spring recipe

Strawberry Banana French Toast Casserole
(gluten-free/dairy-free adaptable):
Jeanette Chen, a resident of New Canaan for 20 years, is the busy mom of 4 boys and author of a popular health and wellness food blog, Jeanette’s Healthy Living. She was recently nominated for Best Health Blog by Healthline and is always looking for ways to make healthier meals for her family and friends. The Strawberry Banana French Toast Casserole she’s sharing is perfect for Easter Brunch, and is easily gluten-free and dairy-free adaptable.
Ingredients

8 slices bread (whole grain or gluten free), crust trimmed, cut into cubes
2 banana, mashed
12 strawberries, diced
1 cup low-fat milk or non-dairy milk (almond, soy, rice)
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
maple syrup for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish with spray oil (for a more elegant presentation, use individual ramekins). Place cubed bread in baking dish(es). Mix mashed banana, strawberries, milk, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Pour milk mixture over bread cubes and toss gently until bread is evenly coated.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve with maple syrup.

Spring is in the air and our guest contributor, Katie Vitucci, from the food blog, The Parsley Thief is thinking spring sweets. These Key Lime Bars are a sophisticated treat to serve guests or as a delicious Easter dessert. The original recipe suggests to cut the bars into 2″ squares, but Katie always prefers to slice them into little bite-sized bars. Either way, they are delicious!
Key Lime Bars
Makes 64-1″ bars {or 24-2″ bars}
I have listed the quantities for the lime zest & lime juice according to what regular {Persian} limes would yield…as Key limes are not always available. If you can find Key limes, use the alternative measurements that I’ve given.
For the Crust:
5 ounces animal crackers
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
2 ounces {softened} cream cheese
zest of 3 limes {or 1 tablespoon}
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 {14 ounce} can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg yolk juice from 3 limes {or 1/2 cup}
1 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut {as an optional garnish}
non-stick cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Coat with non-stick cooking spray & set aside.
For the Crust: Add the animal crackers to the bowl of a food processor & pulse until finely ground. Add the brown sugar & salt; process until combined. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs & pulse until evenly moistened. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, leaving the oven on.
For the Filling: Add the cream cheese, lime zest & salt to a mixing bowl. Stir until softened and smooth. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk until no lumps of cream cheese remain. Whisk in the egg yolk. Add the lime juice; whisk until incorporated & the mixture has thickened. Pour the filling over the cooled crust & use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is set. When done, the edges will puff up slightly & pull away from the edges of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Use the foil overhang to remove the bars from the pan. Cut into 1″ squares using a sharp knife. It’s helpful to run the knife under hot water & wipe it clean between slices. Sprinkle the bars with shredded coconut before serving, if desired. To Make Ahead: The bars can be stored, refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Being a mom of two boys, her blog, The Parsley Thief, focuses on family friendly, made-from-scratch recipes. The Parsley Thief has been named one of “50 Food Blogs You Should Be Reading” by Saveur magazine and was named one of the top 100 Mom Food Blogs by the family website, Babble.