Thursday Treats: Ham & Cheese Breakfast Toast

Today's Thursday Treats is all about a simple, quick and tried breakfast (or any-time-of-the-day) recipe that I've known for years - exactly as my mom used to make it, and that I now make for my own daughter. We love melted Ham & Cheese Breakfast Toast - so much that we have these almost too often at our house . These are similar to the all-famous Croque Monsieur, however I've been enjoying my version long before I even knew of the French one. Take a look:

Have fun by customizing this recipe to your taste by varying all the main ingredients - experience with your favorite bread, ham (or go meat-less and try it with a cheese combo) and cheese. Use any kind of ham or salami - we like ours best with light Canadian bacon or oven roasted turkey ham (sometimes with both together!). As for cheese, I've tried it with almost infinite varieties and discovered that Muenster works the best - with it, the toasts are perfectly melted and browned. Here is the easy recipe:

Products / Ingredients (makes 4 toasts):

• 4 French bread slices - you can substitute for any type of bread, but I like French and Ciabatta (the Italian white bread version) the best for that perfect crunch
• 8 slices of Canadian bacon or oven roasted turkey ham 
• 4 Muenster cheese slices or your favorite soft & smooth texture cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, etc.) 
• 1/2 tbs of butter

Heat the oven to 400 / 425 F

Preparation:

1. Divide the butter onto the slices - no need to spread if straight out of the fridge, just arrange shavings equally on the slices (the butter makes the toasts soft and moist on the inside)
2. Arrange the Canadian bacon slices by two on each bread of slice
3. Arrange the Munster slices on top of the bacon / ham
4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned

Enjoy warm with you favorite fruit for a wholesome breakfast.

What are some of your favorite breakfast recipes?