annie blog

Things That My Youngest Has Said Lately

While repeating the Lord’s Prayer: And deliver us from Mabel….
Around Halloween: Look at the punkatins!
When repeating dialog from The Incredibles: Honey, where’s my supersuit?!
On the occasion when I’m not doing as he wishes: I’m gon spank yur boddum.
To the other mothers who were watching him while I played tennis: I WUB Mama!

He’s a precious little stinker.

French Toast
This is the season of entertaining and having guests overnight. With that in mind, I thought that I’d share this easy on-the-spot breakfast that is yummy, economical, and will make your guests feel pampered — and you won’t have to do anything beforehand. Or, make it for your family for a quick and easy dinner. Even my picky boys liked it.

For French Toast:
4 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 T butter, divided
15- 3/4″ slices bread* (it’s important to slice it thick)

For Banana Topping:
3 T butter
3 T brown sugar
5 bananas, peeled and sliced diagonally

For serving:
toasted chopped pecans
warm maple syrup

To prepare French toast: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until well mixed. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and half-and-half untnil thoroughly blended. (I usually do this in a shallow dish — like a pie plate.)
Heat a nostick griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 teaspoons butter and melt. Dip bread slices in egg mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place 3 or 4 slices on griddle at a time and cook until golden brown on each side. Repeat with remaining butter, bread and egg mixture.

To prepare topping: In a large skillet, cook butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add bananas; cook over meduim heat 2-3 minutes, turning to coat bananas with syrup until slightly softened but not mushy.

To serve, place French toast on each plate; top with warm bananas. Garnish with maple syrup and sprinkle with pecans.

Keep cooked slices warm in a 275-300 degree oven while cooking the rest.

*You could use egg bread or challah. I used some leftover french bread.*

French Toast
This is the season of entertaining and having guests overnight. With that in mind, I thought that I’d share this easy on-the-spot breakfast that is yummy, economical, and will make your guests feel pampered — and you won’t have to do anything beforehand. Or, make it for your family for a quick and easy dinner. Even my picky boys liked it.

For French Toast:
4 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 T butter, divided
15- 3/4″ slices bread* (it’s important to slice it thick)

For Banana Topping:
3 T butter
3 T brown sugar
5 bananas, peeled and sliced diagonally

For serving:
toasted chopped pecans
warm maple syrup

To prepare French toast: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until well mixed. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and half-and-half untnil thoroughly blended. (I usually do this in a shallow dish — like a pie plate.)
Heat a nostick griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 teaspoons butter and melt. Dip bread slices in egg mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place 3 or 4 slices on griddle at a time and cook until golden brown on each side. Repeat with remaining butter, bread and egg mixture.

To prepare topping: In a large skillet, cook butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add bananas; cook over meduim heat 2-3 minutes, turning to coat bananas with syrup until slightly softened but not mushy.

To serve, place French toast on each plate; top with warm bananas. Garnish with maple syrup and sprinkle with pecans.

Keep cooked slices warm in a 275-300 degree oven while cooking the rest.

*You could use egg bread or challah. I used some leftover french bread.*

French Toast
This is the season of entertaining and having guests overnight. With that in mind, I thought that I’d share this easy on-the-spot breakfast that is yummy, economical, and will make your guests feel pampered — and you won’t have to do anything beforehand. Or, make it for your family for a quick and easy dinner. Even my picky boys liked it.

For French Toast:
4 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 T butter, divided
15- 3/4″ slices bread* (it’s important to slice it thick)

For Banana Topping:
3 T butter
3 T brown sugar
5 bananas, peeled and sliced diagonally

For serving:
toasted chopped pecans
warm maple syrup

To prepare French toast: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until well mixed. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and half-and-half untnil thoroughly blended. (I usually do this in a shallow dish — like a pie plate.)
Heat a nostick griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 teaspoons butter and melt. Dip bread slices in egg mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place 3 or 4 slices on griddle at a time and cook until golden brown on each side. Repeat with remaining butter, bread and egg mixture.

To prepare topping: In a large skillet, cook butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add bananas; cook over meduim heat 2-3 minutes, turning to coat bananas with syrup until slightly softened but not mushy.

