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Cranberry Orange Croissant French Toast

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This baked cranberry orange croissant French toast is one of those dishes that comes out gourmet-looking and sophisticated, but is actually absurdly simple!

This baked cranberry orange croissant French toast is one of those dishes that comes out gourmet-looking and sophisticated, but is actually absurdly simple!

Let's talk Christmas breakfast. Or Christmas brunch, as the case often is. Or, you know what, let's not keep it that narrow. Let's say just any holiday morning meal situation that happens during the fall and winter-ish months. Whether you're feeling festive, feeding visiting relatives, or just looking for a warm, easy way to get your own little fam some tasty brunch, this cranberry orange croissant French toast is an excellent choice.

We have a traditional Thanksgiving / Christmas breakfast option that we normally go with, a simple recipe I grew up on and still cherish, this ever-popular overnight sausage egg and cheese breakfast casserole. We make it pretty much every Thanksgiving and Christmas morning, but sometimes you've got to shake things up. Chels came across this recipe for croissant French toast (which we've ordered at restaurants occasionally), delectably enhanced with a bit of citrus flavor, and thought...wouldn't this be a great holiday dish if there were some cranberries involved? (We love cranberries.)

When I say this dish is simple...I mean, like, unbelievably so. It's tasty and sophisticated and oh-so-tasty when complete, but the process of whipping up this little brunch delight is outrageously uncomplicated. Everyone can (and should) make this at some point this holiday season!

This baked cranberry orange croissant French toast is one of those dishes that comes out gourmet-looking and sophisticated, but is actually absurdly simple! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Dec 10th

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplan

We're officially down to double digits leading up to Christmas Day! At this point if you don't have your tree up or your lights up, I would just say, well - hurry up! Before you know Christmas will be here and it will be too late to decorate. 

Unless you're English about 100 years ago. Then you're probably waiting for Christmas Eve to do your decorating, like in Downton Abbey. I actually kind of like that notion. It seems festive and fun without making your home feel too cluttered for too long.

[Read more...]

Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

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We basically think these goat cheese mashed potatoes are manna from heaven. They're an amazing side for any holiday, and you can make them ahead of time!

We basically think these goat cheese mashed potatoes are manna from heaven. They're an amazing side for any holiday, and you can make them ahead of time!My goal this holiday season is to provide you with some delicious and easy recipes that you can whip out for any holiday dinner or even family dinner. I mean, who said goat cheese mashed potatoes is only for the holidays? I know I didn't!

And yes, you did hear me right, I did say, "Goat cheese mashed potatoes" and they are heaven. I'm not joking. Basically potato manna from the sky!

I went to reheat these potatoes the other day for a little lunch and discovered that Grace had already beat me to the punch. Between her and the other three kiddos, the potatoes were gone and from what she said, they reheated beautifully!

That's always nice to know, but pretty much a given with most potato dishes, I think. Speaking of potatoes, I have yet to meet a potato I haven't liked...or for that matter a cheese I haven't liked. Which is why this recipe is perfect for any cheese or potato lover. Or a hobbit!We basically think these goat cheese mashed potatoes are manna from heaven. They're an amazing side for any holiday, and you can make them ahead of time! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Dec 3rd

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplanIt's Sunday night, we got our Christmas tree up last night, and Josh is currently hanging up the lights outside. If we had waited any longer, it probably wouldn't have been worth the bother. But...I married a good man and the kids have been eagerly anticipating the Christmas decorating for weeks!

Maybe it's just me, but does anyone else feel as if winter begins when Thanksgiving is over? It feels like winter here now and this week temps are supposed to be the 40's and clear (20's at night)! NO RAIN! Which is so wonderful! I'm ready for the break.

I'm back to cooking this week and I'm ready. I hope you are, too, because I love winter cooking and baking. It's an easy time of year to cook for, I think. I'm thinking soups, pasta, and other warm, yummy meals, like Bœuf Bourginon. Of course...that meal takes a bit of time, but oh, how it is one of my favorite things to eat. It's a perfect holiday dish - if you're willing to put in a little bit of work that is.

My menu this week again is about easy. I've got leftover butternut squash and sweet potatoes - so obviously, I need to make soup. What is your favorite soup?? Comment below and tell me! I'm always looking for new recommendations.

I'm going to leave you with the Christmas board for Pinterest. I've been pinning lots of cookies and other yummy things. Make sure you check it out!

I hope you all have a great first week of December!!!

DIY Farmhouse Baby Gate

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Here's our experience with this simple project to help keep your little ones safe - a DIY farmhouse baby gate, easily modified to fit your space and style!

Here's our experience with this simple project to help keep your little ones safe - a DIY farmhouse baby gate, easily modified to fit your space and style!

This was one of those projects that was born of necessity. When Christian was born, we put a plastic gate in front of the staircase in our old house, but it wasn't as much of a concern. The staircase was relatively short, carpeted, and had a landing half way down, so the farthest a little one could really fall was a few carpeted steps. Not good, but not lethal. In our current house, the staircase is a straight shot from bottom to top, much longer, and ends in a wood floor. Also, the baby this time around is not chill baby Christian of six years ago, but Ruby, our one-year-old redhead, AKA the "fire chicken". She's delightful and adorable, but also feisty, energetic, and everywhere.

One plastic gate at the bottom of the stairs wasn't going to cut it. It might keep her from climbing the stairs, but it certainly wasn't going to do anything about her going down the stairs, plus, we were afraid that those expanding gate types (like we have) would get pushed down the stairs by the little mischief-maker. I could just see her riding the gate down the stairs toboggan-style, a little cowboy hat on, lasso in hand, red curls flying in the breeze... [Read more...]

Apple Bacon Mac and Cheese

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Sweet & savory, with salty bacon, tart apples, & sharp cheesy goodness - Apple Bacon Mac and Cheese is the easy comfort food recipe you've been looking for!
Sweet & savory, with salty bacon, tart apples, & sharp cheesy goodness - Apple Bacon Mac and Cheese is the easy comfort food recipe you've been looking for!

We originally blogged this easy recipe for apple bacon mac and cheese back in October of 2014. It has continued to be a family favorite, as well as one of the only recipes for mac and cheese on the blog! How can that be?! At any rate, since we keep making it, and comfort food season is once again in full swing, we've remade it, re-photographed it, and tweaked the recipe just a wee bit. If you haven't made it yet, now's your chance. Enjoy!

Tis the season for comfort foods! Can I get an amen? AMEN!

Back in August, Josh suggested we make more macaroni and cheese dishes as main entrees. Well, twist my arm, why don't ya! It's true, though - we are running something of a strange macaroni and cheese deficit on the blog. Inexplicable!

#GIVEMEALLTHECARBYPASTAINTHELAND

Today, because it's been cold and rainy and very fall-ish out, I'm bringing you some sweet and savory apple bacon mac and cheese. Yes, you heard me. Sweet AND savory! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Nov 26th

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplanHappy Cyber Monday!!!!!!

I hope you are finding all of the good deals and getting all of your Christmas shopping done early. It always seems like I start off really good, but then I'm shopping last minute for stocking stuffers and other small gifts and everything is picked over and I feel stressed that I waited so long.

NOT THIS YEAR!

I want it all done so I can focus on other things. Like wrapping said gifts. Another thing I always wait to do until the last minute. One of the these years I'll get my act together. I do want to remind you that the Five Cookbooks Every Home Cook Should Own is up on the blog and a lot of the books are pretty cheap on Amazon today, so make sure you check out that post.

We're actually having our family Thanksgiving tomorrow evening (schedule changed to accommodate family coming into town), so I'll be doing lots of cooking and baking today and tomorrow and since we do have family in town, we'll probably be eating with them a lot. Which means, I don't really have a weekly menu for us...but I'm bringing a menu to you, because, hey, you gotta eat. [Read more...]

Five Cookbooks Every Home Cook Should Own

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5 Cookbooks Every Home Cook Should OwnOh, this is a post I've been meaning to write for such a long time!!!

I'm a bit of a cookbook hoarder. Okay, not really. But, for a long time, I just collected cookbooks that I never really cooked from. They ended up taking up a lot of space and since then I've donated a ton of them. My collection now is smaller than it was (though it may still be bigger than others...), curated with cookbooks that I love to cook out of, many that were treasured gifts to our family over the years.

When we first got married, I was given a small handful of cookbooks that I've cooked from over and over for the last 15 years - and I'm so glad these books were gifted to me, because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing in the kitchen at 19 years old...other than how to make chocolate chip cookies and spaghetti. Which is great, but just eating that alone will get old fast. [Read more...]

Citrus & Garlic Turkey

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With some easy additions for enhanced flavor, this citrus & garlic turkey is simple, straightforward preparation for a classic Thanksgiving bird.

With some easy additions for enhanced flavor, this citrus & garlic turkey is simple, straightforward preparation for a classic Thanksgiving bird.

Well, it is Thanksgiving week, and we do only have one roast turkey recipe on the blog. I know. One. It seems like a major oversight on our part. Of course, in our defense, it is not your run-of-the-mill turkey recipe. It's one glazed in pomegranate molasses, and, let me tell you, that is one heckuva way to prepare a bird. But that isn't for everyone, or every year. Sometimes, you want something a little more classic.

I would say that this citrus & garlic turkey is a very slight twist on a classic preparation. You've got the addition of the citrus herb butter, the aromatics underneath the bird, and all of the citrus stuffed inside, but the actual roasting is rather traditional, and none of the spices or flavor combos are exotic or unusual. All of that being said, though, these little tweaks bring big flavor, and, more importantly, combined with dedicated and timely basting and an appropriate cooking time, avoid the gravest of all Thanksgiving sins...dry turkey (*shudder*).

I exaggerate, of course. I've cooked a few dry turkeys, and as sad as that was, they made great leftovers in turkey sandwiches, perked up under a good gravy, and still filled the house with delicious Thanksgiving-y smells. So even a dry turkey can be quite enjoyable. But...if you want to be able to just carve off a piece and delight in it...this recipe is not a bad way to go at all.

With some easy additions for enhanced flavor, this citrus & garlic turkey is simple, straightforward preparation for a classic Thanksgiving bird. [Read more...]

Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Pecans

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Forget the canned stuff and whip up a flavorful, homemade spiced cranberry sauce with pecans and raisins this Thanksgiving - in about 15 minutes!

Forget the canned stuff and whip up a flavorful, homemade spiced cranberry sauce with pecans and raisins this Thanksgiving - in about 15 minutes!

I'm not going to lie, I actually don't hate or even dislike canned cranberry sauce. I know, shocking, right? I think it gets a bad rap, and I kind of like it. Whether it's the jelly molded kind or a more traditional variety, I think it can be used as an excellent vehicle for other recipes.

For example, I used canned cranberry sauce in these chicken cordon bleu burgers, and it's good - a really fun fall and winter burger recipe.

However, we're not talking about burgers. We are talking about Thanksgiving. I think one of the reasons I like cranberry sauce, be it canned or homemade, is that it tastes...fresh. Something about how because it's not warmed up it adds that cooling factor to your plate...plus it's really really good mixed into your mashed potatoes, your turkey, your stuffing...I mean I don't think cranberry sauce can do anything wrong at Thanksgiving.

Or really any other time of the year.

Forget the canned stuff and whip up a flavorful, homemade spiced cranberry sauce with pecans and raisins this Thanksgiving - in about 15 minutes! [Read more...]