost of nutrition and provides the nutty flavor that so many of us love with banana bread. If you don't like them, not a problem, just leave them out!

4) MOST IMPORTANT: Your bananas must be RIPE RIPE RIPE RIPE RIPE. And by ripe I mean too brown to enjoy on their own, but not nasty enough that you need to toss them out. When bananas get very ripe, their flavor deepens and they become sweeter, then when they're baked you will get that intense banana flavor that resembles a professional baked treat. Whatever you do, resist the urge to prepare this banana bread without ripe bananas, it will be the difference between an average bread and an AMAZING one (and you are completely capable of amazing, regardless of your experience!).

Makes 16 slices when baked in a bundt pan

Ingredients
---------------
-3 eggs
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
-4 OVER RIPE mashed bananas (2 cups)

-2 cups flour
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional add-ins (up to 1 cup total)
-------------------------------------
-1 tablespoon flax seeds
-chopped nuts
-chocolate chips
-chopped dried fruit or dates

To make
------------
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt pan.
-Using an electric mixer or by hand, mix eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla together. Stir in melted coconut oil and mashed bananas.
-In another bowl, stir the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon) together and slowly add to the banana mixture. Stir until everything is moistened but DO NOT overmix so your banana bread stays moist. Gently add optional flax seeds or other add-ins.
-Pour mixture in greased pan and bake on the lower rack of a preheated oven for 40-50 minutes (I take mine out at 45 minutes). If you are baking in a loaf pan your bake time will be closer to 60 minutes. Your banana bread is finished when an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.
-Remove from the oven and cool completely. Flip onto a platter and garnish with optional powdered sugar. Serve.
-Enjoy!

I'd love to connect with you! Stay updated on the latest posts through Facebook or follow savvy_chef on Instagram. Tag #savvychef with your re-creations!

Try these other treats!

Skinny Banana Oat Muffins

Vegan Orange Muffins

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

No-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

This is one of those awesome treats that doubles as breakfast (oats and banana) and dessert (chocolate) with a special ingredient that ties them both together (thanks peanut butter!).

Whenever I can I like to brown the butter I use in recipes to give a depth of flavor and make my kitchen smell awesome in the process. The caramel-y and nutty notes of the browned butter are absorbed nicely by the oats and these bars don't end up feeling too healthy that way.

It's always a bonus when you can skip the step of baking, and by browning the butter and using the same pot to cook the oat mixture, these only require 1 pot to prepare. Less dishes and no baking time means you can get to eating a lot faster, and I don't know anyone who minds that ;)

Some days we'll grab these on the way out the door in the morning as breakfast, some afternoons they come in handy as a snack between meals and they're an awesome ready dessert to enjoy after dinner. I've served them for brunch and included them in school lunches. They last a while in the fridge and still hold up great flavor and texture, so give these a try and let me know what you think!

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients
--------------
-4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
-3 cups old fashioned oats
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium sized RIPE bananas)
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon powder
*optional: add 1 tablespoon flax or chia seeds to give these a nutritional boost*

-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-1/2 cup peanut butter

-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)


To make
------------
-Heat a pot and add butter. Let the butter melt and whisk over medium heat until the butter foams and turns a light brown color. You will be able to smell a toasty and caramel like flavor, that is when your butter is browned. Be careful not to burn the butter.
-Add the oats, brown sugar, salt, mashed banana, vanilla and cinnamon powder (plus optional flax or chia seeds) to the pot of browned butter and cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes, until the oats are soft and have partly broken down.
-Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture and press the rest of the oat mixture into the pan, making sure to pat it down into an even layer. I butter the back of a silicon spatula and use it to press down the oat mixture. Place the pan in the freezer to firm up the bottom layer while you prepare the chocolate.
-Using the same pot you used to cook the oat mixture (make sure its empty) add the chocolate chips and peanut butter and cook on the lowest heat until the chocolate is melted and they are mixed together. Spread the chocolate mixture over the oat layer and smooth out to even.
-Using the reserved oat mixture, dallop in pieces over the chocolate. Alternatively (this is how I make it but it is a little more difficult), butter you hands and take chunks of the reserved oat mixture and flatten with the palm of your hand. Carefully lay the flattened pieces on top of the chocolate until you have covered the entire surface. Sprinkle with optional mini chocolate chips
-Cover and refrigerate or freeze until the mixture is firm. In my freezer it takes less than an hour.
-Cut into 4 rows diagonally and horizontally and serve.
-Enjoy and tag #savvychef in your instagram pictures to share :)

Try these other popular oat bar recipes! 

Raspberry Oat Bars

Nut and Seed Granola Bars

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

5 Ingredient Asian Noodles

Here's a QUICK and simple meal where all the ingredients come from one store...Trader Joe's! There is no chopping of veggies involved, so everything comes together very fast with little mess and no clean-up.  I'm going to compare it to as close as you can get to chow mein without adding powdered mixes or making your own sauce with lots of weird things like fish sauce/oyster sauce.  My kids love eating at fast-food Chinese places solely for this dish, and it drives me crazy to see how enthusiastically they dig into those heavy and unhealthy noodles. This pacifies their craving and they call it "fake chow mein". The irony that it's more "real" food than the fast-food version is lost on them, but oh well.  The crunch of the brocolli slaw and carrots is just like what you'd get from the restaurant version, and leaving the veggies mainly raw retains their nutrients and saves preparation time.

I've had a hard time finding teriyaki sauce that does not include alcohol, so I was thrilled when I read the list of ingredients on the Trader Joe's version of teriyaki, called "Soyaki". I ALWAYS have a jar of this ready to be used, and I've tried it in many recipes with great success. Here is my children's favorite way to enjoy it, with plain noodles. I'm going to be honest with you, the kids like this dish prepared simply as only noodles and sauce, without the veggies. But being who I am, I'm always shoving healthy stuff wherever I can so when I've got the broccoli slaw, it goes in. And when I don't...well, the kids don't complain ;)

The exact moment I knew I needed to make my own noodles
 (these are from a local Chinese restaurant)

Tips for success:
Feel free to leave out the veggies for a 3 ingredient dish, or add your favorite protein to the noodles. Chicken and shrimp are my favorites but tofu and steak would also work great. I also frequently use whole wheat spaghetti with great results. Hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes really elevate the flavor!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
-------------
-1 pound spaghetti noodles (cooked al dente according to package instructions).
-2 tablespoons sesame oil
-12 ounce package Trader Joe's broccoli slaw
-10 ounce bag of shredded carrots
-1 1/2 cups Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce (3/4 of the jar)

To make
-----------
-Boil a pot of salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, al dente  (usually around 9-11 minutes on my stove). The pasta will cook for an additional few minutes later on when you add the sauce.
-Once the pasta has cooked, drain in a strainer. Do not rinse.
-In the same pot you boiled the pasta, heat the sesame oil and add the broccoli slaw, carrots, boiled spaghetti and Soyaki sauce. Cook the mixture for about 3-5 minutes, until the noodles have absorbed the sauce.
-Remove from heat and serve.
-Enjoy!

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Cookies n' Cream Oreo Bars

I've got a good one for you today. 5 ingredients (I'm even generously counting the salt and vanilla in this number!) + 10 minutes = HAPPY HAPPY eaters!

There's no baking required, and no special tools! I love these bars for so many reasons. Here are a few:

1) They're made with Oreo cookies. Enough said.
2) They have marshmallows, which makes them a fancy version of a Rice Krispy Treat.
3) There are no complicated ingredients required, meaning you can throw them together in the spur of the moment.
4) They travel very well. No refrigeration or special care is needed. Take them with you anywhere!
5) Probably my favorite reason to love them...kids can make these and get their hands dirty in the process! Anything that gets the kids in the kitchen gets a thumbs up in my book!
6) It should go without saying that these TASTE INCREDIBLE! ;)

My sister, the same one behind these addictive cookies, made these one day into a bark-like form. I was skeptical because they were very thin, but the flavor was REALLY yummy, so I begrudgingly ate more but complained about how they looked. Then my other sister re-made them, but about 1000000% thicker, and they were just as good but now way too rich and heavy. This is where I came in and evened them out into what we all consider the perfect ratio of thickness, sweetness and indulgence.

Feel free to add mini-marshmallows when you add the Oreo cookies for extra texture in your bars. I've also made these with flavored Oreo cookies (the most recent trial was mint Oreo) and they're all good!

