Sourdough French Toast with Berries and Creme Fraiche * Food & Drink

Every Valentine's Day I make a special Valentine breakfast for my family. When my kids were very little it was fresh pancakes with berries and whipped cream. When they got a little older it was big thick waffles because I got the best waffle maker that made heart shaped waffles. Now that they are all teens their favorite warm breakfast is french toast. This french toast is extra special. It's topped with fresh red berry sauce and the very best madagascar vanilla creme fraiche from Vermont Creamery.

I promise promise promise this is the way breakfast should taste.

Red Berry Sourdough French Toast
makes 4 servings

• 1 loaf of sourdough french bread sliced
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• dash of sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh creamery butter
• 1 pint of fresh strawberries
• 1 pint of fresh raspberries
• powdered sugar for dusting
• coconut oil 

Slice strawberries. In a medium sized bowl add raspberries, strawberry slices and sugar. Smash berries together with sugar. Let sit while preparing french toast.

In a medium bowl add eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together. In a large frying pan coconut
 oil on medium heat. Dip bread into egg mixture then place in frying pan. Cook until golden brown on each side. To work fresh creamery butter.

Using a heart shaped cookie cutter cut out center of each piece of french toast. Lay french toast on plate and fill heart with berry sauce. Top each piece with a spoon of creme fraiche. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with whole berries. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Raspberry Banana Yogurt Pops * Food & Drink

Raspberries always remind me of summertime. My grandma Bohman always had raspberries in her back yard. Her neighbor down the road had a pick-your-own raspberry patch. I use to go down and eat as many raspberries as I picked. Grandma always had fresh homemade raspberry jam made from those delicious raspberries.
Delicious healthy and naturally sugar free our easy to make Raspberry Banana Yogurt Pops are the perfect snack on a hot summer's day. Bananas are the natural sweetener so there is no need to add sugar. You can even eat them for a healthy breakfast on the go. Kids will love them. I love them. Having a party and want to serve a refreshing treat? These yogurt popsicles would be so lovely lined up on the table. Enjoy!

Raspberry Banana Yogurt Pop Recipe
Makes 4 pops

• 1 sliced ripe banana (the riper the sweeter)
• 1 cup of frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup of whole milk plain Greek yogurt

Layering the yogurt then bananas then raspberries blend using the plus feature on your food processor allowing small chunks to remain in the mixture. Pour into popcicle molds. Freeze for at least 2 hours. 

To remove for mold run the mold under hot water to loosen. If still tight run under hot water a little longer. Serve right away or store in an airtight container in the freezer. 

post & photo by April Atwater founder and editor-in-chief Sweet and Simple Magazine