The Bad Blogger

Ok, it’s truth time.  Between our busy schedules and some recent kitchen disappointments, I don’t have a recipe to share for this past weekend.  However, I thought I would share one of my inspirations for this blog: improving my health.

At the end of last summer, I began to experience some asthma issues that I hadn’t dealt with in almost 17 years.  After multiple trips to the doctor and a variety of attempted treatments, I finally found a prescription combination that has almost completely controlled my condition.  Unfortunately, almost 6 months passed while I was struggling to breathe, and that made it impossible to stay in shape.  As a result, I about gained 20 lbs.

This is the third time I’ve battled weight issues.  The last time, I found a simple system that worked efficiently.  This time, it’s been more difficult to get my shape back.  I’d like to share some of the tips that have worked for me, as well as some I would still like to try.

The last time I lost the extra 20 I kept a weight journal.  In it, I recorded the following:

• I allowed myself one “bad thing” per day (For me, usually this meant soda or sweets)
• I required myself to spend 30 minutes per day or 3 hours per week of activity (Anything that increased my heart rate or made me break a sweat)
• I recorded my daily weight before breakfast (I also measured my waist on a weekly basis)

I also started paying attention to calories.  I only “counted” calories in snacks, but I learned to portion certain foods like cereal.

Since starting my weight loss plan, I’m also trying to do some of the following:

• Drink water or Crystal Light instead of soda. (Even though juice contains sugar, I am also a fan of it because of the nutritional benefits you get, unlike with diet soda.) You could also add fruit juice to carbonated water to help wean yourself off soda.  In addition, coffee is a better option for caffeine than soda as well.
• Always eat breakfast; eat smaller, more frequent meals; and taper off your meals throughout the day (You can also suppress hunger by eating snacks that are high in protein)
• Make simple substitutions like choosing vegetable spread instead of butter, sandwich wheat bread instead of white sandwich bread, or baked chips instead of fried chips (However, I can’t bring myself to substitute corn instead of flour tortillas, black beans for chocolate in brownies, or applesauce for vegetable oil in baking)
• Eat fish one night a week, and eat vegetarian one night a week
• Avoid sodium-filled prepackaged foods, and limit your added sugar intake to 3 tbsp. per day

In addition to these diet tips, it is highly recommended that people who are fighting their weight take 10,000 steps per day (which is the equivalent of walking approx. 5 miles).  While walking can give your legs a great workout and help you drop inches overall, you can carry 3 lb. weights to help tone your arms.

And finally, don’t look at pictures of supermodels for inspiration.  Use pictures of yourself at your most fit, or look for healthy body images like Christina Hendricks, Beyonce Knowles, or Kim Kardashian.  Know that these things take time, and what might work for one person might not work for another (even in the same family).  Check out Tracy Anderson’s Metamorphosis program to determine your body type, and look for programs that target your specific weight issues.

I know that my genetics determine that I will always have to watch my weight, but I don’t plan to stop enjoying food.  I don’t want to develop an unrealistic body image, but I do want to be around to see my future children and grandchildren grow up.

Next week, I will resume posting recipes, but until then, here are some weight loss tools you might find helpful:









Images courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBJpmz1oduE, http://donnafit.blogspot.com/2011/07/portion-control.html, and http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/01/28/145865238/deception-diet-how-optical-illusions-can-trick-your-appetite?sc=fb&cc=fp

Taste the Rainbow

This St. Patrick’s Day, the hubby and I started celebrating early.  We had plans with some friends on Friday, so I made my shepherd’s pie which was inspired by a Rachael Ray recipe.  (I will point out, that aside from the lack of lamb, this is not a traditional recipe because it doesn’t contain colcannon.  I think Rachael still came up with a pretty amazing dish despite her lack of Irish lineage though.)  For our vegetarian friend, I steamed the carrots and peas and made twice baked potatoes – minus the bacon bits.
Here’s my version…

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

*1 ⅓– 1 ½ lbs. ground beef (diet lean ground round)

*Approx. 1 cup baby carrots, chopped

* ⅔– ¾ can sweet peas

*1 pkg. McCormick Au Jus Gravy (and 1 cup water)

*¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

*2 lbs. brown (Russet) potatoes, peeled and cubed

*½ cup sour cream

*1 large egg yolk

*½ cup half and half

* ¼– ½ cup butter, melted

*Scallions (Green onions)

*Garlic powder to taste

*Salt and pepper to taste

*Paprika for garnish (optional)

*You will need a small pot, a large pot, a deep skillet and either a micro-cooker (i.e. Pampered Chef) or an additional small pot, as well as a large bowl and a 9x13” casserole dish

*Spray the casserole dish with cooking spray

*In the large pot, bring water to boil while you prepare the potatoes

*Boil potatoes in salted water for 10-12 mins. (or until tender)

*In the large bowl, combine sour cream, egg yolk, butter, half-and-half, and scallions (When potatoes are done, you will add them to the cream mixture and mash until almost completely smooth)

*Steam carrots for approx. 3 mins. in micro-cooker

*Spray the large skillet with cooking spray and add meat, cooking over med-high heat

*Brown and crumble meat for 3-4 mins., add salt and pepper to taste

*Add carrots and peas, cooking 5 mins.; stir frequently

*In the small pot, prepare Au Jus (gravy)

*Add gravy to meat mixture

*Transfer the contents of the skillet to the casserole dish

*Spread potato mixture evenly over the meat and vegetables

*Top with extra paprika for color

*Place casserole dish on top of a large cookie sheet and broil (6-8” from top of oven) uncovered on high (350-375°) for 25 mins. (or until potatoes are evenly golden brown)

*You may top with parsley instead of paprika, but this must be done after cooking or the broiling process will cause the parsley to brown

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

A great dessert to pair with this dish would be a Betty Crocker grasshopper fudge cake topped with mint chip chocolate chips and shamrock sprinkles.

We spent St. Patty’s Day at a local Irish pub that we affectionately call “Danny Boys”…

... and a new sports bar in town called Pitchers which has taken up residence in the building which until recently housed another favorite Irish pub, Castletown Geoghegan.

While we seemed to have the luck of the Irish on our side all week with temperatures in the 80s, we did experience a wicked downpour midday.  The rain made for some pretty – and very appropriate – rainbows though!

My only regret was not being able to wear the new McClaren's Pub t-shirt my hubby bought me for my birthday.  (I love that he thinks I’m a size small though!)

I suppose there’s nothing more to say except, “Erin go bragh!” 

Images courtesy of: http://www.cafepress.ca/irishiwas.226696783, http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Dandy-Inn/146215916951, and http://www.cbsstore.com/how-i-met-your-mother-maclarens-womens-pub-tee-green/detail.php?p=361769&v=cbs-howimetyourmother.

Spring is in the Air

Time changed this morning, but rather than enjoy the additional daylight, we spent most of the day occupying ourselves with rainy day activities.  (My husband played on his Xbox while I painted pottery, and we re-watched season 1 of Game of Thrones.) 

Due to the crummy weather typical to early March in the Midwest, I decided to pull out our trusty crock pot and make homemade chicken noodle soup.  I realize now that I was spoiled growing up because my mom has almost always made her noodles from scratch.  I’m too lazy to do all of that (and we don’t have the counter space to lay noodles out to dry all day).  But who says chicken noodle soup can’t be “homemade with help” as well?  I promise that if you make this recipe even once, you’ll never eat canned soup again!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

*1 pkg. chicken breasts, thawed and cubed

*4 carrots, cleaned, peeled, and sliced

*2 celery stalks, cleaned and sliced

*4 cups (32 oz.) chicken broth or stock

*2 chicken bouillon cubes

*½ pkg. Mrs. Miller’s Homemade Old Fashioned Egg Noodles (preferably in kluski)

*Minced onion flakes, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste

*⅓ stick butter, optional

Pour chicken broth and bouillon into a large crock pot and turn to high.

Clean and prepare vegetables and add to the pot along with spices.

Cut up chicken and add to the pot before covering.

Leave for 4 hours.

When you are approx. 20 minutes from serving, add noodles, and make sure they are well submerged.

Allow noodles 20 mins. to cook down, then serve your soup with grilled cheese, buttered crackers, or oyster crackers.  (I prefer the buttered crackers.)

