Category: Recipes

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Luscious Cinnamon French Toast

When I was a kid, we didn’t do a lot of sleepovers–mostly because we lived in a shady part of town and nobody actually wanted to drive through it, never mind sleep in it. But now and then, we would spend the night with a close friend or relative. Sadly, I earned the reputation of being a runaway and never really lasting the evening without either calling for my mom to pick me up or running home after everyone else fell asleep.

Yeah, I was a pain.

Some of my anxiety came from being a home-body and getting genuinely homesick, but a lot of it came from worrying about…

breakfast.

I’d had a couple of near-death experiences with some dear friends whose moms made gooey French Toast, eggs over easy or sunny-side up,—which in my vocabulary all meant…raw. We never ate them that way at home and it would always totally freak me out. Oh, I wasn’t a jerk about it or anything, but I was so afraid that I’d betray the fact that uncooked eggs made me gag, and in a sincere desire to not be offensive, I’d lay awake long after everyone else was asleep worrying about it. Then, sometime in the wee hours, I’d claw my way home…figuratively speaking. With that set up—

Over the years, it’s been fun to find and tweak some of the best egg recipes in the universe so that they fit the persnickety egg tastes of my little family. Yes…yes, I passed my raw-ish egg phobia lovingly on to my children. I couldn’t help it. Anyway, we’re particularly proud of our luscious, moist-but-totally-not-raw-or-gooey-inside Cinnamon French Toast. A big key to it’s loveliness lies is the fact that it’s made with 100% whole wheat bread–the rest is probably just, you know, magic.

Heh, heh.

Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
dash salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cinnamon

12 slices whole wheat bread

Directions:

Whirl everything–except the bread–in the blender until frothy–about 15 seconds. Pour into a low, squatty bowl. Heat griddle and coat with a thin layer of butter.

Place bread slices, one at a time, into the egg mixture for about 2 seconds, then turn the bread over to lightly soak the other side–for 2 seconds.

Remove bread and heat slowly on griddle, until bottom is golden brown, then turn and brown the other side. Remove and stagger-stack on a paper plate–which helps it not “sweat” while waiting to be served. Butter each cooked slice while the new batch is on the griddle. Serve with Buttermilk Syrup to an adoring family.

Store any leftovers in a ziploc bag and reheat in the toaster.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Luscious Cinnamon French Toast
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • dash salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cinnamon
  • 12 slices whole wheat bread
Instructions
  1. Whirl everything--except the bread--in the blender until frothy--about 15 seconds.
  2. Pour into a low, squatty bowl.
  3. Heat griddle and coat with a thin layer of butter.
  4. Place bread slices, one at a time, into the egg mixture for about 2 seconds, then turn the bread over to lightly soak the other side--for 2 seconds.
  5. Remove bread and heat slowly on griddle, until bottom is golden brown, then turn and brown the other side.
  6. Remove and stagger-stack on a paper plate--which helps it not "sweat" while waiting to be served.
  7. Butter each cooked slice while the new batch is on the griddle. Serve with Buttermilk Syrup.
  8. Store any leftovers in a ziploc bag and reheat in the toaster.
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Strawberry Crepes

For years now–I have mercilessly taunted you with our Conference crepes without posting the recipe. Sincerely, the only reason for it is that every single time we’ve made them, everybody was so wrapped up in eating them, that we never got a decent picture. Well, not one without strawberry sauce and whipped cream flying all over the place, that is.

Dignity friends…dignity.

This year I was committed to holding the camera steady and snapping BEFORE I allowed myself to touch them. Luckily, the first shot worked cause that was the only chance we got. Then the feeding frenzy began…

Basic Crepes

Ingredients:

2 eggs–beaten

1-1/2 cups milk

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and beat on medium until well blended. Heat a lightly greased skillet. Spoon a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan and remove from heat. Tilt pan to spread batter evenly into a circle. Return to heat and brown on one side only. Allow to cool on paper towel or plate. Continue on with the rest of the batter.

Fruit Sauce

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches, raspberries or blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

If using frozen fruit, thaw it out and do not drain. Whirl 1/2 of the fruit in a blender.  In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add whole fruit and blended fruit. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Allow to boil about 2 minutes more. Cool.

While fruit sauce cools, spread about 1-2 Tbsps cream cheese down the middle of each crepe. Add about 3 Tbsps fruit mixture down the middle of crepe and roll. Serve with a few generous spoonfuls of sauce poured over the top and garnish with whipped cream…if you want.

But that goes without saying.

Strawberry Crepes
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 eggs--beaten
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients and beat on medium until well blended.
  2. Heat a lightly greased skillet.
  3. Spoon a scant ¼ cup batter into pan and remove from heat.
  4. Tilt pan to spread batter evenly into a circle.
  5. Return to heat and brown on one side only.
  6. Allow to cool on paper towel or plate.
  7. Continue on with the rest of the batter.
  8. Make fruit sauce.
  9. While fruit sauce cools, spread about 1-2 Tbsps cream cheese down the middle of each crepe.
  10. Add about 3 Tbsps fruit mixture down the middle of crepe and roll. Serve with a few generous spoonfuls of sauce poured over the top and garnish with whipped cream.
Notes
Fruit Sauce Ingredients: 3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches, raspberries or blueberries ⅓ cup sugar 1 tsp cornstarch Directions: If using frozen fruit, thaw it out and do not drain. Whirl ½ of the fruit in a blender. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add fruit and blended fruit. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Allow to boil about 2 minutes more. Cool.

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Easter Bird Nest~ Spoon Suckers

Bird Nest Spoon Suckers 2

I’ve been on the lookout for a clever, simple Easter treat that’s both kid AND mama friendly ever since Valentine’s day, and by dang, I believe we’ve found it. Scrumptious little birdy nests made from some of your favorite things–one being chocolate…of course. And did I already say simple? Well, I made about 9 of these in less than 10 minutes. No lie.

You could wrap a pretty little sucker bag around these before dropping them in the Easter baskets…or not. They are actually more sturdy than I expected ( isn’t it lovely when candy behaves itself properly?). I think the kids will most likely pluck the eggs off first thing, and then nibble on the spoon second, so a bag might just throw off their gobble-groove anyway.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate or butterscotch chips

1 package Cadbury Mini Eggs

Chocolate sprinkles or Jimmies–as they are called by folks in-the-know.

1 box clear plastic spoons–if you can find round soups spoons, they look the best. But as you can see, regular ones work fine too.

Directions:

Melt the chips in a small saucepan. Dip the spoons, one at a time in the melted candy making sure to cover both sides evenly.

Arrange three eggs on the spoon.

Before your chips harden, dip the spoon into the sprinkles.

This one’s a bit lopsided, but it’s still so cute!

Place on pan or board and allow to set.

Keep right on going till you run out of one of your ingredients. I could have made about 25 of these but something mysterious happened to my bag of Mini Eggs and so halfway through, I ran out. Something verrry fishy is going on around here.

You’ll need to guard yours, no doubt.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Easter Nest Spoon Suckers
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate or butterscotch chips
  • 1 package Cadbury Mini Eggs
  • Chocolate sprinkles or Jimmies
  • 1 box clear plastic spoons
Instructions
  1. Melt the chips in a small saucepan.
  2. Dip the spoons, one at a time in the melted candy making sure to cover both sides evenly.
  3. Arrange three eggs on the spoon.
  4. Before your chips harden, dip the spoon into the sprinkles.
  5. Place on pan and allow to set
  6. Keep right on going till you run out of something.

I originally saw this adorable idea on Cute Food For Kids. 

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Cinnamon Ripple Banana Bread

The other day, I was looking through my enormous recipe notebook–you know, the notebook full of “things to try.” The idea was to find something that just screamed Easter. Well, I found plenty and the only real trouble I ended up with was picking which adorable Eastery thing to make.

Then, without realizing what I was actually doing– I found myself completely and utterly fixated on this particular recipe. I don’t personally believe there is anything about Cinnamon Ripple Banana Bread that even whispers Easter…nevermind screaming it. But there it was in the mixer and I continued on like a woman possessed.

I intended to take some charming photos of the loaf out of the pan, intact and cooling on a pretty little rack, maybe with a few carefully placed cinnamon sticks. Alas,  once it was out of the oven– the bread knife had a mind of it’s own as well. Then, somebody started nibbling and before I knew it…there were only a couple of slices left.

Not. My. Fault.

Cinnamon Ripple Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas–thoroughly mashed

1/3 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1-1/2 cups flour

For the Ripple:

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large loaf pan evenly. Shake about a tablespoon of the  cinnamon sugar mixture into the buttered pan…

and tip the pan around until all the sides and the bottom are well coated.

Pour the excess back in with the mixture set aside for the ripple.

Mix bananas, butter , sugar, egg, vanilla, soda, cinnamon and salt together. Pour about one half of mixture in loaf pan. Sprinkle most of the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top.

Add the rest of the bread batter over the cinnamon layer. Sprinkle the rest of the mixture on the top. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a knife poked in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Serve with cream cheese or by itself. Either way is fine by me. It’s wonderful, and if you can force yourself to save a piece till tomorrow, it is even somehow miraculously…

better. Yeah, didn’t see that coming either. Oh, and as for the Easter recipe…

there’s always next week.

4.5 from 2 reviews
Cinnamon Ripple Banana Bread
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 very ripe bananas--thoroughly mashed
  • ⅓ cup softened butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • For the Ripple:
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter a large loaf pan evenly.
  3. Shake about a tablespoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture into the buttered pan and tip the pan around until all the sides and the bottom are well coated. Pour the excess back in with the mixture set aside for the ripple.
  4. Mix bananas, butter , sugar, egg, vanilla, soda, cinnamon and salt together.
  5. Pour about one half of mixture in loaf pan.
  6. Sprinkle most of the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top.
  7. Add the rest of the bread batter over the cinnamon layer.
  8. Sprinkle the rest of the mixture on the top.
  9. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a knife poked in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
  10. Serve with cream cheese or by itself.

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Thanks for entering everyone!

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Fruity Jello Roll-Ups

Turns out–that our little Jello Marshmallow adventure wasn’t a flop after all–like I thought it would be. So, we shall forge ahead and share it with you. Brace yourself…

it’s fabulous~

First, I have a sad confession to make, and that is–I have never been a huge fan of Knox Blox or Jello Jigglers or whatever you want to call them. It just seemed like chewing on a piece of fruity rubber and seriously, it always kind of freaked me out. So, when I saw this recipe, I was a bit skeptical.

But to my surprise, these little fruity rolls ups were different–and what-do-you-know, we love them! They are stretchy enough to be fun, but still soft enough to be chewable. In other words–perfect!

Even the little miss loved them…even if she wasn’t in the mood…

to smile for the camera.

I think she’s actually erasing me and my silly camera right now. Either that, or figuring that if she closes her eyes then I can’t see her.

Ok, ok…I get the hint. No. More. Pictures.

Sheesh!

I’m off to make another batch–this time, in Peach! If you’re wise, you’ll whip these little dudes up too.

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Fruity Jello Roll-Ups

1 (6 oz.) pkg. jello

1 cup boiling water

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Lightly spray a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.  Add Jello and stir well until Jello is completely dissolved–about 2 minutes.

Add marshmallows and stir until marshmallows begin to melt.  Whisk until marshmallows are completely dissolved.  A pretty little creamy layer will form on the top–unless you wait too long to refrigerate them–like I did.  Oops!

Pour into pan and immediately refrigerate until well set- 1 to 3 hours. They will be very firm and easy to handle.  Loosen edges with a knife.

Starting at one end, roll up tightly.  With seam side down, cut into 1/2 inch slices.  We used the dental floss cutting method (shown in this post).  Just put the string around roll-up, cross and pull to cut.

Serve immediately or store the cute little things in the refrigerator.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Fruity Jello Roll-Ups
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 (6 oz.) pkg. jello
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 3 cups miniature marshmallows
Instructions
  1. Lightly spray a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.
  3. Add Jello and stir well until Jello is completely dissolved--about 2 minutes.
  4. Add marshmallows and stir until marshmallows begin to melt.
  5. Whisk until marshmallows are completely dissolved.
  6. A pretty little creamy layer will form on the top--unless you wait too long to refrigerate them--like I did. Oops!
  7. Pour into pan and immediately refrigerate until well set- 1 to 3 hours. They will be very firm and easy to handle.
  8. Loosen edges with a knife.
  9. Starting at one end, roll up tightly.
  10. With seam side down, cut into ½ inch slices. We used the dental floss cutting method (shown in this post). Just put the string around roll-up, cross and pull to cut. Serve immediately or store the cute little things in the refrigerator.