Baby Shower: Yogurt Parfaits

I co-hosted a baby shower for one of the ladies I visit for church. She was having her second child, and first girl. We had a yogurt parfait bar and it was so delicious and easy!

My girls.

Strawberry and vanilla yogurt, walnuts, raspberries, granola, butterscotch chips, mango and strawberries, blackberries, sprinkles, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, orange juice, raspberry lemonade, chocolate and powdered sugar donuts. 

Congratulations on your baby girl, Kristen! Thank you to everyone who came!

Apple Pear Crisp

I was excited to whip up some apple/pear treats after our harvest, and figured I would make one of Zach's favorite desserts, a crisp!

I started with a recipe from Our Best Bites, found here, but substituted pears and apples. Here is my version!



Apple Pear Crisp

Filling Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs ripe but firm pears and apples (6-8), peeled, cored, and sliced into 3/4″ wedges.

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pinch salt

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of ground nutmeg

Crumb Topping:

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

6 tablespoons cold butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.

Directions:

For fruit filling, gently combine fruit and sugar in a large bowl and let stand for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Whisk cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in small bowl. Toss juice mixture with fruit and transfer to an 8 or 9 inch square pan that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. 

For topping, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon and either grate the cold butter with a large-hole cheese grater, or cut it into small cubes and use your fingers to crumble the mixture together. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit in pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes.  The topping should look golden brown and crisp and the fruit should be soft.  Let cool to luke warm before serving.  Serve with ice cream.

Breakfast of champions!

I will definitely use this recipe again for future crisps! I even enjoyed eating it for breakfast the next morning warmed in the microwave, then served with milk, like a bowl of oatmeal. Yum.

Friendship Brunch

Time again for the Ladies Friendship Brunch! It was a blast again this year! We kept with tradition and had a crepe bar, speed friendship dating, a short thought about making friends, and plenty of socializing.

The ladies in charge did a fabulous job planning, decorating, and executing this activity.

Enjoying a nutella crepe from my bestie, Natalie.

Natalie enjoying my thoughts about making friends.

Speed friendship dating!

Love these ladies!

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this activity a success! And thank you to everyone who came! I had a great time getting to know everyone better and enjoying some delicious crepes.

Baked Apple Dumplings

While Boyd was in town visiting he brought all his favorite recipes to share with us. Yum!

We made these Baked Apple Dumplings together while playing games. They were a perfect treat topped with vanilla bean ice cream. A perfect dessert to share during a game break.

Original recipe found here. (If you sign up for the website, you can also get all kinds of great tips and tricks.)


Baked Apple Dumplings
Serves 8

INGREDIENTSDough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar 
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
3/4 cups cold buttermilk

• 
  
• Apple Dumplings:
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped
• 4 Golden Delicious apples (other kinds of apples turn to applesauce, or stay too crisp)
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Cider Sauce

(Makes 1.5 cups)

1 cup apple cider

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Make Dough Process flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor until combined. Scatter butter and shortening over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer to bowl. Stir in buttermilk until dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly until dough is cohesive. Press dough into 8- by 4-inch rectangle. Cut in half, wrap each half tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Or make it the night before and let it set overnight.)
• 2. Prep Apples Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. In second bowl, combine butter, raisins, and 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar mixture. Peel apples and halve through equator. Remove core and pack butter mixture into each apple half.
• 3. Assemble Dumplings On lightly floured surface, roll each dough half into 12-inch square. Cut each 12-inch square into four 6-inch squares. Working one at a time, lightly brush edges of dough square with egg white and place apple, cut-side up, in center of each square. Gather dough one corner at a time on top of apple, crimping edges to seal. Using paring knife, cut vent hole in top of each dumpling.
• 4. Make Cider Sauce Bring cider, water, sugar, and cinnamon to simmer in saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and reduced to 1 1/5 cups of sauce, about 15 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and lemon juice. Drizzle over dumplings to serve.
  5. Finish Apples Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange dumplings on prepared baking sheet, brush tops with egg white, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake until dough is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes. Serve with Cider Sauce.

Boyd also enjoyed them for a late night snack, breakfast, and lunch the next day.


What is your favorite snack for game nights?

Valentine Breakfast: Overnight French Toast Bake

This dish was amazing! I loved it. It is perfect for any holiday for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. There are also lots of variations you can make just by adding extra ingredients in between the two layers of Texas toast. I would love to try it again with sliced pears or peaches in between.

We topped ours with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream. Yum!

Overnight French Toast Bake
Original recipe found here.

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar. Stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly.
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla together in seperate bowl.
4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan on top of sauce.
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer.
6. Add second layer of Texas Toast.
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture on top of bread.
8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight.
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
10. Serve warm, and flip the piece upside down on your plate to get all of the gooey sauce goodness

11. Top with your favorite fruits, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.

Lucy digging in!

We also visited one of our favorite local florists and enjoyed a walk around the green house.

Christmas Morning 2012

We had a nice Christmas this year. Lucy woke up and was very excited to see the treats on the table and have breakfast. I made an overnight french toast bake and loved it! 

Unfortunately, Zach wasn't feeling well, but we still enjoyed opening presents and having a day to relax. 

Happy girl!

Lucy eating a crock pot egg/cheese/hash-brown casserole. 

Good morning! 

Thanks Grandma Gayle!                                                   Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Gillson!

One of Zach's few presents to open since most of his were still in the mail!

Thanks Nana and Poppa!

Merry Christmas to Lucy!

Merry Christmas to me!

Overnight Baked French Toast
Recipe found here.

Overnight Baked French Toast

Recipe by Our Best Bites

8 eggs
2 cups half and half (one pint)
1 cup milk (whatever kind you have on hand)
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (a little less if using table salt)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 lb loaf of french bread
softened butter for greasing baking dish (2-3 tablespoons)

Topping
4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons cold butter

For Serving
melted butter
maple syrup
powdered sugar
berries
whipped cream

Directions:

Crack eggs into large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.  Whisk in half and half and milk.  Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.  Set aside.

Use softened butter to butter bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish.  Cut bread into  1 inch chunks and place in dish.  Whisk egg mixture one more time and then pour evenly over bread.  Use a rubber spatula to very gently toss bread, moving bread on bottom to top, and making sure all of the piece on top get dipped in egg mixture.  Spread out evenly, cover dish, and place in fridge overnight.

To make topping, place brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to combine.  Cut cold butter into very small pieces and add to bowl. Use clean hands to break up butter and combine mixture until crumbly.  Cover and place in fridge until morning.

When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove plastic from dish and sprinkle topping evenly over top.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown.  You can stick a knife or skewer in the casserole to make sure the egg mixture is set on the bottom.  *Note I have left a generous baking time window because it varies on ovens and the size of your bread cubes.  I used to cook this closer to 60 minutes at my old house, but in my new convection ovens it’s done closer to 45.  Keep an eye on it and let me know how long yours takes to bake!

Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares.  Drizzle with melted butter and syrup, top with berries, whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar if desired.

See's Candy. Thanks Dad and Gayle! Yum!