The Kitchen At Christmas and a Christmas Morning Baked French Toast Recipe
I've got one last room decorated for Christmas to show you, the kitchen. This will be a quick tour. I like to keep the kitchen Christmas decor simple and easy so there's actual room to move and cook and place things on the counter. But I also have a recipe to share, perfect for Christmas morning, so read through for that!
There's just a few simple holiday touches in the kitchen. A wreath above the window, small trees and antlers and my favourite buffalo plaid dish towels from Williams-Sonoma (they seriously have the most absorbent towels!) are enough to dress up the window area. I've corralled the dish soap and brush on a small bamboo cutting board from Ikea and a red berry plant adds a touch of colour.
There's a few other hints of red to liven things up. Bright shiny ornaments placed in a dish bring sparkle to this corner of the room. I've also added a wintery print I found at the thrift store. The frame with its textured mat and gold edging looks oh-so-80's but I find that comforting in a nostalgic kind of way.
The kitchen table is kept mostly clear except for this round metal tray which holds a few seasonal items and our fruit bowl. The truck and tree cookie cutter is a fun accent (and makes the cutest cookies).
I've added other wreaths in here. This rectangular one fills a blank wall and is accented with a simple black satin ribbon. Above the table... is my least favourite light fixture. We actually have never been able to make this light work so it hasn't been a priority to get a new shade. So for now, I've wrapped the glass yellow shade with a white berry garland I hadn't used elsewhere. Better, though still not perfect. Let's move on ;)
A red berry wreath adorns the bathroom door on this side of the room. The print is one I created and is available in my Christmas Fun Bundle. You can see how the rich red tones in the kitchen coordinate with the adjoining living room.
And I've added a few more of that rich mulberry red with these feather trees. They're tucked into the back corner and you can't see them very well without the under cabinet lights on so here's a photo of the kitchen at night. I quite like this room at night. It has a much cozier feel.
But this is the cleanest the kitchen will look over the next week because we are hosting Christmas! I don't know how I'm going to fit 40+ of my closest relatives in this house but we're going to try.
I am looking forward to Christmas morning though when it's just the three of us. I might remake this Baked Nutella and Berries French Toast. I recently made it for our annual Pancakes and Pajamas Party and it is one of our favourite recipes.
This recipe has berries, nutella, and French toast - there's no way to go wrong with that! It's best to make this recipe the night before and let the bread really soak in the liquids. It does need to sit out of the fridge for a half hour before you cook it so set your alarm early if you want to have it ready for breakfast. Or, if your house is anything like ours, take it out and pre-heat the oven at 6:30am when your child wakes you up on Christmas morning, ha!
You can find the original recipe here. It's the perfect dish to serve as you're lazing about, enjoying your new gifts, and spending the day in pajamas. Let me know if you try it!
Baked Nutella French Toast with Berries
Ingredients:
- 8-oz. French bread loaf or baguette, sliced into thick slices
- 1.5 cups eggwhites (approximately 8 large eggs)
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup Nutella
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups of your favourite berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or strawberries)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
- Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Arrange sliced bread tightly in a flat layer in the dish.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the Nutella for 30 seconds. Keep microwaving at 10 second intervals until the Nutella is smooth and liquidy.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs with milk, sugar and melted nutella. Pour over the bread.
- Arrange berries in between and on top of the bread. Make sure to put berries in any gaps or bread holes.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Remove the baking dish from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour the heavy cream into a small pan. Bring cream to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 10-12 minutes.
- Drizzle the hot cream over the berries and bake uncovered, until the bread is lightly browned on top, about 50 to 55 minutes.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
We're counting down the days now. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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