Ultimate Brunch Dish ~ French Toast Fondue

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments on my Easter table yesterday,

you guys liked the little peeps as much as I did! 

We always celebrate Easter with a large group of extended family over a 

plentiful brunch spread, but hands down the favorite dish we all look forward to is:

 French Toast Fondue with Maple Butter Glaze

It's sinfully delicious, so we only make it once a year at Easter.

We've been indulging for years, it's from Creme de Colorado,

an old Junior League of Denver cookbook.  

  

The recipe is below ~ a loaf of french bread, cubed and dipped in basic french toast

egg mixture, then deep fried. We use a deep fryer because we're serving a large crowd,

but a a fondue pot would be perfect for a family of 2 - 4.  

We set it up assembly style and everyone takes turns at the fryer and passing hot 

pieces at the table until we swear we can't eat another piece....and then out comes

a fresh hot batch and our willpower goes out the window!   

(I used a small fryer to make this sample batch for you, but for a crowd we use a larger deep fryer.)

 

The Maple Butter Glaze drizzled over the hot, crisp on the outside,

soft custard inside is absolutely...mouthwatering! 

French Toast Fondue with Maple Butter Glaze

4 - 6 servings

Vegetable Oil

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs beaten

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 loaf french bread cubed

Heat oil and 1 teaspoon salt in fondue pot. In medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. When oil is very hot, dip bread cubes into egg mixture, then into oil to cook.

Bread is done when it is crispy and golden brown. Remove and dip into Maple Butter Glaze

Maple Butter Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 egg white, stiffly beaten

Cream together powdered sugar, butter, and maple syrup. Fold in beaten egg white.

Enjoy, friends!

Spring & Easter Table Setting

Happy Monday, peeps! :)

I was chatting with a friend and she mentioned that she wished bloggers would

share their entertaining tips, tables settings and recipes for holidays in time for people

to be able to take advantage of them. Yikes, I know I've been guilty of rushing to get 

things put together and posting them after the fact.   

I have good news and bad news.

The good...I put together this cheerful Easter table setting to share with you.

The bad...it ends up we're not hosting Easter this year. 

Which probably isn't a bad thing after all since I still have my unfinished buffet project

 in the dining room. And, that also explains why you only see close ups of the table. :)

The inspiration was this indigo tablecloth I found at Goodwill. Remember when I showed

 you my trash to treasure scores. I love the raised white embroidery and block print style. I

layered a black and white striped runner I had from my nephew's wedding last summer.

I included my DIY candelabra for fun! 

Simple grocery store lilies and wheat grass I planted add lots of color and texture. 

I love to collect small vases to sit at individual place settings. Yay for spring,

I finally have a few sprigs of greenery and little flowers to cut. For a variety of

heights I used a glass cake plate to display wheat grass planted in inexpensive

 terra cotta pots, painted gold.  

Aren't those little peeps poking their heads out of the cracked shells cute? :)

Just crack open a few eggs, wash them and let dry and set the peep inside. 

Tomorrow I'm sharing our hands down all-time favorite dish

for Easter Brunch. I don't know anyone else who makes it and

it's sinfully delish!  

planting wheat grass for easter

It's time...
about two weeks before Easter is perfect timing to ensure you have a thick lush
wheat grass centerpiece ~ I love the fresh bright pop and texture it adds.
 I've been planting it for years and it couldn't be easier, no green thumb needed!


 (One week of growth)

A table setting from a previous year with wheat grass planted in tea cups...

Here's an outtake for you...

It was about 7pm and I was running out of light inside,
so I grabbed everything and it took it outside. My girl Rio isn't one to miss out on
anything and plopped herself between the vignette and me. Don't let that innocent
 face fool you, she tried to nab that extra egg several times.

For planting instructions and inspiration for potting check out these
previous posts:

Planting Wheat Grass

Decorative Wheat Grass ~ It's Time

Wheat Grass...it's time

Spring Table with Wheat Grass

crazy good stuff I saw...

Hi friends, sorry for the sporadic posting lately, those kitchen cabinets for

the One Room Challenge are taking up HUGE chunks of my time.

 Thank you SO much for all of your encouragement! What was I thinking?

Today I'm sharing some fabulous ideas I saw this week. Enjoy!

*Please pin from the source*

Talk about making a first impression!

I'm only giving you a tease of this stunning graphic wall design, part of it extends two

 stories! You must check out the rest here to see the brilliant idea and implementation!

Graphic Wall Treatment by Dana @ Make the Wonder

Would these make a chic Easter Egg Hunt or what? 

They're so simple, see Kristin's easy how-to here! 

Floral Eggs by Kristin @ The Hunted Interior

Did you know April is Grilled Cheese Sandwich month,

oh yum, my favorite ingredients!

By Katerina @ diethood...not a diet-food food blog

I love this idea, tailored to any event

your menu printed on a paper bag, and an individual baguette.

Pretty gold flatware, too!

Jacquelyn's Shower by Beijos Events @ 100 Layer Cake-let

Speaking of gold flatware - did you see this at Target?

Stainless Steel - Dishwasher Safe - $17.99 

Wouldn't it be fun if the Easter bunny put these in my basket? :)

Guess what, I met a sweet blogger from Denver!!

We are few and far between and I can't wait to meet Angela @ blue i style in person.

She's participating in the One Room Challenge Link Party, check out her

 amazing board for her little guy's room redo! She has some serious diy skillz, and

I can't wait for the argyle painted wall! She knocked off the Restoration Hardware letters

this week (among other items) they are perfect and $3 each - here!

!

By Angela @ blue i style

 Don't forget to stop by and check out the One Room Challenge Link Party

at Calling it Home the talent is crazy good and with 75 participants 

inspiration is abundant!

Happy weekend sweet friends!

decorative wheat grass...it's time!

I missed you guys last week! We had a wonderful time in Copenhagen and I'll

share all the scoop with you in a post soon. It was great to get away and

re-energize, (as I'm yawning) although we're still trying to get back on schedule.

If you've been reading for long you know every year I plant a big bunch of decorative

 wheat grass, and always remind you when it's time. Well, it's time! 

 I love the fresh pops of green and great texture to use in my decor for Spring and Easter,

 and it's super easy and super inexpensive.

Last year I planted some in tea cups to use at our Easter table... 

It's not fussy, you can plant it in any container, I used a decorative box...

If you'd like yours by Easter you should give it two weeks, here are the simple

 instructions and I guarantee you don't need a green thumb. 

Winter Wheat Berries (Red or White)  - $1.60

I used about 1/2 of this 2 pound bag, purchased from a natural foods store. 

If you're in Denver I  buy mine at Vitamin Cottage.

  

Put a few small stones in the bottom of your container and fill with potting soil.

Using a spray bottle moisten the soil with water. 

Spread a layer a of seeds over the soil and spray with water again to moisten seeds.

Cover with a bit of soil, about 1/8 inch. 

I spray mine with water about 3 times/day for the first few days until they sprout and

then you can ease up and water once/day.

They don't have to be in sun, but a bright room is good. 

I like mine thick, but if you prefer a more wispy look use less seeds.

I spray painted some of my terra cotta pots that I'll be using for our Easter table.

I don't have a plan yet, but thought gold seemed like a good bet! 

I basically plant a LOT of pots, I like to use them in other rooms around the house, on

 the dining table, island where I serve food, on tables outside if it's going to be spring like!

And, I always plant an extra...  :)

If you'd like inspiration for containers and centerpieces check my past posts:

Planting Wheat Grass

Wheat Grass...It's Time

Have you tried it yet?

  

  

spring table with wheat grass...

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Easter celebration!
We are dragging this morning after enjoying Spring Break, it takes no time for us to get into
 vacation mode around here, and today...culture shock...we leave for school at 6:45...ugh!
It's a pretty sight, my PJs, slippers and coffee. :)

I thought I'd share our Easter or Spring table setting using potted wheat grass as decoration.
I potted the wheat grass in tea cups that belonged to Mr. Simple's grandma to set at each
place setting. (I wonder if she'd ever have guessed they'd be used for planting grass?)
The blue and white ikat pattern salad plates were a steal at the day after Christmas sale.
 I only found four so I just mixed in some others I had.
I like the eclectic mix of formal tea cups, modern print plates, and geometric fabric.

Remember the 'deal' I alerted you to, here are the sample swatches I picked up at
Joann's to use as napkins.

A basket of eggs dyed in blue and green hues...



A stone bunny brought in from our garden...

White tulips picked up at the grocery store...

We had 11 guests for Easter, and I never have enough matching glasses.
I found these at Ikea, they're actually beer glasses, but I thought they were a fun shape.

 

As much as I love my white bunny fur pillows it's probably time to retire them
 for the season and find something more spring-like.

Tomorrow I'll be sharing my next project that will add a fun dose of spring
to our place.

wheat grass...it's time

It's that time if you want wheat grass for Easter or St. Patrick's Day. 

I planted mine today.
In my post last year, 'planting wheat grass,' I shared the simple instructions along

with lots of inspiration for containers and centerpieces.

These were a couple we enjoyed around our house last year,
planted in a large soup tureen...

And a few other fun ideas I found...

A wooden box.

 dustyluinterior.blogspot.com

Ok, this one isn't new, but it's so pretty for Easter I had to include it!
A tiered serving tray.

 thedailybasic.com

A simple basket.

Pinterest via Theresa Kline
An old drawer. 

countrygirlhome.blogspot.com 
Garden pots.

 
todayscreativeblog.net 
An old toy.

 sophisitmom.com
A decorative planter.

iheartsaltlake.com

Plant several,  big and small, you'll love having the fresh pop of green. 

I'm planning on using these cups at my Easter table.

One last tip, if you have a kitten you should consider planting an extra. :)

If you'd like to check out last year's post it's here.

See you tomorrow for the One Room Challenge, we have progress! :)