Birthday Toast

Monday was my birthday. This led many to the question,"Who is making your cake?"

The Saturday before the historic event, I was fortunate to have my incredibly generous Mom (technically my step-mom, but after thirty-plus years…why stand on ceremony?) make me a Strawberry Cheesecake from scratch. I am a sucker for cheesecake and hers is a doozy. It is perfectly creamy and uber decadent; making it nearly impossible to finish an entire piece.

I think it’s one of the best cheesecakes out there. And, I am not the least bit biased on the matter.

On my actual birthday, I was given a piece of toast by my son. He just turned nine. And with this single slab of crusty whole wheat bread came an apology. He said he was sorry that it was all he knew how to cook. It was the humblest thing I have ever been offered from the kitchen, and by far, the most sincere. I will never forget my first birthday toast and the loving soul who made it.

There is really no comparing these two dishes. Why would anyone bother?
Each exists as a brilliant masterpiece unto itself.

To be the recipient of these two heartfelt dishes, all I had to do is go through the trouble of being born. It was very much worth it.

Thank you Julie Brown and Gabriel for making me so much more than cake.

In an attempt to honor these two lovely gifts, I am making French Toast with Strawberry Sauce—the perfect melding of toast, strawberries and gratitude.

Strawberries fresh from the freezer.

A little squeeze of lemon.

Help from the hired hands.

Gabriel is dressed to impress.

Phoebe is wearing her personal favorite, 

big brother's hand-me-downs.

Sprinkling of sugar from my sweeties.

A quick spin and we have strawberry sauce!

Next up, the toast.

Milk and eggs. How nutritious! 

I couldn't find Challah, but thickly cut french bread should do the trick.

Egg mixture poured.

Let them soak for a few minutes. Tick. Tock.

Fry them up.

Spoon strawberry smoothie sauce on them.

A little mint makes it pretty.

The kids are pleased to finally get paid for their labor.

Back to work again. This project is much more fulfilling.

Phoebe's plate—Before.

Phoebe's plate—After. 

Precisely as she left it.

Challah French Toast with Berry Sauce
From Epicurious

Ingredients
For French Toast:
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (1-lb) challah loaf, cut crosswise into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices (not including end pieces)
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For Berry Sauce:
3 cups mixed berries such as blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of berries)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish: confectioners sugar for dusting

Preparation
Prepare French toast:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, and salt until blended. Pour into a large baking pan and soak bread slices in 1 layer, turning once, 8 minutes.

Prepare berry sauce while bread is soaking:
Purée 1 1/2 cups berries with sugar and lemon juice in a blender. If you want to eliminate seeds, force purée through a very fine sieve into a bowl. Transfer to a serving bowl and fold in remaining berries.

Cook French toast:
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet or griddle over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Transfer 4 soaked bread slices to skillet with a slotted spatula and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Cook remaining bread in 2 batches, adding more butter as needed. Transfer slices as cooked to a large shallow baking pan (using a clean spatula) and, when all are browned, bake in middle of oven until hot, about 5 minutes.

Serve French toast with berry sauce.