Chicken Stuffing Casserole and Summer Fun!

Whew................ where did the summer go?  My summer has been super busy and has flown by.  I have now used up all my summer vacation time and am looking forward to the fall and my Thanksgiving week vacation.  Cally was home from Portsmouth for the summer.  She again worked at Crown Mini Mart to make some money for the upcoming school year rent expenses.  Billy again

Lazy Cinnamon Rolls

This past weekend we all went to the Island........ Put-in-Bay that is.   Put-in-Bay Ohio is an island in Northern Ohio on Lake Erie.  It is an island full of party animals.  The island has many Bars and lots entertainment. We find the best entertainment happens around late afternoon after a lunch time full of drinking has occurred. You can stand out on the side walks and be amused the rest of the day with

Pineapple Zucchini Bread with Cinnamon Swirl

Yum
Bill and I went on a mini trip this past week.  On Monday and Tuesday we were in Shipshewana, IN.  It is an Amish community like Berlin is in OH.  We had a good time but I do not think we will go back.  It did not seem a lot different than what we can see right here in OH.  Everything in Shipshewana also seemed to be higher priced.

Strawberry Cheese Cake Ice Cream

Strawberry Cheese Cake Ice Cream.  Bill and Cally really enjoyed this ice cream.  Me, not so much but I do not care for strawberry ice cream.  I did however like that the ice cream had real cheese cake chunks in it.

Texas Toast Pizza

 We had another fun weekend!  Bill, Billy and I went to a car cruise in Saturday in Springfield.  We had beautiful weather.  Today Bill and I went to Troy to the Strawberry Festival Car Show.  The weather was cold and rainy.  We would no longer get the car all wiped down and it would start raining again.  We did see some really awesome cars that we have not seen at any other local car shows.

Baked French Toast Croissants

The weekend went by really fast!  Cally was in her high school friends wedding.  Bill and I had a nice time at the wedding.  It was fun to see Cally and her friends all together again.  

I also got to spend time with Billy.  The time I get to spend with Billy is really special because it is not often now that he has the time to come home and stay overnight with his momma.

Since I had my babies home this weekend I decided to make breakfast.  I used my Baked French Toast recipe but instead of using Texas toast I used croissants.  Oh this was absolutely delicious!  I sliced the croissants in half and then placed them with the sliced side down on the baking sheet.  Then I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the tops of the croissants.  After baking the underside (sliced side) was gooey and cinnamony good while the outside was cinnamony sugar crunchy!  I am not sure which side I liked better.  The crunch was an extra special surprise.

Baked French Toast Croissants

1/2 C butter
4 eggs
2/3 c half and half (or milk)
1/2 C sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla

topping:

1/4 C sugar

1 t cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  While oven is heating up place the butter on a cookie sheet with sides and place in oven so it will melt. 

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the cookie sheet with melted butter.

In a bowl mix the eggs, half and half, and vanilla.

Cut the croissants in half and then dip the croissants in the mixture soaking well. 

Place croissants in pan sliced side down.  I mix up more cinnamon sugar and sprinkle over the top side of the croissants.  That way it has cinnamon sugar on both side when it is done.

Bake 12 minutes

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Toffee Cookies

These cookies are my absolute favorite cookie of all times.  

I was in Columbus several weeks back to take Billy for a follow up visit with the Surgeon.  While I was standing in CVS to fill a prescription I noticed this White Chocolate Vanilla Bean candy bar and immediately thought how good it would be in a cookie with toffee chips..... That is how this cookie started  

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Toffee Cookies

2 ½ cups sugar

1 lb. (4 sticks) butter, softened

6 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

8oz bag Toffee Bits

7 oz chopped Vanilla Bean Chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookies sheets or line with parchment paper.

Cream the sugar and butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the yolks and vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients together, then add to the batter in 4 parts, mixing well after each addition.  Add the Toffee bits and chopped chocolate.  Mix until well combined.

Form dough into balls or use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to form cookies. Roll in sugar (I used coarse Wilton Sugar)  and place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for approximately 10-13 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack.