Breakfast in Bed

Breakfast in bed. It's a simple, easy and classically romantic gesture. Who doesn't love waking up to the smell of roasted coffee beans, warm syrupy pancakes and a big ol' slab of bacon! (Or tof-acon for the vegetarians!). Why not spend an hour in the morning to make something special for the person in your life that means the most. (And hey--if that person is your dog... so what!)

I have found THE perfect cinnamon raisin bread that will make any one fall in love with you all over again! It's from Sun-Maid, the classic red boxed raisins that everyone remembers!

Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread
Ingredients 1 egg, beaten 1 cup buttermilk or (1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice) 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins   Directions: HEAT oven to 350 F. GREASE a 9x5-inch loaf pan. COMBINE egg, buttermilk and butter; blend well. COMBINE flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. ADD egg to mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. FOLD in raisins. SPOON batter into greased pan. BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. COOL in pan 10 minutes. REMOVE from pan and cool on wire racks.

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For this recipe I omitted the salt because I used a salted butter, and I also add another two or three teaspoons of cinnamon, as well as a teaspoon of vanilla. This bread is the cats meow, I swear. I had to make two loafs this morning because my family could not say anything but "MORE" after eating the first batch!

For an added 'somethin' special' I made an apple-nutmeg butter to slather on the bread. To make, simmer 8 cups of sliced apples (any kind will do except Granny Smith) with 2 cups of apple juice for 40 minutes or until tender. Take off the heat and mash with a potato masher, then return to the heat. Bring it back to a low simmer and add 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Let this reduce for another 30 minutes until it's thick like apple sauce.

The apple butter is a little time consuming, but it's well worth the extra effort. If you don't think you can function well enough to handle doing that first thing in the morning-- make it the day before!

<3 Miss Charlie