Emma's Closet

French Toast Muffin Kind of Morning

I made French Toast Muffins at 5 am this morning (I usually get up around 4:15 am so I can work out -- DST is just kicking me this year, so I took this morning off and slept in... wait, what is wrong with that statement?  I slept in until 5 am?!  ).  I found out Emma has not been eating breakfast at daycare.  They rotate things out, but essentially those kids eat the same thing all the time, sooo, I have been trying to come up with different types up muffins she will eat.    She loves French Toast, so I found this recipe.  They were really good, but just not moist enough for me, so I may play around with the recipe.. but they were really good.  But what is not to love about muffins dipped in butter and then cinnamon and sugar?  Emma gobbled up two and wanted another, but I told her to wait because she would probably be full -- and compared to eating nothing for breakfast, I think she would be.  Now I did find this Breakfast cookie on Don't Eat Alone: the recipes which sounds yummy.  Bacon and cheese breakfast cookies.  May have to test run those this weekend.  I also like Longo's Healthy Breakfast Cookie recipe. 

I am really worried about how she will eat when starts going to full day Kindergarten next year. You know that, if I pack her lunch will she actually eat it?  I say this because I have seen and remember school menus... starch, starch ,starch... blech!  I think some public schools are their own worst enemy when it comes to trying to teach kids to be healthy.  Here, have some mashed potatoes with gravy, some corn, a piece of bread, a fruit and mystery meat.  Two guesses on what the children will eat!  There were only 3 things I would eat in school - their yeast rolls, their cinnamon rolls and their no bake cookies.  Yummmm. and how nutritious : )

Oh how I wish I could be a stay at home mom and homeschool her... oh well,

On the crafting front, I have not done too much lately.  I did sew another nightgown (out of horse fabric, of course) for Emma.  Which it is really a dress from a Japanese children's clothing pattern book.  It is at home right now, so I will have to get the ISBN tonight.  I love the book and the patterns are so simple.   I will be sure to get some pics and the ISBN tonight, as I cannot find it on line right now.  I did get a couple of more squares done of my afghan, and part of a doll finished.  I have got to get my WIP under control (is that possible?)

UPDATE:
The ISBN is 4-579-10970-8.  I will have to see if I can get more pictures tomorrow!

Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

This was in the American Profile insert of Sunday's paper.  My mom made it...all I can say is yum (I will try to make this and take a picture)
1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar mixture
4 apples, chopped small
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar (my mom used Splenda)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bundt or tube pan and coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Mix apples, eggs and oil with an electric mixer.  Add flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon; mix well.  Pour into pan and bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow cake to rest in pan for at least 10 minutes; invert onto cake plate.  To prepare glaze, combine butter, brown sugar and milk in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.  Spoon over cake.  Allow to cool before serving.

** you can alow add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake batter. **  Wonderful warm with vanilla ice cream.

By Diane Nemitz

Not much else to report.  So funny, when it cools off I always want to go to bed earlier... seems the evening is much longer than when the days are longer during the summer.. and it gets worse when daylight saving time ends...  ah, love the fall.....  today at lunch it was only 67.  Doesn't get better (well, if I had been at home in a hammock enjoying the afternoon it would have been better).

I also forgot to mention that I received my dishcloth this month from Karen.  This is the first swap I have participated in, and I am really enjoying it.