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

Chances are we will be eating this meal for a few days because it makes about 6 adult-size servings.  My only complaint is that I have to store it in multiple containers because the gallon-sized ice cream container I kept for this exact purpose was used to mix grout for our bathroom remodel… so I guess I’ll have to invest in a new storage container.

All I know is that I’m looking forward to a week of predicted temperatures in the mid to upper 70s, and I’m looking forward to the season 2 premier of Game of Thrones!  Only 21 days!!!

Image courtesy of http://winteriscoming.net/

It’s My Party and I’ll Eat If I Want To…

Yesterday was my 28^th birthday, and originally I had very simple plans for the day.  I wanted breakfast in bed, movies in bed, and to have my husband’s complete and undivided attention from the time I woke up until the time I went to sleep.  However, after fielding many questions about my birthday plans, I decided to share my day with a few other friends while watching the Blues hockey game and a cult classic, Slapshot, starring another food icon: Paul Newman. 

Mr. Newman actually released at least 3 cookbooks in his life: Newman’s Own Cookbook, Shameless Exploitation, and The Hole in the Wall Gang Cookbook, all of which he co-wrote with A. E. Hotchner.  (On a side note to any male readers, there is nothing sexier than a man who cooks!)

We started with a one of my absolute favorite brunches: ham and cheese quiche!  As it were, I actually taught my husband to make this dish yesterday morning. 

Ham and Cheese Quiche

*4 eggs

*2 cups milk

*1 cup Bisquick

*1 pkg. shredded Colby Jack cheese

*Approx. 6 oz. ham, cubed (We like Double G brand)

*Salt and pepper to taste

Spread the ham and cheese over the bottom of a greased 9” round baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and milk, then add the Bisquick, salt and pepper.  (I always use twice as much pepper as salt.)

Pour the Bisquick mixture over the ham and cheese, and bake at 350° for an hour.  Allow 5 mins. to cool before serving.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

Then, I chose a mutually favored dish for dinner – crispy Italian beef – accompanied by an old favorite of mine, but somewhat uncharted territory for my husband – cheesy spinach casserole.  Usually, we serve our Italian beef with spaghetti noodles covered in butter, garlic, and parmesan, but since I was pleasantly surprised by a 7-lb. weight loss (according to my scale) yesterday, I thought it best to skip the extra carbs.  You could always serve the pasta with a Caesar salad and skip dessert though.  (We also like to indulge in Cole’s garlic bread from time to time as well.)

Crispy Italian Beef (also known as Sicilian Steak or Bistecca Siciliano)

*1 pkg. cubed round steak

*Italian bread crumbs

*Vegetable oil or EVOO

*Parmesan cheese

*Lemon juice

Cut the round steak into single serving sized pieces.

Pour oil into one bowl, and 4 parts bread crumbs with 1 part parmesan in a separate bowl.

Dip the steaks into the oil, then into the bread crumb mixture.

Place in a 9x13” casserole dish, and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each steak.

Bake at 350° for 50 mins. uncovered.

Cheesy Spinach Casserole

*1 pkg. frozen spinach, drained

*8 oz. large curd cottage cheese

*½ pkg. Colby Jack cheese

*3 eggs

*⅓ stick of butter, melted

*3 tbsp. flour

*Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the butter and flour in a mixing bowl.

Add the eggs, cottage cheese, and Colby Jack.

When this is thoroughly combined, add the spinach, but don’t over mix this or the spinach will break down.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  (I always use twice as much pepper as salt.)

Spread into a greased 9x9” casserole dish.

Bake at 350° for an hour covered.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

And finally, for the pièce de résistance: salted caramel brownies!

Salted Caramel Brownies

*1 box Duncan Hines Double Fudge brownies (with ingredients on back)

*1 bag of Rolo candies

*Sea salt

*Cupcake papers

*3 ½ cups powdered sugar

*1 stick butter, softened to room temperature

*4 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

*1 tbsp. vanilla

*Caramel ice cream topping

*Sugar crystals

Prepare the brownie batter in a mixing bowl.

Place cupcake papers in a standard muffin tin.

Pour batter into the papers to approx. ⅔ full, and place an unwrapped Rolo in the center of the brownie.  

Add a pinch of sea salt to the top of the caramel, then bake at 350° for 28 mins.  (This should yield approx. 14 brownies.)

