French Toast Bake.

Okay, it's Valentines Day morning, and you're thinking, "hmm, how do I make this day a special one?" Let me give you a big fat clue, guys (girls, forward this post to your man, STAT) -  make her BREAKFAST IN BED. I'm gonna go ahead and share a extra special recipe that will make this day memorable for you and your love - this French Toast Bake, adapted from the Cinnamon Baked French Toast created my indulgent-foodie role model The Pioneer Woman, featuring a pared-down ingredient list. I eliminated a few of the most fattening items from the recipe, and it still tastes like a completely decadent doughnut (because it is much like a doughnut!) I will say that this makes an entire casserole pan, so you might want to cut the recipe in half if its just for the two of you. Or you can have leftovers with your coffee the next morning (which I always oft for :) You can also add some extra toppings, like sliced apples, blueberries and pineapple, or just keep it as is. There's practically no way to ruin this dish. This would also be the perfect item to bring to a brunch, since you can prep it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning. I like simple. I like sweet. I like bread. I LOVE THIS BAKED FRENCH TOAST. Enjoy and happy Valentine breakfast to you!

Ingredients:
- 1 loaf french bread, roughly torn into bite-sized pieces
- 8 eggs
- 2.5 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 sliced almonds
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 stick of cold butter, sliced into thin pieces

Method:
1. Oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter (or olive oil, if you're somehow attempting to make this "healthy"). Roughly tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and evenly distribute in the pan.

2. In a medium-sized bowl combine eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover and store in the fridge for several hours, or even overnight like I do.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a stand mixer, begin mixing the ingredient and slowly add in the butter slices. Continue mixing until ingredients combine and resemble fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

4. When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove breaded mixture from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes.

5. Scoop out individual portions. Drizzle with maple syrup. Yummmmm.

This recipe would pair really well with something salty like has browns, and this Pomegranate Gin Fizz (it's allowed since it's brunch :) I hope you have a happy Valentines Day, cozying up by the fire, making breakfast and binge-watching some Netflix, just because. For the love.

My Favorite Tools in the Kitchen.

It's no secret that I love to cook. I am on a personal name basis with half of the ladies who work at my local Williams Sonoma, and I can often be found peppering them with questions about competing products and how they do meal prep. I've even squeezed a few amazing recipes out of them, which are the days when I really count myself lucky. Over the past 8 years or so, I have goofed off in my kitchen, experimenting with different recipes and foods and techniques, all in the name of learning. Stevie has been there for the not-so-great dishes and some of the most spectacular surprises. I'm grateful for him, my professional taste-tester. And I am so grateful that I enjoy my time in the kitchen, because we have to eat either way! Might as well enjoy the process! But truly, making a delicious meal is kind of like art to me - it's peaceful, it's therapeutic, it's spontaneous, it's exhilarating, and it's most definitely creative. And I am totally the creeper that likes to watch people as they bite into something I made - the satisfaction of knowing that I concocted something that someone else can consume and enjoy is so very gratifying. I know. Creeper in the kitchen.

I wanted to share a few items in my kitchen that are the workhorses of the bunch. The almost daily-used tools and machines that are in heavy rotation in and out of my hands while I cook. I couldn't possibly be as efficient without these few amazing tools in my arsenal. I am grateful for the years of Christmas gifts (which most of these have been!), because my kitchen is shaping up rather nicely these days. Though I have an ever-growing list of items that I am constantly on the hunt for, especially if I can find a deal on them. If you're interested in investing in a few stellar cook's gadgets and utensils, here is a personal recommendation for my favorite tools in the kitchen.

Dutch Oven.
This was an enormous game-changer when I received this rad dutch oven for Christmas a few years ago. My Le Creuset Dutch Oven, in the classy shade of Marseille, is my first choice as an investment for the kitchen. This particular pot does it all. You can cook anything on the stove in it, including pan-frying chicken, sauteing vegetables, cooking a stew - anything! And then it transfers to the oven like a dream, thanks to the heat-safe enameled cast-iron. This is where you can braise lamb or slow-cook a roast. This particular item introduced me to "big girl cooking" beyond what I was capable of doing in a regular Pyrex glass dish. And the most amazing thing about this particular dutch oven is that I will have it forever and will it on to family. That's how long Le Creuset holds up - forever! It's quite an investment but completely worth it when you think about how much it will be used over the course of a lifetime of cooking (and eating!) in the kitchen.

Wooden Cutting/Pastry Board.
I discovered this solid wooden Boos Block cutting board a few years ago, when I baked cookies with Mary the Cookie Lady. Some of you might remember that particular post, a time that still lives on in my mind in a hushed reverence of pastry enlightenment. Mary taught me a world of good when it comes to all things sugary and bake-able. And we spent that one special day hard at work on her infamous maple-wooden pastry board. Her particular pastry board was passed down to her from her mother, and I was envious of such a meaningful (and incredibly useful!) item that was ingrained, literally, with such significance to Mary. Every time she cuts on that board or rolls out a fresh batch of cookie dough, she thinks of her mother. And you know what? My darling Aunt Shirley sent me this Boos Block Pastry Board as a housewarming gift a few months ago, when we moved into our new digs. When I say that we use this an overwhelming amount, I mean it. This pastry board stays on my counter top, proudly looking down at all the other flimsy plastic sheets that claim to call themselves cutting boards. This cutting board has upped my chopping skills and when this Whole30 situation is over, I will be kneading some mean Valentines treats on it, as well.

Chef's Knife.
Any great cook will credit their Chef's Knife as a significant player in their daily cooking practice. I received my 8-year old J. Henkels 8-inch Chef's Knife as a wedding gift, and it has certainly done the trick for all these years. I use it everyday to chop and dice 90% of everything you see here in my recipes on the blog. However, I do dream of upgrading to this Wustof Classic Ikon masterpiece sometime in the future.

Cast Iron Skillet.
This Staub Cast-Iron 10-inch Skillet in sapphire blue has me swooning big over it's incredible stove top-to-oven durability. I've been making a frittata almost every single day in this skillet, and it behaves like a non-stick pan, even though that's not one of the main claims of this item's quality. It's pre-seasoned, heats food ridiculously evenly and has that richly-colored enamel coat that just has me dreaming of when i can invest in another!

High-Powered Blender.
Vitamix = Love. LOVE I SAY. My particular model of the Vitamix is the 5200 package from Costco (which is totally the way to buy it, if you ask me - such a deal compared to the regular retail price!) We make EVERYTHING in this thing. Soups, dressings, sauces, smoothies, juices, BABY FOOD, bread mixes of all kinds, desserts, and seriously, the list goes on. It has completely replaced my food processor and we use this thing every day.

Crockpot.
Who doesn't love their slow cooker? I'll admit, mine isn't anywhere near fancy, but it doesn't need to be! This 4-Quart Crock-Pot has been our winter go-to for years and years. I love throwing random veggies, meat and stock in the crock-pot and letting it do it's thing for 6-8 hours. Low and slow. That's the way I like to go :)

And that's it! Those are my everyday kitchen favorites. Of course, those aren't all my favorites, but those are the items that I use absolutely every day. Do any of these match up with your everyday used kitchen items? I would love to hear about your favorite cooking utensils!

Peppermint Bark.

Oh, peppermint bark! I started making this easy recipe with my mom a few years back when we both got addicted to Williams Sonoma's version (you know how they hand out those samples? We used to eat a lot of samples...) So we decided to start making it ourselves and would whip up an enormous batch of this stuff, giving it out to my dad's clients and family and friends. This year, I was really itching to make some more, and even though Christmas is right around the corner, my mom and sister dropped what they were doing for the chance to spend some time making this favorite old recipe. There's nothing like goofing off in the kitchen and making yummy treats with your kinfolk. I hope you get a chance to make this one over the break with your loved ones!

Ingredients:
- 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate (Ghiradhelli melts the best for this recipe)
- 1 bag white chocolate (again, get Ghiradelli if you can)
- 1/2 tsp. peppermint oil, divided
- crushed peppermints
- Optional: a drop of olive oil

Method:
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Melt the semi-sweet or dark chocolate in a double boiler over the stove. This is a pretty active method, so you don't want to step away from the stove, even for a minute. Be ready to stir continuously and monitor the chocolate so that it gets perfectly melted and not burned. It's a timely activity, so stay in the moment!

Note: If you don't have a double boiler, you can achieve the same effect by placing a saucepan on the stove with about an inch of water in it, then placing a heat-safe bowl over the top of the saucepan. Place the chocolate in the bowl, not the pot, and allow it to melt slowly in the bowl.

3. Once the chocolate is almost completely melted, add in 1/4 tsp. peppermint oil and stir continuously until thoroughly mixed.

Note: if the chocolate is starting to get chalky, add 1 drop of olive oil and continue to mix.

4. Once fully melted, immediately remove the chocolate from the heat by pouring it into the lined baking sheet. Spread out the chocolate with a spoon, so that it's a very thin layer of chocolate that covers the entire sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer for about an hour and prepare for round two.

5. Quickly rinse out the darker chocolate and prepare the double boiler for the white chocolate. Melt the white chocolate over the stove the same way, adding another 1/4 tsp. once the mixture is almost completely melted.

6. Once melted, remove the chocolate from heat and pour over the top of the darker chocolate (you will have to pull this out of the freezer, but it should be fine at this point for the white chocolate to go on top). Smooth out the white chocolate with a spoon. Add the crushed peppermint by sprinkling a liberal amount over the top.

7. Return the bark to the freezer for at least another hour.

8. Once completely frozen, break into 1-inch piece and enjoy! You could share it. Or not. :)

Have so much fun with this holiday treat! I hope you're having the merriest of all Christmas weeks :)

Pomegranate, Oat, & Dark Chocolate Cookies

I wanted to make a festive cookie in honor of the Christmas season, and this little one was born. I LOVE IT. I've been doing a lot of experimenting with pomegranate lately and I am loving every single use for it. On salads, in drinks, and now, in cookies! In this recipe, the pomegranate seeds replace the raisin in a typical oatmeal cookie, and they add a much brighter punch to this one. And the dark chocolate mixed with the flavor of the pomegranate juice... mmm it's sinfully good. Surprisingly, the pomegranate arils hold up remarkably well during the baking process.

This recipe is essentially for a double batch (around 60 cookies), but I purposely made it this way because these are the best cookies to share! Also, if you make a ton of the dough, then you can just leave it in your freezer and pop a few cookies in the oven whenever you have a hankering :) But you can obviously cut this recipe in half if you have more self control than me. I find myself waking up at 3am like, MUST HAVE POM COOKIES. It's a wonderful problem. Prepare to get addicted, friends.

Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups organic flour
- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup pomegranate arils (here's a great tutorial on how to remove pomegranate seeds from the fruit)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or you can use semi-sweet - I love these from Ghiradelli)
- 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature (I love using salted Kerrygold - you can taste the difference!)
- 1 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- a pinch of cinnamon

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly grease your baking sheets.

2. Using a beater or mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars. TASTE IT. That, right there, is like my favorite taste on Earth. Savorrrrrrrr. Okay, moving on.

3. Once the butter and sugars are creamy and smooth, add in the eggs and vanilla. Continue to mix well.

4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir them together until the ingredients are evenly mixed.

5. While your mixer is on, slowly add the dry mix into the butter/sugar situation. Allow the mixtures to combine before adding more dry mix. Continue this until the dry mix is completely mixed in. Oh dough.

5. Finally, using a spoon, stir in the chocolate chips and pomegranate arils. Be gentle with the pomegranate, because those seeds might burst if they are handled too vigorously. Protect the seeds, and they will be good to you.

6. Spoon out the dough mixture and roll the dough into 1-inch balls (a little smaller than a ping pong ball), placing them an even distance apart on the baking sheet.

7. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes. They might not look completely done when you take them out of the oven, but take them out! You really don't want this cookie crispy, because it is SO GOOD when it's just lightly golden. Trust me here. If you have a cookie rack, transfer the cookies and allow them to cool for a few minutes.

I'm excited for you to try these! I like to pretend these are okay to eat for breakfast because they have oats in them... so I eat them for breakfast.

If you give them a whirl, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Happy munching and sharing this Christmas season, my friends! xox.

P.S. - My giveaway for this 2016 Papermoss Post Card Calendar ends tonight and the winner will be contacted tomorrow. Make sure to place your entry!

Eat These Oatmeal Banana Pancakes.

I came up with this recipe because I have been desperately searching for more foods that my son will actually eat. He used to eat everything, and suddenly, he's decided to be picky and eat about four foods: oatmeal, waffles, sausage. Okay, that's three foods. So you see, I've been having some troubles. I decided that no child could resist a pancake, especially if it contains one of his chosen, anointed foods. Plus, oatmeal is so healthy and hearty, I love sneaking a cup of it into baked goods when I can. It's one of those weird woman ticks I have. Like, let's add oats to everything. I don't know why I am that way, guys.

But these pancakes turned out SO GREAT. They are healthy (you know, for a pancake?), heartier than your average pancake, and really sustain you for the day. It's a great Saturday-morning-before-we-do-yard-work kind of breakfast. And thankfully, Everett gobbled these up like they were waffles. Well, we might have called them waffles. For his sake :)

Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1 egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- a pinch of salt
- cinnamon, to taste
- oil or butter, for the pan
- butter, maple syrup or fruit topping to taste

Method:
1. *Optional first step: You can grind the oats in a food processor or high-powered blender to achieve a fine, flour-like powder. It's not necessary for the recipe, but I've made it both ways and both are great. It just depends if you like the texture of oatmeal in your pancake or not.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

2. Now combine all the other ingredients: mashed banana, egg and milk. Whisk until well combined.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.

4. Pour a palm-sized amount of batter onto a skillet heated over medium. This is where I like to sprinkle a little dash of cinnamon on top of each cooking pancake, so it's absorbed at the surface of the cake. I don't know why I do it, I just always have. Cook until you start to see little bubbles form, then flip! Voila. Your perfect pancake.

5. Repeat a zillion times. I like to keep my cooked pancakes warming in the oven on 200 degrees. But you might have a family that is happy to dive in and start eating without you! Serve with a bit of butter and maple syrup, some fruit on top, or my personal favorite, smothered with this roasted pumpkin + apple butter. Deeeeeeelish. Let's just have a moment and drool, shall we?

These pancakes are so hearty and warm for a cold autumn or winter's morning. Or for any morning of life. Because really, when are pancakes such a bad idea?

Required listening while creating these bad boys. Because it reminds me of when me and Stevie were dating and we used to make banana pancakes (while listening to this song!) for our families on Saturday mornings. Good times, guys.

HAPPY EATING.