Tasty Tuesday - Blueberry Breakfast Bake

Tasty Tuesday - Blueberry Breakfast Bake

I am committing myself to being a better wife and a better cook. I feel as a family we should be eating better as a whole. It's scary to really look at what you are eating. With that being said, I'm going to start making one new recipe a week. A bold plan, I know.

Thank goodness for Pinterest. I am one of those people who quite enjoy the act of cooking but I need to follow instructions. I can't just wing it in the kitchen. Here's my first attempt at a breakfast. River Boy has a bread addiction. He's a freak about some bread. You should have seen the meltdown that occurred last night. All because he saw a dinner roll, that he couldn't have because it wasn't baked yet. Sorry, I digress, back to the breakfast bake.

This recipe is great for holidays or for when family comes to visit. It feeds several people. You can prep it ahead of time. It's quick and easy.

Blueberry Breakfast Bake

8 slices of white bread, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, chilled and cut into 1/2 pieces

1 cup fresh blueberries

8 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

Blueberry Syrup (this is super important. I tried to substitute for plain syrup. It cost less than the blueberry syrup. But truly, honestly, splurge on the blueberry syrup. It's worth the expense and it just makes this a "smack your momma" type of good.)

Grease 11x7x1 1/2inch baking dish. Spread half the bread pieces evenly in the baking dish. Top with cream cheese. Sprinkle with blueberries. Spread remaining bread over blueberries. (I like blueberries, so I threw an couple more on top too.)

Beat eggs and milk in a medium bowl until blended. Pour over bread.

To Store:

Cover unbaked mixture tightly with aluminum foil  and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hrs.

To Cook from Fridge:

Heat over to 350 degrees. Bakes in covered baking dish 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25-30 minutes longer or until top is puffed and center is set. Serve with Blueberry Syrup.

You have to excuse the chunk that's missing. River Boy had a meltdown. My oven was on the fritz this morning. It took a lot longer to bake than it should have. He and I we both starving, so we dove right in. Completely forgot to take pictures until after we had inhaled a good portion. 

Here's my lesson learned this day. It's not wise to give your child blueberries just before you have a big day seeing lots of new people. River Boy had smatterings of blue in his blonde hair. Stained fingernails. I chunk of berry in his ear that I missed until 3 hrs later. Bless his heart, he was a mess. But the breakfast bake was well worth it.    

A Smile and a Wave

      Last weekend we took River Boy to the Yorkey-Rainey charity golf tournament. It's the one tournament that my husband religiously plays in every year. I haven't been in two years and decided we needed a family vacation. So River Boy and I were going too. The pairings party on Friday was in Scharf Hall on Duke University's campus. Which was open to the Duke Athletics Museum and Hall of Fame. It was quite impressive and I'm not even a Duke fan. Got to catch up with wonderful friends. Raise money for student scholarships. River Boy was making friends left and right. Anytime someone walked by, he'd stop whatever he was doing. Smile and wave. Then with squinty eyes he'd look at them and say "Hey". You couldn't help but smile and wave back. He was like a ray of sunshine.

      I have to admit. I was very hesitant to take River Boy to this tournament. We were staying in a really nice hotel. He's only recently started to sleep through the night. Meltdowns and hysteria could happen at anytime. The husband told me that there was nothing to worry about. Everything would be fine. Smile and wave. I laughed knowing that I was going to be the one to wrangle the 15mo monster toddler, not him. But what the hell.

I packed River Boy a bag of essentials for the over night trip.
- Milk - because I had a hunch that you would be able to get a milk in this hotel unless you paid $5 a glass. And that wasn't about to happen.
- A sippy cup and a bottle - Breaking him of the bottle habit is not going well.
- Graham crackers, blueberry muffins, yogurt thingys, applesauce. Things I knew he would eat.
- Jammies and 2 outfits
- Snoopy
- Sunscreen
- Diapers and wipes

     After the pairings party, we went back to the hotel. As suspected River Boy wanted to continue the party as well. Going to bed was not on his agenda. Not wanting to disturb any neighboring guests who are trying to sleep. I put him in his jammies and headed off to find the husband and friends. Walked through the bar. Smile and wave to everyone who glanced at him. Found our people hanging outside on the veranda. Only took 10 minutes with daddy and he was passed out. Slept the entire night!!!!

     Saturday morning we woke up early enough to find my husband and the other golfers before they teed off. We sat in my husband's golf cart to play while players were arriving. Every time a cart passed by or someone walked by, River boy would smile and wave. Occasionally he's give them that squinty eyed "Hey".

(He was much more interested in the little flags than the two golf balls I gave him.) 

       While the tournament was going on, River Boy and I took to the putting range. When at a fabulous golf  course like the Washington Duke Inn you must work on your puts. We had a very action packed couple of hours. Called some squirrels "uh-oh's". Discovered a lizard. Played with an "awe"-puppy. Ran into my husband halfway through. River Boy was very happy to see daddy. Played with a friend's daughter. Who bless her heart, chased after him more than I did.  

        Then just as the players were starting to finish up, River Boy fell asleep under the shade trees. He was able to get a 45 min nap in. Thank God because I knew he was exhausted. He woke up just as my husband came walking up the path. River Boy sees daddy. Smiles, waves and give the squinty eyed "Hey". 

What a wonderful weekend!

Lessons from a boy - Goldfish

Lessons from a Boy

It doesn't matter how busy you are.

Or how many things you are trying to do. 

Sometimes you just need to stop and have some goldfish.

Introduction to the River Boy Files

14 months ago, this sweet River Boy burst into our lives. He's showing us what love is . . . what life is.  With shaggy blonde hair and big blue eyes, this little boy is learning about life, one uh-oh at a time. I'm feeling the need to some how capture his little moments of growth and wonder. As much as I may have to teach him, he's got a lot to teach me. 

He's at a great stage in life, where everything is funny. Good belly laughs lead to silly hiccups. Hugs are real. Bathtime is fun but soap is not. What can he say, he's a boy. Soap is the devil. We are working on sleeping  (that's a whole other post). Giving up bottles for sippy cups….horrible idea, says River Boy, horrible. Signing "all done" for everything and meaning it. Trucks and bears are very important. Puppys require an "awe" and a hug and then you or the husband must hold 2 stuffed puppies in your lab for a long period of time. 

Some time ago I noticed that the baby book has no more pages to write down what has happened in your baby's life after 12 months. In my opinion, River Boy is truly just starting on the journey of knowledge and growth. Every day is a new day. Bugs are new, chirping birds are new. It's all new. So sit back and enjoy the River Boy Files. It could be quite interesting.