A Meal Fit for an Emperor

One of our favorite Sunday activities is to make breakfast together. And what better way to start the day than with a meal fit for an emperor? Mr. N will explain… Continue reading

Mountains of Memories

While the Finger Lakes has become a dream destination for Mike and I, there is another place that has called me home (and continues to call me home) since I first crossed its borders. Continue reading

Like kissing your…brother?

An oft-repeated quote in sports goes like this: “A tie is like kissing your sister.” A google search attributes the origin of the quote to former Texas football coach Darryl Royal, Alabama coach Bear Bryant, Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty, or Navy coach Eddie Erdelatz, but regardless of who said it first, it sure fits. A weird combination of completely unsatisfying, and could have been worse. We had a tie in last year’s Banana Bread challenge, and needless to say, we weren’t eager to repeat that again in our French Toast Challenge this year.

The final showdown pitted the top two seeds against each other, with #1 Bermuda French Toast taking on #2 Blueberry Stuffed. Bermuda struggled in the first round, but ultimately just had too much and managed to avoid the upset. Blueberry Stuffed prevailed in a tough battle in its previous match-up to earn its spot in the finals. Both recipes were at their best on challenge day, and it was clear when we got them both on the plate that we were in for an entertaining and enjoyable challenge. Continue reading

Fostering Another Contender

Today’s post is another installment in our French Toast Madness Tournament AND a stateside adventure. Today’s recipe comes to you from none other than the Big Easy. NOLA

The Crescent City. Jackson Square

New Orleans, Louisiana! French Quarter Continue reading

Tricks and Treats

Happy Halloween! I know we promised the recipe for the Cuban black beans and rice, but we’re not going to post that today. That’s the trick. But don’t worry, we have a treat in store instead – Pumpkin French Toast with Apple Cider Syrup. And yes, this latest challenger for our French Toast Madness, is as good as it sounds. Continue reading

The FTC – Gettin’ Figgy with It

 

We were at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago and got some wonderfully ripe peaches and black figs. I had never seen figs at our farmer’s market before, so I snatched them right up. Believe it or not, those little gems are hard to come by. In fact, one time, Miss A and I hit five, yes five, different grocery stores to try to find them. It was an epic journey that included a down pour, stopped freight trains and a grumpy woman that literally blocked us from the figs with her cart and took every last one of the pints (and there were at least 10!). Now it’s become a running joke that we need to grab the figs before “figgy lady” finds them. (Miss A was certain she emptied out the first three stores too!)

So on our way home from the market I started thinking that the figs and peaches might be pretty good together. Then I remembered that I had clipped a bit of my mom’s sage the day before…my wheels were spinning. A quick internet search and I saw a recipe for seared figs and peaches with balsamic vinegar. Then it hit me – French toast! Continue reading