I don’t understand the conception that French toast is difficult to make. As someone who struggles to achieve perfect pancakes and doesn’t own a wafflemaker, French toast is my standard special-occasion breakfast to impress. Even - or perhaps especially - on occasions when a slightly hungover me is the only one that needs impressing.

Also, HAPPY OCTOBER! Did you know that it’s my favorite month?! And it’s my birthday month, so this was basically a pre-pre-birthday breakfast. I had it with a tall glass of milk rather than with the namesake beverage, but I’m sure if your threshold for pumpkin is as high as mine it’d be delish that way too.

Pumpkin spice French toast:

• 3 slices challah, a day or two old
• 1 large egg
• 1 apple
• 1/2 cup milk
• honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp butter
• optional toppings: ice cream, whipped cream, more honey, and/or maple syrup

1. Dice the apple finely and add it to a saucepan with a teaspoon of butter, a squirt of honey, and cinnamon & nutmeg to taste. Cover pan with a lid and cook, stirring every so often, for 5-10 minutes, until apples are softened to your liking.
2. In the meantime, beat together the egg, milk, more honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Dredge challah slices in the mixture for about a minute.
3. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan. Place french toast slices in the pan and cook until browned on the outside, about 2-3 minutes per side. Some people put their French toast in the oven for a few minutes after this part. I don’t because A) My oven is broken, B) I’m not ultra-paranoid about raw eggs because I buy good-quality organic ones and have a very strong stomach and C) I love love love when French toast is all moist and custardy on the inside. It’s your call.
4. Plate French toast, add cooked apples, and top with whipped cream or ice cream - I used Trader Joe’s pumpkin ice cream, which we (okay, pretty much just I) have gone through a quart of this week.

This post is dedicated to Sophie.

Another couple we know moved in together last weekend and their housewarming party is tonight and I decided to make rice krispie treats because like OMG how cute and retro and ironic are rice krispie treats and how cute and retro and ironic that everyone is moving in together and trying not to let the basil plant they bought at Trader Joe’s die in the windowsill and talking about getting a kitten and becoming their parents. So I made some rice krispie treats and took pictures of them on Hipstamatic and now I’m going to go try to talk my boyfriend into getting this gorgeous oatmeal tweed 70’s sectional sofa at Housing Works. 

Rice krispie treats:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 10 oz bag marshmallows
• 5 cups rice krispies
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1. Melt the butter over low heat in a nonstick pot, stirring constantly.
2. Add marshmallows and continue stirring constantly until they’re melted and the mixture is smoothly blended.
3. Add cinnamon.
4. Remove from heat, stir in rice krispies.
5. Transfer to a 9x9 dish (preferably this adorable pink vintage one) and press into the dish with your hand (from the secret Paula Deen tips&tricks file: butter your hand first so the mixture doesn’t stick to it.)
6. Let cool, then slice into shapes like squares, triangles, moustaches or dinosaurs. Enjoy ironically.

So I’ve still got a ridiculous number of jars of inventively-flavored peanut butter to get through, and suggestions for anything beyond making cookies and pouring it in my cereal are welcome. My workplace serves team breakfast on Mondays, so I thought I’d make some breakfast-y cookies as a spin on peanut butter with cinnamon raisin toast. Be sure not to overcook these - they start to darken quickly on the bottom!

Cinnamon raisin peanut butter cookies:

• 1 jar (2 cups) peanut butter (Peanut Butter & Co.’s Cinnamon Raisin Swirl for this version)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together ingredients. 
2. Shape batter into 1-inch spheres and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart (size doubles while baking).
3. Use the tines of a fork to press criss-cross pattern in while flattening cookies.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool before transferring to a plate. Makes about 30 cookies.