Silly Night

When my hubby goes out of town, we like to have silly night here.  I like it because at the dinner table, everyone looks like this........

Instead of screaming at me about how much they dislike whatever it is that I have decided to make for dinner.  We usually get into our PJ's before dinner, and then we all help cook.  The menu is usually French Toast, but this particular night I decided to try out Pioneer Woman's cinnamon toast (I LOVE PW- think she is the best, and coolest!)  Cinnamon toast was always a treat at my house growing up, but the girls hadn't taken to it yet.  

Here is my cinnamon toast helper:

She wasn't particularly happy at this moment.  I wouldn't let her drink out of my water bottle.  That kid does love to drink!!!  Anyhoo, nevermind that she is 3/4 naked.  She wasn't interested in getting into her pj's like everyone else.  Izzy wanted to help out so she went and got Syd's pj's.  Then she tried to change her and somewhere in the maylay, Syd escaped- leaving me with a diaper clad baby as a helper!

This is the key to great cinnamon toast- great cinnamon.  My mom gave me this for Christmas and I was a doubter- now I believe.  It has such a great flavor.  It's like the difference between using great vanilla and not so great.  You can really tell the difference!

So you mix up the ingredients and spread it on the bread, unbelievably simple.  Although it does take a little bit more effort than traditional cinnamon toast when you slather the pre-toasted bread with butter and sprinkle on sugar and then cinnamon.  You actually have to have enough forethought to soften the butter.  Or, have a fancy, newfangled microwave that has a "soften butter" setting.  I can say that no one has ever accused me of having to much forethought!  

Beware, do not turn your back or this might happen:

I turned around for one second and they converged!  Before I knew it, half of my butter was gone!  Thieves!!

Spread it on your bread- make sure you get it to the very edges.

Then you bake them.  Even the dog was excited!

Maybe excited isn't exactly the word that I am looking for in this situation.

Here they are, just out of the oven.  I have to say that I am a convert.  Even though it takes more effort, Pioneer Woman is right, it is definitely worth it.  Pioneer Woman is very often right, you should check out her two blogs: 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/ ,  I love this one, as I am sure everyone else does.  But, she has another,  it's called Tasty Kitchen:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/,  this one has lots of other cooks who contribute recipes and such.  LOVE IT!  

Pioneer Woman also has a newish cookbook that a dear friend gave me for a housewarming present.  I love it as well.  Check it out on Amazon.

I highly recommend it- and reading her blogs!  

Please don't think that this is all I fed my children for dinner:))  We also had scrambled eggs and strawberries, a very rounded menu.  

Cinnamon Toast:

Ingredients

16 slices Bread (whole Wheat Is Great!)

2 sticks Salted Butter, Softened

1 cup Sugar (more To Taste)

3 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (more To Taste)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Smush softened butter with a fork. Dump in sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, if using. Stir to completely combine.

Spread on slices of bread, completely covering the surface all the way to the edges.

Place toast on a cookie sheet. Place cookies sheet into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until golden brown and bubbling. Watch so it won’t burn!

Pioneer Woman's recipe