I Can Gather all the News I Need on the Weather Report

Kudos weathermen, you have done it!  You have accurately predicted how crazy this winter will be!  It is amazing how fast an entire state can go from, "Look at the pretty snow, it feels like Christmas!" to, "I'm done with all this white garbage!!!"  We are once again in the middle of a storm that has closed schools and businesses and made life a little bit more difficult.

At this point my goal to enjoy the winter is becoming one that takes some effort.  Currently, there are new healthy eating guidelines coming out and a renewed emphasis on living an active lifestyle.  This is all well and good, but I think my outlook on life is mostly going to stay rosy by eating and drinking through each storm.  And as we have heard so many times, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  One of my favorite breakfast comfort foods is french toast. 

Yesterday, foreseeing this breakfast need I made a loaf of brioche.  It is light and porous and doesn't have a ton of flavor so it works well for soaking up the batter and picking up that flavor along with the syrup and anything else.

This recipe was the first that I have ever tried from this cookbook, I'm happy with how it came out.  Waking up the next morning I was ready for a seriously delicious breakfast.  Having lived across the street from IHOP for three years, I became introduced to the idea of "stuffed french toast."  Given that I didn't make a special trip to the store for this I was confined to what was in the pantry, but I think it came out pretty well.

I stuffed the brioche french toast with dried apricots and cranberries, added a side of fake sausage, warm Vermont maple syrup, a cup of oranges and banana, and to wash it all down a cranberry and seltzer.  Take that winter!!!

Every good start of the day also deserves a good end.  For this I turn to my new favorite drink.  When visiting Laura's family in Australia I was first introduced to ginger beer (think ginger ale made with lots of actual ginger).  Lately, I have seen it pop up more and more in grocery stores and restaurants.  The last few bars I have been at have had this on the menu, and recently we were gifted the 2 items necessary to make a "Dark and Stormy."

1 part dark rum, 4 part ginger beer.  Add lime if you like.

With a good morning and good night it will be spring in no time!  Stay warm (unless you are in the middle of the heatwave in Australia, then I hope you cool down!)!