Wednesday 20 November 2013

Oven Baked French Toast


I teased you with some beautiful French Toast a few weeks ago.  As promised, here is the recipe.


This French Toast is baked in the oven and can be prepared ahead of time, easily put together the night before for an effortless breakfast the next morning.


Breakfast is my favourite meal, and we take time to put together big breakfasts on the weekend.  Pancakes, bacon and eggs, waffles, French toast.  Usually with home made hash brown potatoes on the side.  And fruity smoothies to drink.  All this is in stark contrast to the rushed and disconnected breakfasts that happen through the week.  A quick bowl of cereal, find a missing textbook. Yogurt and a piece of fruit, pack lunches.  A slice of toast, sign a form. A granola bar, feed the dogs.  It's all rush, rush, rush.  Ten minutes left... did you brush your teeth?  What's going on with your hair? And where's the form I just signed?? 


I've made this French toast weekends and weekdays.  It's a Pampered Chef recipe, from their Stoneware Sensations cookbook, which has a few of my other favourite recipes in it.  It doesn't take long to put together.  Pop it in the fridge overnight and you'll only need half an hour in the oven the next morning.  Enough time to set the table and brew some fresh coffee.


The sliced strawberries are optional, but oh-so-good.  As is the icing sugar.  The maple syrup is a must.  French toast and maple syrup go together like, well, French toast and maple syrup.  Start with a loaf of French bread.  Preferably not a fresh one.  I love a fresh crusty loaf as much as the next person, but this is easier to work with if it's a day old.  If you're using a skinnier baguette, slice diagonally for larger slices.


Gather your ingredients.   The recipe calls for milk, but I had a some leftover cream so I used half cream and half milk.  I have a great shaker which I like to use to mix up the ingredients, but it works just as well whisked up in a bowl.  And yes, that's the milk...in a bag.  Does anyone outside of Canada buy their milk in bags?


Arrange your bread slices in a single layer and pour all that goodness over them.   I sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar before I put it in the oven.


It puffs up nicely in the oven.  Light and fluffy, with a slightly dense, almost custard like centre.  Just the way French toast should be.



Oven Baked French Toast

1 loaf (8 ounces) French bread
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Cinnamon and sliced strawberries optional.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Cut bread into 1 inch thick slices and arrange closely in a single layer in the prepared pan.  You may have to manipulate them to fit.  Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour over bread.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Sprinkle bread with cinnamon, if desired.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with toppings of your choosing.



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Tuesday 19 November 2013

Photo A Day - Epic Birthday Party, and Green Grass


The funny thing about the first snow of the season is that it rarely sticks around.  It would seem the second round didn't see fit to stay either, as we've been looking at green grass for the past few days.  

Berries, easily spotted now that most of the leaves have abandoned their branches.


There was a birthday in our house last week, which called for an epic birthday party.  Boston Pizza and Thor: The Dark World did not disappoint.  It was a fantastic evening.


Weekend omelettes, spaghetti casserole, and family wing night for the birthday boy.


Dogs in smelly hockey bags, and the Game of Life.



Wednesday 13 November 2013

Photo a Day - It's Getting Cold Out There


It's cold.  And I think it's here to stay.


The days are short now, so it's tough to find good light for photos.  This was in fact very sparkly snow.  You'll have to use your imagination J


We're getting our coffee in seasonal cups, which I love.  


And a chocolate flavoured pop/soda has hit the stores.  Do you call it pop or soda where you live?  Either way, this did not taste good.


The candy cane ice cream and egg nog, however, are really, really good.  Especially in front of the fireplace.


Comfort food in the form of a massive tuna casserole.   An entire block of cheddar, 3 packages of noodles, 4 tins of tuna.  Sometimes I purposely cook for leftovers, and I fully expected some after this meal.  There was barely enough for a small lunch.


And hockey, of course.



Monday 11 November 2013

Remembrance Day Canada


Today is Remembrance Day.  Click the image to check out the post I put together last year in the spirit of gratitude and remembrance.


Thank you to all those who sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Friday 8 November 2013

First Snow


This shift in weather was a subtle thing.  Rainy days, sunshine.  Mild days, cold nights. Waking up to morning frost on the rooftops.


And this morning, snow.






It's not much, but it's enough snow to make me think of hot chocolate, gingerbread, peppermint, and Christmas decorations.  And Christmas cards.  



Which leads to thinking about photos for the Christmas cards.  I have to confess that it's been a few years since I mailed anyone a Christmas card, but I have resolved to change that this year.  I contributed to a post at Shutterfly recently about holiday card photos.  You can read it here:

Friday 1 November 2013

November


October has packed it's bags and November has waltzed in.  Soon we'll be caught up in the madness of the holiday season.  But today I feel like I need to pause and just be.

Esse Quam Videri To be, rather than to seem.  I like this, so I got a little creative with it.

We got through yet another round of  Halloween.  We weren't quite as organized as last year, but managed to get the pumpkins carved with time to spare.


And all of the decorations were up before it got dark.  The kids did all of the work while I ran around cleaning up shoes and hockey bags from the entryway, finding last minute costume items, keeping the dogs out of the way and taking care of dinner (ie. ordering pizza). We were finished in less than an hour.


They put together a Halloween window display.  A few strands of orange mini-lights, some black poster board cut-out shapes, and a white sheet backing.  Did they do a great job or what?


Pumpkin seeds were roasted, and candy was eaten.


This weekend we'll put away Halloween and pause.  Just for a short time, because I know they're already playing Christmas carols at the mall.




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