Saturday, January 9, 2010

Stuck on Technology...what have we become?

Just to set the story:
#1:  7 year old boy with amazing charisma and leadership qualities
#2:  5 year old girl going on 48
#3:  3 year old hollywood stuntman

Hubby: 39 year old wondering if he is about to get old this year...
Me: 32 year old who is the observer...

Today I wanted to be all domestic so I got up and decided to make French Toast. I don't make many homemade breakfasts but this is one I do well...and the kids love! We all love it! But I now know that everyone just loves powdered sugar! After cutting bread cubes, mixing eggs with cinnamon and heavy cream....frying them to crispy yummy goodness...kept warm in an oven...everything was going like clockwork...and this time...I was expanding the recipe to make extras for the next day which is even better than the first day's batch... which is pretty good already! As I got it all cooked... and set the table, which I actually got my #3 to help me with the plates =) got drinks all ready, napkins, syrup... called everyone...and then went to go get the sugar. I always have powdered sugar for this reason and I have to have homemade cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting...or chocolate frosting from scratch... its pretty easy to do....I mean I hate tedious work...but its fast and easy and makes way better frosting than the canned frosting. YUCK! okay...off topic...anyway...it was disappointing to know that there would be no powdered sugar...we all tried to make the best of it and use syrup...which we tend to not use when we have the sugar...but it was ok...lets just say...we didn't save the extra toasts that I originally made =(

So what did I learn? always have some things on had that are your staples...to help you look like you can whip it all up so easily. HOW Amazing! Good job MOM! Nice Skills... we don't get many chances to do that with our families as in the past...I think... so try once a month to make a treat or something fun the whole family can participate in... many hands make light work...and then you have something yummy to eat at the end! WIN-WIN!

So here we are. Sitting at the table. This is what mothers do. They imagine this moment...when she can look at her family all sitting quietly in their seats. Folded hands in lap. Smiling happy faces. Hubby doting at wife. However...it looked more like a scene from Cheaper by the Dozen. Kids screaming, standing on their chairs, reaching across the table grabbing food...dropping pieces everywhere all over the floor... sticky spoons and forks from maple syrup drizzled everywhere... then I look deeper and I notice that everyone was stuck on their damn technology...even I was to be honest... I was sending a picture of the toast to Facebook...I mean what kind of a freak does this? My mom always hated how my Nana took so many pictures (and she still had to wait for them to develop...we can instantly send, post, morph, change to sepia, FB wall, blog it, post a Twitpic or even actually print it...I know...a real hard copy)... it bugged her to death!...and then in some way she didn't really want to take pics of us a lot as kids...and always told my Dad to stop being like Nana... but honestly my Dad, Aunt and my two sisters and I are addicted to taking pics and posting them as they occur on FB and video too... Ha! Its in our blood! I can't resist the urge!

So after I was done with my posting and I deemed it rude to use technology at the table (hehe) I asked for immediate withdrawal from all technology at the table. I saw all three kids tapping away at their DS's and my hubby probably sending an email to someone one the free site on Craigslist. WHAT AN ADDICT! LOL. So I demanded that everyone unman their technology and put it down....with some resistance and after getting Dad finally on board, everyone relented...and laid it down. I thought we were out of the woods...so I started to talk and enjoy myself... within two minutes Dad starts to touch a button here and there and then as I said stop....he went into a full swoop and picked up his Android and started right where he left off...and then with that action....each kid #1 first then #2 and finally #3 realizing something exciting was happening at the table grabbed his and flipped it open. Within 35 seconds they were back online...all four! I stood up and scream, "Put the technology down! Put the technology down...its going to be okay...put it down....thats it..." I had the hardest time with  #4 big baby hubby! He finally put it down...but wouldn't hand it over to me... he put it off to the side to keep it "safe". What ADDICTS! I Love my Techie Family though! =)

French Toast:

Loaf of sandwich bread - white or wheat (I use white...but have tried wheat...which was still yummy)

I take a bread knife and cut four times making 9 squares.

Then in a bowl I put many eggs 10? with some heavy cream or milk... and some cinnamon... I also have added sugar free vanilla syrup... I guess I could have added vanilla extract =) I have made these too with eggnog...yummy!

Whip the eggs, milk and cinnamon...

I usually have two skillets going... with a huge tong or fork to turn the toasts... remember they all need to be turned...sounds like extra work cutting them up in little squares but makes for nice maximum crunchiness =)

Then I quickly toss the squares (two handfuls) into the bowl lightly tossing them...don't want them to get too soggy... just coated nicely...

Then this gets messy...but sometimes you just need to let go and get messy in the kitchen... cooking is fun...go with it!

add Vegetable oil to the pans covering the pan and enough to fry the bread.

Heat it up real well...too early your bread will be soaked with oil...YUCK

Then when hot enough... add squares... laying squares carefully in one layer if possible... let cook for a minute or so.... check doneness on the one side.   When golden brown....use big bbq tongs and scoop sideways grabbing a few at a time to flip... touch the toasts light and breezy ;)

I put two cookie sheets or pans in the oven at 200 to keep the toasts warm as I keep cooking more... makes it nice and crunchy!

Take the toasts out when both sides are golden brown...if there a couple of darker pieces...keep them...with the powdered sugar they still taste yummy and even better on day two...

Put toast in oven to continue.
If done... lay toasts out on a trivet on the table and heavily sprinkle with powdered sugar... let sit for a couple of minutes...

Extra toasts... sprinkle them with the powdered sugar now and if you already did...add a little bit more...put it in a container and put in the Fridge...later that night or the next day....eat them cold! They are soooooo goood that way!

Enjoy!

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