What's for Breakfast: Pineapple Upside Down French Toast

Today I remembered an old recipe for Pineapple Upside Down French Toast, and made up my own version.

I had chunks of pineapple in the fridge, and so cut them up into smaller pieces and scattered them over butter which I'd melted in a cast iron skillet. Once they had browned a bit, I sprinkled brown sugar and a bit of pineapple juice over the fruit, and let it condense into syrup for a few minutes.

I whisked together 3 eggs with some milk and a splash of vanilla, and broke the last 4 pieces of whole wheat bread into small chunks. (Thought this would be easier than trying to fit full sized-square slices into a round pan.) When the bread had soaked up all that custardy goodness, I plopped the sopping bits into the pan, completely covering the pineapple base. I let it cook on the stove top for a few minutes, then popped it under the broiler to brown up the top.

It was delicious. And easy. And it didn't need syrup.

More recipes for ladies who lunched: Fonduloha

I'm starting to see why my Mom might have been intimidated by cooking for a ladies event. If the menus in the 1962 Betty Crocker's Cooking Calendar cookbook are any indication, ladies luncheons were not casual affairs. Clearly the menus were meant to impress.

Take the one below for example.

The name of the main dish alone is intimidating: Fonduloha. I can't pronounce it.

The book contains 7 or 8 ladies luncheon menus, and each of them is heavy on presentation. It must have been a lot of pressure.

Here's the recipe, in case you have a few friend's coming over later this week.

Fonduloha

Chicken Salad in Pineapple Boats

2 fresh pineapples

2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

3/4 cup diced celery

3/4 cup sliced bananas

1/3 cup salted peanuts

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. chutney or 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 to 1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 cup shredded coconut

mandarin oranges

Cut pineapples into quarters lengthwise, leaving green tops on. Cut around edges with curved knife, remove fruit, and dice. Drain pineapples and pineapple shells very well on absorbent paper. Combine pineapple, chicken, celery, bananas, and peanuts in 3-qt. mixing bowl. In small bowl, blend mayonnaise, chutney and curry. Lightly toss mayonnaise mixture with pineapple mixture. Fill pineapple shells. Garnish with shredded coconut and mandarin oranges. 8 servings.