Ain't it good to know, you've got a friend

It's been a rough week.  Sleep and I have parted company.  I like Sleep.  I always thought Sleep and I got along just fine, but this week for some reason Sleep is pissed and he's staying away, and I've been staying awake.  It just sucks.   As I lie in bed each night, my body aches for Sleep.  I can't think of anything but Sleep, and I desperately want Sleep to come back.  But despite my best efforts to entice him back into my bed, he's ignoring me, and I'm up at 3 a.m. watching recorded episodes of Modern Family.  One of the first casualties has been both my cooking, and hence, this blog.  When you haven't slept, your body automatically prioritizes those things upon which to expend energy.  Breathing comes first, and it pretty much ends there.

This blog, fortunately, has been rescued by my dear friend, next-door neighbor,
published author (http://www.amazon.com/Jaguar-Sees-Lacquer-Box-ebook/dp/B004LB4Z0U)*, and fellow-blogger (http://annsannotations.blogspot.com/),  Ann Simon.  She will share with you a dessert dressed up as breakfast.  It sounds amazing, but my eye-lids are getting heavy, my body is getting warm, and I sense that perhaps Sleep is willing to reconcile, so I'm off to see if I can't talk him into some zzzzzzz's.

Strawberry Croissant French Toast
By Ann Simon

We all stand in awe of Cynthia's cooking, I think we can admit that.  At least, we all sit at her table with awe. 

When I first met Cynthia, she would spend an afternoon "relaxing," cooking red sauce or mouth watering eggplant parmesean.  I, of course, the devoted neighbor, did my part by tasting her endeavors and accepting invitations to family dinners.  Okay, they weren't always invitations as my husband has been known to yell across the fence, "Cynthia!  What are you making for dinner?"   

I don't mind cooking.  I am a decent cook.  However, you will NEVER find me relaxing in the kitchen.  My reaction to approaching the stove is akin to hearing the Star Trek claxon screaming "Avoid!  Avoid!"  On the other hand, I do love to eat. We are currently in the middle of ten days in Nova Scotia.  We eat sea food in the evenings and enjoy various B&B breakfasts in the mornings.  There's a modest amount of hiking that goes on in between, but, let's face it, that's pretty much an excuse to sit at table again.  Oh, yes, Richard, we've done our share of sampling Nova Scotia's wine as well.  One word for you, Jost. 

Yesterday, the English Country Garden B&B (Indian Brook, Nova Scotia) offered a breakfast dish well worth sitting down for.  It's probably even worth entering the kitchen to cook because it's not difficult to make while the results are spectacular.  It is:



Strawberry Croissant French Toast

Take one fat croissant and slice it lengthwise.
Smear cream cheese on the bottom slice and top with
fresh, sliced strawberries.
Dip the entire thing in egg mixture and fry like French Toast.
Serve with maple syrup.  (Use real maple syrup; don't waste the fake stuff on this.)

Sit with a cup of coffee or tea and eat while gazing on the mist rising from the inlet beyond the garden.

*  Jaguar Sees:  The Lacquer Box will soon be available for the Nook and I-Pad on Smashwords.