French Toast

My family loves to eat breakfast together on the weekends and french toast is a favorite. This is a simply delicious french toast recipe that I have used for years. Today I actually measured the ingredients so you can make it just like me! You can use Texas bread if you like big slices, french bread, white bread, gluten free bread, pick your favorite bread or my favorite is to choose the bread that is the least fresh, rather than throwing it away.
Ingredients for 6 pieces of french toast:
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
6 slices of bread
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of sugar
Directions:
I mix all of the ingredients on a dinner plate (because that's how Mom did it). With a fork, whisk the eggs until they look slightly scrambled, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together.

I use my electric lefse griddle and heat it to 325F. Dip one side of the bread into the egg mixture, turn it over and coat the other side of the bread. Place it on the griddle for about 3-4 minutes per side. You'll know it's done when the bread looks like the picture on the top.
I heat my homemade syrup, Simply Homemade Maple Syrup and serve it on the side. This syrup is great and you will save so much money using it rather than buying real maple syrup. Not even the kids can tell the difference!
Enjoy your breakfast or make french toast for any meal - it's delicious!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Fall Table Centerpiece

Simply the easiest DIY project ever!! As I was cleaning out my kitchen cabinets, I found some outdated food items and had an idea to make a dining room table centerpiece.

I layered black beans, split green peas, garbanzo beans and topped it off with some yellow popcorn in a decorative glass bowl. I love bees wax candles so I placed one in the middle of the bowl. For those of you that never have time for projects or if you think you are lacking in the creativity department, you can absolutely tackle this little DIY project or have you can have your kids help!

 It's a nice fall look for the dining room table.

Love and peace,

~ Simply Tammi

DIY Fall Burlap Wreath

Every season I go wreath shopping and then decide I don't want to spend the money for something I could make myself. This year the fall wreath I liked was $170 (and that is a big no for me!) so my granddaughter and I decided to make our own wreaths. Even though I prefer soft, flowing materials I like the look of burlap for wreaths. We chose to make a few wreaths using burlap. You can make them different sizes and they are simply too cute!
Supplies:
Start with a 12, 14 or 16 inch metal wreath holder. (available at craft stores)
4 inch burlap, our came in a 9 ft roll. I used 4 rolls for a fluffy wreath and 3 for a thinner wreath.
Floral wire for hanger on back - optional
Bow or accessories of your choice - optional
Directions:
Choose the size of wreath you want to make. We used 16 inch metal wreath rings. We found the easiest way to start is to unroll the burlap. After you have in unrolled, hold the beginning of the burlap roll and place the end over the outside of the metal ring and under the next metal piece then over the top of the next piece toward the inside of the ring. The best way I can describe this is to weave the burlap end over the wire ring and pull or fluff it to make a loop. Once you reach the inside, start the same process, over, under and over working your way to the outside. Keep the burlap loops loose while you are doing this. During this process, after you have a few loops done, move them together with your fingers and fluff them. When you reach the end of the roll, you can tuck it under some of the previous loops. Start the new roll the same way you began the wreath. Continue looping the burlap until the entire metal ring is covered. When I reached the end, I used hot glue to secure it to the loop next to it. We added some wooden initials, burlap flowers, dried branches and a sparkly burlap bow. You can choose your own accessories or leave it plain. You can add a hanger by using floral wire and wrapping it around the outside of the metal wring and twisting the ends to form a loop. We didn't need a hanger, the metal wring fit over our wreath hanger. Happy crafting!

Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Apple Crisp

Happy fall everyone! I love this time of year when the temperatures are cooling down, the trees are so beautiful with all of their autumn colors, the apples and pumpkins are plentiful and the baking has begun!
I had some extra apples so I decided to make some apple crisp. I made it gluten-free today but you can use all-purpose flour for all of you gluten lovers - haha!! I wish I could send the smell of my kitchen through this post, it smells wonderfully fall-like and spicy!
Ingredients:
8-9 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks (I used honey crisp apples)
1-2T lemon juice
1/2 c white or organic cane sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping Ingredients
2/3 c flour (I used King Arthur gluten-free all purpose flour)
1/2 c brown sugar
2 T white or organic cane sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cloves or allspice
Pinch of salt
1/2 c cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 c Old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

Directions: 
Wash, peel, core, and cut apples into chunks or slices. Place in bowl with lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 t cinnamon, mix together and let sit.

 

In another bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 T sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg and cloves. Add butter chunks and using a pastry cutter mix together.  Add oats last and use the pastry cutter or your fingers to mix together.

Place apples in a baking dish (I used a 2 quart baking dish) and using your fingers, crumble the topping over the apples. Bake uncovered at 350F for about 1 hour.

 

Apple crisp is the best when you serve it warm. The taste testers added some ice cream but you could serve plain or with whipped cream. Enjoy your warm, fall dessert!

If you have more apples than you know what do with, try our homemade applesauce recipe, it's another favorite at our house, Simply Homemade Applesauce.

Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi