We're Stuffing Bags .....

All morning yesterday, we stuffed lunch bags with goodies for the Ag Safety Training Session at our local fairgrounds.  Previously, they served boiled hot dogs ... YUCK ... so this time they are going to be BBQ'd.  Lucky for the Elks guys, there were no outdated boxes of condiments.

I mean really ... it's like serving that lettuce-only salad with gross Italian dressing.  Soggy City!!  Why doesn't anyone suggest adding a container of tiny tomatoes and LESS dressing.  How hard is that??  And don't tell me this is how you've always done it.  That's no excuse!!  General Nancy is going to whip these guys into shape if it kills her!!!

Once the apples, chips, condiments and gummy worms were placed in each bag, we folded the tops and boxed them up, ready for transport this morning.  UGH ... another EARLY morning for this retiree!!

The rains came in yesterday afternoon with a BANG!  Literally ... I heard a huge crash of lightning right over the house.  Naturally I went outside with my camera.  I had a fleeting thought about carrying something metallic during an electrical storm, but that passed quickly when I saw the sky.

From the time I walked outside, the thunder rolled ...... and rolled!  It was constant for over 30 minutes, as were the flashes of lightning, but at least they stayed above the clouds.  I think that was the worst storm I've ever seen, dropping over two inches in about an hour.  Now the work begins, trying to put all that mulch back in my flowerbeds.

In the meantime, here's the recipe for the french toast breakfast bake.  Try it and let me know what you think.  I figure six 9" pans will feed our group.  Now I just need five more ovens to bake them in. I think I'll try the freezer method too ... it would be easier to make them ahead of time.


1 loaf french bread, cut into one inch pieces
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature (a must)
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
8 large eggs
2-1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup cream (I added this just because I had some)

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 t/l cold butter, cubed

Grease a 9 x 13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees
Slice bread into cubes, placing half in the pan.
Beat the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth
Add in powdered sugar and vanilla, beating well
Drop by teaspoonful on top of bread
Cover with remaining bread cubes
Whisk milk, eggs cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla
Pour over bread and cover pan with plastic wrap
Leave in fridge three hours or overnight

In the morning, whisk brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together
Cut in butter and spread over soaked bread
Slowly pour cream over top in a thin stream
(this part actually stolen from a cinnamon roll recipe I have)
Bake 45 minutes for soft texture, longer if you wish
Serve with maple syrup


I halved this recipe for myself and baked it in a 9" cake pan, just because it's easier to use my small oven.  It says you can freeze it after preparation, then thaw in the fridge before baking.

So I'm off to save kids from stranger danger, irrigation canals, eating laundry detergent and electrocution by downed power lines.  I just hope they survive the hot dogs!!