While brownies are cooling, combine butter, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl, then add powdered sugar in small increments.  (Otherwise, you will wind up with a dust storm in your kitchen.)

Ice brownies when cool, then top with caramel sauce and sugar.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

So, I didn’t get to be waited on hand and foot, but I suppose that was my own fault.  However, if I’d stuck to my original plan, I wouldn’t have gotten to spend some much needed time with some of my favorite people!  And for the record, the Blues won 3-1 last night!  Stanley Cup, here we come!

LET’S GO BLUUUES!!!

Images courtesy of http://theculinarycellar.blogspot.com/2010/05/paul-newmans-hole-in-wall-gang.html,  http://www.moviepostershop.com/slap-shot-movie-poster-1977/IJ8317 and http://media.photobucket.com/image/st%20louis%20blues/grider79/St_Louis_Blues_Logo_jpg.jpg?o=86.

Guilt Free Fridays

Despite the fact that this Tuesday was known for its fat intake, it is really Fridays that Catholics need to worry about during Lent.  Coming from a city predominately founded by German Catholics, I can tell you that over the next 7 weeks, we will be bombarded with signs advertising local church fish fries (but our favorite fish is probably from Mueth’s tavern). 

My husband is not a huge seafood fan, and frankly he would run away from me screaming if I suggested vegetarian food, but we have found a few meals that answer the meatless Friday dilemma.  Some of our go-to dinners during Lent include meatless mostaccioli, Margherita pizza, potato soup, tortilla soup, and breakfast for dinner.  (I’m still working on a few others though.)  In the meantime, we’ve decided to switch up our grilled salmon recipe a bit by swapping our favorite salmon glaze (Daddy Sams) with a sour cream dill sauce.  (This is actually the same recipe I use for the dill dip I serve with rye bread at parties.)  Ironically, sour cream is usually another food the hubby isn’t a fan of either…

We decided to serve this dish with Mrs. T’s potato and cheddar perogies.  We like to bake ours, but you can also pan fry or boil them. 

(I have to make a confession here.  We are fortunate enough to have family and friends who enjoy our presence so much that we were unable to make this meal until tonight.  This was a bit of a disappointment though because I was dreaming about this dish all week!)

So without further ado, here’s the recipe:

Grilled Salmon with Dill Sauce

*2 salmon fillets

*Butter or margarine

*Lemon juice

*8 oz. sour cream

*Dill

*Minced onion flakes

*Salt                                                                                  

Preheat your grill to between 400 and 500° (every “expert” will tell you something different).

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, dill, minced onion, and salt.  (Hint: I use 8 shakes of each spice and taste until I get to the flavor I'm looking for.  You will need much less salt than dill and minced onion.)

When you start the cooking process, be ready to roll because this will only take 6-8 minutes.

Lay a sheet of tin foil over the grill and coat liberally with cooking spray.

Lay the salmon on the grill skin side down.  Season the top with a dollop of butter or margarine and a few conservative squirts of lemon juice.

Close up the grill and cook for 3-3 ½ minutes depending on the heat of your grill.

When this time has passed, salt and pepper the salmon and flip it over, cooking for another 3-3 ½ minutes.

When this time has passed, flip the fish back over and use a meat thermometer to check its internal temperature (it should be at 135°).  If it's not quite there, close the grill back up and cook for 1 minute increments until the fish has reached it's optimal temperature.

After transferring to plates, top the fish with the dill sauce or serve it on the side.  (I would recommend plating the salmon with the skin still on.  This will keep the salmon from falling apart in the transfer.)  Feel free to garnish with scallions/green onion if you have them too. 

And viola!  You should wind up with something that looks like this:

And since I watched Julie & Julia again this week, I have to give credit to Julie Powell for making me feel like it’s okay to say “Yum” about my own food (despite proper etiquette) because dinner was definitely an experience tonight!

It’s still early in the year, but as the grilling season picks up, I think a Woodchuck pear cider would be the perfect complement to this meal, as would Lipton island mango and peach white tea.

I guess if I have to give something up for Lent this year, it might as well be fried fish.  It might be a challenge to pass up the fish and chips at one of our favorite Irish pubs on St. Patrick’s Day, but I think it will be worth the sacrifice to incorporate more healthy dishes into our diets.

