baked french toast

This is one of those prepared recipes I had in the freezer.  Pull it out on your lazy Sunday and voila!  My daughter literally could not keep her hands off of it.  If this toast is French, then I want dual citizenship.  Recipe below after the therapeutic topic of the week.

Theraputic topic for the week:  daily affirmations

Many times we find people putting themselves down.  It is almost as if they are convincing themselves of things that aren't true.  This could be for a number of different reasons.  Certain life experiences can decrease self esteem or maybe we were never encouraged to believe that we could achieve what we wanted.  Increasing your confidence takes time and you can start by using daily affirmations.  You can read the list I have below every morning when you wake up.  Sometimes I suggest that people create their own if these ones don't speak to them.  Personal affirmations are the best way to increase self esteem and remind yourself that you are worthy of the same things that others are.  So here is the list.  Please share with others if you find it helpful.

Daily Affirmations

In this space, and in this time, I am an essential person to the world.

My journey in life is unique - it is MY journey.

I deserve to be loved by myself and by others.

I have ample leisure time without feeling guilty.

As a citizen of the world, I deserve love, peace, prosperity and serenity.

I am not alone. There are people who understand me.

I love myself unconditionally.

I can respect my rights and the rights of others.

It’s okay to ask for help today.

Just for today, I will be glad to have feelings - happy, sad, depressed… whatever - because I’m human.

Just for today, I will respect my own and other’s boundaries.

Just for today, I will take one compliment and hold it in my heart for more than just a fleeting moment. I will let it nurture me.

Just for today, I will act in a way that I would admire in someone else.

Just for today, I will make decisions that will feel good tomorrow.

Baked French Toast Recipe

From Ree Drummond

Ingredients

For the french toast:
Butter, For Greasing
1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
8 whole Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract

For the topping
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Grated Nutmeg (optional)
1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces

Warm Syrup, For Serving
Butter, For Serving

Directions
For the French toast: Grease the baking pan with butter. Tear the bread into chunks, or cut into cubes, and evenly distribute in the pan. Crack the eggs in a big bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed (overnight preferably). Or you can make it and bake it right away---delicious no matter what!

For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and some nutmeg in a separate bowl. Stir together using a fork. Add the butter and with a pastry cutter, and mix it all together until the mixture resembles fine pebbles.

Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.  (This is the point I would store it in the freezer until a lazy Sunday!)

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture or for 1 hour-plus or more for a firmer, crisper texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with warm pancake syrup and powdered sugar (as if there isn't enough!).

Blackberry lemon sweet rolls

Now that I've become busier with the two kids, homework, tantrums and a job; I find myself making dishes and freezing them when I have time to cook.  I love this sweet roll recipe because you can substitute any berry you like and freeze it!  

I've been cooking ahead and freezing all sorts of things like meatballs, lasagna, casseroles, baked french toast, empanadas, croissants, cookies and ground beef.  I assemble them in different size disposable foil pans or plastic freezer bags and reheat for a meal on a weeknight or entertaining guests on the weekend.

You can freeze the blackberry lemon sweet rolls with the dough unrisen or already cooked, iced and reheated.  It will turn out delicious either way or if you can't resist the temptation just eat it right away!

Blackberry Lemon Sweet Rolls Recipe

Barely adapted from Ree Drummond

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH:
4 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Canola Oil
2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
8 cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup (additional) All-purpose Four
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder

FOR THE FILLING:
1 stick Butter
3/4 cups Sugar
2 whole Lemons, Zested
2 cups Fresh Blackberries

FOR THE GLAZE:
1 whole Lemon, Juiced
2 whole Lemons, Zested
3 cups Powdered Sugar
2 cups Whole Milk, Or As Needed
1 dash Salt
3 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Directions

For the dough:
Mix milk, 1 cup sugar, and canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until very warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warmer than lukewarm but not hot.

Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the liquid, then add in 8 cups flour. Stir gently until totally combined. Mixture will be very wet and sticky. Cover with a tea towel, keep in a draft-free place, and allow to sit for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add in an additional cup of flour, as well as the salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough, covered, until you need it. (Refrigerating the dough helps make it easier to handle.)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a large baking dish (or a couple of smaller dishes) generously. you could use a 9x13 or two 9-inch pie pans which is what I did.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted remove from heat.

Divide dough in half. Store one half in the fridge for another batch of these. Turn the other half of the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, about 30 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Roll as thin as possible! Drizzle melted butter over the dough, using your fingers to spread evenly.

Using your fingers, mix sugar and lemon zest so that it's a nice, light yellow sugar. Sprinkle it all over the butter. Sprinkle the blackberries evenly over the surface.

Beginning at the side furthest from you, roll dough toward you until it’s in the shape of a tight log. Tuck as you go so the roll stays tight. Pinch the edges to seal the seam shut. With a sharp knife, slice into 1/2 thick hick rolls and lay the slices, cut side down, into the buttered baking dishes. 

(You can freeze it from here and then continue the process when you thaw it or you can continue this process and freeze when it is baked and glazed.)

Allow to rise for 20 minutes, then place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown on top.

To make the glaze: Add lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered sugar, milk, and dash of salt in a bowl. Add melted butter and whisk together until smooth. Taste it and add more of whatever it needs.

Remove rolls from oven and drizzle the glaze all over the rolls. Be sure to get it all around the edges and covering the surface so they’ll be nice and moist!  (You can also freeze it at this point and just reheat after it thaws.)

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Lemon Rosemary Scones

I like baking with whole wheat as much as possible to try and sneak in as many nutrients as I can for myself and for my kids.  Pastry flour lightens the scone a bit but you still need the all purpose flour for the body of the scone.

I was truly inspired by my yard to find a recipe for the abundance of lemons

and rosemary.

Lemon Rosemary Scones Recipe

Barely adapted from Ree Drummond

Ingredients

SCONES
1 1/2cup All-purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2/3 cups Sugar
5 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 sticks (1/2 Pound) Unsalted Butter, Chilled And Cut Into Pieces
1 whole Large Egg
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Finely Minced Fresh Rosemary
Zest Of 1 Lemon

GLAZE
5 cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
1/2 cup Whole Milk, More If Needed For Thinning
Zest And Juice From 1 Lemon
1 teaspoon Finely Minced Fresh Rosemary
Dash Of Salt
Preparation Instructions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Mix cream with egg, lemon zest and rosemary and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to steep.

Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter pieces into the flour. Keep going until mixture resembles crumbs. Mix wet mixture with flour mixture; stir gently with a fork until combined. Mix should be crumbly, but if it's too crumbly to work with, splash in a small amount of heavy cream.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and lightly press it together until it forms a rough rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll into a rectangle about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Use your hands to help with the forming if necessary. Final rectangle should be about 18 inches by about 10 inches.

(This is where my hands got too messy to snap pictures.)


Use a knife to trim into a symmetrical rectangle, then cut the rectangle into 12 symmetrical squares/rectangles. Next, cut each square/rectangle in half diagonally, to form smaller triangles.

Transfer to a parchment or baking mat-lined cookie sheet and bake for 18 minutes, removing from the oven just before they start to turn golden. Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

GLAZE

To make the icing, add lemon zest, lemon juice and rosemary into milk; allow to sit for awhile. Mix powdered sugar with the milk, adding more powdered sugar or milk if necessary to get the consistency the right thickness. Stir or whisk until completely smooth.

One at a time, carefully dunk each cooled scone in the glaze, turning it over if necessary. Transfer to parchment paper or the cooling rack. Allow the glaze to set completely, about an hour. Scones will keep several days if glazed.

Hashbrown Quiche

Pepperjack cheese quiche with hash-brown crust

Weekend brunch item to knock your socks off!  Pepperjack cheese is one of my favorites.  Actually I think all cheeses are my favorite.  

I've been wanting to make this dish for a long time and the hash-browns were just waiting to be opened.  When I decided to make it this morning I realized I didn't have enough sour cream so I used some cream cheese instead.  I only had extra large eggs so I reduced it to be roughly the same amount as a large egg.  I didn't have scallions so I opened up one of my salad packs and sprinkled on some chopped spinach.  

Changing a recipe to what you have on hand is really easy.  Trust yourself that it will still taste good and making mistakes is the only way we can understand how ingredients work in a recipe.

Pepperjack cheese quiche with hash-brown crust recipe

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 package (1 pound) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
8 extra large eggs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
4 to 5 ounces shredded pepperjack cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-2 1/2-inch springform pan with butter. Line the sides of the pan with strips of waxed paper (the same height as pan); brush paper with butter.

