Who Has Time for Breakfast?
For parents back-to-school is received with a huge sigh of relief that you got through summer without 1 trip to the ER. It takes time, but after a few weeks or so the kids (and you) are finally back into the school routine. We rejoice as we send our little ones off to school, but we know what's coming up next...the High Holiday's. They usually fall right smack in the middle of September, so just as you've gotten your back-to-school routine down WHAM!
Erev Rosh Hashana lands on a Tuesday evening. To those of you not in Jewish Day School this means your children attend school Monday. Tuesday becomes a half day, no school Wednesday or Thursday, and back to school Friday. The following week Kol Nidre will follow a similar pattern. But wait there's more! Sukkot ... Shiminae Atzeret ... and Simcha Torah! Four consecutive weeks with multiple days off, which as expected falls right smack in the middle of the week.
Trying to keep track of the days is hard enough at this hectic time of the year, and now it's back to 5 day school weeks and getting everyone on the school routine again! These are the weeks I'm grateful I spent the extra money to get my kids hot lunch 5 days a week, but there is still breakfast to conquer.
One of my go to breakfasts, and my kids all time favorite, are French Toast Cupcakes. French Toast Cupcakes are so easy to make and best yet, you can customize them to fit even the pickiest of kids! Make a dozen or two pop them in the freezer and you have breakfast for weeks!
Don't look now, Thanksgiving and Winter Break are coming around the corner!
French Toast Cupcakes
Loaf of your favorite bread torn into 1/2 pieces (Hawaiian Bread, Challah, Pretzel Bread, Chocolate Chip Challah, Cinnamon Raisin)
6 eggs
2.5 cups milk (to make them even more decadent I've used heavy cream or to sweeten it vanilla almond milk)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add bread chunks to the mixture. Toss lightly making sure to evenly coat your bread. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the tops of your muffin tin. Add tulip or standard size baking cups. Add 1 cup of your bread mixture to each baking cup.
Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.
For freezing French Toast Cupcakes
Remove from pan and transfer to baking rack to cool completely. Once they have completely cooled down transfer to a large zip lock bag and freeze.
To serve from freezer
Microwave for 45 - 60 seconds
Customize your French Toast!
Replace vanilla with lemon, orange, or almond extract Add 4-5 fresh blueberries Add 10-12 chocolate chips (most markets carry all types of chips, I've used butterscotch and peanut butter chips) Drizzle cupcake with real maple syrup before baking Add sprinkles to the batter before baking
Streusel Topping
1/4cup cold butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all dry oatmeal & all purpose flower (you may need to add a few additional pinches of each)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
In a small bowl combine cold butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, cinnamon and salt. Mix together with your hands making a crumbly mixture. Add to muffins before baking.
One way to insure your kids will eat is to get them in on the process. Have kids tear the bread into piece nothing slows an active 6 or 7 year old more than giving them something to destroy. They will enjoy counting out the chocolate chips and adding them to their cupcakes. Most important is get creative have fun!
