HOLIDAY TRADITIONS in the KITCHEN BY KIRSTEN HOLDER . PHOTOS PROVIDED. For most of us, even the mention of the phrase “holiday traditions” evokes warm, cinnamon-scented memories. Sweets and treats are near synonymous with togetherness and festive celebrations this time of year. Read on to learn how four local families incorporate holiday culinary traditions, why they matter and how they’re passing these recipes to the next generation. Bountiful breakfast + HEALTHY COMPETITION Madi Pontikes and her family enjoy a traditional Christmas morning with a little bit of competition! “Each year my parents, my in-laws, my sister and all the kids look forward to a gingerbread decorating contest,” said Madi. “It’s a really fun activity where the kids can get messy and enjoy togetherness. Each of the kids then gets to show off their creations and gets an award such as ‘most sprinkly, most colorful, most snowy;’ you get the idea!” The Pontikes family also enjoys stuffed French toast, a recipe passed down from Madi’s mom. “As soon as we had Christmas with our own family, we knew it was a tradition we wanted to incorporate,” said Madi. “Everyone looks forward to Christmas morning stuffed French toast for breakfast!” Readers might recognize Madi from her popular Instagram platform, Move by Madi. With her focus on health and fitness, we couldn’t help but wonder about her family celebrating with indulgent foods. “We mix real, energy-giving foods into our big meals,” said Madi. “The sweet, indulgent foods just taste so good, and a big part of life for us is enjoying food! We usually add some eggs to our breakfast so everyone feels good and big meltdowns don’t ensue. It’s all about balance, and we like to celebrate with butter and sugar around here!”
MADI’S DAUGHTER ELLIS PARTICIPATES IN THE FAMILY GINGERBREAD DECORATING CONTEST.
Stuffed French Toast Ingredients • 8 slices of white bread, cut into substantial cubes • 2, 8-oz packages of cream cheese
• 1 dozen eggs • 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup maple syrup • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 2 teaspoons allspice Directions 1. Grease 9x13 casserole dish.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, syrup and spices. 3. Place half of cubed bread in casserole dish. Cube the cream cheese and place it on top of the bread. Add remaining cubed bread to the dish. Pour egg mixture over bread and cheese. 4. Cover with Saran wrap and refrigerate overnight. 5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes (or until egg is cooked through); then serve with powdered sugar and syrup.
26 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / NOV-DEC 2022
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