French Toast Bake

I love French Toast! My daughter made it one year for my birthday - and it was just so good!! So I was on Pinterest and selecting items that interested me. After awhile you get so far away from Pinterest because you just continue to click on links and it takes you to another page or blog. Anyway, I ended up on the Sheldon Rachel Blog site. This recipe looks fairly easy and I think it would taste so great!

French Toast Bake

Last weekend I made a French Toast Bake for a bridal shower brunch. I love this recipe because it is so easy (Fia could do this by herself), economical (most expensive ingredient was the Texas Toast at $2), & oh-so-delicious! The best part is that it is made the day before so there is no fuss on the day you consume it....perfect for a Sunday afternoon or brunch. This food post will be step-by-step as I take you through the entire recipe with me...as I like to make my own tweeks & people get mad at me for not telling them EXACTLY what I did. *My additions to the recipe will be in red*


Before I begin....I must note that I was making a double batch (two 9 x 13 pans) so the pictures have double the ingredients. The recipe listed below is for 1 pan (9 x 13). Happy eating!!

** For those who are not familiar with Texas Toast, it is thickly sliced bread. The slices are about double the thickness of standard sliced bread. For a better description, click here **

Ingredient Checklist
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
11. Serve with warm maple syrup (I don't do the syrup part)

- Crack eggs & get them started (on low)
- Melt butter in microwave
- Add brown sugar & stir together


- Pour mixture into 9 x 13 pan
- Spread evenly to cover bottom of pan


- Add milk & vanilla to egg mixture
- *Add 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar to egg mixture*
- Spread even layer of Texas Toast on butter/sugar layer
- *I cut off the crusts...this is NOT necessary....I just think it looks nicer...it was for a bridal shower*-


- After you have 1 even layer, ladle on 1/2 of egg mixture

- *Sprinkle brown sugar & cinnamon before next layer*
- Spread second layer of Texas Toast

- Ladle second half of egg mixture
- *Spread thin layer of butter*


- *Sprinkle lightly with white sugar & cinnamon*
(I think the butter & sugar help give the final product a crusty top....I could easily be wrong....but it sure doesn't hurt the flavor....and since this recipe is far from figure friendly...then why not?)
- Refrigerate overnight


- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar
- Top should be crusty, middle should be soft & moist, & bottom is just glorious!



- The recipe calls for eating it with warm maple syrup. I did not do this....it would be way too sweet....instead, I added the Tablespoon of powdered sugar in the egg mixture.
- I personally feel that eating it upside down is the way to go.....that way you don't waste any of the sticky bits of heaven on the plate

How to Freeze Tomatoes From Your Garden

My neighbor and friends have been giving me a lot of tomatoes from their garden and I was thinking about freezing them. So in my search for an easy way to do it, I came upon this recipe. It looks easy ;-), and looks as if I can do this. So I will try this recipe and let you know how it turns out. Here is the link for the site Pick Your Own . You ought to check it out because it lists places you can pick your own. 

Freezing home grown or farm fresh tomatoes for use in winter cooking is very easy to do! The flavor of spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and salsas you make then will be superior to those made from canned tomatoes or store bought so called "fresh" tomatoes.

Here's how to do it, in easy steps and completely illustrated.   This method is so easy, ANYONE can do this!  It's a great thing to do with your kids!  If you'd rather can your tomatoes, see this page for canning directions for tomatoes!

These pages may also interest you:

• How to make tomato sauce
• How to make tomato paste

Ingredients and Equipment

Tomatoes - any quantity, ripe, but not over ripe, still firm. Vacuum food sealer or plastic freezer bags

1 large pot Large slotted spoon

Process - How to Make Spaghetti Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes

Step 1 - Selecting the tomatoes

It's fun to go pick your own and you can obviously get better quality tomatoes!  

At right is a picture of tomatoes from my garden - they are so much better than anything from the grocery store. And if you don't have enough, a pick-you-own farm is the place to go!  Below are 4 common varieties that will work:

Top left: Beefsteak

Bottom left: Roma, paste-type

Top right: Lemon Boy, yellow

Bottom right: Better Boy

The picture at right shows the best variety of tomato to use: Roma; also called paste tomatoes.  They have fewer sides, thicker, meatier walls, and less water. And that means thicker sauce in less cooking time!

Also, you don't want mushy, bruised or rotten tomatoes!

Step 2 - Removing the tomato skins

Here's a trick you may not know: put the tomatoes, a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute (30 - 45 seconds is usually enough)

then....

Plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water.

This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes!  If you leave the skins in, they become tough and chewy in the sauce, not very pleasant.

Step 3 -  Removing the skins, bruises and tough parts

The skins should practically slide off the tomatoes.  then you can cut the tomatoes in quarters and remove the tough part around the stem and any bruised or soft parts.

After you have peeled the skins off the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half.  Now we need to remove the seeds and excess water. 

Note: why remove the skins? They become tough and discolored in storage.  You wouldn't want to eat them!

Step 4 - Squeeze of the seeds and water

Just like it sounds: wash your hands then squeeze each tomato and use your finger or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds.  You don't need to get fanatical about it; removing just most will do. Another way to do it is to cut each tomato in half, across it, instead of lengthwise. Then just shake the seeds and juice out. Here are before and after photos:

Step 5 - Drain the tomatoes

Toss the squeezed (Squozen? :) tomatoes into a colander or drainer, while you work on others. This helps more of the water to drain off.  You may want to save the liquid: if you then pass it through a sieve, screen or cheesecloth, you have fresh tomato juice; great to drink cold or use in cooking! By draining the water off now, you'll end up with a thicker spaghetti sauce in less cooking time! And that preserves vitamins (and your sanity).

 Step 6 - Fill the freezer bags

Don't overfill the bags, leave a little room for expansion. Do try to avoid leaving any air pockets!   A vacuum bag is shown at left, but you can use ziploc (or similar) bags, show below.  But be sure to squeeze out the extra air (below left is before, below right is after squeezing out the excess air)

Step 7 - Vacuum seal the bags (if you have a vacuum sealer)

Obviously if you haven't got a vacuum food sealer, just inspect the bags and you may need to open them and reseal them to eliminate any air pockets!

TIP:  If you don't own a vacuum food sealer to freeze foods, place food in a Ziploc bags, zip the top shut but leave enough space to insert the tip of a soda straw. When straw is in place, remove air by sucking the air out.  To remove straw, press straw closed where inserted and finish pressing the bag closed as you remove straw.

Step 8 - Freeze the bags

Pop them into the freezer (on the quick freeze shelf, if you have one).  Now leave them for 2 or 3 hours till frozen.

Put in the back (coldest part) of your freezer

And wait for a cold winter night when it is dark and dreary out, to remove it and defrost (microwave works well) and use in making so fresh tasting spaghetti sauce or other tomato cooking!

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

This is a recipe from the Real Mom Kitchen Blog. I love lasagna and I love chicken. What a great idea to put them both together in one dish! I plan to make the lasagna and will let you know how it turns out. In the mean time, if you try it, let me know your results. Happy cooking!

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked (I recommend reducing it to 8 oz to 12 oz)
1 1/2 to 2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done–rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don’t use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don’t do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

DIY Fabric Floorcloth

Now this is a great idea! Do you want a floorcloth for your room that is like no other, any size you want, any design you want, and messes can be just wiped off??? Here you go. I saw this on East Coast Creative Blog . 

I love the endless possibilities! You can use it for a kitchen floor mat, a dog bowl mat (Oh, are they messy when drinking water!), an entrance mat that will welcome your friends (can't you just hear them say "Where did you get that beautiful mat?" ), a bathroom mat to match your curtains or towels, or even a runner that just takes your breath away? This is it!! You will even use the secret of DIY'ers everywhere - duct tape! Hooray!! I am so excited to try this!

Step 1: Gather your materials.

Fabric: the amount depends on the size of your mat. I used about 3/4 yard for my kitchen mat, and 1 1/2 yards for my entryway mat).

Rubber Mat Runner: I've seen similar floor mats made with vinyl flooring remnants (check out Diane's floor mat from In My Own Style!), but I wanted something sturdy with traction and this fit the bill! Found at Home Depot in the flooring section.

Spray Adhesive
Water-based Polyurethane
Scissors
Duct Tape

Step 2: Using your scissors, cut your rubber mat to size.

I wanted an octagonal shape for my kitchen so I measured the angles and then cut accordingly.

3. Measure and cut your fabric to size. Leave approximately 2-3 inches all the way around your rubber mat, because you'll be wrapping the fabric around it later. Don't forget to iron your fabric before moving to the next step! I used two different fabrics for two different mats. I had extra fabric from the pendant light I made for my kitchen. It's called Waverly Solar Flair in Lime & Indigo, and it's fabulous. I can't remember the name of the other fabric- sorry! But I love.them.to.pieces. (I realize that loving fabric that much is weird, but I'm OK with that)

4. Determine your fabric placement. Then fold the fabric back about halfway and spray the rubber mat with spray adhesive. Fold the fabric back down, smoothing out the bubbles and wrinkles as you go. Lift the other side of fabric up and repeat that method. The fabric should stick well to the rubber mat.

5. Brush a water-based polyurethane on to your fabric. Make sure it's water-based so that your fabric doesn't yellow! This will seal your fabric and protect it from water. You'll also be able to wipe the mat down should anything spill on it (let's be honest, I wish I could poly every surface in my house for this reason). I did 3 coats of poly, letting it dry completely in between coats.

6. Once the final coat has dried, lay your mat fabric-side down on the ground. Begin folding the edges of the fabric towards the center of the rubber mat. Spray each edge with adhesive and press down until it sticks. Then take your duct tape and run it along the edges to create a seal. No one will see the underside of your mat and you'll want the extra security the duct table provides!

To create perfect corners, just follow these simple steps:
1. Grab the corner and fold up towards the center of the mat.
2. Fold one side up flush against the edge of the rubber mat to create a straight line.
3. Fold the opposite side up in the same way until both sides meet in the middle.

Once you've finished duct taping, you're done! Lay your floor cloth down and admire your handiwork. So easy, and so cute! Here's the one I made for the entryway (It's 4 feet by 2 feet, if you were wondering):

And the one for my kitchen:

Because this mat already has traction, it doesn't slide around really at all. However, if you wanted extra stay-put-ability, just run a line of caulk around the edges where the fabric is, and it will better grip the floor.

I love easy!!

Yes, I love easy - easy recipes, easy quilts, easy jobs, and an easy life.
It's less stress ;-). Any way, when I saw this recipe on Bakerella , I just got so excited!!! She calls it "Ridiculously Easy". The recipe was sweet (I do have a sweet tooth) and it was easy!!! I love peaches whether they are fresh, frozen or in the can. So right after I finish blogging this recipe, I am going to the store to pick up some peaches. I'll let you know how it turns out ;-).

You need some sliced peaches in syrup.

Just dump them in a 13 X 9 dish. Syrup and all.

Cut the peaches into smaller pieces and you can distribute them more evenly.

Next up, you need a yellow cake mix.

Sprinkle it right over the top of the peaches. No mixing. None.

Keep sprinkling until it’s all covered up.

Then layer 1 stick of butter right on the top.
Next, add the brown sugar on top.

Oh this is looking good. So fluffy. I need a spoon. No… I need to wait.

Finally, add some chopped walnuts. These are optional.

Bake it at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes and voila…

Here is the recipe:

Peach Crunch Cake

24.5 oz jar of sliced peaches in light syrup

1 package yellow cake mix

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), cut into 16 pieces

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Layer ingredients in a 13 X 9 dish, in order starting with the peaches.

Bake for about 40 minutes.

Serve warm or cold… with or without ice cream