Caramel-Soaked French Toast

Good Tuesday morning!

If you're reading this from the lovely State of Alabama, you'll know we've been having our share of spring weather the last couple of days. The good news is today through Friday is supposed to be clear. We'll see. We'll see.

I found out from reading my comment section yesterday that my good friend, bandofbrothers, also had the chance to sing with Barry at a concert he did using the Samford University Choir. (I was at that concert, too... in my Barry Manilow blouse!) However, she had committed to being in a wedding as a maid of honor the night of the concert and couldn't sing with the choir, so she bowed out. (She was a better friend than I would have been! I might have showed up for the wedding, but it would have been under protest... and I would have been wearing my Barry Manilow blouse with the dyed shoes! And when it came time to throw rice at the happy couple, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have untied the little rice bags and just thrown the rice bag balls... HARD! I'm much more mature now though.)

I decided I'm going to try it! I'm going to write a little post using the word "Still" in every sentence. I mentioned Lisa (Lisa's Blog) had done a post like this last week, and I thought it was very thought-provoking. Plus, I like to use the phrase "thought-provoking." I think it makes me sound uber intelligent. (I also think using the word "uber" whenever possible makes me sound intelligent. I hope I'm using it correctly. Gee, I hope I'm spelling it correctly. I may need to look that up before I use it again, but today it stays!)

1. I STILL think three and four year-old children are the funniest people on the planet. Their thought process and the way they see the world is hilarious and fresh and sweet. (I'm envying you right about now if you are fortunate enough to have a three or four year-old in your home. One of my favorite prayers came from a three year-old... "Thank you, God, for the cracks in the sidewalk." When asked him why he thanked God for the cracks, he simply said, "I like to jump over them." Ahh. Simple pleasures.)

2. I STILL get excited whenever I sit down in a movie theater and the lights go down, and the previews begin and I get to watch a wonderful, long-anticipated movie. (It doesn't matter if it's animated, action-packed or a chick-flick. I love going to the movies.)

3. If there was a button I could push, I would STILL do the last 18 years over and over and over again. (It's the negativity in me that doesn't believe "the best is yet to come." I believe "the best is coming to an end... and then I have to wait for grandchildren.")

4. I STILL think "Fly Me To the Moon" is one of the best songs ever written... (a) because the words have that "astronaut" thing going for them; and (b) it is sung by a crooner, and I LOVE crooners.

5. I STILL think the person who started "40 is the new 30" and "50 is the new 40" is completely out of her mind. (Or his mind... I bet it was a man who said that! It sounds like something a man would say. You know, something like, "I bet women would love to wear 4" stilettos that are shaped like a perfect triangle point on the toe.")

6. I STILL believe with all my heart that balance in your life can truly be achieved ONE way: God, Family, Others and Stuff. (Everything else and anything out of this order is where "unbalanced" comes from.)

7. I STILL think "seeing the world through the eyes of the child" is one of the greatest qualities a grown-up can have.

8. I STILL love sunsets more than sunrises. (You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out! I've seen a lot more sunsets in my lifetime!)

9. I STILL think the best and most-rewarding and hardest job in the world is being a Mom.

10. I STILL cannot wait to open the mailbox after the mailman goes by. (I STILL love the anticipation of what might be in there! A letter from an old friend, a card, a magazine, a ton of bills... delivered to the wrong address! You never know.)

11. I STILL believe in miracles, big and small. (Josh went to school until 3:00 yesterday for the first time in almost a year and a half.)

12. I STILL believe in answered prayers. (I watched the news over and over yesterday about the American sea captain rescued from pirates after being held hostage for days. I can't even imagine how thrilled his family must be that God answered those prayers with a resounding "YES.")

13. I would STILL marry Mikie again and again and again. The longer I'm with him, the more convinced I am he's the only one I could ever be with.

Well, that was fun. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be when I first read about it either. In fact, I think tomorrow and Thursday I'll use two different words and try the same thing. It will be a surprise, but here's a hint. Tomorrow's word begins with the letter "W." Hmmm. Any guesses out there?

Caramel-Soaked French Toast

This is a Southern Living recipe one of my Mom's friends sent me. (I'm making it tonight, so we're eating it Wednesday morning. My Mom has already had it, and I am assured it is delicious. I'll give you the Faulkner Five rating later in the week.)

You will need:

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
10 (1 1/2-inch-think) French bread slices, or 1 (10 ounce) loaf French bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices)
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1. Stir together first three ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture is bubbly.

2. Pour mixture evenly into a lightly greased 13" x 9" baking dish. Arrange bread slices over syrup.

3. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and salt. Gradually pour over bread slices.

4. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

5. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon.

6. Sprinkle evenly over bread.

7. Drizzle evenly with 1/4 cup melted butter.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

It's not a four-ingredient-super-easy-recipe. It's a little-bit-harder-but-worth-it recipe. The fact you can make it the night before, and just pop it in the oven for a special breakfast the next morning is the "easy" part. Enjoy!

Don't miss tomorrow's Seasonal Tradition. Spring is flying by. Don't waste any time you could be enjoying this season with your family!

Have a wonderful Tuesday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!