Looking for a way to turn the heart-warming memories of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of your youth into a decadent adult indulgence? Whether you are or you aren't, just know, this'll do it. For us American breakfast eaters, iHop has schooled us on the term "stuffed French toast", and, ranked by popularity, PB&J stuffed French toast is at or near the top of that list. In fact, for PB&J lovers, it's hard to imagine anything being better than PB&J stuffed French toast.
Newsflash, there is: PB&J stuffed French Toast made using banana bread. It's so good, Elvis would be jealous. There's more. It doesn't take any longer to make than the average serving of French toast, and, as long as you have a few slices of two-three day old banana bread hanging around your kitchen, you most likely have all the ingredients on-hand. While I can't in good conscience recommend adding this calorie-packed item to your menu rotation on a weekly basis, it is indeed a flavor-packed special occasion treat for any celebratory breakfast or brunch.
It's so darned good, Elvis would be jealous:
For two full-size sandwiches:
4 slices 1/2"-thick 2-3 day old banana bread
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup fruit-of-choice preserves
2 tablespoons salted butter
~Step 1. In a flat-bottomed medium-sized bowl, use a fork to whisk together the eggs and milk -- there is no need to add any salt, sugar or flavorings to this mixture. For each of two sandwiches, slather one half of a slice of 1/2"-thick banana bread with 2 tablespoons peanut butter, then, slather a second slice with 2 tablespoons fruit preserves -- preserves work better than jelly. Place one slice, slathered side down, atop the other, to form a sandwich. Secure the sandwich with 2 toothpicks and use a pair of kitchen sheers to clip the tops of the toothpicks off -- these two toothpicks will hold it together during the soaking and frying process.
~ Step 2. Gently pick up and gently lower the sandwich down into the whisked egg mixture. Let it soak in the liquid for about 1-1 1/2 minutes, then, with the aid of the fork, gently lift and flip the sandwich over. Allow the second side to soak in the liquid for a second 1-1/2 minutes. Resist the urge to soak the banana bread any longer.
~Step 3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in an 8" nonstick skillet over low heat. Gently lift the sandwich out of the egg mixture (allowing a second or three for the excess liquid to drain back into the bowl) and gently lower the sandwich down into the skillet. Increase the heat to medium. Allow sandwich to sauté gently in the melted butter for 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until golden brown. With the aid of a the fork, gently flip the sandwich over and allow the second side to sauté gently in the remaining butter for 1-1 1/2 minutes (a slightly shorter time than the first side). Turn the heat off. With the aid of a spatula, remove it from the skillet, place it on a plate and let it rest about 30-45 seconds. Use a serrated bread knife to gently slice it in half, remove the toothpicks and serve immediately. Repeat with the second sandwich and remaining egg mixture.
Serve w/bacon, &, garnish w/sliced bananas & strawberries:
PB&J Lovers Stuffed Banana Bread French Toast: Recipe yields 2 stuffed French toast sandwiches/2-4 servings.
Special Equipment List: fork; toothpicks; kitchen shears; 8" nonstick skillet; spatula; serrated bread knife
Cook's Note: The French words for French toast are pain perdu, meaning lost bread, because it is a way of reviving bread which becomes dry after a day or two. The basics of any French toast recipe are pretty simple: Thickly-sliced, two-three-day-old bread is dipped into a vanilla-flavored egg-and-cream custard mixture. The bread is allowed to soak up the custard for a few moments, then it gets fried in a skillet containing a coating of oil. When executed correctly, it emerges crisp and golden brown on both sides with a creamy, almost pudding-like, center. To learn ~ How to Make the Best Basic, Classic French Toast ~, just click on the link!
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)
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