What to do w/loaf of French Bread....

[newg]

DH brought home a loaf of French Bread from panera last night after I had already started dinner and I'm not a huge fan of "have a hunk of bread with supper" kinda girl.......plus it's now at least a day old.........

So I was thinking I could make something with it instead to go with dinner tonight (or to create a dinner with)...........couldn't I make Bruchetta (sp?) with it, or even some type of open-face something, or garlic bread...??

So any cooks out there with some tasty ideas!!!???

thanks!!

[mousemom]

French bread pizza? French toast? A big sub sandwich?

[lil_acorn]

With day old bread that is getting hard, rinse it quickly under water and then pop it in a 400F oven for a 5-10 minutes and it wiill soften it up (while still keeping the crust nice and crusty). A tip from Ina Garten!

Otherwise, I would make french toast croutons, stuffing, grilled crostini with tapenade with it...

[JTsMom]

I was going to say bruschetta, but your other ideas are good too.

[SnuggleBuggles]

French toast casserole. Make it now, stick it in the fridge and cook it for dinner later. Delicious!!!

Beth

[MommyofAmaya]

I've made Rachel Ray's bread salad recipe and it is quite yummy.
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/bread-salad/

[m448]

I agree with beth, make a french toast casserole and let it soak in the fridge until you need to bake it. I also saw a delicious salad nicoise sandwich on Everday Food that gets prepped and then chilled in the fridge. It had a base of tapenade, then basil, hard boiled eggs then tuna (oil packed) and red onions/cucumber tossed in a dijon vinaigratte. Then the sandwich is pressed in the fridge and cut into individual portions.

[Tondi G]

I would make pasta and homemade garlic bread.

[crl]

Stale french bread makes fabulous french toast. Serve it with fresh fruit and declare it dinner!

Catherine

[DietCokeLover]

French toast casserole. Make it now, stick it in the fridge and cook it for dinner later. Delicious!!!

Beth

This is our dinner tonight. Can't wait!

[Sillygirl]

Cassoulet bread melts - paraphrasing from Rachel Ray.

Slice the bread open lengthwise, scoop out the insides. Set aside.

Chop one onion, two carrots and two garlic cloves, saute in olive oil. Add diced kielbasa and saute until browned. Pour in 1 cup of white wine, 1 can drained canellini beans, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dried thyme, one bay leaf, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put the bean-veggie-sausage mixture into the scooped out bread shells. Cover with slices of Gruyere cheese. Place under hot broiler until cheese melts.

Enjoy!

[newg]

These all sound yummy!! French Toast would be the easiest to do, but I just made pancakes for lunch!! :(

I've never actually made Bruschetta does anyone have a yummy reciepe they like?

As for the French toast caserole or the Crispini (sp?) thingy......again, do you have a receipe?
I'm trying to get more creative in my meals........I'm good at following receipes, getting better at just throwing stuff together..........but having a receipe is always my first choice; especially one that has been kid/family tested and approved!!!

Thanks again!!

[SnuggleBuggles]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/index.html

I don't make the praline topping, though I am sure it is delicious. It's just rich enough already!

Beth

[MontrealMum]

-Fondue ---this is actually better with day old bread than fresh
-French Toast
-Bread Pudding
-make your own breadcrumbs out of it for us in later recipes

[groundhog74]

This is really good...

Summer Sandwiches

2 bricks cream cheese softened
1 stick butter softened
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup parmesean cheese

1 lb ham
2-3 large sliced tomatoes
1 loaf french bread


Mix together cream cheese, butter, parmesean and all spices (it should be pink from the paprika). Slice bread in half long ways. Spread most of the mixture on both sides of bread and stack both with ham (they are open face sandwiches). Top with sliced tomatoes and place a dollop of remaining spread on each tomato. Spear each tomato with wooden toothpick.

Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes until bread is crisp and cream cheese on top is lightly browned.

Slice at each tomato to serve.

[boogiemomz]

French toast casserole. Make it now, stick it in the fridge and cook it for dinner later. Delicious!!!

Beth
:yeahthat: yummmmm...

[crl]

If you don't want to do french toast, how about strata? I like a lot better than I like the french toast caserole. (I have texture issues and the two times I've made the french toast casserole it's been too soggy for my tastes. Strata is very similar but savory instead of sweet and the addition of the cheese changes the texture for the better, imo.)

I don't make it anymore because of DS' milk allergy (no good cheese substitutes) so I don't have a recipe handy, but here's a link to one on Allrecipes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brunch-Strata/Detail.aspx There are lots of variations. Mom does a sausage one and I used to do a just cheese one.

Catherine

[m448]

If you don't want to do french toast, how about strata? I like a lot better than I like the french toast caserole. (I have texture issues and the two times I've made the french toast casserole it's been too soggy for my tastes. Strata is very similar but savory instead of sweet and the addition of the cheese changes the texture for the better, imo.)

I don't make it anymore because of DS' milk allergy (no good cheese substitutes) so I don't have a recipe handy, but here's a link to one on Allrecipes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brunch-Strata/Detail.aspx There are lots of variations. Mom does a sausage one and I used to do a just cheese one.

Catherine

Love stratas. I make one that I clipped from some magazine a while back where you sautee onions, spinach a little nutmeg and some ham. You layer that with the bread, some shredded gouda then pour the savory egg custard over it and bake. Yum.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I forgot about stratas. Love them! I make a simple ham and cheese one.

Beth

[kijip]

I'd make cheese stuffed french toast for dinner or breakfast. It would be fine on Friday or even Saturday, stale bread makes the best toast.

[August Mom]

I love this olive spread. It's easy to make and very tasty. You can toast the bread or just slice it.

Olive Spread with Walnuts
From Pane Caldo restaurant in Chicago via RSVP of Bon Appetit, March 2001

1 3/4 cups pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
3 T, plus 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
pinch of cayenne pepper

Finely chop black olives and 3 tablespoons toasted walnuts in processor. Add olive oil, mustard, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage and cayenne pepper and process until coarsely pureed. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups

Serve with French bread baguette slices. (You can also brush the bread with olive oil and toast in a 350 oven until golden (approximately 7 minutes)).

[shawnandangel]

French bread pizza is super easy to make. Buy a jar of Ragu pizza sauce, some mozzarella cheese and whatever toppings you like on your pizza.

Cut the french bread in half length ways
Spread on pizza sauce
add cheese
add toppings
bake about 12-15 mins at 375 on a cookie sheet

[PMJ]

Spinach and Artichoke dip with the french bread to dip.?

good luck!