Squeeze excess moisture from hash browns. Mix in a bowl with butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.   

Tip: beat egg separately then add to the hash-brown mixture to make sure the egg mixes properly.

Pat into bottom and up sides of prepared pan, using a moistened dry measuring cup. 

Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk sour cream, cream cheese,  pepperjack cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until well combined; whisk in 7 remaining eggs.   

Tip: beating the eggs in a separate container and then adding them to your mixture ensures the whites and yolks will be distributed evenly.

Pour into crust, and sprinkle with spinach. Bake until set, 45 to 50 minutes. 

Unmold quiche, and peel off waxed paper before serving.  

Voila!  Perfect quiche!  So yummy!

Challah bread

Challah bread is great for soaking up delicious custards.  You can use it for french toast or bread puddings.  You can try my Nutella Banana Bread Pudding recipe here. It is a rich, strong bread with a slight sweetness and can be eaten plain.  There are many different braiding techniques, this one uses a four braid.  You can find different braiding techniques here.

Challah Recipe
Makes two large loaves

1 1/2 cup warm water, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons instant yeast
6 cups flour -- either all white or half white whole wheat
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup mild honey, plus an extra tablespoon for eggwash, if desired
2/3  cups flavorless vegetable or canola oil
4 eggs, plus one yolk for eggwash, if desired
1 pinch ground cardamom, optional

Put 1 cup warm water in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar, sprinkle the yeast over top, swirl the bowl just to combine, and leave it to proof for five minutes. 

While yeast is proofing, mix flour, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar and cardamom, if using, in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Stir to incorporate or blend on low speed.
In a medium bowl, mix remaining water, honey, oil, and eggs. 

When yeast has finished proofing, add it to the flour, immediately followed by wet ingredients. Mix with a large wooden spoon or on medium-low speed in the mixer, just until combined, about 30 seconds. 

Switch to dough hook and begin to knead on low speed, making sure to incorporate what's at the bottom of the bowl if the dough hook misses it. If kneading by hand, stir using spoon until dough becomes to thick to stir. Empty dough onto well-floured surface and knead by hand. Knead dough until smooth and no longer sticky, adding flour with a light hand as needed, 7-10 minutes. 

Split the dough into two equal pieces. Set each in a large oiled bowl, cover both bowls with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size. If using white flour, this should take about 2-2.5 hours. If using white whole wheat, it will take closer to 3.5 or 4. Feel free to let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight instead; if you do this, be sure to set out the dough in plenty of time before shaping, so it can come to room temperature. 

Preheat oven to 375.

After the rise, the dough should be soft and pliable. Separate each mound of dough into three equal balls, for a total of six. Roll each ball into a log almost 1-foot long. Braid the logs together to create your loaf. For the nicest-looking braid, do not pinch the top edges of your logs together before braiding; simply place one log over the next and braid until you reach the bottom, then pinch those edges together. Then, flip the unfinished loaf the long way, so that the unfinished edge is now at the bottom and the loaf has been flipped over and upside down. Finish braiding and pinch these edges together. This way, both ends look identical. Tuck the very tips beneath the loaf when braiding is finished. 

Repeat with second loaf. 

Put each loaf on its own silpat-lined baking sheet. If using egg wash, mix yolk with a 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon honey. Brush over loaves. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes, until challot are golden and baked through.

Best ever banana bread

Banana Walnut Bread

When we were young my mom would always have banana bread on hand.  I don't know how she did it or when she had the time but somehow there was always banana bread in the house.  My favorite way to eat it was for breakfast.  I take a slice and put it in a bowl and drench it in milk.  Then I would break into small pieces and eat it with a spoon like cereal.

Banana bread reminds me of comfort and warmth.  I almost get excited when I see the bananas are getting brown in the fruit basket because no one has eaten them.  This recipe allows you to make the bread and freeze for up to two months!  Just warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds and it's amazing.  It is really moist and the walnuts give it a good textural contrast.  The trick is to stop at just one slice.

Banana Walnut Bread Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/4 cups of flour with the baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil, sugar and mashed bananas. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients.  Fold in the walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes, until the bread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then turn the bread out onto the rack and let cool completely. Cut into slices and serve.

Homemade Pop Tarts

Mango Cream Cheese Pop Tarts

These fun pop tarts are like childhood baked into a pastry -- with a grown up twist.  Flaky buttery pastry combined with fruity mango and cream cheese.  These are what pop tarts are suppose to taste like!  Make them for a crowd or keep them in the fridge and reheat in the toaster oven when you need a breakfast on the go.  They're delicious and you know what's in them because you made them!

Therapeutic topic of the week: Why do we crave specific foods?

Studies show that thinking about certain foods can make cravings.  This type of imagination or mental imagery takes up brain power.  You can even be using so much brain power that it can get in the way of you completing a task, making you think: "I have to eat that food".  You can use this same concept the other way as well.  Use a cognitive task to distract you long enough from craving food.  This sometimes happens when you are really busy (or a mom!) and "forget" to eat.

E. Kemps, M. Tiggemann. A Cognitive Experimental Approach to Understanding and Reducing Food Cravings. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2010; 19 (2): 86 DOI: 10.1177/0963721410364494

Mango Cream Cheese Pop Tarts Recipe
Adapted from Tasting Table

INGREDIENTS
Dough
1½ sticks unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

Fruit filling
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups canned mango pulp

Sugar Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons mango pulp
1 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the dough: In a standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour and buttermilk into the butter mixture, alternating mixtures until a dough forms. Divide the dough into two balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

2. Place the cream cheese between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Place on a sheet pan and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Make the fruit filling: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of honey and the cornstarch. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the mango pulp and cornstarch mixture and cook until the fruit comes to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook until it thickens stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Taste for sweetness and add more honey as needed. Remove the filling from the saucepan and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. To assemble: Remove one dough ball from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a large rectangle, about ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough into eight 4-inch-by-3-inch rectangles, rerolling the dough if necessary. Place the rectangles on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan and chill in the refrigerator. Roll out the second ball of dough and cut into slightly larger rectangles. Place the rectangles on a second parchment-paper-lined sheet pan and chill in the refrigerator.

5. Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator and cut into 2-inch-by-3-inch rectangles. Remove the first set of rectangles from the refrigerator and carefully top each with a cream-cheese rectangle and a tablespoon of the reserved mango filling, leaving a ½-inch border.

6. Use a dab of water to slightly dampen the edge of the dough. Remove the second set of dough from the refrigerator and top the first set of rectangles and fruit with the dough. Seal with a pastry cutter or use a fork dipped in flour to finish the seal. Trim the edges of the dough slightly as needed and chill the pop tarts in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 325°. Place the pop tarts in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

8. Make the sugar glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, pulp, water and vanilla extract. Whisk in the food coloring if using. Cool the pop tarts on a cooling rack, drizzle with the sugar glaze and serve.

Blueberry Scones

Blueberry Scones

These blueberry scones have a layer of strawberry jam in the middle which is my secret to keeping the scones moist and soft.  Who wants a tough scone on Valentine's day or on any day for that matter?  Valentine's day is not just about spending time with a lover.  The essence is to show the people who are important to you how much you care.  It can be as simple as making a blueberry scone from scratch.  Don't feel the need to plunge for the heart shaped box with the overpriced chocolates or buy flowers that will die in a week.  Do something different for those special people and impress them with your baking skills!

Therapeutic topic of the week: Psychological benefits of a piece of chocolate?

Usually we only allow ourselves small amounts of fattening or sweet foods or limit it to special occasions.  Here's some food for thought: enjoyment actually affects the nutritional value of food.  The greater  the pleasure, the more nutrients are absorbed.  Think about it, food is something we do regularly that manages to please all of our senses at once.  It can be the scent of freshly baked bread, a sizzling fajita plate in a restaurant or  a beautiful arrangement of fruit on a plate.  These invoke our taste buds on our palate giving you a heightened sense of liveliness  --- but only if you allow yourself the time and freedom to appreciate it.

A recent German study gave women a chocolate bar to eat at any time in their day.  Once they ate the chocolate there was a significant increase in mood when compared with those who ate an apple or nothing at all.  The women with the chocolate bar said that they were energized and happy.  Okay, so that's nothing new we all know we feel good after we eat chocolate.  But it doesn't end there.  The benefits lasted for over half an hour which researchers reported was because of the taste and experience of eating it.  Not a neurochemical change that it may have brought that created the sensory delight.  The best part was that these sensory qualities reduced any further cravings for chocolate.

