Decadent Panettone French Toast with Tart Cranberry Compote: Your Ultimate Holiday Brunch Recipe

Elevate your holiday mornings with a truly special treat! Classic Italian Panettone bread is expertly transformed into rich, delicious, and wonderfully festive French toast, perfectly suited for the most wonderful time of the year. Serve this decadent creation with a vibrant, tart homemade cranberry compote for an unforgettable breakfast or brunch experience that captures the essence of the season.

For many families, Christmas Day is synonymous with cherished traditions. In our home, countless small rituals unfold, and a significant number of them revolve around food, with Italian Panettone taking center stage. This beloved sweet bread isn’t just a dessert; it’s a symbol of togetherness, warmth, and the joy of the festive season.

The morning begins slowly, a gentle awakening to the quiet excitement of Christmas. My family gathers at the table, still in our pajamas, cozy robes, and fuzzy socks – the unofficial uniform of the day. There, we feast on slices of buttery Italian panettone, alongside an assortment of fresh fruits and berries, all washed down with warm mugs of hot coffee. It’s a simple yet profound ritual that sets the tone for the entire day.

After this comforting breakfast, we transition to the living room, where the real magic of gift-giving unfolds. We take turns with our stockings, then slowly open presents, savoring each moment. While some traditions may have evolved over the years, this particular sequence – Panettone breakfast followed by a relaxed present opening – has remained a steadfast and treasured part of our Christmas celebration.

The Magic of Panettone: A Holiday Tradition Transformed

Panettone is more than just a holiday staple for our family; it’s an institution. While some might go wild for Christmas cookies or elaborate pastries, our true holiday indulgence is a generous, thick slice of rich, buttery Italian panettone. Its aroma alone – a delicate blend of citrus, vanilla, and sweet bread – instantly evokes the festive spirit. For us, it truly tastes like the holidays, bringing a sense of nostalgia and comfort with every bite.

Over the years, we’ve sampled countless panettones, both store-bought and from artisanal bakeries, always searching for that perfect balance of sweetness, texture, and flavor. While I haven’t yet ventured into making homemade panettone (a challenge for another holiday season!), I’m usually a strong advocate for enjoying it in its purest form. A good panettone, in my opinion, needs little embellishment, perhaps just a slather of high-quality salted butter to highlight its inherent richness. The subtle saltiness perfectly complements the sweet, aromatic bread.

However, for this extraordinary Buttermilk Panettone French Toast, I am more than willing to make an exception. This recipe takes our beloved holiday bread to an entirely new level, transforming it into a truly decadent breakfast or brunch. To further enhance this festive dish, we’re serving it alongside a vibrant, homemade cranberry compote. This addition not only brightens the flavors but also adds a beautiful festive color and a delightful tangy counterpoint to the sweet French toast.

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Irresistible Brown Sugar and Chili Rubbed Salmon with Creamy Avocado Crema: A Quick & Healthy Dinner from Andie Mitchell’s Cookbook

Prepare to elevate your weeknight dinner game with this simple, yet incredibly elegant Brown Sugar and Chili-Rubbed Salmon, perfectly complemented by a luscious Avocado Crema. This outstanding recipe is a true gem from my dear friend Andie Mitchell’s latest culinary masterpiece, her cookbook Eating in the Middle. It’s a dish that embodies everything we love about wholesome, flavor-packed cooking, proving that healthy eating can be utterly delicious and surprisingly quick to prepare.

Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting someone and instantly feeling like you’ve known them forever? It’s a rare and truly wonderful experience, that immediate sense of kinship and understanding. That’s precisely how I felt the very first time I crossed paths with Andie Mitchell. Our connection was instant and effortless, like reuniting with a long-lost friend.

Our initial meeting took place during a memorable blogging retreat in Utah back in October. Over the course of three days, we delved into countless conversations, covering everything from our personal lives to our professional aspirations and even our deepest insecurities. We shared so many laughs that it often brought us to tears, forging a bond that felt much stronger than the short time we had known each other. It was an incredibly enriching experience that highlighted Andie’s genuine warmth and approachable spirit.

