Saturday Morning French Toast

I really do like French Toast, but I will admit it.... I am a bit of a French Toast snob.  I am so fussy about how it is prepared, more fussy than with almost any other food.  When we go out to our local diner for breakfast, and my boyfriend orders the French Toast, I just shake my head in disappointment.  I bite my tongue though, I don't need everyone else to know that I am such a snob.  My boyfriend knows this fact, accepts it, and still loves me despite it.  

I have been making French Toast this way for years now.  I absolutely can not have it made from sliced sandwich bread.  Please don't hate me for this, it's just how I am!  Anytime we have leftover crusty bread, I throw it in the freezer to have waiting for a yummy breakfast destiny. French and Italian bread's are what I have used.  I would love to try it with a Ciabatta bread, but haven't accomplished that yet.

It's not an exact recipe as the milk and eggs needed can vary on they exact bread you use.  Please give it shot, it won't disappoint you!!!

French Toast

4 slices day old crusty bread (about 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick)

3 Eggs

1/2 c. Milk

1 T. Flour

1/4 t. Cinnamon
1/2 T. Oil

Toppings
Maple Syrup
Powdered Sugar
Butter

Preheat skillet over medium high heat. In shallow bowl, combine  eggs and milk.  Add flour and cinnamon. Whisk all together until it is smooth and you have no flour lumps.  Add slices of bread to bowl, let soak for about 1 minute on each side.

Add oil to pan and let heat for one minute.  Add 2-3 slices of bread to pan.  Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. 

(Note: If your bread really soaks up the mixture, just add more egg and milk)

Clementines Muffins

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.... Hmmm..  If only I had a fireplace?! Funny that is the song going through my head today while From Cupcakes to Caviar was singing earlier "We had joy, we had fun.. we had seasons in the sun"  All in where you live!!

Completely nasty blustery, snowy day here today.  The weather service says we have had three plus inches of snow, but I have drifts well over a foot in places.  Needless to say, I am staying home today and making the soup that I prepared the stock for last night.  Oh wait, no I am not.  Apparently I don't have all the ingredients (imagine that), and I am not driving fourteen miles to the grocery store in this weather.  I so wanted to cook today, and to have some yummy warm food waiting for my boyfriend when he got home from his day out on the road.  But, I don't want to go out in this weather!  Wait, I have an idea.  This awesome blog I was reading the other day,  Love.Peace.Happiness.Cooking., had a recipe that caught my eye for Clementines Muffins.  Is it possible my memory is right, and I do have all the ingredients?  Yup!  Success! Soup will have to wait!

These are such a healthy muffin, and they smelled amazing when I pulled them out of the oven.  Love the flavor of these, the clementines kinda brightened my day a bit.  Just wondering how long they will last, I may need to make up a second batch!

Clementines Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 large egg

1/3 cup clementine juice

2 teaspoons grated clementine zest

1/4 cup chocolate chips, chopped

2 t. raw sugar (optional)

Preheat oven 350F. In bowl, combine  flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.  In another bowl, whisk together egg, melted butter, clementine juice and zest.  Pour the clementine mixture into the flour mixture. Mix gently. Add chopped chocolate.  

Spoon mixture into muffin pan and bake. Sprinkle each muffin with raw sugar, if desired.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes. If toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are ready.

Sunrise on January 6th

It is so nice to be seeing our days getting longer.  It's only a minute or two  longer, but what a difference that makes.  Waking up to this view out the bedroom window, is an amazing way to start the day.

Favorite Things Friday

I think that maybe I am the last one to find out about the collage printing that you can now do with your pictures? Anyone else behind the times with me on this one?

I am such a fan of printing collage's right now, it's absolutely my favorite way to make prints. You can do it with Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Shutterfly.... I am sure that there are more, those are just the ones I have tried.   I had tons of fun making collages for Christmas.  Back in November, my boyfriend wanted me to takes some pictures of his semi.  I did, and he completely forgot that I took the pictures.  Sometimes I just love how he forgets things!  It made for the perfect Christmas gift!  I did use Walgreens for this collage, as they offered the biggest size option for me.  I made the following picture into a 24 x 36 print, and he just LOVED it.  He has it hanging above the tv right now, but it will get moved to his office this weekend!

Do be careful though, if you live in rural America and upload your pics to the store to pick up later.  A friend (nameless) of the recipient (boyfriend) of the gift could be standing right there, watch the print come off the machine, recognize something in the photo (truck) and ask (boyfriend) about the cool poster that he had made! Fortunately, the friend who remain nameless, realized this was a gift and quickly changed the subject.  Once again, my dear boyfriends, horrible memory worked to my advantage, and he forgot all about this conversation until after he admired the poster for some hours!

Tortilla Soup

Many many years ago....  When I was stilling working for the bank, in downtown St. Paul, I had my choice of so many places to lunch at.  We would take the skyway system to our choice of the day and get whatever flavor or food group it was we were craving.  One day when out on our daily lunch hunt, my friend Nancy and I, went to a sub joint in the Depot building.  This particular place always had homemade soups, and on this day they were serving Tortilla Soup.  I had never had this kind of soup, so of course I ordered it. It was just amazing, and I was in love.  The flavor was like no soup I had ever had.  It was just the perfect Mexican flavorings and veggies all pulled together in one little bowl. YUM!

And then ....this sub place closed. I really was just about devastated. From then on, any time I went to a restaurant, diner or deli that was serving Tortilla Soup, I had to order it. None of the soups I tried have ever compared.  I have tried cooking various recipes myself, but just couldn't find that flavor combination that rocked my taste buds like that first bowl.  Until now that is!! I was so excited when I read the recipe for Tortilla Soup that Sweet Pea's Kitchen had on her blog.  It sounded amazing just reading it!  

Like everything else this month, it was complicated getting ready to make it.  Can't keep the vehicle running to get to the store.  Can't go shopping with all the ice, you know... one thing after another.  Well, finally all ingredients in hand, I made the soup, and it was delicious. The right balance of spices, and I really think the cilantro is what pulled it together with that amazing flavor combination! Next time, I will save just a little bit of Cilantro for some garnish.

Tortilla Soup 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

2 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 (10.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 cup whole corn kernels

1 cup white corn (I used Green Giant Chipotle White Corn)

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2-3 boneless chicken breast halves

Tortilla chips, crushed

Optional

1 avocado, sliced

Shredded Cheese (Cheddar or Colby)

Green onions, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Sour Cream (I topped with Greek Yogurt)

Heat oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, tomatoes, broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and shred. Return to pot and continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, green onion, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Favorite Things Friday

I love the Blue Ridge Mountains.  They are absolutely breath taking.  I have only seen such a small area of them, but can say that I have had the pleasure of driving part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and that is a drive I will never forget.  Given my choice of where to vacation, anywhere in the mountain range is going to be my first choice of destinations.  I would so love to pick up where I left off on the Parkway, and travel further on it.  

Some years ago, when I was relocating to this "Coulee Region", I had to laugh when I saw some of the hills here lovingly referred to as the Lil' Smokies.  These hills are a miniaturized version of the impressive Blue Ridge Mtns. Guess that is one of the reasons that I love this region.

A couple years ago, I found photographer Dave Allen on Facebook.  He is, by far, my favorite photographer from the Blue Ridge area.  I love his work, and am happy to say that besides having his calendars for a couple years, I even own one of his prints. 

Check out his website and take a look at his amazing work! http://www.daveallenphotography.com/

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a 

Very Merry Christmas!