The Sunday Surprise... new French Toast McNonChef Sandwich satisfies brunch cravings

It's miserable out there today, rain, cold, you just want to stay home. But you have a Sunday brunch craving and what will you do. Well fear not, NonChefNick has come to the rescue again. Chill the Champagne and get ready for a wonderful new sandwich to hit the breakfast scene. Move out of the way McDonalds and Burger King. Wimpy's, you ain't got nothing on NonChefNick's French Toast Sandwich, your Sunday Surpise!

I had all those cravings this morning; however, I was tired of the same old thing whenever I have a craving for breakfast. I guarantee that if you try this sandwich at home, you will have it time and time again from here on out. It is so easy to make and introduces a whole new twist to two popular breakfast dishes, French Toast and bacon and eggs. It marries the two to provide a wonderful savory breakfast or brunch entree that feels perfectly comfortable with a chilled glass of Champagne. Let's begin by getting together all the ingredients for this dish. First, a word about nutrition. The ingredients mentioned here contain very little cholesterol and fat because we are using an egg substitute, you know, the kind that you find in the milk style carton next to the regular eggs. The product can be found throughout the US and Canada, and I'm sure it's available throughout other parts of the world. Another thing to mention, this recipe is for one sandwich, so measure according to your needs. I want to warn you however, one of these sandwiches can easily satisfy two people. As a side dish, you may have a selection of cut fruit such as oranges, bananas, and pears.

2 cups of egg substitute (this saves you 350 mg. of cholesterol)
2 slices of nice thick white bread (I think it's called Texas style?)
2 strips of thick, lean bacon (you may use turkey bacon)
1/4 cup of shredded Swiss, Parm, or Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons of butter (or butter substitute)
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

If you use some of the substitutes, you will save a lot on fat and cholesterol. If you choose to use regular eggs, you will want to use 3 eggs and 1/4 cup of milk.

In a saute pan, fry the bacon on medium heat until cooked, about 3 minutes or so. Set aside and rest on paper napkins. Wash your pan so that you can use it for your bread.

Pour the egg substitute in a dish or container and soak the bread on each side for about 10 seconds per side. Remove bread slices and set aside. There should be plenty of egg substitute left over. If not, add a bit more. Now add the cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper to the mixture and mix well. Set aside.

In your saute pan, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, heat over medium heat. Once butter has melted, saute your bread for about 2 minutes on each side while reducing heat to medium low. When bread is golden brown, they are ready. Remove and set aside. Clean your pan, spray it with cooking spray and pour the remainder of the egg substitute into the pan, saute over medium heat for about a minute. Cover and shut off heat. Let side for another 2 minutes.

Now it's time to put everything together. Start with setting one slice of the French Toast on a plate. Next, place the sauteed egg substittute on the toast. Then add the two slices of bacon, and finally place the second slice of French Toast on top. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and drizzle it over the sandwich and sprinkle any remaining parsley over it for garnish. You may choose to surround the sandwich with the sliced fruit. Enjoy your brunch. To think, you didn't even have to leave the house !

Cooking for one can be a pleasant experience...

So you have the day off and the house to yourself, decided to sleep in and save the chores for another day, and the calendar has been cleared of appointments and commitments. This is your selfish day, shared with no one else but you and self indulgence. Afterall, you've earned and deserve it. As lunch approaches, you pop in your favorite CD, crank up the volume, and watch the rest of the world go by from your window as the late morning sun fills your space with the  brightness and warmth that Winter all too often tries to make scarce.

On days like this, be creative and prepare lunch for one. Today, you're not going to fight the traffic, stand in long lines at your favorite restaurant, or be disappointed that you didn't get a window seat. You already have the best seat in the house and the lunch you are about to prepare won't be found on any menu but your own. You are about to enjoy an open face pork loin sandwich with a lemon Dijon sauce, and as an option, a side of Frisee drizzled with olive oil. A simple dish, yet full of contrasting flavors of tart and sweet, this will certainly pamper your taste buds. Let's start with the ingredients.

1 4 oz. pork loin steak (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 thick slice of rye bread or country white bread (3/4 inch thick)
1/2 crispy apple, peeled and chopped
1 small celery stalk, finely sliced
2 tablespoons of pimientos
2 green onions (scallions), sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper

For the sauce:

Juice from 1/2 squeezed lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of tomato paste
5 to 6 large capers

Make sure you have done your prep work, chopping, slicing, and getting your ingredients together before you start. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute your pork loin, turning it over each minute until done. It is ok to leave a little pink in the loin, but it is your choice. Once cooked to your liking, remove the pork and set aside with foil covering it. At this time, toast your slice of bread and set aside.

In the same saute pan, remove any excess oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery, apple, pimientos, and green onion, and saute for about 90 seconds. Salt and pepper to taste and remove pan from heat.

Prepare your sauce by adding all the ingredients, except the oil, and mix well. While mixing, slowly add the olive oil and continue to stir briskly until mixture is smooth and velvety. Add the capers, gently stir, and set aside.

Place your pork loin over the toasted bread and with a sharp knife, cut around the pork so that the toast will be the exact size and shape as the meat. Now you are ready to assemble your sandwich. Start by setting the toast on your plate. Next, with a soup spoon, add the mixture from the saute pan to the toast, covering the toast to about 1/2 inch high. Now add the pork loin on top. Finally, drizzle your sauce over the pork, allowing it to drip down the sides. You may serve this with a Frisee type of lettuce with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Enjoy your gourmet lunch and continue your day as your started, with an afternoon nap and soft background music.