The Perfect Holiday Breakfast: Nutmeg French Toast with Fresh Pears

For quite a while now I’ve been wanting to purchase an indoor grill. I love outdoor grilling but sometimes, especially during the colder months, I can’t be bothered with it. Thus, the desire for an indoor grill.

I’ve looked at several different grills, but hesitated to buy any of them for one reason or another. Mostly I didn’t want to buy an appliance that I could really only use for just one thing. Then I happened across the Livenza All-Day Grill from De’Longhi. It had the indoor grilling function I had been looking for, but it was the versatility of the other functions that really caught my eye. The nonstick grill plates are removable and can be switched out to be used as a griddle or waffle iron, also all nonstick.

What?! Tell me more, I said!

My DeLonghi Livenza All-Day Grill arrived just in time for the holidays. At my house, as I’m sure is the case in every household, the amount of cooking and baking we do really revs up around this time of year. We get excited to incorporate seasonal ingredients into our meals and make all of our holiday favorites, including a few more decadent recipes.

One thing we all love is breakfast in any way, shape, or form, but especially French toast. During the holiday season I like to make my normal recipe a little more special, so I alter it to have a more festive feel. That means nutmeg!

I love the flavor of nutmeg and in this French toast recipe, when combined with the eggs and half-and-half, it lends a decidedly eggnog vibe. Not a bad thing! Using a griddle means I can cook a bunch of slices at once. And with the Livenza, I can grill up some bacon at the same time. (P.S. I’ve included the Nutmeg French Toast recipe at the bottom of this post!)

Counter space is precious for most of us – I have minimal counter space, so it is so important to me that any appliance I use earns its place on the counter. It has to be pretty to look at (this grill definitely is), it has to be used on a daily or at least several times a week basis (check!), and it’s got to be user-friendly (also check!).

The thing I love most is that the grill can be used as a press (heated plates on top and bottom) or opened up using the adjustable hinge for two large cooking surfaces (14.5″ by 9″ each). Each plate has embedded heating elements that pop in and out of position with the push of the easy release button on the side. Each side can also be set to a different temperature, as needed, using the thermostat knobs. The LCD panel is simple and easy to read from near and far, including an on/off indicator light and switch, and automatic shutoff.

Because the plates are nonstick, that means lighter cooking because less oil is used. Plus, the plates are designed to drain off excess oil and fat, and a special spatula and drip tray are included.

The grill gets piping hot (there’s a sear function too!) but the cool touch handle keeps hands safe. It also locks for storage. I saved the best part for last – the die-cast plates are dishwasher-safe which means cleanup is easy and no-stress. Where has this been all my life?!

I love involving my kids in the cooking process, but sometimes we are stepping over each other trying to use our stove. (Did I mention my kids are tweens and our kitchen is kind of small?) With the Livenza All-Day Grill, I can set it out on our island and my son can make his “Perfectly Perfect Toast” on one side of the griddle while we’re cooking bacon on the other side, and then we can switch out the plates and make waffle hash browns or our favorite cinnamon vanilla pancakes.

For lunch, we can pull it out to create custom panini sandwiches – everyone gets to choose their own unique combo. The sandwiches cook really quickly. The plates heat up fast and stay nice and hot as long as I choose. There’s a timer and the Livenza beeps when the proper temperature has been reached.

Dinner comes together in a snap because I can cook our protein on one side and our veggies on the other. We’ve thought of all sorts of uses, including reheating slices of pizza, which is important in a house full of tweens!

Another awesome thing about the Livenza is the dedicated app that includes a digital cookbook with suggested settings and recipes to take out the guesswork. Pretty sweet! It’s like De’Longhi thought of everything to help busy families cook and enjoy meals together.

I’ve compiled a day’s menu, perfect for the holidays, to show how easy it is to use the Livenza All-Day Grill, well, all day!

Breakfast: Nutmeg French Toast, bacon, and orange juice

Lunch: Ham + Swiss Panini with Fig Butter and Fresh Rosemary

Using the grill plates, preheat the grill to 400°F on each side. Have 8-10 slices of Italian bread ready. On half of the slices, spread a thin layer of fig butter (or jam). Layer 2-3 slices ham on top of the fig butter. Top with 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese and a sprinkling of minced fresh rosemary. Top with another slice of bread. Lightly butter or brush both sides of each sandwich and place on the grill and close. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until golden on each side and cheese is melted. Serve with a green salad on the side.

Dinner: Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Grilled Asparagus and Sweet Potato Rounds

Cut a 1.75 lb. pork tenderloin into 12 rounds. Season with a little salt and pepper. Preheat one side of the grill to 400°F (or use the sear function) and cook medallions on each side for 3-4 minutes. They should be a little pink in the center.

For the veggies, cut 1 very large sweet potato into 1/4″ rounds and toss with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook on the preheated griddle side; trim the ends of the asparagus and toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper, and cook on either the griddle or grilling side for 2-3 minutes or until bright green and tender-crisp. Serve immediately.

After spending some time getting to know the Livenza, I can certainly see why it was listed on Oprah’s Favorite Things list for 2016. For more recipe inspiration follow @delonghi.na and search #Livenza, #LivenzaGrill, and #AllDayGrill.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of De’Longhi. The opinions and text are all mine.

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