Image Courtesy of Geniusbeauty.com

“For every leaf, that twirls the breeze,
May useful hints and lessons give;
The falling leaves and fading trees
Will teach and caution us to live.”

– John Clare , Autumn

Autumn is the glorious season of colorful leaves, crisp fresh air, spicy aromas and harvest festivals.  It’s a celebration of nature’s bounty – a sustainable feast of everything organic, like apples, pears, pumpkin, squash, potatoes, zucchini and corn.  Add some antioxidant rich spices and herbs to the harvest mix, and you’ll enjoy a sensory explosion of flavors and enticing scents.  At Bigelow Tea, we welcome the autumn harvest with a delightful cornucopia of organic, herbal and spicy teas, like Bigelow® Pumpkin Spice Tea , Bigelow® Apple Cider Herbal Tea ,  and Cinnamon Stick® Tea.

Bigelow® Pumpkin Spice Tea

Bigelow® Apple Cider Herbal Tea

Cinnamon Stick® Tea

In our ongoing effort to practice sustainable living, Bigelow Tea established the  “Sustainabili-TEA” program which serves as a guide for everything we do – from producing only the finest quality teas, hand-picked from mountain grown gardens, to protecting our environment and serving our community.

And, speaking of Sustainabili-TEA, we rejoice in each and every season – but when it comes to the celebration of a Bigelow Tea-style autumn, we’re all about the spice! So, do enjoy the natural spicy flavor of our autumnal teas and try out some of our seasonal recipes, like the delectable Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake .  And don’t forget – we have Mother Nature to thank for our harvest, so savor, savor, and savor some more!

Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake

What better way to celebrate Hot Breakfast Month than with a nice warm plate of french toast?  Vanilla & Cinnamon Baked Challah French Toast combines the classic flavors of French toast – cinnamon and vanilla – using Bigelow Cinnamon Stick tea and Bigelow French Vanilla Tea.  And, you can even make it ahead of time.  February is a short month so don’t let Hot Breakfast Month come to a close without trying this great breakfast.  It is sure to become one of your favorites.

Breakfast and Brunch
Vanilla & Cinnamon Baked Challah French Toast

Ingredients:
12 slices of Challah bread, cut in half on the diagonal
½ cup of hot water
5 tea bags – 3 Bigelow® Cinnamon Stick™ and 2 Bigelow® French Vanilla
6 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
Non-stick cooking spray (preferably plain or butter flavor)

Instructions:
This do-ahead dish makes a perfect breakfast for overnight guests. It can be completely assembled the night before, and will bake while you’re brewing the morning tea. Serve with a fresh fruit salad for a delicious start to your day.

Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Steep 5 tea bags in ½ cup of water for 5 minutes, and allow to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and salt. Add cooled tea and whisk to combine.

Arrange a layer of Challah bread in the prepared baking dish, and evenly distribute half of the cream cheese cubes on top.

Add a second layer of Challah bread, and slowly pour egg mixture over the top, allowing it to completely soak all the bread.

Top with remaining cream cheese cubes, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight (or at least 2 hours).

The next morning, remove from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the dish is completely set and lightly browned.

Cut into squares and serve with maple syrup if desired.

Yield: Serves 6-8