5 Ingredient Overnight French Toast Casserole

I always love pre-made options for feeding my family, so over the holidays I set out to search for an overnight french toast casserole recipe. I was so excited to try out something new, but was shocked when I saw just how much sugar was included in most recipes. No judgement here, I love sugary homemade treats, but I don't want to make every breakfast a dessert. Plus, french toast is a breakfast that already typically gets doused in syrup by my kids, so I wanted it to be a tad healthier.  

When I couldn't find what I wanted I decided to adapt my french toast recipe to suit an overnight bake. It was so simple, and turned out better than I could have expected. The kids gobbled it up and begged for seconds. Plus, mom and dad loved it too. 

The best part is that it only takes 5 ingredients and a few minutes to make up the night before. Then you get to enjoy your morning with your family while the delicious smell of fresh baked french toast casserole wafts through your home. For a tired mama, it doesn't get much better.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of crusty bread cut into cubes (I used an Italian loaf this time, but plan on trying a whole grain variety next time.)

• 8 large eggs whisked

• 3 cups whole milk (or combo of milk and cream)

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Grease large casserole dish with butter (approximately 9x13)

• Cut up crusty loaf into chunks and place in casserole dish *If bread is not stale leave it out in the dish for a while to dry out. It absorbs the custard better when dry.

• In a large bowl whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon & vanilla

• Pour custard mixture over bread

• Use a silicone flipper to gently rotate bread in pan so it all gets covered in custard

• Cover with Abeego or plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight

• When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove plastic wrap

• Use silicone flipper to rotate bread again and pat down into pan with flipper

• Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes rotating the pan half way through

• *optional* When timer is up, sprinkle top with 1 tsp granulated sugar and broil on low for 5 minutes.

• Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

For a special treat on New Years Day I served the casserole with fresh whipped cream, some delicious maple syrup and tons of berries and bananas. Plus a hearty helping of local bacon ;) For regular everyday eating try serving it with greek/coconut yogurt and fresh fruit. Plus you can sprinkle the top with some hemp hearts for a little extra boost.

You can also add fresh or frozen fruit to your french toast casserole before baking. Blueberries and diced apples are both delicious additions to this simple recipe.

Hope you and your family enjoy this as much as mine did. Please let me know if you make it. I would love to hear how it goes.

Care xo

6 Simple Last Minute DIY Holiday Gifts

As a long time avid DIY'er I absolutely love making our friends and family some homemade goodies for the holidays. This year I thought I would share a few of my simple DIY recipes with my readers in case you're in need of some last minute gifts or stocking stuffers. These all make great gifts for party hosts, teachers, neighbours, family and friends, and most can be made in a few minutes. 

Irish Cream

I started making this delicious Smitten Kitchen Irish Cream Recipe last year and it has quickly become a favourite everywhere we take it. This Irish cream is so much creamier than the stuff you grab off the shelf at the store, plus it's only got 5 ingredients and lasts weeks in the fridge...we have never managed to test the longevity, but I believe the recipe ;) 

Simply mix the 5 ingredients in your blender, grab some cute glass bottles from Ikea or your local dollar store and fill them up. My family especially enjoyed the mini stocking stuffer bottles I did last year. Perfect for your Christmas morning coffee.

Peppermint Patties

I used to make tons of complicated Christmas cookies, but now that I have 3 kids I have limited time for making dough, rolling it out, cutting, icing etc, so I've moved on to some simpler recipes. Mainly ones that involves melting chocolate in the microwave like this Homemade Peppermint Pattie Recipe. So easy to make and always a big hit parties. You really can't go wrong with mint and chocolate at the holidays. 

Hot Chocolate Mix

Kids freaking love hot chocolate, so what's better than a jar of homemade hot chocolate mix with mini marshmallows? I know my kids would love this gift, so that's why I made a bunch for our friends and neighbours with little ones. I hope they enjoy it over the winter holiday. Once again this is a Smitten Kitchen recipe and only has a few simple ingredients. You toss them in the food processor, mix them up and divy it into jars. Couldn't be easier. 

Bum Balm

This DIY Bum Balm is an absolute favourite in our house. Best of all, it's not just for bums! This stuff is amazing at this time of year when dry and cracked skin flares up. Friend's and family now ask me for jars of it for their winter skin. So I thought it was appropriate to share it again here as a great holiday gift. 

Honey Coconut Face Scrub

This luxurious and simple Honey Coconut Face Scrub Recipe has been a long time favourite of mine. This week I whipped up a giant batch in mere minutes to gift to some of the lovely ladies in my life. *Please Note: I recommend using a plastic lid on anything that will be kept in the bathroom. Metal ones tend to rust which isn't so nice on your face scrub. I will switch these up before gifting them.

Homemade Turtles 

I'm a chocolate and caramel addict so it's no surprise that I wanted to replicate these babies at home. I've tried making them with my own caramel several times, but always come back to this Homemade Turtle Recipe with the little square caramels. Mmmm...sometimes the lazy microwave version is totally the answer ;) Personally I like chocolate all the way around my turtles so I don't just cover the top. I pick up the pecan caramel cluster (solid from a few minutes in the freezer) and put it on a fork. I toss it in the chocolate gently upside down and flip it over, then I strain off the excess chocolate on the fork before resting it on parchment paper to cool. 

This week I will be making up some more batches of these goodies and dropping them off with friends and family. Let me know if you make any of these Holiday DIYS for your loved ones. I would love to hear how they go over. 

Happy Holidays!

Care xo

Holiday Mini Sessions With Anchor Studio at Movies For Mommies - REGISTER NOW!

With the holiday season fast approaching it's time to capture some adorable pics of your little elves. Anchor Studio Photography will be joining me at Movies for Mommies for the next 2 weeks to offer complimentary Holiday Mini Photo Sessions. Appointments will be scheduled between 12pm-1pm on each day (December 4th & December 11th). Photo sessions are free and attendees have the option to purchase photos for $25/digital image. Space is very limited for these sessions, so please email care@with-care.ca to request a spot. Don't forget to let me know which day you prefer December 4th or 11th. If the date you prefer is full I will offer you a time on the other day, or a spot on the wait list. These sessions fill up very fast, so please don't wait!

Here are a few of my favourite holiday photos that Anchor Studio have taken of my kiddos in the past. 

This Monday December 4th we will be screening the beautiful film Wonder starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson & Jacob Tremblay at 1pm (doors open at 12pm). This is one you definitely don't want to miss. Watch the trailer here. Plus join us to enter our weekly draw for a chance to WIN some awesome prizes. 

Hope to see you on Monday at the Movies! 

- Care 

*Please Note: The movie for December 11th is still TBD. If you would like to receive notice of our weekly screenings and special events please join the Movies for Mommies Humber Cinemas Newsletter

Modern Mama Social - GIVEAWAY! Enter for a Chance to WIN 2 Tickets + Prize!

I don't know about most of you mamas out there, but getting out for a night out with friends is a rare event for me. So when I heard that my friends Freda (owner of Bridge the Bump) and Christine (owner of Olilibaby ) were hosting a fun evening out I knew I had to score a ticket. The Modern Mama Social isn't just any typical night out. These ladies have thought of it all, right down to the dream mom venue...Anthropologie of course ;) 

Guests will receive a beautiful swag bag filled with sample products and discounts from local vendor, access to amazing Guest speakers and Incredible Vendors (See below). Plus delicious food from PaintBox Catering & Bistro Company, and limited complimentary wine and non-alcoholic drinks. 

Since this sounds like such a great night out, I thought it was only fair that I share some tickets with my readers. Check out the details below and Enter for a chance to Win a Pair of Tickets for you and your BFF to attend The Modern Mama Social. Plus get an adorable handmade bib from Made by Song that you can pick up at the Social. 

Here are some details about the evening...

Modern Mama Social Guest Speakers & Workshops

Shira from Stop Drop & Makeup will be talking about "the 5 minute face," helping us choose the right lipstick for the season, and offering mini makeovers.

Roselyn of Style Forage will be showing us capsule wardrobes and the "wardrobe essentials to take you from office to dinner". Plus answering any style questions you have. 

Linda Tommasino, Registered Nutritionist from The Wholesome Kitchen, will be inspiring everyone to cook well, eat well and nourish well, even during the busy holiday season. She will have a variety of mini nutrition talks, plus be available for your nutrition questions.

Becka Orgill Toner, Life & Career Coach from Ignite Your Inner Spark works with women across North America to help them navigate the complexities of career and motherhood with greater fulfillment. She will be helping us Ignite Our Inner Spark

Modern Mama Social Vendors & Specials

With a curated group of local vendors and some amazing Exclusive Offers this event is the perfect place to pick out gifts for the holidays...and maybe a little something for yourself. You deserve it! After all, we're usually the ones doing all the spoiling. Here are a few of the vendors who are planning to be there. 

Henkaa Designs will be providing an amazing prize at The Modern Mama Social of 1 Monogram Multiway Bag with Travel Change Pad + $150 gift card to Henkaa. Total value $250! 

Bridge the Bump will have their coat extensions for you to try on just in time for winter. I love that these are locally designed and made in Toronto. Don't sacrifice the comfort and style of your own winter jacket, plus stay nice and cozy with your bump or baby. (full review) *Bridge the Bump will have an Exclusive Offer on Grey Coat extensions. For this evening only, purchase a grey coat extension for $75 (regularly $90). 

Olilibaby will be helping save parent's sanity with their adorable and functional Mitten Clips. Perfect stocking stuffers! Get them for a Special Price of 2 sets for $20 at the Modern Mama Social. 

Made by Song will be selling her beautiful handmade bibs, taggie toys, rattles and teethers. Plus Kathleen from Made by Song will be launching a new bib design at the show. *Special Offer on Bibs at the Social 2 for $20. One Made by Song Bib is included in this GIVEAWAY! 

Bonnefetti will be showing of their gorgeous paper products including their one of a kind wine tags, and featuring a beautiful new collection of holiday cards at a special price! A perfect compliment to your holiday gifting. 

If you want to join us for this fun night out on the town Enter NOW for a chance to WIN a Pair of tickets to The Modern Mama Social ($90 value) + an adorable handmade Bib from Made By Song ($15 value). 

To Enter simply comment below with your name and email address, or alternatively you can comment below and submit your email address to care@with-care.ca for entry (You must comment below to be entered via the blog). Plus, make sure to check out my Instagram feed for additional ways to enter! Contest is open to anyone in the Greater Toronto Area who is 18+ and closes Wednesday November 22nd at 11pm EST. A winner will be chosen at random and contacted within 24 hours. Good Luck!

If you don't Win tickets you can Purchase Tickets Here for $45 per attendee. **If you purchase tickets between Thursday November 23rd and end of day Saturday November 25th $2 of your ticket price will be donated to the ShoeBox Project. So don't wait! Get your tickets. Space is limited and this is sure to be a lovely evening.

Care 

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I only partner with products and services that I genuinely love and want to recommend. 

Lucy's 4th Unicorn Birthday Party

This year for Lucy's 4th Birthday I decided to go all out and throw her the party of her dreams. As a true 2nd child, she has never had a real party until now. While Ben has had several epic birthday parties. So basically, this party was making up for a few years of some serious parental guilt. 

Lucy requested a Unicorn party, with a unicorn flavoured cake, and real live unicorns!! After a discussion about mythical creatures vs. real animals, and a little internet search for animals and kid's birthday parties, we settled on unicorn invites, a unicorn shape cake, and a visit from some adorable animals care of Pawsitively Pets. Luckily since we wanted to have a weeknight birthday party they were able to accommodate my less than 2 week notice (see I'm not always organized). Please note: weekend parties book up much farther in advance, so don't wait as long as I did, or you'll be disappointed.

Once I knew Lucy wanted a Unicorn party I set to work on the internet to find a perfect invite and some cute decor. I fell in love with this invite from Little Crazy Doughnut on Etsy, and knew Lucy would adore it too. I absolutely love buying custom invites like this because it's so convenient, affordable, and fast. Which was especially important on my tight timeline.

We sent our invites out via email which is a time and money saver, and has the added benefit of preventing kids from getting their feelings hurt at school. I firmly believe that you can invite as many or as few kids to a birthday party, as long as your tactful about it. A full class party of 28 kids was not happening for us, so Lucy chose a few of her friends from her class and our neighbourhood to invite.

Next I set out to find a unicorn cake and when I saw this one by Le Dolci I knew it was perfect. I wanted this to be a huge surprise for Lucy, so I never let her see photos of it ahead of time. She was absolutely blown away by it, and so were all of the guests at the party. Plus it was absolutely delicious! As a baker I'm especially picky of icing and this was some amazing icing. 

The beautiful flowers from Tonic Blooms added such a perfect touch to the table, and brightened up our home all week. I didn't know exactly what I wanted, so I sent them a photo of some of the party decor and they made up these gorgeous arrangements. I was blown away by how well they complimented the overall theme. 

