Abigail’s Bakery Organic Bread Stuffing Stuffed French Toast And Crostini
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again---I’m a bread girl. Homemade bread is the best. Especially with fresh butter. Walking into a bakery early in the morning is entering paradise. The fragrance is unbelievable. And Abigail’s Bakery in New Hampshire has the whole bread-making thing perfected. Don’t live anywhere near New Hampshire? Don’t worry, they deliver overnight by UPS. Another plus: Abigail’s breads are organic.
Abigail’s Bakery has been making bread for three family generations. They use only organic ingredients and promote an earth-friendly, health-conscious environment. Bread is, or should be anyway, a staple in your diet. Bread and starches in general get a bad rap with all the diet-crazes out there. The truth is, your body needs some amount of carbohydrates to function adequately. Carbohydrates comprise about 40-45% of the energy supply for your body. But, they don’t just give you energy. Certain carbohydrates, like fiber, support digestion and absorption, and help you eliminate toxins and waste products from your body. Starches, such as whole wheat and millet are complex carbohydrates. When you eat them, your body must break them down before they can be digested. Since starch takes a long while to digest, it provides an extended or sustained source of energy. Starches like these also won’t lead to immediate blood sugar spikes (usually followed by a low period), but instead, provide a moderate elevation which is much better for overall health and energy. Including whole grains, like whole wheat, in your diet has been shown to promote weight loss. Whole grains also substantially lower the risk of Type II Diabetes. Abigail’s Bakery uses organic whole grains and healthy starches in their breads, and always have. I can’t think of a yummier way to get my daily carbohydrate requirements!
The below recipes use three different types of Abigail’s Bakery breads: Anadama, Plentiful White, and the French Baguette. I highly suggest trying them, as well as the rest of their bread selections. They even have Bread-Of-The-Week options for family purchase. I say, the rest of my family will have to get their own, because when that fresh organic bread arrives on my doorstep every Tuesday I’m only sharing with those who come bearing butter.
Melisa McCabe
Bread Stuffing
Ingredients
*Using Abigail’s Anadama bread gives this stuffing a mildly sweet, delicious flavor that compliments many Thanksgiving dishes.
1 pound sliced Abigail’s Bakery Anadana Bread, including crusts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toast bread until golden brown.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery then cook, stirring, until tender, for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cloves.
Stir into the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Depending on how firm you want the stuffing, stir in stock and egg, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
1 small loaf unsliced Abigail’s Bakery Plentiful White Bread
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (12 oz.) jar apricot preserves
1/2 cup pulp-free orange juice
Directions
Beat cream cheese and vanilla until fluffy and set aside.
Cut bread into 1 1/2 inch slices, then cut each slice from top to halfway down inside for a pocket. Fill with 1 1/2 tablespoons each of cheese mixture.
Beat together eggs, whipping cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and nutmeg. Dip bread slices in egg mixture. Cook on lightly greased griddle until golden brown. Keep the slices warm by placing them on a baking sheet in warm oven.
Meanwhile, heat together the preserves and juice. To serve, drizzle apricot mixture over hot French toast. Enjoy!
Crostini
Ingredients
*This is a different version of the typical crostini and especially great if you have an abundance of zucchinis in your garden!
1 Abigail’s Bakery French Baguette, thinly cut into about ¼-inch slices
Directions
Coarsely shred the zucchinis. Place the shredded zucchini in the middle of a cookie sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover with another clean towel. Place a cutting board or other heavy item (you can use books—whatever!) on top. Let sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze the towel to remove excess moisture. Repeat until as much liquid as possible has been released, then transfer the zucchini to a large bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to the zucchini; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate for an hour.
Just before serving, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the bread and grill or broil the bread until toasted, then let cool.
Top each slice of bread with the zucchini and serve immediately. Enjoy!
