Corn Muffin French Toast with Pear and Cranberry Compote
Hell hath no fury like waiting an hour to be seated at your favorite brunch place. You didn’t drag your hungover ass out of bed for that shit. Instead, invite your homies over to your place to recount the previous night’s debauchery and to keep the inebriation going when the champagne starts flowing. This brunch idea has just the right blend of savory and sweet and will satisfy your rumbling tummy without knocking you up with an incapacitating food baby. Also, since you probably dropped a hefty number of dolla dolla billz on alc over the weekend, this easy brunch will satisfy your wallet as much as your stomach.
On a more serious note, I sometimes lose sight of how important and uplifting good food can be because, as a student, I’m constantly rushing through meals or struggling to fit dinner into my busy schedule. What I tried to do with this recipe was create a fun and unexpected dish to break up the monotony of uninspired food on the go. Not only is food a significant aspect of history and culture (holla at me, fellow Italians!), but it’s also an incomparable way to express yourself and bond with family and friends. So go ahead and TREAT! YO! SELF! by taking some time on Sunday morning to whip up this delectable brunch, hang with close friends and take a few hours off. Your real life can wait.
Ingredients: (serves 2; $3.01/serving):
2 corn muffins ($2.50/4-muffin pack at FroGro)
3 eggs ($1.99/dozen at FroGro)
2 Bartlett or Anjou pears (~$1.00 each at FroGro)
½ cup of dried cranberries ($2.57/bag at CVS)
2 tablespoons butter ($2.99/2-stick box at FroGro)
4 packets of honey (FREE from most coffee shops or the Penn bookstore café; snatch them like you would snatch the weave right off the head of that bitch you hate!)
Procedure:
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium-low heat, cut the pears into thin slices and cook in the butter until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cranberries and honey, mix it around, and let it cook on low while you prepare the French toast.
- Slice the corn muffins into one-inch thick slices.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl and add a splash of milk if you have some. Add the corn muffin slices to the bowl, fully coat them and let them absorb the egg for a minute or two.
- Melt the other tablespoon of butter in a separate pan over medium heat and add as many slices of corn muffin that will fit.
- Cook the corn muffin slices for 3-4 minutes on each side until they start to brown, and serve immediately with the compote on top.
Tips and Tricks:
Feel free to top this dish off with whipped cream if you like sweeter brunches or sour cream (I know, it sounds weird but trust me) if you like more savory brunches. You could use normal bread for this recipe, but Food Boy doesn’t fuck around when it comes to making a boss-ass brunch. You can try different types of fruit or muffins; chocolate chip muffins would make for a decadent, dessert-y brunch if you’re into that. Also, this recipe can easily be scaled for cooking for just one or your whole squad. Betches love brunch, so embrace your inner betch, and this recipe will make your brunch anything but basic.
