The Big (Orange) Catch.

Last week, The Denver Post ran an article called "Mommy is Blogging - With Corporate Backing." You can read the article here prior to this post if you like.

 After re-reading it several times, I had to note a few things. First, I think the point of the article was about corporate support and blogger boundaries. Yet when I read the paragraph below, I was startled:

“…she [the mommy blogger] writes, say, about how adorably orange her children's fingers get when they gobble down handfuls of yummy Cheetos. Young has, in her words, a "relationship" with Frito-Lay, the maker of Cheetos. She isn't paid a salary, but the perks include free snack food for her family of eight and a recent trip to Los Angeles, complete with parties and pampering at a ritzy hotel."

So, naturally, your first thought might be, “Wow, I’m unemployed and I’d really like to get my hands on some free Cheetos and get flown to L.A. parties. And all she has to do is write about stuff? Where can I sign?” It’s okay if that’s your response, her story sounds like she’s won the jackpot, and with six children – I’m sure she could use a break, err…party. However, Momma taught me a little piece of advice I’d like to share: “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.” (Thanks, Mom.) Now, in case you didn’t see the BIG, ORANGE “CATCH”, let me state it here and now: Cheetos.

I’m sorry, but there is no way her kid’s orange fingers are adorable (though, again, I’m not a mom). I would imagine the sight of orange seasoning smeared across a white couch, blouse, or on the walls of your house would be quite distressing. Though I just said “quite distressing” in an attempt to pull off the “British understatement”, forget it. I’m going to speak for myself here: Cheetos are bad for you (and your kids), and Cheeto fingers are gross.

We can’t ignore the fact any longer. I will say, 'perhaps not bad for you in moderation', but even that admission is a little painful. I stand by the fact that there are healthier foods to eat. How about a carrot? They are orange! And they don’t leave grubby orange fingerprints around. You can even make fun little people out of them and humor your child, right? (It humored my husband.)

But enough with the preaching. Let your kids eat Cheetos if you like. I am powerless to stop you.  All I can do is give you a teensy, weensy, kind of not-good-for-you-but-sort-of-is recipe that I think your kids will love. It’s the best French toast in the world, and when you use farm fresh eggs for the batter, then they do kind of look a little orange. Heck, I don’t care if you put some food coloring in them, do whatever you have to do to get those kiddies to stop eating processed junk. 

You can call french toast “junk” – that’s fine. But I will say that the bread was a French baguette from Luna Bakery, the eggs from Double B farm, and all the other ingredients (sugar, etc.) organic and from The Daily Co-op. So if that’s bad, we’re doomed.

Now, that you’ve listened to my tirade (thank you). Here is your recipe. Good luck with the Maple Syrup. I've found you only need the slightest drizzle, and we used this: