A little kick of Bermudan rum and just the right amount of eggs in the homemade eggnog makes this French toast extra silky and there’s no need to add more eggs when cooking.

Eggnog French Toast
serves 6 (with extra eggnog for sipping)

What you need:
Bermudan Eggnog (recipe to follow)
1 loaf Challah, cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 cup butter
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
1 pint fresh berries (I use raspberries)
Pure maple syrup, warmed
Mint for garnish (optional)

What to do: 
1. Heat a griddle until hot.
2. Soak Bread: In a medium mixing bowl, add a cup of Bermudan Eggnog at a time and QUICKLY soak two bread slices in the egg nog.
3. Cook French Toast: Add two tablespoons of butter to the hot griddle and add the soaked bread slices. Cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Continue with remaining slices. Adding more eggnog as needed as you go.
To Serve: Serve warm dusted with confectioner’s sugar and berries. Serve warm maple syrup on the side.

Photography by Chia Chong

Bermudan Eggnog
serves 6

What you need:
4 large eggs, seperated
1/3 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 shots Goslings Black Seal Rum (about half a cup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Freshly grated nutmeg

What to do: 
In a large bowl, or bowl of a standing mixer, beat the egg yolks until just starting to lighten in color. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until thick and light and the sugar has completely dissolved. Whisk in the milk, cream, rum, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg.

In a separate large bowl, whip the egg whites until have reached a soft peak. Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Place in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes, stir again and serve with grated nutmeg for garnish.

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
Gingham Placemat and Yachtie Linen Napkin Set from Libbie Summers label

Recipe by Libbie Summers from The Whole Hog Cookbook (Rizzoli)
Linen Napkins:Shiitake Linen Napkin Set available at Libbie Summers label
Linen Apron Dress: Atelier Apron Dress in black linen available at Libbie Summers label

Creamy, organic, salty and just a little sweet. It’s everything you will ever want in a side dish. Substitute this bread pudding for your usual holiday stuffing recipe and you’ll probably never make the other again.
Pro Tip: Up the bacon if you are feeling so inspired. Omit it to keep it vegetarian…but why?

Savory Mushroom and Bacon Bread Pudding
serves 6

What you need:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
1/2 cup white wine (can substitute chicken stock)
1 1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped (I use a mixture)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, finely diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon rubbed dried sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 large eggs
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 cups day-old challah bread, crusts on, torn into cubes
Warm Sage Butter (recipe to follow)

What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with the butter and set aside.

2. Cook Bacon: In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until it is crisp. Remove the bacon to a bowl and set aside.

3. Cook Mushroom Mixture: To the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the wine or stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits as you stir. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic, shallots, basil, parsley, sage, and thyme. Sauté for 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and browned. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Finish Bread Pudding Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, 3/4 cup of the cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.  Stir in the mushroom mixture and transfer the pudding to the prepared baking dish.

5. Bake Bread Pudding: Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until the pudding is browned and the center has puffed up.

To Serve: Serve warm drizzled with Warm Sage Butter.

Warm Sage Butter
Yields 3/4 cup

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 fresh sage leaves, chopped

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the sage and simmer for 3 minutes.

Let your food inspire your table decor.

Shiitake Linen Napkin Set available at Libbie Summers label. 

And always feel beautiful while you create beautiful and delicious things…always

Atelier Apron Dress in black linen available at Libbie Summers label.

I’ve made it easy to shop everything you love about the LIBBIE SUMMERS label collection of modern nostalgic fashion and home goods with this interactive HOLIDAY COLLECTION catalog.
The catalog is filled with impeccably crafted kitchen to street fashion like the new Twilight Blue Gingham pieces, table linens, recipes and table settings to inspire.
A new luxurious linen in a  Twilight Blue has given me all the feels this holiday and I’ve used it in a new hostess apron and the most delicious extra large blanket scarf.
Home goods include linen washcloths in beautiful colors and so very soft they can be used for body and dish.
I’ve also included a stocking stuffer section that is filled with ideas that are affordable, unique, utilitarian and trés chic! Shopping the catalog means you are shopping small, shopping handmade in the USA and shopping a female owned business!
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Click on the photo to start shopping the catalog! 