To serve, place French toast on each plate; top with warm bananas. Garnish with maple syrup and sprinkle with pecans.

Keep cooked slices warm in a 275-300 degree oven while cooking the rest.

*You could use egg bread or challah. I used some leftover french bread.*

Funky Chair Photo

Funky Chair Photo

Funky Chair Photo

Me and My Funky Chair
If you’ve ever been in my home, you will know that we have quite a collection of 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or 5th) hand furniture. And, given the use (or is it abuse?) given to my furniture by my children, I’m sort of glad that I don’t have nice stuff. One less thing to be concerned about, you know? But, 2nd hand stuff needs some help sometimes. Even though it is used, I don’t want it to look totally trashed. This brings me to my latest project. The squatty, funky chair. Jon brought this chair home last year. It was vinyl and burnt orange and rippped on the front. It also happened to be the first thing I saw every time I entered the house. Its tired apperance just wouldn’t do. Over a few months, my ambition and my mental motivation mounted. So, starting last Friday, I ripped it apart and put it back together, again. And, wow, did I learn a lot in the process.

My favorite thing that the 2 year old said about the whole thing was the other day, as he watched me staple-gunning piping around the edge of the arm of the chair, he piped up, “Mom, you’re hurting the Thinking Chair. You’re HURTING the Thinking Chair!!” He thinks that the chair is like Steve’s on Blue’s Clues. And, although he sounded concerned, he didn’t look it. To tell you the truth, I think he liked seeing what that staple gun would do. You know…..little boys.

I hope to post a picture of my finished project next week. Until then, I hope that y’all have a good weekend. 🙂

Me and My Funky Chair
If you’ve ever been in my home, you will know that we have quite a collection of 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or 5th) hand furniture. And, given the use (or is it abuse?) given to my furniture by my children, I’m sort of glad that I don’t have nice stuff. One less thing to be concerned about, you know? But, 2nd hand stuff needs some help sometimes. Even though it is used, I don’t want it to look totally trashed. This brings me to my latest project. The squatty, funky chair. Jon brought this chair home last year. It was vinyl and burnt orange and rippped on the front. It also happened to be the first thing I saw every time I entered the house. Its tired apperance just wouldn’t do. Over a few months, my ambition and my mental motivation mounted. So, starting last Friday, I ripped it apart and put it back together, again. And, wow, did I learn a lot in the process.

My favorite thing that the 2 year old said about the whole thing was the other day, as he watched me staple-gunning piping around the edge of the arm of the chair, he piped up, “Mom, you’re hurting the Thinking Chair. You’re HURTING the Thinking Chair!!” He thinks that the chair is like Steve’s on Blue’s Clues. And, although he sounded concerned, he didn’t look it. To tell you the truth, I think he liked seeing what that staple gun would do. You know…..little boys.

I hope to post a picture of my finished project next week. Until then, I hope that y’all have a good weekend. 🙂

Me and My Funky Chair
If you’ve ever been in my home, you will know that we have quite a collection of 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or 5th) hand furniture. And, given the use (or is it abuse?) given to my furniture by my children, I’m sort of glad that I don’t have nice stuff. One less thing to be concerned about, you know? But, 2nd hand stuff needs some help sometimes. Even though it is used, I don’t want it to look totally trashed. This brings me to my latest project. The squatty, funky chair. Jon brought this chair home last year. It was vinyl and burnt orange and rippped on the front. It also happened to be the first thing I saw every time I entered the house. Its tired apperance just wouldn’t do. Over a few months, my ambition and my mental motivation mounted. So, starting last Friday, I ripped it apart and put it back together, again. And, wow, did I learn a lot in the process.

My favorite thing that the 2 year old said about the whole thing was the other day, as he watched me staple-gunning piping around the edge of the arm of the chair, he piped up, “Mom, you’re hurting the Thinking Chair. You’re HURTING the Thinking Chair!!” He thinks that the chair is like Steve’s on Blue’s Clues. And, although he sounded concerned, he didn’t look it. To tell you the truth, I think he liked seeing what that staple gun would do. You know…..little boys.

I hope to post a picture of my finished project next week. Until then, I hope that y’all have a good weekend. 🙂