Makes about 16 bars

Ingredients
----------------
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-14 ounces marshmallow cream
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-26 Oreo cookies (2 sleeves from large package)

To make
------------
-Line a 7x11 inch pan (or 8x8) with parchment paper and butter the pan and paper, making sure to butter the sides of your pan.
-Heat a pot on the stove and add butter. Once butter is melted add the marshmallow fluff, vanilla and salt. Stir until everything is mixed together. (I use a silicon spatula so the mixture doesn't stick to my spoon).
-Remove the pot from the heat. Roughly crush Oreo cookies with your hand and put them into the pot. Stir them into the marshmallow mixture until all the cookies are well coated with the marshmallow.
-Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top to make sure it is even.
-Allow the cookie bars to cool, then cut into desired sizes and serve. Store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature.
-Enjoy!

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Reader favorites! Try some other bar recipes:

Smore's Bars

Chocolate Date Bars

7 layer cookie dough bars

Cookie Butter Rice Krispies

Biscoff Cookie Butter Rice Krispies

My favorite kind of baking/cooking revolves around throwing things together with no regard to recipes or measurements...kind of hard to cook like that when you've got a food blog and success depends on proper recipes and measurements...but every once in a while I abandon reason and go with the flow of my energy. The problem is when the creation is so yummy it must be shared and I haven't got a clue how to recreate it! Usually in baking, measurements are really a must, but these cookie butter bars are a lot more forgiving. Recreating them was easy because there is no risk of underbaking, overbaking, etc.

I LOVE these bars because at heart they're just a rice krispy treat...except so much more sophisticated. The addition of cookie butter alters the whole texture into something soft and chewy, with proper structure and shape. They last a while and even taste better a few days after being made, which makes them an ideal candidate for a prep ahead dessert. Another bonus? These ingredients can easily be pantry staples since nothing is refrigerated, which means you pull out
the ingredients and work with what you have.

 Little kids can even make these on their own by microwaving the ingredients instead of melting them over stove top. Recently my 10 year old has been asserting her independence by looking up her own recipes online and refusing any assistance in the kitchen, and I've noticed a lot of her search terms start with "kid-friendly/one bowl/easy" and its gotten me thinking of ways to simplify my *easy* recipes.

If you love marshmallows, these are for you! If you love cookie butter, these are really for you!

Yields between 24-48 squares, depending on how you cut them up

Ingredients
---------------
-1/4 cup butter
-14 ounces marshmallow fluff
-1 cup creamy cookie butter or biscoff spread
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-7 cups rice krispy cereal
-1/3 cup salted caramel chocolate chips + 1/2 teaspoon oil (OR use extra white chocolate chips)
-1/3 cup white chocolate chips + 1/2 teaspoon oil
-1/4 cup crushed Biscoff or Speculous cookies (about 2 cookies)

To make
-----------
-Line a 9x13 (for thick rice krispies) or 11x15 rectangle pan with parchment paper and butter/spray parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray. You can use whatever size you have or split the mixture into 2 pans if you don't have anything big enough.
-Heat a large non-stick pot over medium heat and add butter. When the butter is melted, stir in marshmallow fluff, cookie butter/biscoff spread, salt and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
-Remove the pot from the stove and stir in rice cereal. Mix until all the cereal is well coated with the marshmallow mixture.
-Being careful not to burn  your hands, pour the rice krispies into the buttered pan and press down firmly until you have packed the mixture down into an even layer. I spray a silicon spatula with non-stick spray to help out during this step. The proper texture to these bars depends on packing the mixture down tightly, so work those biceps!
-In a a small bowl, mix the salted caramel chips and oil in 20 second increments and stirring between until smooth and melted. Using a fork or a ziplock bag with the bottom edge snipped slightly, drizzle the mixture on the rice krispies.
-Repeat the step above for the white chocolate chips.
-Crush the cookies and sprinkle them all over the rice krispies. Wait for your chocolate to harden and slice and serve!
-Enjoy!

*I enjoy these when I make them a day ahead because the mixture softens into a delicious bar. I keep them out for about 4 days (tightly sealed) then transfer them to the fridge. They still taste AMAZING a week later!

Try these other popular no-bake bars! I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do!

Smore's Bars! 

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