LIBBIE SUMMERS label Holiday 2021 Catalog

By Libbie Summers
Floral Apron Shown with Cake:Hostess Apron in Floral Linen available at Libbie Summers label. 

Yet another variation on a recipe from my cookbook, Sweet and Vicious: Baking With Attitude. A never fail cake recipe that will work with any fruit…like any fruit! Change up the spices to make it your own. In this recipe, I swapped out the cinnamon for ground cardamom and a heavy pinch of black pepper. Serving with vanilla ice cream is not optional.

Georgia Peach Upside-Down Skillet Corn Cake
serves 8-10

What you need:
For the fruit layer:
4 tablespoons butter
3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Gosling’s Black Seal Rum (optional)
4-5 ripe Georgia peaches, pitted and sliced into 1/4” slices

For the cake batter:
1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup medium-grind cornmeal
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon (swap out for ground cardamom and a heavy pinch of black pepper if you like)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla paste or really good vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup milk, at room temperature
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (not optional)

What to do:
1. Make the fruit layer: In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until just bubbling.  Add the brown sugar and rum. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely melted and the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  Arrange two layers of the sliced peaches in a decorative pattern to cover the brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the skillet. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

2. Make the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and spice(s). Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla paste and beat to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the flour mixture, then add the milk and mix to combine, then add the last of the flour mixture. Mix only until the flour mixture is just incorporated (the batter will be thick). Spread the batter over the fruit, being careful not to move the fruit around too much.  You may smooth the top, but don’t worry too much because everything will settle as it bakes.

3. Finish the Cake: Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the skillet or an instant read thermometer registers 190-195ºF. The center should feel set to the touch. Remove the skillet from the oven and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet, then very carefully place a plate (larger than the diameter of the skillet) over the top of the skillet and flip the skillet over to turn the cake out onto the plate.

To Serve: Serve the cake warm or room temperature sat in the middle of your dinner table with a bowl of vanilla ice cream on the side.

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey

Using twigs found on a walk and leftover scraps of felt from a holiday crafting project Spring came early in the form of this adorable wreath! Sure, the felt flowers are simple and lovely on their own, but grouped together on a homemade wreath they become très chic! Keep for yourself, or gift to a friend who needs a little Spring in their step. 

Felt Flower Wreath
makes one adorable wreath to give or keep

What you need:
9″ x 12″ basic felt sheets in assorted colors (I used a more muted palette found in the French countryside)
1 bunch of twigs (mine were various sizes and widths)
Hot glue and glue gun
Scissors
Small piece of floral wire or ribbon for hanging (optional, it can also hang over a hook just as it is)

What to do:
1. Make the Flower Center: Cut 1 felt sheet into a square. Fold the square in half and glue down. On the fold end, cut thin lines about halfway down. Start at one end and place a dot of glue. Carefully roll the felt and glue at the end. Set aside to dry.

2. Cut and Add Flower Pedals: From a sheet of felt cut 8 to 10 petal shapes. Take the flower center you made in Step 1 and glue the bottom of your petal to the bottom of the flower center. Make sure the folded end of the flower center is at the top. Continue glueing your petals around your flower center until you make it back to the first. Repeat the process a second time around.

3. Cut and Add the Flower Leaves: From another sheet of felt, cut a leaf shape that looks like a ‘+’. Next, cut out an oval shape that is a bit larger. Fold that in half and glue 1/3 of the fold. Glue the ‘+’ shape to the bottom of your flower. Glue the other shape onto the bottom of the ‘+’ shape.

4. Make the Wreath I found twigs in my backyard that are about 6 to 8 inches long and started glueing them together until they resembled a circle and had a few layers (NOTE: This doesn’t need to be a perfect circle, actually less than perfect is best!). Next I glued the bottoms of the flowers to the twigs until the wreath was covered just how you like it (I left some of the wreath exposed). To hang, twist a small piece of floral wire through one of the twigs at the top and hang onto a nail OR hook or wrap a beautiful ribbon around the top OR hang straight from the wreath onto a hook.

Check out these other homespun chic felt crafts! 
•Felt Fortune Cookies
•Tiered Felt Holiday Ornaments
•Felt Gnome Hat
•Felt Ball Garland