Makeover Monday: Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

I guess I'm on a breakfast makeover kick.  I would appologize, but I'm not sorry.  Keep in mind that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  After several weeks in a row of weekend travel, my husband and I finally had a weekend were we didn't go anywhere!  I intended to take full advantage of it by making an awesome weekend breakfast.  And as usual, I didn't want my yummy breakfast to start my day in a huge calorie hole. 

I bought a loaf of French bread a while ago and only used about half of it.  I wouldn't dare waste good bread so I have been saving it in my refrigerator for the right time to use it.  Even though I have never posted any French toast recipes before, I do make it on occassion.  It's just that I always use my whole wheat sandwich bread and I don't really follow any kind of recipe.  I just kind of throw it together.  I love how easy my typical French toast is to make, but I never really thought it was worth sharing. 

When I told my husband not to eat the French bread in the fridge because I was going to use it for French toast, he thought it sounded like a terrible idea.  I had to explain to him that French bread is actually perfect for making French toast.  He didn't believe me.  At that point my mission was clear.  I had to transform my lowly old loaf of French bread into a gourmet breakfast that would convince my husband that I actually know what I'm talking about.  And not to toot my own horn, but I succeeded!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies

I consider myself a pretty savvy shopper.  I like to pinch my pennies and love a good bargain.  So even though I have been trying to do my baking from scratch, I am still sometimes suckered in to buying a box of cake mix when I see its price slashed.  Thus, many moons ago I found myself with a box of red velvet cake mix, and no plans to use it.

When I saw this recipe for red velvet cheesecake cookies I was instantly intrigued.  Who could resist a cookie made from red velvet cake batter and filled with a little ball of cheesecake?  Not me!  When I saw that it used a box of red velvet cake mix, I knew I had found a solution to my little cake mix dilemma.  And these pretty red cookies with the cream cheese glaze make the perfect treat for your valentine. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

The Super Bowl is rapidly approaching.  Do you have your menu set?  When it comes to snacking during the big game, or any big game, dips are king.  And when it comes to dips, salty is king of the kings.  But I think it's time for sweet dips to get a little of that spotlight!

This is yet another recipe I have had for a while and never got around to making--and regretted it!  It actually started out as just chocolate chip cookie dough dip.  I made it as directed, and it was good.  But it wasn't amazing.  What would take this from good to great?  Peanut butter, of course!  So I stirred in a bit of peanut butter.  Viola!  I had garnished my dip with chocolate chips, but since I had added peanut butter, I took it another step added some chopped Reese's.