Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until they are evenly toasted, making sure to move them around frequently; this happens fast, so don’t take your eyes off of themCook the bacon on the stove or in the oven until crispy and set aside to cool slightlyRemove the large stem of the kale and chopPlace the kale in a bowl and add a small drizzle of olive oil and use your hands to massage the kale to break it down a bit; i just move the leaves around in my hands to help the kale soften a bitToss the parmesan into the kale and use your hands to toss them together, add a sprinkle of salt and pepperPlace the salad into the desired serving bowlCut the bacon into smaller pieces and sprinkle them over the kalePlace the thinly sliced apples over the top of the kale, drizzle the dressing over the saladSprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the top
Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set asideIn a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and maple syrup and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour mixture into baking dish. Arrange bread slices as close together as possible, in one layer, in the baking dish. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk eggs by hand until fluffy- about 1 minute. Add half and half, vanilla, orange liquor, cinnamon and salt and whisk until all is evenly combined. Pour egg mixture evenly over the bread slices. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight (or for at least 6 hours.) When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature- 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Bake for about 35 minutes until the French toast looks lightly golden brown and is cooked all the way through.Serve immediately, nice and hot.When scooping out a serving, flip bread slice over and serve “bottom-side-up” onto plate. This way, the brown sugar/butter coating is now on top. (Hence the “crème brûlée” topping!)Accompany French toast with toppings of your choice.
