Sunday, April 8, 2012

April Fools Day Fun ~ Grilled Cheese and Orange Koolaid

Grilled Cheese for April Fools' Day

We usually use Entenmann's pound cake but I could not find it this

year so I substituted Angel food cake.

Found Here at Family Fun

Ingredients

Pound cake (we used Entenmann's brand)
1 cup buttercream or white frosting (canned is just fine)

Yellow and red food coloring

Instructions: Cut the pound cake into bread-like slices and toast them in a toaster oven just until they turn golden brown. Once they've cooled for a few minutes, stack two slices for each sandwich and cut the stack in half diagonally (slicing the sandwich before you fill it makes for fewer crumbs).

Now tint the frosting by stirring in a few drops of yellow and red food coloring (more yellow than red) to get a shade of orange that resembles American cheese.

Carefully spread frosting between the slices of each half sandwich. If you mound the frosting on one slice, then top it with the other and gently press down, the frosting will ooze out a bit and look all the more like melted cheese. Makes one sandwich.

Orange Kool Aid aka Orange Jello!

Gelled Juice

April 1st is a day for fooling, so why not make a little mischief this year? A thirsty family member is the perfect target for this glassful of trickery that's impossible to drink. And since the undrinkable beverage is made by the batch, you'll be able to fool more than one person.

Ingredients

Lemon-flavored gelatin

Red food coloring

Instructions

Following the package directions, mix up a box of lemon-flavored gelatin (we added a drop of red food coloring to darken it). Pour the mixture into clear glasses and insert a drinking straw into each. Place the glasses in the refrigerator to set. When they're ready, serve the jiggling juice to the next parched target (or two!) looking for a cool drink.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Place eggs in pan with cold water and a bit of oil.

Bring to a boil and then turn off heat.

Cover, and let sit for 15 minutes for large eggs, 17 for extra large.

Cool in ice water.

You will never have a runny or green egg yolk, and it will peel easily!

Recipe of the Week: Sugar Crusted Vanilla French Toast

Sugar Crusted Vanilla French ToastAdapted from La Phemme Phoodie

1 smallish baguette or crusty loaf of bread, cut into 1-inch slices (about 1 lb loaf)

FOR THE CUSTARD:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

FOR THE SUGAR COATING:
1/2 cup (1 stick or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1 Day Ahead:
Butter a 9×9-inch pan on the bottom and sides. Place the bread slices, standing up, in the pan. Set aside while preparing the custard.

In a large measuring cup or pitcher, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over all the bread slices in the pan. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Next Morning:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the french toast casserole from the refrigerator and set it on a baking sheet.

In a large microwave safe bowl or heat proof large glass measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave till just melted (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on high). Add the brown sugar and corn syrup, whisk well to combine. Microwave on high again in 30-second bursts (two to three times should be enough) till the sugar is melted and the mixture is bubbly and hot. Gently whisk in the vanilla extract. (Alternatively, you can do this process in a pan on your stovetop.)

Carefully and evenly pour the sugar mixture over the french toast casserole, covering each slice well. Place the casserole, on the baking sheet, into the oven and bake until puffy all across the pan like a good bread pudding, and is golden and baked through, about 40 to 45 minutes depending on how packed your pan was. The casserole will deflate as it cools. Serve warm with mixed berries.

This recipe originated here!

Recipe of the Week: French Toast

French Toast

I have included 3 of our favorite recipes for french toast. It all depends on how much time and ingredients we have on hand as to which one I use! Nate made me French toast for Mothers Day a few years ago and stuffed it with cream cheese and fresh fruit! An easy tip to have your own stuffed french toast is to take 2 slices of french toast, spread 1 slice with cream cheese and fresh fruit, top with the other piece of french toast, add fresh fruit, a drizzle of maple syrup and a small dollop of whipped cream! Fantastic!

Alton Brown, 2003

Prep Time:: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time:: --
Cook Time:: 24 min

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread
4 tablespoons butter

Directions

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

William Sonoma

French Toast

Soaking the bread in the egg-milk mixture produces exceptionally moist, tender French toast.

Ingredients:

1 day-old baguette, cut diagonally into slices
3/4 inch thick
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups half-and-half
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
Unsalted butter for cooking
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Blackberries or other berries for garnishing
(optional)
Maple syrup for serving

Directions:

In a shallow baking dish, arrange the bread slices in a single layer. In a bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar and whisk until blended. Pour the mixture over the bread and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes so the bread can absorb the liquid. Turn the slices over and let the bread absorb the remaining liquid, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Preheat a griddle according to the manufacturer's instructions and coat generously with butter. When the griddle is hot, cook the bread in batches (do not overcrowd) until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer the French toast to a warmed platter, dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with berries. Serve immediately with maple syrup alongside.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

French Toast

~My adapted recipe

8 eggs
2 teaspoon sugar, optional
dash salt
2 cups of milk
20 slices of thick bread
Almond extract
butter
maple syrup or other syrup

Preparation:

Break eggs into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate; beat lightly with a fork. Stir in sugar, salt, and milk.

Add a couple dashes of almond extract to taste!

Over medium-low heat, heat griddle or skillet coated with a thin layer of butter or margarine.

Place the bread slices, one at a time, into the bowl or plate, letting slices soak up egg mixture for a few seconds,

then carefully turn to coat the other side. Soak/coat only as many slices as you will be cooking at one time.

Transfer bread slices to griddle or skillet, heating slowly until bottom is golden brown.

Turn and brown the other side. Serve French toast hot with butter and syrup. Delicious with fresh fruit.
Recipe for French toast serves 4.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Time Out Tuesday ~ Life in our Wonderful World!

Today I am going to take a "time out" and blog a few minutes! I must say that as of lately my blog postings have been slim. I apologize, not only to you but to myself as well. I love to have this blog as a journal of sorts for myself. It is fun to look back and reminisce. My hubby loves to scroll through and see what happens throughout the week since we do not see him very much due to school and work. This blog is also a cookbook for me because some of my all time favorite recipes are logged here as well as a quick last minute craft project go to!

We have been busy here. I have been deep cleaning. I know that if I am on the computer then my cleaning time is drastically cut in half or even more! We have flipped mattresses, scrubbed walls, cleaned out junk drawers, cabinets, and art supplies, kitchen cabinets have been rearranged and furniture moved. I still cannot believe that no matter how much you throw out, donate, or put in the garage sale pile that there is always more to add. I am still playing catch up from the past two years of not being able to focus on the house. The garbage men are so gracious to let us throw out so much stuff every week!

We have also had to deal with viruses, strep, scarlet fever, and a husband that ended up at Urgent Care for back problems. Four hours in a minivan with four kids while Daddy is in Urgent Care inspired a few post ideas! You will see a few posts in the future related to these things. I considered us to be a healthy family until this year. Let's just say that I now carry Clorox wipes with me wherever I go! That is a big change from using natural cleaners to Clorox products again. Once we are past this sickness phase I will go back to my other cleaners! ...and that won't be this week as we have another sick visit today!

We have also spent a lot of time outside playing. 30 degrees above average is great for enjoying spring/summer early although it was not conducive to our yearly family snowman picture! Here are a few pics of the kiddo's from our sunny day yesterday! Enjoy!