Stuffed French Toast with Apricot-Orange Syrup

When my daughter decides to get up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning, I generally crack open a cookbook to see what I can make for breakfast since I have a good 2-3 hours before everyone else gets up. I was looking through one of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks that I have had for about five years, and I stumbled across this recipe. As I read through it, I wondered, "What in the tarnation?! How did I miss this recipe?" Luckily, I had everything on hand and was able to make it for breakfast. Oh, my, goodness. It was wonderful. I have done stuffed French Toast with carmelized apples and caramel, but this was something new. I loved it. My kids freaked out once they took a bite because they came across an unexpected cashew. They wanted cereal instead. The little stinkers... gotta love 'em. My husband and I enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you will, too.
Stuffed French Toast with Apricot-Orange Syrup:
adapted from "Gooseberry Patch- Family Favorites"
serves 4

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c chopped pecans, walnuts, or cashews
8 slices white bread
2/3 c half and half
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t vanilla

Combine the cream cheese, vanilla, and nuts. I used cashews because that was the only nut I had on hand- except for myself, that is. :)
Spread the mixture across four slices of white bread.
Top with the remaining slices of bread. It's just like you're making a cream cheese/cashew sandwich. You eat those all the time, right? ;)

Technically, these should sit in the fridge overnight. I'll be honest with you- I saw the recipe in the morning and didn't want to wait until the next day. I did put them in the fridge for an hour or so while I made the syrup.

Combine the apricot jam and orange juice. I was a little scared of this syrup because I'm not much of a fan of the fruity syrup. This was great, though! Bring it to a boil. I let mine simmer for about 15-20 minutes to thicken slightly. I also put it in the food processor to eliminate the chunks from the apricot jam. I thought that was a nice touch. If you do that, return it to the pan and keep warm until the french toast is ready.
Combine the half and half, the eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Swish it around to get it mixed up. Isn't that picture cool? I think if Heavenly Father was a cinnamon fan, he would sprinkle some into hurricane clouds, and this is what we would see on the satellite pictures. Nice!
Heat a griddle to medium-high heat.
Get the bread out of the fridge and dip it in the egg mixture. I plop it in, lift it out with a fork, and let the excess stuff drip off. Repeat with the other side.
Put it onto the heated griddle or frying pan- whichever floats your boat. I cooked each side for about 1 minute. Check the underside before flipping to make sure it's golden brown. You may want to lean more toward medium heat.
Flip it. Ooohhh! Look at the golden brown side! (enter applause here) Cook the other side to golden brown.
Serve it immediately. I cut mine in half, slightly overlapped the two halves, and poured the syrup over the top. What French Toast is complete without kwwoot (whipped cream)? There, my friends, is a breakfast to impress any company, spouse, friend, or whoever.
If you're wondering why I call whipped cream in a can "kwwoot," it's because when my daughter was about 2, she called it by the name it makes. You know- You push the little nozzle over, and when it comes out, it makes the "kwwoot" sound. If you know me, I'll make the sound for you in person. It makes a lot more sense when you hear it. :D Now, go enjoy your breakfast!