Spring Break

It's Spring Break and Munch, AudioDad, and I are all home for the week. As we've been running around doing things with family for the last few days, I took advantage of our first quiet morning to slip out of bed while everyone was still asleep (what else is new?) to make these-

When Munch finally got up, she invited her two friends along for breakfast-

By request...

There was surprise and suspicion that I was holding out on the good stuff when I didn't post the recipe for AudioDad's french toast birthday breakfast. So, to tide you all over while I fine-tune another recipe (one for chocolate espresso sables with sea salt- I'm on version #2 this week and have tweaks ready for batch 3) to be posted in the near future...

French toast! Usually I use the huge loaf from the grocery store- you know, the one cut really thickly, possibly the Sara Lee brand? It makes a nice, dependable french toast, but nothing earth shattering. But when I came across some new bread options at Trader Joe's (LOVE that place!!!) I knew immediately what Munch & I would be fixing for AudioDad's breakfast. I grabbed a loaf of brioche (I may try the challah next just to compare) and sliced it thickly- it made the heaping plate you saw, maybe a dozen slices or so? Again, I don't know that it's the recipe that's anything special, as you'll see below- I think it's the bread choice, or maybe just that it was made with love for our favorite guy! (Who, by the way, deemed it the best he's ever had. What else could he say?) And, I suppose if we're getting fancy with the bread, we may as well call it... pain perdu, a la francaise.

7 eggs
1 tsp. salt
5 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla paste (it gives you the nice vanilla beans specks, or you can just use vanilla extract)
2 1/4 c. milk
ground cinnamon
about 12 thick slices of bread

Combine the eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla paste, and milk in a large shallow dish (like a deep pie pan)- sprinkle on a couple of shakes of cinnamon- it never combines well, so I don't bother mixing it much. Soak a couple of slices of bread (both sides) in the eggy mixture until saturated. Cook on a well greased griddle over about 325 degree heat until browned on each side and the middles are still tender (not too firm, not too squishy). Repeat with all slices, adding additional cinnamon as needed. Sprinkle cooked french toast with with powdered sugar and serve- with real maple syrup of course (did I even have to say that?), but here's a recommendation- try Grade B syrup. It's richer, thicker, and has more "maply" flavor.

And...while you're waiting for another post, don't forget to check out the links to the right for some of our very favorite food stuffs/producers....

Pancake Sunday

If it's Sunday, then you know it's pancake morning in our house. Even Munch knows that once everyone is up, we go through the routine of heating the big griddle and making a huge batch of pancakes before AudioDad heads out for his morning run with the girls. Even though she's just two, Munch has made countless batches of pancakes with me already. She dumps in all the ingredients, whisks up the batter, then heads off to set the table while they cook, making sure everyone has their proper syrup- sugar free for Daddy, the real stuff for her & Mommy.
It took a long time to find just the right pancake recipe. AudioDad's mom's pancakes were legend in his mind and for several years early in our marriage, mine never quite measured up. He actually even preferred my dad's to mine! But Fannie Farmer to the rescue! (My go-to cookbook- a must for every kitchen) Here's the recipe, with my changes- it makes a lot- feed a crowd, or just be really hungry! I also make extra silver dollar-size pancakes for the Munchkin to have throughout the week. They freeze well when wrapped between sheets of waxed paper. I just pop several of them in the microwave for about 20 seconds, flip & heat another 15 seconds or so, and she's got a little taste of Sunday before heading off to daycare.

1 1/4 c. milk (I usually even add another 1/4 c. depending on how the batter looks-we like our griddlecakes on the thinner side)
4 tbsp. butter, melted
2 eggs
2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Whisk everything up and spoon about 1/4 c. of batter per pancake onto a preheated and greased 300 degree griddle. Flip when they're bubbly on top and just starting to dry around the edges (the underside should be nice and golden). Cook just a little longer on second side and serve.