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Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Bake

1 pkg. 16 oz. organic frozen wild blueberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
4 eggs
2/3 cups milk or evaporated fat-free milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 loaf (16 oz.) bread*

Butter or spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Pour frozen blueberries into dish. Stir in syrup, sugar and cornstarch until well blended. (I did this separate in a small bowl because I wasn't sure what they meant). In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. With a serrated knife, cut crusts off bread. Slice bread into 3/4" slices. ( I bought the loaves that are called French toast bread and are already sliced or you can use Texas Toast ). Dip each slice of bread into egg mixture to coat both sides. Place on top of blueberries. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. ( Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight.) Place oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until blueberries are bubbling and toast is light golden. With a spatula, remove toast to serving plates, spoon blueberries over the top and serve with additional syrup.
Serves 4 to 6.

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ONION COOKIES

4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pepper
Scant 1/4 lb. shortening
2 med. onions, diced
1/3 c. poppy seeds
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. warm water
 
Mix the flour with baking powder, salt and pepper. Cut in the
shortening and mix to a cornmeal consistency. Fine-dice the onions,
and work them and the poppy seeds into the dough. Combine the eggs with oil and warm water and work them into the dough by hand. Roll the dough, about 1/8 inch thick, on waxed paper. Cut into cracker-sized pieces. Bake in a hot oven (425 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are browned.

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Pork Tenderloin With Figs And Blue Cheese Polenta

1 1-pound pork tenderloin
1/2 teaspoon salt -- about
pepper
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
12 firm-ripe figs -- *
3 3-inch thyme sprigs -- rinsed
1 cup coarse polenta
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese -- (~1-1/2 oz.)
1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

* Rinsed, stem ends trimmed, and halved lengthwise

1. Rinse pork and pat dry; trim and discard fat and any silvery membrane
from tenderloin. Sprinkle meat lightly with salt and pepper.  Pour oil into a 10- to 12-inch nonstick, ovenproof frying pan over high heat, tilting pan to coat bottom; when oil is hot, add tenderloin and turn as needed to brown on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove from heat; arrange figs and thyme sprigs around pork.

2. Transfer pan with pork to a 400F regular or convection oven; bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part of meat reaches 155F, 18 to 25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a 4- to 6-quart pan, combine polenta, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 1/2 cups water. Stir over high heat until mixture boils; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until polenta is smooth to taste, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup blue cheese; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.

4. Transfer tenderloin and figs to a rimmed platter and let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes. Add wine, honey, and orange peel to unwashed frying pan. Boil over high heat, stirring to release browned bits, until mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs.

5. Slice pork diagonally across the grain 1/2 inch thick. Spoon polenta mixture equally onto four dinner plates. Arrange pork and figs over polenta; spoon sauce equally over pork and figs.
Top with more blue cheese if desired.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 40 minutes
MAKES: 4 servings [3 probably]

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Roasted Vegetables with Polenta

ROASTED VEGETABLES:
2 small zucchini sliced diagonally, 3/4" thick
1 red bell pepper cored & cut into 1.5" squares
1 green bell pepper cored & cut into 1.5" squares
1 large tomato -- (optional) cored & cut into eighths
2 ribs celery sliced diagonally, 1/2" thick
8 cloves garlic -- peeled
1 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil -- divided 2T+1T
2 medium onions sliced 1/2" thick
salt -- to taste

POLENTA:
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 tablespoon butter -- cut up
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
Place zucchini, peppers, tomato (can be omitted), celery, and garlic in a large bowl. Sprinkle with thyme, black pepper, and 2tbl of olive oil and toss to coat. Spread vegetables out on a large baking sheet in one layer. Set aside.

2. Pour remaining oil into a pie plate or 9- to 10-inch shallow pan and spread around evenly. Carefully place the sliced onions in the dish keeping them intact. Rub the bottom of the onions into the oil to coat them, then turn each slice over. [For half recipe, jelly roll sheet was fine for all.]

3.Place vegetables and onions in oven and cook 25-30min. Remove after 15min and turn vegetables and onions over with tongs. They're done when tender and brown. Season veggies with salt. let cool while making polenta. The veggies are more flavorful served warm, not piping hot.

To make polenta:
Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Reduce heat to med and slowly whisk in cornmeal. Continue to whisk until polenta is thick and begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 7min. [Put cornmeal into cold water, then bring to boil. Takes a big longer, but *much* easier.] Stir in butter and cheese.

Serve polenta topped with roasted vegetables.

Serves 4.
Per serving: Cal 356 / Fat 16.9g (41% cal from fat) / Chol 13mg / Fib 7.7 1/2 recipe was a great light dinner for 2; add salad if you're really hungry.

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