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Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Blackberry French Toast Casserole

My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me. It’s perfect if you’ve got overnight company and want to serve something for breakfast the next day but don’t want to spend all morning in the kitchen. Just make it up the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Pull it out of the fridge an hour or so before baking and voila! You’ve got breakfast without too much trouble.

Blackberry French Toast Casserole

1 Cup Blackberry Jam
1 12-ounce loaf French bread, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 - 2 cups whole fresh blackberries, rinsed and dried (optional)
4 large eggs
2 cups half-&-half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
Toppings: maple syrup and whipped cream

Cook the jam in a small saucepan over medium heat, 1 – 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring once. Place half the bread cubes in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with cream cheese cubes, blackberries (if using) and drizzle with melted jam. Top with remaining bread cubes. Whisk together the eggs and next three ingredients. Pour over bread mixture. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover tightly and chill overnight.

Preheat over to 325 degrees. Bake covered 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until bread is golden brown and mixture is set. Serve with toppings and fresh fruit.

Serve with bacon, if desired. Did you know you can bake bacon in the oven? It’s better than standing over a stovetop. Just lay bacon strips on a lightly greased rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until desired crispness is reached. If you want an extra treat, sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar over the bacon before baking. You can also cook the bacon the night before as well. When the bacon is done and cooled, wrap it in foil and put it in the fridge. The next morning, pop it in the oven with the casserole the last 15 minutes or so.


The yumminess.
The yumminess.
Slice the bread in half the split it into thirds lengthways.
Slice the bread in half the split 
it into thirds lengthways.
Slice each third into four strips and cube.
Slice each third into four strips and cube.
Before it's baked...
Before it's baked...
Mix up the half&half, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over the whole she-bang.
Mix up the half&half, eggs, cinnamon 
and vanilla. Pour over the whole she-bang.
Serve with syrup and whipped cream....
Serve with syrup and whipped cream....

Mexican Hot Chocolate

If you enjoy a little kick to your hot chocolate then you might 
want to take a look at this. I whipped this up the other day using my standard hot chocolate recipe. The nice thing about this is 
that you can make it as spicy as you want. If you don't want any spice, you can leave out the cayenne and cinnamon and the grated chocolates and you'll end up with my hot chocolate recipe which 
is also yummy. But this is a fun and different recipe. You should try it! And make sure you read the recipe to see a fun way to give it as a gift. 

Mexican Hot Chocolate



1 15-ounce container box dry milk
1 9-ounce container Coffeemate Creamer (the dry kind; I used French Vanilla)
1 pound container Hot Cocoa (found in the coffee aisle; I used Stevens brand)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup milk chocolate ~ grated (I used my mini food processor for both chocolates)
1 cup white chocolate ~ grated
2 tablespoons cinnamon (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)


Whisk ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Store in a covered container.

To make a cup of hot chocolate:

Add 3 - 4 heaping spoonfuls per mug of warm milk. Serve with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick. 

Here's what you need. I used my mini food processor to chop the chocolate.
Here's what you need. I used my 
mini food processor to chop the chocolate.


Put everything in a big bowl.
Put everything in a big bowl.


Whisk it all together. Store in a covered container.
Whisk it all together. Store in a covered container.


Look at these itty-bitty marshmallows!! They taste just like the marshmallows that come in Lucky Charm cereal! So cute and fun!
Look at these itty-bitty marshmallows!! 
They taste just like the marshmallows that 
come in Lucky Charm cereal! So cute and fun!


I got some clear ornaments and filled them half way with some of the chocolate mix. Make sure you use ornaments that aren't too big. If you get them too big and fill them, they're too heavy for the ornament hanger to stay in. Anyway....so cute, huh?
I got some clear ornaments and filled 
them half way with some of the chocolate mix. 
Make sure you use ornaments that aren't too big. 
If you get them too big and fill them, they're too 
heavy for the ornament hanger to stay in. 
Anyway....so cute, huh?