I absolutely love the way the decor all turned out, but nothing at the party could compare to the adorable creatures Pawsitively Pets brought. Our host Jess arrived a few minutes early and set up the area for the pet show. I loved how they came so prepared with sheets to cover the floors, baby wipes and hand sanitizer. Jess was great with the kids and managed to keep them engaged throughout the whole hour. When some of the kids started getting tired of sitting, she did a little exercise break with them and got them right back into the show. The kids got to look at, learn about, touch and hold a bunch of different cool animals. The questions that the kid's asked were so adorable, and it was amazing to hear some of the stuff they already knew about the animals. The chinchilla was the highlight of the party for me. Not only the softest thing I have ever felt (seriously it's softer than cashmere. no joke. I want one), but it also sat on their heads, which basically made their year. 

I'm so happy to have so many amazing memories from Lucy's party captured by Silvia and Tony of Anchor Studio. I know I would never have been able to get action shots like this while hosting. Although we won't be able to have a photographer at every party, it was a nice treat for this one. I don't think Lucy is going to forget this party anytime soon. She is still wearing her unicorn horn around the house...and sometimes to school. So all in all I would say it was a major success. I will be sure to share the DIY Unicorn horns on the blog soon. I hope this gives you some inspiration for your next kid's birthday party. 

Care 

In this post:

Pawsitively Pets: Pet Parties & Camps     |    Le Dolci: Unicorn Cake     |     Anchor Studio: Photography *Mention With Care at booking to receive 10% Off|     Little Crazy Doughnut: Invitation     |    Tonic Blooms: Flower Arrangements     |     Newmies: Unicorn Stuffies     |     Tiny Trendsetter: Lucy's Dress

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I only partner with products and services that I genuinely love and want to recommend. 

The Heavy Flow Podcast With Care

I'm really excited/totally terrified to share this with everyone. A few weeks ago I was a guest on my first ever podcast. As someone who firmly hates listening to their own voice (I hear it's common), and who is a bit anxious about being an "expert" speaker (I know that's silly since i'm a midwife and teacher, but it's true), this was a bit outside of my comfort zone. I have know Amanda Laird, the amazing creator of The Heavy Flow Podcast for over a year now, since meeting at one of my CPR workshops that she attended with her partner and adorable daughter Maisie. Amanda and I hit it off right away and have stayed friends since, so when she asked me to be on The Heavy Flow I knew I had to toss my fears aside and do it. 

Each week on The Heavy Flow Amanda chats with guests about all the nitty gritty health and wellness topics that are currently too taboo for our society to put out in the open. Informative and casual conversations like these about menstruation, fertility, childbirth, menopause, birth control, sexuality, mental health, hormonal health and reproductive health, are so integral as a step toward making this information accessible to all people. I absolutely love this podcast and highly recommend subscribing to it so you don't miss any of these amazing discussions. As Amanda says "We are not truly empowered until we all understand the bodies we live in." I couldn't agree more. 

In my episode Amanda asks me about the stuff that we don't talk about when it comes to pregnancy, childbirth & early parenting. We talk about realistic expectations, physiologic labour and birth, informed choice, support, and how your birth experience can impact your life as a new parent. Plus we laugh a lot. I can't wait for you to hear it. **Please note that we talk about birth trauma in this episode**

Care 

Halloween Mini Sessions at Movies for Mommies

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty much obsessed with seeing my kiddos in halloween costumes. They're always so ridiculously cute. Every year I try to capture a sweet photo as a memento, but I have learned over the years that it's best to do it before Halloween. That way I don't have to compete with their sheer excitement for CANDY! Snapping a good pic can be tough, so I love letting the professionals do the hard work. 

This month I will be hosting 2 sessions of Complimentary Halloween Mini Sessions with Anchor Studio at Movies for Mommies at the Humber Cinema. Photos will take place pre-show from 12-1pm on Monday October 16th (Battle of the Sexes) and Monday October 23rd (Movie TBD).  Sessions are complimentary for Movies Attendees, and high resolution digital images can be purchased for $25/file. 

Space is extremely limited for these sessions and always fills up fast, so please don't wait to register. Send an email to care@with-care.ca indicating which date you prefer, and a session time will be emailed to you. If all sessions are booked I will give you the option of being added to the waiting list. 

These are a few of my favourites from our Halloween session with Anchor Studio last fall. As you can see Lucy refused to put on her costume (in true preschooler fashion), so Silvia and Tony rolled with it and made it a fall inspired session instead. 

Penny obviously rocked her costume.

Don't forget that Anchor Studio is one of my partners and offers 10% off to my clients. Just mention With Care when you book your session. 

Hope to see you at the Movies! 

Care 

**Please Note: Sessions are for Movie attendees only. Send an email to care@with-care.ca indicating which date you prefer, and a session time will be emailed to you. If all sessions are booked I will give you the option of being added to the waiting list. *

Garage Makeover Reveal With Care

It's finally here, the day I get to share our garage makeover reveal with you. This project took a lot longer than we anticipated due to delays with materials and summer plans, but in the end it has all come together beautifully. Check out this before and after to see a truly amazing transformation. 

Some things I learned doing this reno:

1. Renos ALWAYS take longer than anticipated. Even small projects have delays, so you just have to roll with it. I try to remind myself that we are incredibly fortunate to have a place to renovate, and the means to do so. 

2. Making reno choices is really hard. Who knew? As someone who hasn't done much of this stuff I found it really tough. There are so many choices for finishes, colours, textures...plus the budget! I was so happy to be able to bounce ideas off of our friend Krista of KMSalter Design & Diana at The Garage Door Depot. I now know why people hire designers, especially on big projects. Thanks ladies!

Here is my original inspiration from earlier this spring:

Looking out on our backyard now brings me the biggest smile. The garage turned out better than I ever could have imagined.

Not only is the garage beautiful and totally changes the look of our yard, but the garage door actually works! Like really really works. It's almost effortless to open and close, which makes it way easier to clean up the kids toys and bikes at the end of a long day. I know I sound like a nerd, but I love this door. I was so impressed by The Garage Door Depot's customer service from start to finish. The way they helped me design, measure and tailor the door to suit our needs was amazing.

Originally I was thinking of a pretty basic door, but after looking at the options and chatting with Diana I decided on a gorgeous carriage style door (Acadia North Hatley by Garaga). I figured it's an investment and something we will be looking at for a long time (comes with a limited lifetime warranty after all), so we should go with one that we love. I'm obsessed with all the little details on this door. The windows, iron handles and hinges give it such a classic look. Plus I love that it's Canadian made.

I usually enjoy a good DIY, but our new garage door was one thing I definitely wanted professionally installed. There is something about a large piece of metal suspended from the ceiling that makes me vote for a pro. The installers with Garage Door Depot were incredibly knowledgeable and worked efficiently to get our door installed and ready to use.  Plus they cleaned up the area before leaving. I know that sounds silly, but as a busy mama who is always cleaning up after someone, I aways appreciate when in-home service providers leave the space as they found it. *If you're in need of a new garage door mention With Care for 10% off Insulated Garage Doors with The Garage Door Depot Toronto

We debated simply painting the metal siding on the garage, but after learning how much work was involved for a short term fix, we decided to change up the siding and go for something eco-friendly and local. We chose Canadian-made stained wood siding from Maibec. We eventually want to refinish our screened in porch at the front of our house to match and wanted the classic look of wood, without all the the upkeep. This stuff is warranted for rot for 50 years, and the stains are warrantied for anywhere from 8-15 years depending on what you choose. I absolutely love this natural tone charcoal grey that we picked to compliment the existing brick facade of our home.

Please note that we installed the siding ourselves because of our budget, and because we're those kind of people ; ), but if it's in your budget, I would always recommend hiring someone for large jobs like this. Especially with kids under foot. If you are someone who likes a challenge, is handy, has the right tools, a little help, and some extra time, it's doable (make sure you choose the em+ installation system if you're going DIY and read through the whole installation guide so you can plan your project). We hope to do the front of our house next year (ahh it would look gorgeous!), so maybe I'll write out a little DIY guide if we do.  

For now I'm just excited to enjoy time in our backyard and smile at this beauty of a garage...and maybe start dreaming up ways to make the inside prettier and more functional. I can already hear Brian (my partner) rolling his eyes from here ; )

If you're planning a garage makeover don't hesitate to get in touch, or check out some of the amazing products and services I used below. 

Care

In this Post:

Garage Door Depot Toronto (Mention With Care for 10% off Insulated Doors): Acadia North Hatley Garage Door by Garaga     |     Maibec: Coastal Charcoal URBAHN Brushed Wood Siding in Rabbeted Bevel     |     Plant World: Hay Bail, Planters, Pumpkins + Wreath     |     Wayfair: Goosneck Light Fixtures

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I only partner with products and services that I genuinely love and want to recommend.