I suppose there is nothing more to say except, "Bon appétit!"

Images courtesy of http://areluctantsinner.blogspot.com/2011/09/to-sin-or-not-to-sin-today-sees.html and http://www.examiner.com/food-in-providence/julie-julia-movie-times-photos

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

As far as St. Louisans are concerned, today is highlight of Mardi Gras.  It marks the annual River City Grand Parade in Soulard, and my husband and I have been fortunate to be a part of it for the last 2 years thanks to our friend, Lern, at KSHE 95. 

In fact, St. Louis has the 2^nd largest Mardi Gras celebration in the nation!  And I’m pretty sure these people (the Rhythmic Krewe of Belvakis) are our neighbors… literally.

In the spirit of the “holiday”, I decided to make my jambalaya recipe.  Since we never know when the Mardi Gras festivities will end, I made this meal last night.  Much like my chili recipe, this makes a large quantity of food.  Also like my chili, this is a fairly mild recipe, but you can make it spicier if your heart desires.

Jambalaya

*1 can red (kidney beans)
*1 can black beans
*1 can diced tomatoes (optional)
*1 can crushed tomatoes
*2 cups rice
*¼ cup Franks hot sauce
* 1 lb. of chicken
*2 sticks of Johnsonville Andouille sausage (optional)
*½ Hillshire Farms smoked sausage (combination of beef, pork and turkey)
*½ green pepper, julienned
*Minced onion flakes
*Salt and pepper to taste
*Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning (optional)

Cut your chicken into chunks and cook in a large, deep skillet with the green peppers.

In a separate large pot, combine the beans, tomatoes, hot sauce, minced onion, and salt and pepper.  Bring the vegetables to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer.

Slice the sausage and add to the skillet when the chicken has almost cooked completely through.  Cook this for approx. 5 more minutes on medium heat before adding to the vegetables.

In a slightly smaller pot, cook the rice according to the instructions on the box.  When the rice is tender and fluffy, add it to the vegetables, and simmer for at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors time to combine.  (If you want to make the dish a bit spicier, add ⅛ cup hot sauce at a time.)

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

To make a healthier version, you can rinse the beans before cooking them, rinse the starch off the rice before you boil it, and use a combination of white and brown rice.  (And if you want to make your jambalaya a bit more traditional, don’t combine your rice with the meat and veggies.  Serve the meat and veggies on top of the rice instead.)  You can also serve this meal with Jiffy cornbread.

If you’d like a complimentary Cajun dessert, I recommend beignets, crepes suzette, bananas foster, cherries jubilee, or bread pudding.  Better yet, save your dessert recipe for a special post-Mardi Gras breakfast!

Photos courtesy of http://www.slfp.com/ETC-MardiGras.htm and http://www.mardigrasinc.com/events/

A Love Affair with Food

My husband and I had to celebrate Valentine’s Day a little early this year since he is on a business trip out of state today.  This is our 4-part Valentine’s weekend menu:

First, we decided on a “sure thing” for dinner Saturday night: meat roll-ups and twice baked potatoes. 

This recipe was one of the first I tried to recreate from my parents’ repertoire after we got married.  At the time, the recipe called for breakfast steak, but I had a very difficult time finding this cut of meat at our local grocery store.  After countless attempts to find an appropriate substitute, I learned cubed round steak was an even better option.  If you can’t buy “cubed” round steak, you can always buy round steak and ask an associate in the meat department to cube/tenderize the meat, or purchase a hand-held tenderizer called a “needler” to do it yourself at home.

This is a video that explains the importance of cubing round steak.  (ALTON BROWN IS MY HERO!!!)

(If you don’t’ want to watch the entire clip, start the video at 1:13 and end at 6:48.)

So without further ado, here is the recipe:

MEAT ROLL-UPS

*1 pkg. cubed round steak

*1 pkg. pre-cooked bacon

*1 jar cocktail onions

*1 jar Heinz savory beef gravy

*Salt and pepper to taste

*Toothpicks

Grease a 9x9” casserole dish and preheat your oven to 350°.

Cut the steak into 1X4” strips.

Fold a slice of bacon in half and lay on top of each piece of steak.

Place an onion at one end of the bacon, and roll the meats up around it.  Secure with a toothpick.

Place in rows in the casserole dish, season with salt and pepper, and cover with gravy.  (Use less salt than pepper because there is already salt in the gravy.)

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine does every time I so much as think about this meal!

And no meal is complete without a complementary side.  I’ve come to realize that potatoes are the best companion to this dish.  Recently, my husband and I started buying twice baked potatoes from the Schnucks deli, but I thought I’d combine 2 of my favorite potato recipes (crock pot baked potatoes and loaded mashed potatoes) to make my own for a change. 

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

First, you will need 4 large potatoes.  Wash them well, and put them into your crock pot for 3 hours with ½ cup of water.  Cook them on high for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, take the potatoes out with tongs and set on a baking rack to cool for about 10 minutes (so they are cool enough to handle).  Then, cut them in half length-wise, and scoop most of the insides out of the skins and empty into a large mixing bowl.  (Leave about ⅛” of the insides in the potatoes for structure.)

 Mash the potatoes, then combine the following ingredients:

*2 tbsp. butter, softened

*1 cup lite sour cream

*½ block (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened (a little less if you’re using smaller potatoes)

*½ pkg. (4 oz.) shredded cheese (we like colby jack)

*¼ cup bacon bits (we like the REAL bacon bits by Oscar Meyer)

*2 scallions, chopped

*Salt and pepper to taste

I recommend using a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients because the potatoes tend to get stuck in the beaters of an electric mixer.

Spoon the mixture back into the potato skins, or use a piping bag if you have one. 

Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 30-45 mins. depending on the size of the potatoes.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

I bought a bottle of Barefoot Sweet California Red wine to pair with our meals, but what Valentine’s Day dinner would be complete without a sinful dessert?

So, that’s where my "homemade with help" German chocolate cupcakes come in…

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

*1 box chocolate cake mix (I prefer devil’s food over the actual German chocolate mix.  It has much more flavor, but do whatever you like best.)

*Needed ingredients listed on the box of the cake mix

*1 stick of butter

*1 tsp. vanilla

*1 can condensed/evaporated milk

*1 cup sugar

*2 egg yolks

*1 ½ cup shredded coconut

*1 cup chopped pecans

*A pinch of salt

Prepare the cake mix, pour ¾ full into cupcake wrappers, and bake at 325° for 25 mins.

While the cake is baking, mix all ingredients in a medium pot except coconut and pecans.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.  Allow to boil for 3 mins., stirring constantly, then remove from heat.

Let cool for 5 mins., then add coconut and pecans.

Once your cupcakes are all out of the oven and have had time to cool, spread the first coat of icing over the cupcakes.  (This icing is very thin, so it will take 2 coats.)

Wait about 20 mins. to add the second coat.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

And yes, I am well aware that I am a messy icer.  Luckily, German chocolate cake icing isn’t very pretty to begin with.  If you’re a big nerd like I am, you could also use a heart-shaped pan.

On Sunday, I made French toast when my husband got home from his 5 mile practice run in Forest Park.  Of the 16 pieces I made, my husband ate 12!

FRENCH TOAST

*16 pieces of sandwich bread (we used sandwich wheat this time since we’re trying to be “healthy”)

*6 eggs

*Approx ¼ cup milk (we use 2%, but you could also use skim)

*Approx 3 tbsp. butter

*Approx 2 tbsp. vanilla

*Cinnamon to taste

*Powdered sugar and/or maple syrup for garnish

Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over a griddle or large skillet set to 350° or medium-high.  (We prefer to use our griddle for more even cooking.)  Melt only a portion of the butter at a time.  You will only cook about 3 pieces of toast at one time on the griddle, or 2 pieces at most on a large skillet.

Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture one at a time, and lay on the hot griddle/skillet.  Use your best judgment to determine cooking time.  (It should not take more than 2-3 minutes on each side of the bread, but you want to look for the egg coating to turn white, and a slight overall golden brownness.)

Once cooked, garnish with the powdered sugar or maple syrup.  You can also use fresh fruits, preserves, nuts, and/or whipped cream.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

And nothing washes down the taste of rich French toast like a hearty cup of Thomas coffee!

So maybe our holiday wasn’t the most romantic experience this year, but it was nice to spend some quiet time together before my hubby’s trip… ♥