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!).

Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies

It's been too long since the last blog post however there is an excellent excuse for my absence.  I am proud to announce that I gave birth to a baby girl two months ago!  Finding time to bake with a newborn has been tough but now with a little routine I have managed to find time to do what I am so passionate about.  Carving out time just for myself is what makes me strong enough to get through my day.  I am so excited to start baking and blogging again and I hope that you find some great recipes that I have shared!

Now onto the main event!  These pumpkin chocolate chip blondies are so soft and moist.  It is more cakey than it is dense like a blondie.  The blondies definitely call for a tall glass of milk.  I made them for a local school bake sale and they were a hit!  The flavors of fall are upon us and I can't wait to share some more recipes.

The link between food and psychology:  the success of food is in its label.

How will you experience food?  Well, the wording we choose will determine it's success.  This experiment showed that people who were told they were eating a smoked salmon ice cream, disliked the taste. The others were told it was a frozen mousse and decided this was more acceptable (Yeomans et al., 2008).  Sometimes people also think food tastes better when it's more expensive or sold in fancier packaging.  So as long as we choose the right food label we can set up great expectations for taste.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Grease with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. If the mixture looks curdled, do not fret.

4. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Biscoff Spread Cookies

Biscoff Spread Cookies

This cookie butter is better than Nutella.  Yeah, I said it.  Not too sweet and has a cinnamon and gingersnapish taste.  I had no idea what I was in for when I stuck a tablespoon inside this jar and found myself constantly going back for more.  Extremetly addictive - these cookies were meant to cure a sad and gloomy day.  Soft, cakey, buttery melt in your mouth cookies that satisfy an excuse for breaking the diet.

I really tried to ignore the Biscoff bandwagon until I had them on my trip to Italy when flying Swiss Air.  The European cookie is popular with coffee until some genius made it into a spread.  The spread is made of Speculoos cookies which can now be found in Trader Joe's grocery stores (called Speculoos Cookie Butter).  If you don't like chocolate you will like this spread.  If you don't like peanut butter you will like this spread.  Even if you like both you will like this spread.  The cookie butter is everything you want it to be and more and thats why these cookies are perfect.

Biscoff Spread Cookies

from Baking Bites

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Biscoff spread
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
approx 1/2 cup coarse sugar, for rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in Biscoff spread, egg and vanilla until smooth. With the mixer on low, gradually incorporate the flour mixture until the cookie dough comes together and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

Place sugar for rolling in a small, shallow bowl. Shape cookie dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. 

Transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 10-13 minutes, until cookies are very lightly browned around the edges. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Millions of Peaches

Roasted Peachy Sherbet

Did you know July is National Ice Cream Month?  I think it's fair to dedicate an entire month to ice cream considering it is consumed by 90% of the nation in the United States.  My contribution is summery, light and made with peaches.  The tartness of the buttermilk is mellowed with the sweetness of the peaches and balanced with cinnamon.  It's like having peach pie!  Roasting the peaches with brown sugar boosts that peachy flavor, making this sherbet scrumptious. 

Stress relief tip of the week:

Be willing to forgive others. Allowing others the right to make a mistake goes a long way toward forgiving yourself for mistakes. Assume that others are doing the best they can. Mark Twain once said, "Never attribute to malice what can easily be attributed to stupidity." This goes a long way toward doing the best you can as well.

Roasted Peachy Sherbet Recipe

Ingredients
3 ripe yellow peaches, pitted and halved
3 donut peaches, pitted and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

Cut your peaches in half and remove the pit. Place them cut side up in a baking dish and stuff the middles with brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 25 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.  Puree peaches and their syrup in a food processor. Pass through a medium sieve into a bowl; discard solids.

Whisk together corn syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt, and pour into peach puree. Whisk in buttermilk and milk. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, until thick and creamy, about 35 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Spice it up

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes with Ancho Whipped Cream

Chile in a cupcake?  Yes, the balance of spiciness and sweetness are harmonious in this delicious cupcake.  Light, fluffy, moist cake topped with a sweetened whipped cream and a little warmth in the back of your throat when you're done.  Amazing and satisfying.

Stress relief tip of the day:

Accept what you can't control. Some circumstances are simply beyond our control, and we have to learn to cope with and accept them. Fortunately, you do have control over how you react to stressful situations. Staying calm and being willing to accept emotional support from others can help in managing stress.

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes with Ancho Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients

Cake:

1 tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped

1 cup almonds, toasted

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

6 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1 tsp coffee extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

pinch of salt

Topping:

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tbsp vanilla extract

5 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Directions

For the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.  In a food processor, combine the chocolate and almonds and pulse to grind finely.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Add the flour, cocoa and chili powder and whisk to minx.  In a large bowl, using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until pale, about two minutes.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add 1/2 cup  of sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks one at a time.  with the mixer on low, add the ground chocolate and almonds, coffee and almond extracts and beat until blended.

In a large bowl combine the egg whites and salt and beat until frothy.  Gradually add remaining sugar, and increase speed to medium hih until whites form stiff glosssy peaks.  Using a spatula fold in a third of the whites into the patter.  foldin in remaining whites in two additions until combined.  pour batter into cupcake lines 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 15-17 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack for five minutes before frosting.

For the topping.  In a bowl whisk together the cream and chili powder and let stand for five minutes.  Whisk confectioner's sugar into the cream mixture and pour into a bowl.  Add the vanilla and beat with the whisk attachment on medium high until soft peaks form.

Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag with a star tip and decorate cupcakes.  Top with chocolate covered cocoa nibs if desired.

Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Baking Book

The sweeter side of bread

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bread

There's something fascinating about watching dough double in size within just an hour.  Add a sweet smell of brown sugar and cinnamon and the whole house swims with this delicious aroma after it's baked.  

Stress relief tip for the day:

Progressive muscle relaxation.  Learning how to do relaxation exercises can benefit you greatly and give you a tool to use when you are experiencing any stress or anxiety symptoms. It can be used rapidly and will give you control over these body responses. It does require practice just as any other skill. The idea is to tighten certain muscle groups and then to relax those same muscles. The purpose of this is to feel the difference between tension and relaxation. Start by closing your eyes (if you desire, turn on soothing music) and focus on your breathing. Once the breathing is slowed, begin with the toes, tightening them for 5 seconds, then relaxing them, waiting a few moments, then repeating.  Do this with the legs, fingers, arms, back, stomach, neck and shoulders.  Count backwards from five and slowly open your eyes.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bread Recipe

1 tbsp active dry yeast

3 tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 cup warm milk

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 tbsp salt

1 large egg

6-6 1/4 cups bread flour, plus extra as needed

For the filling:

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar mixed with 4 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

In a bowl sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the granulated sugar over 1/2cup of the water and stir to dissolve.   Let stand until foamy, about ten minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining water, milk, butter, granulated sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups of flour.  Beat on medium speed for one minute.  Slowly beat in remaining flour, half a cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Switch to a dough hook.  Knead on medium speed until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp of flour at a time if the dough sticks.

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board.  Divide the dough in half and roll each half into an 8 by 12 inch rectangle.  Sprinkle each rectangle with half of the filling, leaving a one inch border.  Start rolling tightly at the smaller end into a log.  Pinch the ends at the end of the seam to seal the filling.  Place each log, seam side down, in the greased loaf pan.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise and room temperature for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake until the loaves are golden, about 35-40 minutes.  Turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book

Homemade Ice Cream

Strawberry 'n Cinnamon Ice Cream

Although it is not a popular combination, the heat from the cinnamon and tartness of the strawberries work really well together.  Creamy, smooth ice cream with sweet strawberries and a hint of cinnamon you can feel at the back of your throat.  It's truly an indulgent experience.  The secret is the low-fat cream cheese to achieve the creamy consistency with less fat than cream.

Strawberry 'n Cinnamon Ice Cream Recipe