Blueberry Scones Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling tops
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, picked over and rinsed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup of strawberry jam

cinnamon and sugar mixed together for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in center. Place a baking mat on a baking sheet, and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Stir in blueberries and zest.
Using a fork, whisk together cream and egg in a liquid measuring cup. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, and pour in cream mixture. Stir lightly with fork just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times to mix well.

Pat dough into a 6-inch square about 1 1/4 inches thick.  Spread a layer of strawberry jam.  Roll the dough up into a log.  Seam side down, flatten the dough  to a 12 x4 inch rectangle.  Using a floured knife, cut into four 3-inch squares or  use a cookie cutter of your choice. Cut squares in half on the diagonal to form eight triangles. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with cream, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer scones to wire racks to cool.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Lady Marmalade

Blueberry Orange Marmalade

The abundance of fruits calls for cooking them down and making them spreadable.  The tart but sweet marmalade gets an extra burst of blueberry, making this recipe unique.

Stress relief tip of the week:

Seek advice.  Our minds and bodies are closely connected. How you think, feel, and act affects your total health and well-being.  Many emotional and behavioral issues can be resolved with proper treatment, including steps you can take on your own, classes, counseling, and medication.

Blueberry Orange Marmalade Recipe


INGREDIENTS
3 medium oranges
2 lemons
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 cups sugar
1 pouch fruit pectin


DIRECTIONS
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of the oranges and lemons. Cut the zest pieces into thin slices, then finely chop or grind and set aside.


Peel the remaining white part of the peel from the fruit and discard. Chop the fruit pulp, reserving any juice and set aside.


Place the zest and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved fruit pulp and juice, cover and simmer on low heat for an additional 7 minutes. Add the blueberries and simmer for 3 more minutes.


Stir the sugar into the fruit in the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and cook exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the pectin. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.


Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from Bobby Flay

A Crunchy & Sweet Breakfast

Belgian Waffles

The buttery, yeast-like sweet smell can wake anyone up on a lazy Sunday.  Make this dough the day before and impress your morning guests by simply pressing into your waffle iron. 

Stress relief tip of the day:

Sleep for a good six to eight hours a day or take an afternoon nap. people who don't get enough sleep are very vulnerable to stress. Sleep is the time when your body is able to rest and rebuild itself. If you don't get enough sleep, your health suffers and your levels of anxiety rises.

Belgian Waffle Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted (about 1cup), plus more for brushing
1 cup Belgian pearl sugar (see Note)

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk the brown sugar and yeast into the lukewarm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix at medium speed until shaggy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between each.

Whisk the vanilla with the 1 cup of melted butter. With the mixer at medium-low, gradually mix in the butter until smooth; the batter will be thick and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Step 2: Stir the pearl sugar into the risen batter. Cover again and let rest for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 250°. Preheat a Belgian waffle iron and brush it with melted butter. Gently stir the batter to deflate. Using about 2 tablespoons of batter for each, cook the waffles according to the manufacture's directions until they are golden and crisp; brush the waffle iron with melted butter as needed. Transfer the waffles to plates or keep them warm in the oven, then serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The batter can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight.

NOTES
Belgian pearl sugar is available at specialty shops and at amazon.com.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Flavors of Fall

Pumpkin French Toast

Delicious fall flavors with home made brioche and pumpkin puree.  Warm pumpkin pie spices make this treat special on a lazy Sunday.

Stress tip relief tip of the day:

Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.

Pumpkin French Toast Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half
3 Eggs
1/2 cup home made pureed pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
My brioche thick-sliced and day-old (punch out in rounds)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except bread
2. Soak bread the night before or six hours before eating. Dip the bread slices in the milk mixture (one at a time) and place the bread in a glass baking dish. Continue until all the bread has been dipped. Store in fridge.
3. Cook by heating 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat or use nonstick cooking spray. Place bread slices in the pan and cook until golden on 1 side, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the slices over and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes longer. Wipe the pan out with paper towels and repeat with the remaining butter, oil, and bread.
4. Serve warm and dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Recipe adapted from Carla Hall

Sticky fingers

Sticky Buns

Delicate, buttery pastry rolled in cinnamon and baked to perfection.


Adapted from Ina Garten's Easy Sticky Buns Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 
• 1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
• 
  

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, brush the pastry with the vanilla extract, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and walnuts out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.