You are just like your mother!

Hope you all had a happy Mothers Day! Here in MD we had gorgeous weather and one happy momma. 

There is one phrase that most women die when they hear, and that is “You are just like your mother!” Since I work for the same company and with the same people that my mother works with, I hear this phrase all too much. Mostly I laugh, sometimes I cringe, and occasionally argue that I am nothing like her, but no matter how much I fight it, the older I get, the more I see the similarities. Besides from looking a lot a like, our personalities are very similar. Sometimes I hate this, but there are many great qualities that I have gotten from my mom. One thing that me and my mom have in common is that during holidays (such as Mothers day) we both would rather spend time with people we love than get some elaborate gift. I know, what woman doesn’t want something sparkly and lovely. I won’t turn those away. But the answer I always give my boyfriend when he asks what to get me for Christmas is nothing, just a kiss and card, and I actually mean this. My mom is the same way. Heart felt and homemade gifts are her favorite (I think she saved every school project and mothers day gift I made in elementary school, to this day) and good old fashion family time goes a long way for her. So last year, when Mothers Day was the day after my college graduation, she didn’t even hesitate when she planned to throw me my grad party that day. And she loved every minute of it, because she was surrounded by people she loves, and celebrating her first kids great accomplishment. So since I stole the spotlight last year, I decided to make a breakfast of her favorite foods this year. Not hard to do, considering my mom would eat breakfast for every meal if she could, something we do NOT have in common. My mom is an easy woman to please when it comes to food. Fruit, fruit and more fruit. And something sweet. So I searched the web and thumbed through cookbooks and spent, literally, 3 days trying to plan and refine a brunch menu. I ended up making:
Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Summer Fruit Salad with Mint Sugar
Turkey Sausage
Scrambled Eggs
Cinnamon Sticky Buns
Boy was this spread a hit! So today I am going to gift you with the recipes for the stuffed french toast and the summer fruit salad, and keep these bookmarked until next mothers day. Also, ladies, being just like your mother is not such a bad thing I am coming to learn. Happy Mothers Day, Mom! 

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
(Adapted From Annies Eats)

Yield 8 servings

Filling:
1 cup fresh strawberries, thin sliced
1 tbsp sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened

French Toast:
1 loaf thick bread, I used Challah bread
2 Eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
Butter for coating pan

In a small bowl, mix together sliced strawberries and 1 tbsp sugar. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow strawberries to macerate. Mix in 4 oz. softened cream cheese with strawberries. Take loaf of bread and slice lengthwise 3/4 of the way through, but not completely, to create the pocket for stuffing. Spread remaining 4 oz of cream cheese in the pocket, then top with the strawberry mixture. 
In a shallow dish, whisk together egg and milk, butter, and vanilla. Then whisk in flour, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Heat frying pan over medium/medium high heat. Slice stuffed bread loaf into 8 thick slices. Melt enough butter in pan to coat the bottom. Dip each slice of bread into egg mixture, allowing each side to soak for 15 seconds, then transfer to a plate. Repeat until all sliced are coated. Then fry, 3-4 at a time, slices of bread in pan until each side is golden brown. Top with powdered sugar and serve warm with strawberry syrup!

Summer Fruit Salad with Mint Sugar

3 Nectarines (Moms favorite fruit!), diced
2 handfulls Red Seedless Grapes
4 oz Blackberries (Moms 2nd Favorite Fruit!)
3 fresh mint leaves
1 cup sugar

In blender or food processor, blend together mint and sugar until a fine consistency. Mix together all fruits then top with mint sugar and mix well. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes before serving.