If you’ve had the opportunity to immerse yourself in her powerful and brilliant memoir, It Was Me All Along, I’m sure you experienced a similar sense of connection and understanding with Andie. Her honesty, vulnerability, and inspiring journey resonate deeply with readers, making her feel like a close confidante even to those who have never met her. It’s this authentic voice and relatable perspective that makes her work so impactful and her presence so comforting.

After practically devouring her first book from cover to cover, I eagerly awaited the release of her cookbook. And that day is finally here! Andie’s new cookbook, Eating in the Middle, is now available in stores. This cookbook isn’t just a collection of recipes; it’s a testament to a beautiful, balanced approach to food and life, which is precisely why I adore it so much.

Beyond the stunning photography and the array of comforting, yet innovative and imaginative recipes, I deeply appreciate the core philosophy that this book represents. It’s a refreshing guide to healthy, wholesome eating, but with a crucial understanding: there’s always room for a little indulgence. Andie encourages us to celebrate life, to cook with vibrant, flavor-packed ingredients, while simultaneously granting ourselves the grace to enjoy that extra slice of chocolate cake or a satisfying handful of fries without guilt. This balanced perspective is a game-changer for many who struggle with restrictive diets.

The beauty of Eating in the Middle lies in its comprehensive appeal. It offers a little something for everyone, making it incredibly versatile. The majority of the recipes are geared towards health-conscious meals, complete with nutritional facts to help you make informed choices. However, Andie cleverly integrates recipes for delightful indulgences, like dulce de leche cream-filled doughnuts with chocolate glaze – a definite “yes!” in my book! This thoughtful mix truly allows for a sustainable and enjoyable approach to eating.

In a world that frequently pushes an “all-or-nothing” mentality when it comes to food and exercise, I cannot overstate how refreshing, liberating, and utterly important Andie’s perspective is. It’s a viewpoint that champions moderation, self-compassion, and the joy of food in all its forms. In fact, this very same philosophy and attitude are what guide the content and mission of this blog – or at least, that is always my aim and aspiration: to inspire a balanced, joyful approach to cooking and eating that embraces both health and happiness.

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Achieve Perfectly Pressed Tofu: The Ultimate Waste-Free Method for Crispy Results (No Tofu Press Needed!)

Unlocking the full potential of tofu in your cooking starts with one crucial step: pressing. This guide reveals my favorite method for pressing tofu, ensuring incredible texture and flavor absorption, all without needing a specialized tofu press and generating zero waste!

Tofu is a remarkably versatile ingredient, a staple in plant-based cooking and beloved by many for its ability to absorb flavors and its satisfying texture. Whether you’re a seasoned tofu enthusiast or just beginning your journey with this incredible soy product, mastering the art of pressing tofu is a game-changer. It transforms a humble block of protein into a firm, flavorful canvas ready for countless culinary creations. If you haven’t yet explored the wonders of tofu, I highly recommend trying our Thai Red Curry Tofu or our incredibly simple No-Cook Spicy Tofu to see just how delicious and adaptable it can be.

Today, I’m thrilled to share my absolute favorite method for pressing tofu. Over years of cooking with this ingredient, experimenting with various techniques, this particular approach has consistently proven to be the most effective. What makes it truly stand out is its commitment to sustainability: it requires zero waste and no specialized equipment whatsoever. All you need are a few basic kitchen tools that you likely already own.

While some tofu preparations, like crumbling it into a scramble or adding it to a creamy soup, don’t necessarily demand pressing, this step becomes indispensable when you’re aiming for specific textures and enhanced flavor. If your goal is to achieve beautifully sautéed, pan-fried, or especially crispy tofu, removing excess moisture is paramount. The water naturally present in tofu can prevent it from browning effectively and achieving that desired crisp exterior.

Beyond crispiness, pressing tofu offers several key advantages. It significantly improves the tofu’s firmness, allowing it to hold its shape much better during cooking, whether you’re cubing it for a stir-fry or slicing it for a sandwich. More importantly, by removing the diluting moisture, pressing allows your marinades, sauces, and seasonings to fully penetrate and infuse the tofu, leading to a much richer and more concentrated flavor profile in your final dish. This simple step elevates your tofu from good to truly exceptional. Ready to elevate your tofu game? Let’s get started!

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