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So my due date came and went this past weekend with no sign that baby #2 is ready to make his big debut. When my doctor first informed me I was in for a holiday baby I was less than ecstatic. My brother and two close friends’ birthdays bookend Christmas and they’ve always lamented their close proximity to such a major holiday. We always made a big effort to make my little brother’s birthday extra special – never combining Christmas and birthday gifts, always wrapping in non-holiday paper, etc – but even in his early 30s, his bday is still a sore subject. I was also a little anxious about baby 2’s due date because this is the first year that my son – who’s roughly 2½ – was really bitten by the Santa bug. He dove into every holiday tradition like a seasoned pro and we made sure to cover all of our bases: the advent calendar, decorating sugar cookies, a trip to Radio City and the tree in Rockefeller Center, brunch with Santa, scouting out the best Christmas decorations around town, you name it. I couldn’t imagine being in the hospital on Christmas Eve or missing out on Christmas morning with him. And thankfully I didn’t have to. For all my anxiety about my December 28th due date, it ended up being an unexpected gift. Every time I ticked a holiday no activity off the list, I felt an intense sense of gratitude – like in that deep Deepak/Oprah way. At the risk of sounding like I’m covered in cheese, I really really savored this Christmas – it may just have been my best ever – because I was so happy and thankful I got to experience it at home with my son and husband and not hooked up to an IV on a hospital bed. That being said, baby #2 can now arrive please. Recipe note: this make-ahead breakfast recipe was divined because I wasn’t so sure I’d be around Christmas morning, but I wanted my husband and son to have something decadent to enjoy with or without me. The reason I selected this dish is because it can be prepped entirely the day or night before, so you just wake up and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to enjoy it. It’d also be a terrific New Year’s Day breakfast – especially if you plan on over-serving yourself the night before. If you’re more in the mood for muffins, these Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins are a great alternative.
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Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 loaf of stale bread (I use Challah or a baguette) – $2.49 8 large eggs, lightly beaten – stock 2 cups of buttermilk (click here for buttermilk substitute) – stock ½-cup applesauce – $2.19 ½-cup sugar – stock 2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract – stock Streusel Topping: ¼-cup whole wheat flour – stock ½-cup firmly packed light brown sugar – stock ½-cup old fashioned rolled oats – stock 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – stock ½-teaspoon salt – stock 6 Tablespoons cold butter, cubed – stock Grand total assuming a “well-stocked” kitchen: $4.68 Cost per serving: $0.78 Directions: 1. Grease a 9×13-inch pan
