Sometimes I Believe

 "Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast"- Lewis Carroll

This week my lovely friend Katie (she really is the sweetest) held a baby shower for a co-worker of ours who is expecting her second little bundle! It was a brunch at her house and it was lovely. I always prefer showers at peoples homes, far more relaxed than a restaurant and it always allows people to mingle and socialize. Not to mention, foolish games can be played without drawing a crowd of on-lookers.

Wikipedia tells me brunch originated in Britain in the 1800's but didn't really become popular in North America until the 1930's. Brunch now has international love and is often associated with special occasions such as holiday's and weddings. This wonderful marriage of breakfast and lunch has become a staple in the food service industry on weekends.

It is possibly my favourite meal. Brunch means you can sleep in, eat breakfast food and have a nice long chat. Coffee, mimosa's and ceasers also all go hand in hand with a mid morning graze. It really doesn't get much better than that! In NYC we went to a tipsy brunch; all you can drink mimosas or craft beer...sigh...but that is another story!

For this brunch I made one of my mother's go-to's; something I have never made before and I am told it was a success. Baked french toast that becomes elevated to decadent with apples and caramel sauce. It was simple to make and all of the prep work is done the evening before! Win-win people! I served it with a little icing sugar and Nova Scotian maple syrup! Yum! I am looking forward to making it again and am very much looking forward to meeting Arla's new baby when she is born! Recipe below, happy brunching all!
-m

Baked French Toast (elevated !)

You will need:

• 1c. brown sugar
• 2 tbs of corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 5 lg eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of butter (plus one tbs!)
• 3 lg granny smith apples
• 1 loaf of french bread
• 1.5 c of milk
• syrup and icing sugar for serving (plus one big hot cup of coffee!)

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside. In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup of butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat until combined and syrupy. Pour into bottom of pan and spread. Set aside. Peel and slice apples then saute' with tbs of butter until soft and juices stop. Remove from heat and toss apples with cinnamon then arrange over top of caramel sauce. Slice bread to 3/4 inch slices and squish into pan on top of apples, one slice tight next to the other (think squished jigsaw...). In a mixing bowl combine eggs, milk and whisk into a frenzy. Pour over bread then cover pan and allow to set overnight in the fridge. In the am, preheat oven to 350. Bake for around forty minutes, until golden brown, caramel is melted and bread it delightfully puffed! Dust with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup!