Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Bake

Hello all! The last few months have absolutely been a whirlwind of finishing the school semester, preparing for and celebrating Christmas with both sides of the family, traveling, and getting ready for a family wedding! In the midst of all the chaos, I love to stop and reflect on why we celebrate Christmas and the reason for the joy that we have in life. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that both at church here and at my home town, the pastors focused on Isaiah 9. These verses have been central in my mind this Christmas season, and as 2011 finishes, they provide a great reminder of who our God is and the promises he gives us in the coming year. Here is one of my favorite verses from that chapter.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, 

and the government will be on his shoulders. 

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~Isaiah 9:6   

One thing that I especially love this time of year is having the chance to relax with family and friends. A few weeks ago,  my husband and I had my aunt and a couple of friends over on a Saturday morning-which was the perfect time to try out this variation on French Toast. I made it the night before and let it soak overnight. Therefore, breakfast was incredibly simple! All I had to do in the morning was pop it in the oven and set the table. I also ended up using the left over blueberries to make a sauce to top the finished french toast, but I did not include it in this recipe.

Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Bake

1 loaf bread, or about 10 to 12 slices
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup maple cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2 cups (12 oz.) fresh or frozen blueberries

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

Cut the bread slices into 1-inch cubes. Feel free to cut off the crust of the bread if you would like, but it is not necessary. Also, cut the cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with the cream cheese cubes and the blueberries. Spread the remaining bread cubes over the mixture in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and dash salt. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes in the baking dish, making sure to cover all the bread. Use a spoon or a spatula to press the bread down to help it soak up the egg mixture. Sprinkle additional cinnamon over the top.

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight, or for at least several hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Remove the baking dish from the fridge about 30 minutes before you are ready to bake it. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and set.

To serve, cut into squares and top with maple syrup.

Recipe for a Good Friendship

When it comes to friendship, many dear faces come to my mind, but one particular person that has repeatedly shown her love and devotion is my friend Frances. Frances and I met many years ago, even though neither one of us can exactly remember when. In the last few years, she has become one of my closest friends. My first year of college, I moved into the dorms with her and, little did I know at the time, it was the beginning of much craziness, laughter, late nights, funny quotes, elaborate decorations and costumes, and ultimately a deep friendship to come. Frances will always be my constant. I have been particularly thankful for her the last few months as she continually helps out when times get hard and continually offers a listening ear when I need it most. This recipe for friendship is dedicated to her and all her quirks.

 Recipe for a Good Friendship

2 Friends
3 scoops of time
2 cups hot chocolate
at least 2 good movies
dash of silliness
3 cups of kindness
1 occasionally shared silver Chevy cavalier
1 heaping spoonful of patience
3/4 cup humor
3 handfuls funny quotes
1 quote book, minus 12 Valerie quotes
1 glue gun, plus buttons, paper chains, paper flowers, etc.
1 5 lb. bag of listening ears

Combine the 2 friends with the time. Add in the movies and the hot chocolate. Sprinkle in silliness as desired.

When needed, add patience, kindness, and humor to the above ingredients.

When necessary, borrow the silver Chevy Cavalier. Return promptly. Always have the glue gun within arms reach, and the quote book nearby to add the handfuls of funny quotes.

Make sure to liberally add listening ears, and for best results, enjoy weekly, or even daily.