BINGO AND BREAKFAST – a recipe and a tale of kindness

Rate this post

Hi there,

On Sunday I took my grandchildren to an event that featured breakfast and bingo. I was struck by how the French toast was prepared. It was served as a pull apart muffin. This was a very clever presentation indeed and I decided to try to duplicate it. I will get to that in a few moments.

Back to the bingo. The bingo gods were totally ignoring our table. We would just get to one empty spot needed to fill the card and bam someone would call bingo. My granddaughter, Maya, had her eye on a particular prize and the more we lost the more agitated she became. Her body language was so explicit that she could have been Mary Pickford in a silent movie. Elation, dejection, hope were a few of the very evident emotions on display.

Unknown to Maya she was being watched closely by a guardian angel named Betsy L. When Betsy called bingo she came to our table and gave her card to Maya. Needless to say Maya was elated as she retrieved the coveted prize. Betsy you truly saved the day and I want to thank you so much.

Now back to the recipe:

“What really matters is helping others win, too, even if it means slowing down and changing our course now and then.” Fred Rogers

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray, for pan

  • Muffin cups
  • 12 slices of bread
  • 6 eggs
  • 1and 1/2 cups low fat half and half
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. Cut bread into ½” cubes and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until mixture is smooth. Add bread pieces and toss until the bread has absorbed most of the liquid.

4. Divide mixture between muffin cups

5. Bake until bread is toasted and muffins are cooked throughout, about 25 minutes. Let cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes.

Special Notes: If you do an internet search you can find very many variations on this basic recipe. I am thinking that adding blueberries next time would be fun. I also found another version that added pieces of bacon.

Until next time❤️💕Bernadette

26 responses to “BINGO AND BREAKFAST – a recipe and a tale of kindness”

  1. The French toast muffins sound great, but c’mon Bernadette, what was the prize that so enthralled Maya? I’m on pins and needles over here! 😂
    She is a cutie pie, by the way. What a fun way to spend time with her grandma! 💕

  2. Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
    Darlene says:

    What a sweet story. Always nice when someone helps a youngster out. Your granddaughter is a sweetheart. I just might try these muffins. Thanks!!

  3. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen – I'm a writer, cook, gardener, photographer, poet, quilter, and accomplished daydreamer. I'm also a wife, mother, grandmother, sister. cousin, aunt, and friend, no particular order on any given day. I've been a writer all my life, newspaper reporter and columnist, radio news writer, and magazine contributor, and poet and short-story writer as the spirit moves. Now, I turn my attention to my cookbook, the blog, and a cooking column "Memorable Meals," which runs in our county newspaper. Besides my family, I love dogs, cats, good coffee, chocolate, and my never-dwindling pile of books I intend to read. Our family ran a small Vermont Inn for 18 years, with our focus on local, organic ingredients. I cook from scratch, and try not to use anything that has ingredients I cannot pronounce! After many years of daily serving up local delicacies, cooking classes, and catering, we are now only open for special events, and the odd cooking class. We also host musicians and artists, having helped produce a musical festival and other musical events for nearly 20 years. Many incredible artists have found a place at our table. Wonderful experiences, we will treasure always. My family and friends are my practice subjects. With a family that includes nut, peanut, tree fruit, and vegetable allergies, gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance, vegetarians, vegans, heart conscious, and a couple of picky eaters, there has to be a few quick tricks in the book to keep everyone fed and happy! Personally, I do not eat red meat or most full-fat dairy (usually) for health reasons, making the occasional exception at Thanksgiving and Christmas or our anniversary if the duck is locally raised. I do eat fish and seafood, so I try to come up with alternatives and substitutions when available. I serve local organic eggs and cheeses to my family who can tolerate dairy (My husband recently had a heart attack, and I need to watch my own cholesterol so I am careful, but have been known to let a little piece of really good cheese accidentally fall on my plate!). I believe strongly that eating in a way that is good for our planet is also good for our bodies, and I try to educated myself about our food sources! I cook by the seasons and draw on inspiration from the strong and talented women in my family who came before me, as well as the youth in the family who look at the world with fresh eyes. Food links us all, whether sharing a meal, cooking it together, or writing about it for others to enjoy. I love taking an old recipe and giving it a modern spin, especially if I can make it a littler healthier and use foods that are kinder to the Earth and to our bodies. I believe strongly in sustainable, delicious eating of whole foods, and the wonderful flavors we have at our fingertips! And finally, I love conversing with all the talented cooks and chefs out there who dot the globe! It's a wonderful, world full of culinary pen pals, and I cherish them all! XXXOOO Dorothy
    Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen says:

    Love the story Bernadette, and I love the Mr. Rogers quote as well!

      • Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen – I'm a writer, cook, gardener, photographer, poet, quilter, and accomplished daydreamer. I'm also a wife, mother, grandmother, sister. cousin, aunt, and friend, no particular order on any given day. I've been a writer all my life, newspaper reporter and columnist, radio news writer, and magazine contributor, and poet and short-story writer as the spirit moves. Now, I turn my attention to my cookbook, the blog, and a cooking column "Memorable Meals," which runs in our county newspaper. Besides my family, I love dogs, cats, good coffee, chocolate, and my never-dwindling pile of books I intend to read. Our family ran a small Vermont Inn for 18 years, with our focus on local, organic ingredients. I cook from scratch, and try not to use anything that has ingredients I cannot pronounce! After many years of daily serving up local delicacies, cooking classes, and catering, we are now only open for special events, and the odd cooking class. We also host musicians and artists, having helped produce a musical festival and other musical events for nearly 20 years. Many incredible artists have found a place at our table. Wonderful experiences, we will treasure always. My family and friends are my practice subjects. With a family that includes nut, peanut, tree fruit, and vegetable allergies, gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance, vegetarians, vegans, heart conscious, and a couple of picky eaters, there has to be a few quick tricks in the book to keep everyone fed and happy! Personally, I do not eat red meat or most full-fat dairy (usually) for health reasons, making the occasional exception at Thanksgiving and Christmas or our anniversary if the duck is locally raised. I do eat fish and seafood, so I try to come up with alternatives and substitutions when available. I serve local organic eggs and cheeses to my family who can tolerate dairy (My husband recently had a heart attack, and I need to watch my own cholesterol so I am careful, but have been known to let a little piece of really good cheese accidentally fall on my plate!). I believe strongly that eating in a way that is good for our planet is also good for our bodies, and I try to educated myself about our food sources! I cook by the seasons and draw on inspiration from the strong and talented women in my family who came before me, as well as the youth in the family who look at the world with fresh eyes. Food links us all, whether sharing a meal, cooking it together, or writing about it for others to enjoy. I love taking an old recipe and giving it a modern spin, especially if I can make it a littler healthier and use foods that are kinder to the Earth and to our bodies. I believe strongly in sustainable, delicious eating of whole foods, and the wonderful flavors we have at our fingertips! And finally, I love conversing with all the talented cooks and chefs out there who dot the globe! It's a wonderful, world full of culinary pen pals, and I cherish them all! XXXOOO Dorothy
        Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen says:

        He always had the right words. A magnificent soul.

  4. Tanooki – On her way to home cooking culinary journey. When there is a yummy homemade food, there is a smile:) & food coma;)
    Tanooki says:

    Woo that muffin look superb😍

  5. Chef Mimi – As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!
    chef mimi says:

    Great story, great French toast!

  6. the Painted Apron – Life is all about creativity for me, as long as I'm creating something I am happy! I hope I will inspire your daily life and give you ideas for your own wonderful creations!
    the Painted Apron says:

    I can’t wait to try this! What a great way to have French Toast and yes blueberries and or bacon would be great additions!
    Jenna

  7. You are such a good grandma and Maya is adorable! This recipe sounds delicious, I love French toast!

  8. CarolCooks2 – Udon Thani – Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them. I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling. Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing. This is now taking me into other areas like deforestation, chemicals and preservatives in the food chain. Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
    CarolCooks2 says:

    Such a cute girl with a beautiful smile and yes squidgy balls are all rage even here…as a lover of french toast I think I may try these they sound delicious :)x

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. If you like this recipe, please give it to your friends.Cancel reply