Life's Short ... Eat Dessert First

For weekend brunch guests , we like to be just a touch extravagant.  We made this for Saturday brunch recently and it was fabulous.  Best of all, it was quick and easy.

We used blueberries for this recipe.  Try your favorite berries—maybe strawberries or raspberries.  If you feel adventuresome, try puréed apricots, mangoes, or wherever your imagination takes you.

The bread shown in this picture is  Apple Cinnamon Bread which makes fabulous French toast—with or without the filling.   In a sweeter bread like this, don't put too much filling in your toast so that it is not overwhelming.

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

1 eight-ounce package of cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 slices of bread

Directions

1. In a blender, mix the cream cheese, sugar, berries, and extract. 
2. In a flat dish, mix the eggs, milk, and nutmeg.
3. Spread the filling between two slices of bread as if making a sandwich.  Place the sandwich in the egg mixture, let it soak for a moment, and then repeat on the other side.
4. Cook on a hot grill as for French toast.  The temperature should be slightly lower than normal to allow the heat to penetrate to the filling.

Serve with fresh berries and a dollop of filling on top of the toast.

Two Berry Shortcakes

Sweet berry juices are absorbed by a cushion of simple-to-prepare drop biscuits in a dessert that's made for the season.
For biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For filling
12 oz raspberries (about 3 cups) 6 oz blackberries (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons sugar

For cream
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Make biscuits: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir just until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Drop dough in 6 mounds about 2 inches apart on an ungreased large baking sheet and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a rack and cool to warm, about 10 minutes.

Make filling: While biscuits bake, gently mash half of berries with 2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl, then stir in remaining berries.

Make cream: Beat cream together with sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks.

Carefully cut biscuits in half horizontally and arrange 1 bottom half, split side up, on each of 6 plates. Top each with berries, whipped cream, and other half of biscuit.

Continuing on a theme here...

Blueberry Muffin Shortcakes

Blueberry muffin mix stirs up into sweet and easy shortcakes.
1    box (1 lb 2.25 oz)  wild blueberry muffin mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping



Directions
1.Heat oven to 425°F. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray.
2   Drain blueberries (from muffin mix); rinse and set aside. In medium bowl, stir together sour cream and egg; gradually stir in water and oil. Stir in muffin mix just until blended. Gently stir drained blueberries into batter. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
3 Bake 25 to 29 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together strawberries, 1 cup fresh blueberries and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4 .Cut shortcake into 9 squares; cut each square diagonally in half. Place 2 halves on each serving plate; top with berries and whipped topping.