Baked Peaches and Cream French Toast

Loaf of French, Italian or Challah Bread
8 large eggs
2/3 cup of super fine sugar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cup of milk
1 ½ cup cream or half and half
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
5 cups of sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking Spray

Spray a 9×13 baking pan with Cooking Spray.
Slice Bread into ½ inch slices.
Arrange Slices in a single layer in the pan.
Cut cream cheese into equal portions, (depending on how much cream cheese you like), and top each slice with a thick strip of cream cheese in the middle. Add another slice of bread on top of the first slice of bread.
Whisk together eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and super fine sugar. Add milk, cream, vanilla and stir until combined. Pour mixture over the bread.
In a medium bowl, toss peaches with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and lemon juice. Arrange peach slices evenly over bread. Combine remaining cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake the next day at 350-375F depending on your oven for 50-60 minutes. Check the middle of the dish to see if it is set before removing from the oven.
Garnish with powdered sugar, fresh peaches, raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

We serve this at the Haddonfield Inn with a side of sausage links and preceded by a fresh fruit cup, coffee and your choice of juice. Any entree of the day may be substituted with your choice of eggs, any way you like them, and toast in addition to the meat side of the day.

(Photos coming soon! We will be making this recipe Saturday, July 17,2010 and hope to take some great photos. Happy Baking!)

The latest and certainly one of the most exciting exhibits to come to the Philadelphia Museum of Art is Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris. The following excerpt is taken from the museum’s website: “Internationally recognized as one of the most innovative and influential artists of the twentieth century, Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973) was at his most ferociously inventive between 1905 and 1945. Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris surveys his work during these crucial decades, when he transformed the history of art through his innate virtuosity and protean creativity.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself! You don’t have to be a Picasso fan to appreciate how different and recognizable Picasso’s works are. I am sure that among the two-hundred fourteen paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, you will find many surprises with-in this well known artist’s collection. One well known painting, in which he  has cast himself and his two poet friends, Three Musicians (1921), will be displayed and shows his exploration of Synthetic Cubism.  Some of these works of art have not been shown in several decades due to their sensitivity to light and delicate condition. Included in the exhibition is an audio tour which is sure to enrich your experience and knowledge of Picasso and the expatriate artists like Marc Chagall, Jacques Lipchitz, Patrick Henry Bruce, and Man Ray, who formed an, international avant-garde group known as the School of Paris. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these works en mass!

To celebrate this unique exhibit, the Haddonfield Inn is offering a special promotion at our South Jersey bed and breakfast, only minutes from Philadelphia. You will receive two complimentary tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, during the Picasso Exhibit, now until April 25th, with a two night stay at the inn! Tickets are issued for a specific date and time, and include an exhibition audio tour. Please choose your dates carefully, because exhibition tickets cannot be refunded. Tickets are subject to availability. Call the inn at (856)428-2195 to make your reservations for this special. No other offers, discounts or promotions may be applied.

Anastasia’s Travel Tip: Make this an “art themed weekend” by booking on the first Friday of April and enjoy “First Friday” in both Old City in Philadelphia, PA and in Haddonfield, NJ. Or, if you can’t make it that weekend, enjoy Second Saturday in nearby Collingswood, NJ the second week of April. What a great getaway for that someone special in your life! See below for each neighborhood’s description of events:

From VisitPhilly.com : “On the first Friday evening of every month the streets fill with art lovers of all kinds who wander among the neighborhood’s 40-plus galleries, most of them open from 5 until 9 p.m. A casual atmosphere encourages art and people watching, eating at Old City’s many restaurants and just plain mingling. There’s diversity both in the crowd and among the galleries, adding flavor to the experience. Most galleries can be found between Front and Third, and Market and Vine Streets.”

From Shophaddonfeildnj.com :“Artists and entertainers will line the streets downtown and our stores will be open for business until 9pm, with many offering in-store events, promotions and refreshments. And, if Mother Nature cooperates, our restaurants may be able to kick off the “al fresco” dining season that night!”

From Collingswood.com : “Established in 2004, Second Saturday Collingswood is an exciting event designed to expose local artists and musicians to the many residents and visitors of Collingswood and the surrounding area.  Each month visitors can plan a night on the town to experience the unique arts, music, shopping and dining Collingswood is known for. As always, Second Saturdays are free. Just visit Collingswood, stroll and enjoy the culture – on us.”

The Flower Show features many exhibits put together by florists, schools, landscapers and garden societies. One of my favorite exhibits is the Individual & Club Entries where people have entered their own plants that they have cultivated themselves. As a novice gardener myself, I realized how many more varieties there are to grow at home that I had never seen before. I also enjoyed browsing the marketplace with my mother-in-law and brought home two small and inexpensive bonsai trees. I caught the beginning of one free gardening presentation on spring flowering bulbs.  This time I think I might check the Gardener’s Studio schedule and the Lectures & Demonstrations Schedule before I go to see what new things I could learn this year.
The theme this year is “Passport to the World” which promises to take you on, “an exotic journey to dozens of destinations around the globe.” Some of the other attractions I haven’t mentioned yet for this year include: An International Wine and Spirits Garden, presented by the PA Wine & Spirits Stores and the International Dessert and Coffee Bar. Also, be prepared to be entertained by live performances, provided by World Café Live that take audiences to Bollywood, Africa and South America. And in addition to the Marketplace there will be a World Bazaar of beautiful and exotic crafts and products.
After the winter we’ve had, there is no question that I will try to find time to steal away from the inn myself for a day to take in the beautiful colors, smells, tastes and entertainment that the Philadelphia Flower Show has become famous for.

The Haddonfield Inn is running a great Special: 2 Free Tickets to the Flower Show with a 2 night stay. See details here.

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