This time of year, we’re all looking for the easy way out, aren’t we?

Fast, easy, time-saving… holiday buzzwords all.

Which is too bad. The December holidays – Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa – are all about friends and family, food and fun. Why do we find ourselves rushing through them?

Because we’ve piled too much on our plates, that’s why. And I don’t mean too many cookie-swap cookies.

The last thing you want to stress over is making sure everyone’s fed on Christmas morning, right? Which is why you put this Baked Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast together a day or so ahead, then stow it in the fridge. When Christmas morning rolls around, simply stick it in the oven, and hurry back to the tree.

Looking for a way to enjoy those special Christmas moments with your (well-fed) family?

You’ve found it.

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You know what the best parts of baking are?

First, imagining the final product when you’re reading a recipe.

And second, imagining the final product when there’s NO recipe – when you’re playing the “what if…” game with yourself.

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Ah, fast and easy – two of my favorite words!

Especially in the heart of summer, when there are a million things to do outside.

Like mow the lawn, take a bike ride, or simply sit on the deck with a cold drink and some homemade salsa and chips.

And then, there’s berry picking. This is the time of year when raspberries and blueberries and blackberries, some growing wild, some at the local farm, await my arrival, bowl in hand.

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Here we are, less than a week before Christmas (and Kwanzaa); post-Chanukah; and just prior to any solstice-related celebrations. (Bear with me, folks, I’m being politically correct and trying to cover all of the bases here!) This is a frantic time of year, to say the least; read the rest of this entry »