Muffin Monday: 5 Yummy Breakfast Muffins

*** Skip the coffee shop muffin, make your own, save some money and save a whole lot of calories too.





From Denny: Here are five tasty muffin recipes to tantalize your taste buds, changing up your morning routine. They also come with calorie counts, ranging from 171 to 283 calories for each muffin. That sure beats the usual coffee shop muffins that often weigh in at a whopping 700 calories each!


All-Bran: Our Best Bran Muffins

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups regular all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups Kellogg's All-Bran cereal

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

1/3 cup soft shortening or vegetable oil


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.

Measure All-Bran cereal and milk into a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cereal is softened. Add egg and shortening. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients to cereal mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion batter evenly into 12 greased 21/2-inch muffin-pan cups.

Bake about 25 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

Per muffin: 171 calories, 4 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 223 milligrams sodium






Applesauce-Oatmeal Muffins

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

MUFFINS:

1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg white, lightly beaten

TOPPING:

1/4 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)

1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with cooking spray.

For the muffins: Combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl; mix well. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, milk, sugar, oil and egg white; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. For the topping: combine all ingredients in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Fill muffin cups almost full with batter. Sprinkle with reserved topping, patting gently. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm, if possible.

Per muffin: 180 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams protein - Nutritional analysis from quakeroatmeal.com






Basic Muffin Recipe

From: Shirley Coleman, Baltimore International College, published in the Baltimore Sun

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted butter or salad oil

2 eggs (slightly beaten)

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla (or another extract)

added flavoring: 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

Place all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.Combine all liquids in a separate bowl. Mix the liquids into the dry ingredients. Add the blueberries. Mix until just combined; do not over mix. Batter will be lumpy. Fill greased or paper-lined cupcake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve warm.

Per serving: 213 calories; 4 grams protein; 9 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 56 milligrams cholesterol; 272 milligrams sodium






Blueberry-Yogurt Streusel Muffins

From: Anne Byrn, published in the Baltimore Sun

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

MUFFINS:

vegetable oil spray (see note)

1 package (18.9 ounces) blueberry muffin mix

1 container (6 ounces; 3/4 cup) yogurt of choice

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

TOPPING:

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature


Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mist the bottoms of 12 muffin cups with vegetable oil spray. Set pans aside.

Prepare the muffin batter: Remove the package of blueberries from the muffin mix and set it aside. Place the muffin mix in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Place the yogurt, eggs and vanilla in a small mixing bowl and stir with a fork. Combine and break up the egg yolks.

Pour the yogurt mixture into the well of the muffin mix. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon until just combined, 20 strokes. Pour the reserve blueberries into a strainer, rinse them under cold, running water and drain well.

Fold these blueberries into the batter along with the fresh blueberries. Stir another 10 strokes just to combine. The batter still will be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling it three-quarters of the way full. Set the pan aside.

Prepare the topping: Place the brown sugar and flour in a small bowl and stir together. Add the butter, mashing it with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. With your hands, sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of this topping onto each muffin. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake until muffins are lightly golden and just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for minutes.

Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips, taking care not to disturb the streusel. Place the muffins on a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Note: Anne Byrn recommends using a vegetable oil mister (an empty pump that can be filled with fresh vegetable oil) rather than commercial vegetable oil sprays.

Per serving: 221 calories; 4 grams protein; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 46 milligrams cholesterol; 230 milligrams sodium






Bran Muffins


Yield: Makes 9 large or 12 medium muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Post Grape-Nuts cereal

1 cup sour milk

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 large egg, well beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour


Directions:

Soak Grape-Nuts in milk until soggy. Add, sugar, egg, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix thoroughly. Add flour and mix only enough to moisten flour. Fill greased large or medium muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes to 30 minutes for medium muffins, or until golden-brown.

Per serving (large muffin): 283 calories; 5 grams protein; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 63 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 26 milligrams cholesterol; 316 milligrams sodium

Tester Laura Reiley's comments: "These are sweet, dense, deeply nutty flavored muffins. It's the cereal that adds the hearty taste of bran. You wouldn't know it's Grape-Nuts, but those little nuggets add to the texture, giving the finished muffins a denseness that's very appealing. "You needn't sour the milk, but if you want to, add a few drops of lemon juice to a cup of milk and allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour. Like lots of bran-muffin batter, the batter can be kept, tightly covered and refrigerated, for up to a week."



*** Photo of bran muffin with tangelo fig compote topping by norwichnuts @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

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The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Muffin Monday: Egg, Ricotta Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato Breakfast Muffins

*** Enjoy an unusual muffin: a small baked omelet!





From Denny: The versatility of the simple egg is to be celebrated! How this photographer chose to display this egg is amusing. What's better is this recipe is basically a small baked omelet and so easy to do. It's also a good recipe for diabetics or those who avoid gluten in their diet.

Exploring all these bed and breakfast muffin recipes has been a lot of fun. Discovering new inns in different parts of the country made me think how promoting small business is a way to help the economy! Muffin Monday was born to help celebrate muffin recipes and travel across America and Canada.

This Arizona inn is a golfing resort where you can enjoy the rustic Southwest charm of architecture and setting. This is the first bed and breakfast inn I've found with a video on YouTube to give you a tour!





From the website: Relax on our red rock view patio, or step out the back gate and hit some balls at our secluded range of Sedona Golf Resort. Enjoy a glass of wine in front of your in-room fireplace, soak in your private whirlpool tub, or walk up to Cucina Rustica, possibly the finest restaurant in Sedona and Arizona. Step into the Great Room with Mexican saltillo tile floors and a wall of windows overlooking the Red Rocks and the manicured golf course, where you will enjoy breakfast outside on the flagstone courtyard next to the fountain in the warmer months, or inside the dining room during the winter. Mornings feature our two-course breakfast, which changes daily.

Come and experience the warmth of Southwestern hospitality in true Sedona style. At Adobe Hacienda Bed and Breakfast, you'll feel the rustic charm of old adobe architecture, peeled lodgepoles, 100-year-old Oaxacan doors, authentic saltillo tile and hand painted Mexican sinks.

You'll feel pampered with the finest comforts, gourmet breakfasts, elegance and amenities in each of our five guest suites. From 400-thread-count linens to thick luxurious oversized towels, even complimentary in-room drinks, movies and long-distance calling, no detail has been overlooked.






Egg Muffins

From: Adobe Hacienda Bed & Breakfast
Sedona, Arizona

Toll Free (800) 454-7191
Local (928) 284-2020
Fax (928) 284-0247

Ingredients:

8-10 eggs
Splash of Half and Half
Lots of spinach that is drained well
Sautéed onions
2 pinches of garlic garnish
2 spoons of ricotta cheese
Sun dried tomatoes
Parmesan cheese
Pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

Mix everything but the eggs together and fill muffin cups to the top with mix.
Pour whipped eggs into muffins.

Bake 30 - 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. till they rise and set.



*** More Muffin Monday Recipes to enjoy:

American Revolt: How You Can Break Big Business, Big Banks, Big Insurance, Big Oil, Big Lobbyists

Muffin Monday: Sour Cream Walnut Cinnamon Muffins

Muffin Monday: Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

Muffin Monday: Pina Colada Muffins

Muffin Monday: Polynesian Bread or Muffins, Gluten Free Pineapple Muffin

Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table

Muffin Monday: Banana Praline Muffins, White Chocolate Banana Bread


*** Egg yolk photo by Pixel Addict @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

Muffin Monday: Sour Cream Walnut Cinnamon Muffins

*** Enjoy these easy to make brown sugar streusel-topped muffins with your coffee day or night!





From Denny: As a blogger I've started up this Muffin Monday recipe segment to help local economies all across the nation. How? By promoting the small businesses of bed and breakfast inns in America and Canada. Think about it. The next time you travel for business or pleasure be sure to book a bed and breakfast instead of a Big Business hotel chain. The prices are comparable and sometimes less. No one is paying me to write these posts - not do I own any interest in a "b and b" but hey, if you want to step up and donate feel free! :)

Seriously though, I just thought what a great idea if I could promote small businesses over Big Business. With small businesses the jobs stay here in our country instead of getting shipped overseas for cheaper labor costs and bigger profit. Let's support our local small businesses. By doing so we are supporting the 80 percent that drives our economy. Did you realize that most of the people in America work for small business? Big Business has driven so many smaller businesses out of business like small pharmacies, grocery and hardware stores.

It's been an enjoyable romp through the fields of the internet to locate these muffin recipes. Just when I found one bed and breakfast to be an interesting surprise then another one is discovered to be just as unique. Today's bed and breakfast inn promotes a special package rarely found at a hotel: a murder mystery package deal where you can partake in a weekend of amateur sleuthing fun. How unique is that?





From the website: We are an old-fashioned Bed & Breakfast promoting hospitality as our specialty. Located on a barrier island 8 miles long and approximately 1 mile wide where the sea air and ocean sounds are prevalent.

Designated by the Historic Commission as an Ocean City seashore cottage, our B&B has five Victorian rooms with the modern convenience of queen size beds, one with twin beds, and air conditioners in all guest rooms. Each bed chamber is uniquely decorated and named for a special butterfly. Quilts adorn the bedsteads while lace curtain sway with the breeze at the windows. The queen size beds offer special pampering but the twin beds offer comfort for friends who travel together. Our guests enjoy a continental breakfast buffet as one highlight of their stay.

The accommodations include a large front porch protected by striped awnings where our guests may relax after a full day... on the beach, walking our 2 1/2 mile boardwalk, investigating our quaint Asbury Avenue stores, or researching antiques along the Route 9 corridor to Cape May. Ocean City is located at the top of Cape May County where the Olympics of Birding occur each spring.


Sour Cream Coffee Muffins

From: Butterfly Breeze Bed & Breakfast

Butterfly Breeze Bed & Breakfast
637 Wesley Avenue
Ocean City, New Jersey 08226

email: butterflybreezebb.comcast.net

Margaret Thern, Innkeeper: Indulge in the B&B Experience at our quaint seashore lodging with Old World charm and warm friendly hospitality


Sour Cream Coffee Muffins

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:

Filling:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix together.

Muffins:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt


Directions: Mix butter, sugar and eggs. Add sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Spoon 1 Tbsp of mix into prepared muffin pan. Top with 1 tsp filling and then 1 Tbsp batter. Sprinkle remaining filling on top of each muffin. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.



*** More Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday Recipes:

American Revolt: How You Can Break Big Business, Big Banks, Big Insurance, Big Oil, Big Lobbyists

*** Check out more recipe posts: Recipes: Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday

Muffin Monday: Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

Muffin Monday: Egg, Ricotta Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato Breakfast Muffins

Muffin Monday: Pina Colada Muffins

Muffin Monday: Polynesian Bread or Muffins, Gluten Free Pineapple Muffin

Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table

Muffin Monday: Banana Praline Muffins, White Chocolate Banana Bread



*** Photo of sour cream streusel muffins by Natalie R. @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

Cake Tuesday: Fresh Peach Coffee Cake

*** This summer enjoy fresh Georgia peaches in your morning coffee cake!





Beautiful Georgia peach by totalAldo @ flickr


From Denny: One of my fondest memories of living in Atlanta, Georgia, was when the Georgia peaches came into season. There was a frenzy across the city to gather up all the ripest peaches for steaming hot peach cobbler smothered with a side of perfect vanilla ice cream and then bake peach coffee cakes redolent with fragrant cinnamon to pair with that early morning cup of coffee for the next day. Then we would turn to making peach pies, unbaked and thrown into the freezer for those days in the fall when we were craving that fresh peach taste.

And, after we had our fill of the freshest juiciest ripe peaches - for about a week as we stuffed ourselves silly - we turned to canning them, yes, city girls canning peaches like we lived on a farm. A Georgia peach is not to be missed. Neither are the Vidalia onions when they come into season in June, though Texas is giving them a good run for their money on delivering sweet white mild onions to the market.

This recipe for this peach coffee cake comes from a bed and breakfast inn located in British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. What's been fun about researching recipes from bed and breakfasts across America and Canada is to go to their websites and see what they offer the weary traveler. What I found unique about this inn is that there is a vineyard as part of the view!



A View to Remember B&B
1090 Trevor Drive
Kelowna, BC V1Z2J8

Email: info@KelownaBandB.com




View of the vineyards from the b and b



From A View to Remember: Discover the natural beauty of the Okanagan Valley - spectacular vistas overlooking 82 miles of Lake Okanagan with over 2000 hours of sunshine.

Relax in one of our spacious elegant bed and breakfast suites with ensuite bathrooms and all the comforts of home.

Enjoy the view - relax in the tranquil and beautiful English gardens, sit in the gazebo and listen to the birds, enjoy the sun of the patio or enjoy the panoramic view up on our private deck.

Begin your day with a delicious home made gourmet breakfast featuring our own signature egg dishes, our famous local Okanagan fruit and our special blend of gourmet coffee.

Experience the Okanagan vineyards, just minutes away from our Kelowna bed and breakfast. The wine and the creative cuisine of the world class wineries in this beautiful Okanagan Valley are waiting for you. Our mission is our committment to provide you with quality Bed and Breakfast accommodations with outstanding hospitality and service.



Fresh Peach Coffee Cake


Ingredients:

1/2 c butter
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 c buttermilk
4 peaches peeled and diced
1 tsp cinnamon
cinnamon sugar mix for topping

Directions:

Cream butter with brown sugar add slightly beaten egg. Add flour and baking soda alternately with buttermilk beating smooth after each addition. Gently blend in peaches. Pour batter into 9-inch x 13-inch dish, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.



*** See Also: Cake Tuesday: Coffee Toffee Fudge Cake, Tunnel of Fudge Cake

*** Check out more recipe posts: Recipes: Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Popular Kentucky Derby Recipes: Bourbon Ball French Toast, Kentucky Hot Brown

*** Check out 2 popular Kentucky dishes all year long.



Calvin Borel of Louisiana won at Churchill Downs in May 2010 on Super Saver


From Denny: This post was in draft since the end of April when the BP oil spill happened. Since I live in Louisiana I've been trying to keep up on the oil spill news as it happens minute to minute. To say I'm a bit late getting out these recipes is a huge understatement. :) But my relatives in Kentucky tell me these recipes are enjoyed year round as well as featured during the Derby season.

Of course, we in Louisiana were excited that Louisiana jockey Calvin Borel won in May on the horse Super Saver. The Triple Crown would have been great but there's always another horse and another race.

Some people reading this are probably asking, "So, what's a Kentucky Brown?" The simple baked dish was developed by The Brown Hotel and caught on as a favorite ever since, becoming a Derby tradition. It's definitely one of those hearty man-pleaser foods or to dine on at the ski slopes when you are ravenous! Basically, it's a layered open-faced sandwich with turkey, bacon, tomato slices and a three cheese Mornay sauce to smother it Southern style and then baked until the cheese melts. Yeah, it's that good!

Since Bourbon is the whiskey of choice in Kentucky you knew they would come up with a killer bourbon sauce for French Toast. Both of these dishes are calorie city so save up to enjoy them!

Lynn Winter, owner of Lynn's Paradise Café in Louisville, gives a fast-paced funny tutorial of how to create these traditional dishes. Her restaurant is considered artsy, whacky and where Dali meets Southern but the food is awesome.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Kentucky Hot Brown

From: Lynn Winter, Lynn's Paradise Cafe

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of sourdough bread
• 2.5 pounds of roasted turkey breast
• 4 large tomatoes
• 1 pound of bacon
• 6 salted butter
• 1/4 cup of diced onion
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 quart of milk
• 1/2 cup of cream
• 1.25 teaspoons of salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• Dash of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup Pecorino grated
• 1 cup grated Swiss (Gruyere or cave-aged Emmentaler)
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese


Directions:

For the Mornay sauce:

Make the white roux. In a medium saucepan on low heat place butter and diced onions. Sauté until translucent. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook the roux until you get a faint nutty aroma. Do not let brown.

For the sauce, combine milk, cream, salt and cayenne pepper in a separate saucepan. Tie a bay leaf and cloves in a cheesecloth ball or tea ball. Heat to simmer.

Pour in the roux while whisking continuously until the roux begins to thicken. Remove sack or tea ball. When thickened, add 1/4 cup Pecorino, 1/2 cup of Swiss and 1/2 cup of sharp white cheddar cheese. Whisk until cheese is thoroughly incorporated.

For the roasted sweet tomato slices:

Brush four large firm ripe tomatoes with olive oil. With tongs, hold the tomatoes over flame or roast in oven. When slight color appears, toss in to bowl with 1/4 cup white sugar. Core then slice.

For the Kentucky hot brown:

Cook bacon and set to the side. In a flat-bottomed ovenproof bowl, place one slice of sourdough bread, top with a touch of Mornay Sauce, 6 ounces of turkey breast, sliced roasted tomatoes, two slices of bacon and cover with 4 to 6 ounces of Mornay Sauce. Sprinkle reserved Pecorino and sharp cheddar cheese.

Place in oven on 375 degrees for six to 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.

Garnish with sweet dried tomato slices and tomato confetti.





Bourbon Ball French Toast

From: Lynn Winter, Lynn's Paradise Cafe

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 7/12 cup Kentucky Bourbon
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 quarts heavy cream
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1.25 cups milk
• 1/8 cup water
• 6 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (homemade is best)
• 1.25 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3.25 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2.125 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 loaf of cinnamon swirl bread
• 6 cups pecans or pecan pieces
• 1 pint fresh sliced strawberries
• Dark chocolate syrup
• Butter or oil for frying
• Dashes of powdered sugar


Directions:

For the French toast batter:

Beat the three egg whites with nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the milk. Set aside.

For the Kentucky Bourbon whipped cream:

Whip heavy cream in chilled mixer until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and fold in 1/4 cup of Kentucky Bourbon.

For the sugar spiced pecans:

Beat three egg whites with water until well combined. Add 1.5 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice and 3/4-teaspoon ground nutmeg nutmeg to egg mixture and mix well.

Add six cups of pecans to wet mixture and toss and stir to coat. Transfer to full-size sheet tray covered with non-stick spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes

Stir bringing the outside edges of the pecans to the center. Cook for 21 minutes, stirring and rotating at seven-minute intervals. Place on a speed rack to cool. Store in an air tight container.

For the Bourbon vanilla custard:

Heat half & half and 1 cup whipping cream in small saucepan over low heat, until the mixture begins to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk four large egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and 4 teaspoons cornstarch in a stainless steel bowl for about two minutes or until mixture thickens and lightens in color.

Slowly pour hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the custard to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches 170 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1/3 cup of Kentucky Bourbon.

Serve immediately or hold over a hot water bath.

For the French toast:

Slice the cinnamon swirl bread into 18 thick slices. Soak the slices in the batter for about three minutes, turning to coat evenly on both sides.

Heat butter or oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Lift the bread from the batter, draining slightly and place it in the hot pan. Add only enough to fit easily in the pan. Sauté on both sides until golden brown.

Place three slices on each plate. Drizzle with warm Bourbon vanilla custard.

Garnish with chocolate syrup and Kentucky Bourbon whipped cream. Sprinkle with sliced strawberries and 1 cup of the toasted sugared pecan halves.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Sweet Breakfasts: Caramel Pecan Buns, Sweet Blueberry Drop Biscuits, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns from a fellow foodie by the name of little blue hen @ flickr


From Denny: OK, these sticky buns may not be made from scratch yeast dough but hey! they are fast and easy to do and still taste good! They are especially handy when you need something fast in a pinch - like howling hungry kids or husband who can't wait long.

Try your hand at some simple drop biscuits infused with wonderful blueberries, fresh or frozen, for a change of pace and the good nutrition of "blue food."

My all time favorite is a favorite of our grandmothers: Pineapple Upside Down Cake. It used to be reserved for dessert. The coffee cake quality combined with juicy fresh or canned pineapple is a winner any time of day at our house!






Caramel Pecan Buns

From: Pillsbury

Serves: 5

Ingredients:

1 (17.5-oz.) can Pillsbury Grands! refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
2 tbls. butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

1. Bake rolls as directed on package. Reserve icing.

2. To caramelize pecans, melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat; add pecans. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until butter just starts to brown. Add brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and bubbles, about 2 minutes. Spoon over hot buns.

3. Microwave icing on medium (50 percent power) 5 to 10 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle over warm buns. Serve warm.







Sweet Blueberry Drop Biscuits


From: White Lily

Makes: 12 biscuits

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups self-rising flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup chilled shortening
2/3 to 3/4 cup buttermilk or milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blue-berries, thawed and drained

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine flour and sugar in bowl. Cut in shortening until lumps are the size of peas. Blend in just enough buttermilk with a fork until dough leaves sides of bowl. Gently stir in blueberries.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet 1 to 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with butter.








Pineapple Upside Down Cake by normanack @ flickr


Pineapple Upside- Down Cake


From: George A. Barry

Makes: 1 (9- or 10-inch) cake

Ingredients:

Topping:

5 tbls. butter
2/3 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 (20-oz.) can pineapple slices, drained (or if preferred use crushed pineapple, drained)
9 maraschino cherries

Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
4 tbls. butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- or 10-inch black iron skillet. Put the 5 tablespoons butter in the skillet and place in hot oven to melt the butter.

2. Remove from oven and evenly distribute the brown sugar over the melted butter in the bottom of the skillet.

3. Arrange pineapple slices over the brown sugar and place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

4. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.

5. Beat the 4 tablespoons butter and 1 cup granulated sugar together. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until everything is light and fluffy.

6. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the milk, beating continually, until everything is mixed well. Pour the batter over the pineapple and cherries in the skillet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean.

7. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, then invert the hot cake onto a plate. Cut into wedges to serve.


Note: The cake can also be made in a deep, 9-inch round cake pan or a 9-inch square cake pan. Eddie prefers using crushed pineapple and makes his cake in a square pan or doubles the recipe and makes the cake in a sheet cake pan.


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Fun Kid Friendly Holiday Breakfast and Candy Recipes

From Denny: Living in south Louisiana we are kid friendly when it comes to food. Kids here learn to cook and bake at an early age. So, let's use this holiday time as both a teaching moment and for fun and family bonding. After all, that's what the true Spirit of Christmas is all about.

Here are a couple of delightful holiday food projects you and the kids can enjoy together as they are that simple! There are candy Santa lollipops you can wrap in colorful cellophane or plastic wrap and give to friends and neighbors.

Even the smallest children can join in the fun by helping to add the little candies for Santa's eyes or the mini marshmallows for his beard. These are the kinds of magical moments that children remember for a life time!

And what about Christmas breakfast? You can turn this into a traditional family time with relaxed ease. This refrigerated crescent roll breakfast Christmas Tree is sure to become a family favorite for the holidays!





Photo from Pillsbury

Crescent Christmas Tree

From: Pillsbury

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Bread
2 (8-oz.) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 tbls. butter, softened
2 tbls. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbl. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Garnish
Red and green candied cherries, halved

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Separate dough into 4 rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread each rectangle with margarine.

2. In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over rectangles.

3. Starting at shorter side, roll up each rectangle; seal edge.

4. Cut each roll crosswise into 3 equal slices. Put slices cut-side down on greased cookie sheet to form tree. Begin with 1 slice for top; 2 slices just below, with sides closely touching. Continue arranging a row of 3 slices, then a row of 4 slices. Use the last 2 slices for the trunk.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; carefully remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly.

6. In small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over tree. Garnish with candied cherry halves.



Santa Lollipops

From: The Reynolds Kitchens


Makes: 8

Ingredients:

Color plastic wrap
Parchment paper
2 (1 oz. each) white chocolate baking bars
8 popsicle sticks
Red sugar sprinkles
Minimarshmallows
Candy-coated chocolate pieces
Gumdrops

Directions:

1. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Melt baking bars following package directions. For each lollipop, pour a free-form shape of melted candy onto lined cookie sheet to make Santa’s face and point of his hat. Insert a popsicle stick at the bottom. Drizzle on more coating where the stick joins with the lollipop.

3. Sprinkle hat with red sugar sprinkles. Use mini marshmallows for beard and brim and tassel of hat. Add candy-coated chocolates for eyes and nose; use gumdrops for cheeks.

4. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator until candy coating hardens. Lift lollipop from parchment.

5. Wrap with color plastic wrap. Gather plastic wrap around stick; tie with ribbon.

*** THANKS for visiting and have a fun filled holiday season!

Holiday Cooking For Crowds, 5 Recipes

From Denny: It's the holidays and you are in a rush. You just got home from work or your house is overflowing. You are feeling a bit overwhelmed, even downright frazzled. What do you feed everyone? Here are few easy ideas to help you through the holidays so you can truly relax and enjoy your guests which is what the holidays are supposed to be all about!

Mark Bittman, a food writer for The New Yorks Times, who wrote the book "How to Cook Everything," is a bit of a worrier and perfectionist himself. If he can relax, armed with these quick and easy recipes, so can you. He equips you with some great tips to wow your family and friends this holiday season!

He advises you can create a quick no fuss room temperature dish you can bring to a gathering, a cake that withstands living in the freezer before the big day, a yummy cheesy cookie so quick to make all you need is 30 minutes, a soul-satisfying Italian dish to warm and impress the whole crowd and an easy breakfast pancake batter you can make ahead and store in the fridge for hungry tummies.



This video was not available for embedding, to watch go here.


Ravioli nudi

From: Mark Bittman

Yield: About 4 servings

Bittman: Here's a celebratory dish that comes together quickly and can also be made ahead. Nudi means what it sounds like: "naked." And it refers to ravioli filling without the noodle wrapper, so they're a little like meatballs only fancier. Serve them with or without pasta — as you like. They're also good with tomato sauce if you have some handy. For a vegetarian version, see the variation below this recipe. Time needed: 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces each ground veal and pork or any combination of ground meats you prefer
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus cheese for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound any pasta, fresh or dried (optional)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 20 fresh sage leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the meat in a bowl with the egg, cheese, parsley, onion and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mix well but do not knead. Form into tiny balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter, and put on cookie sheets. Refrigerate until you're ready to cook, or up to several hours. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.

2. Cook the meatballs in the boiling water for about 5 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Cook the pasta, if you're using it, in the same water until tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, cook the butter and sage together in a small pan over medium-low heat until the butter is light brown, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a bit of the cooking water, then toss it with the butter-sage mixture and enough of the reserved water to make the mixture saucy. Top with the meatballs and serve, passing more Parmesan at the table.

To make vegetarian ravioli nudi, substitute 1 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh, for the meat. Add another egg and increase the Parmesan to 3/4 cup and the parsley to 1/2 cup. Allow the bread crumb mixture to rest for at least 10 minutes before shaping into balls. Proceed with the recipe, cooking the dumplings until they rise to the surface, about 3 minutes.

Cheese shortbread

From: Mark Bittman

Yield: 30 to 40 puffs

Bittman: Here's a fun, snacky thing for impromptu guests. There are so many ways to vary these quick, savory cookies. See the variations below this recipe for additional ideas to get you started. Time needed: 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
• 2 cups grated Emmental, Gruyère, cheddar or other semihard cheese
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon paprika or ground cumin (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; do not over process. (You can also use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the mixture to the same consistency in a bowl.) Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until you're ready to bake the puffs. (Or roll the ball into two logs, wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month.)

2. Form the dough into 1-inch balls. (Or cut the frozen dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices). Put the balls or slices on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between them. Slightly flatten each ball with your fingers. Bake until the pastries puff and turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, then sprinkle with additional paprika and serve.

crumbled blue cheese for a cup of the Emmental cheese.

To make pecorino cheese shortbread, substitute 1 cup each grated pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese for the Emmental.

To make herbed cheese shortbread, add 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, like parsley, chives, dill and/or basil, with a little tarragon.

To make spiced cheese shortbread, use 2 to 3 teaspoons garam masala or curry powder for an Indian flair, caraway for an Eastern European flavor, pimenton (smoked paprika) for a Spanish-style snack, or toasted cumin seeds for a North African twist.

To make prosciutto shortbread, reduce the cheese to 1 cup and use finely grated Parmesan. Chop several thin slices of prosciutto into pieces and add them to the food processor in Step 1.


Butter-almond cake

From: Mark Bittman

Yield: At least 8 servings

Bittman: Need a cookie or cake for the freezer for last-minute gatherings? Here's a cake that's rich enough to withstand freezing and thawing or gentle reheating. Plus, it's excellent served warm. Time needed: About 1 hour.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus some for the pan and the paper
• All-purpose flour for the pan
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 8 ounces almonds
• Grated or minced zest of 1 lemon or orange, or more if you like

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-inch-deep, 10-inch layer cake or springform pan; cover the bottom with a circle of wax or parchment paper, butter the paper, and sift flour over the whole pan; invert and tap to remove the excess flour.

2. Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Separate 3 of the eggs and reserve the whites. Beat in the yolks one at a time, until the mixture is light in color.

3. Grind the nuts in a food processor until they are the consistency of meal. Turn them into a bowl and mix them with 3/4 cup of the remaining sugar and the citrus zest. Beat in 3 whole eggs, one at a time, blending well. Wash the beaters thoroughly and beat the egg whites; when they are foamy, gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, until the whites hold soft peaks.

4. Combine the butter and nut mixtures and stir. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites and pour into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold. Store at room temperature, covered with wax paper, for up to a day or two. (Or wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze it for up to a month. Keep it wrapped and thaw in the fridge overnight or thaw and warm slowly in the microwave or a low oven.)

Roasted broccoli gratin with blue cheese

From: Mark Bittman

Serves: 4

Bittman: Here is a room-temperature dish you can bring to a potluck. Feel free to switch out the cheese if blue isn't your favorite; Emmental, Gruyère, goat cheese, Gouda or any good melting cheese works fine. You can also substitute cauliflower, broccoflower, Romanesco, asparagus or broccoli raab for the broccoli. Time needed: About 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds broccoli, trimmed, the stems cut into pieces no more than 1/8-inch thick
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed in the skins
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the broccoli in a bowl, drizzle on the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper while tossing to coat; transfer to a gratin dish or any ovenproof dish. Nestle the garlic in the broccoli and cook until the tops are browning and the stems are crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Remove the dish from the oven and fish out the garlic. Sprinkle the top of the broccoli with the blue cheese and then the bread crumbs. Return to the oven and cook until the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden. Serve hot or warm.


Everyday pancakes

From: Mark Bittman

Bittman: Here's something to make for or with kids. It's amazing how quickly you can whip up this batter, even with kids helping. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days. To adjust the consistency of the batter, add more milk if you want it thinner, or flour for thicker pancakes. Time needed: 20 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
• 2 optional tablespoons melted and cooled butter, plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use a neutral oil like grapeseed or corn

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.

2. Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs into 1/2 cup of the milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons cooled melted butter if you're using it. Gently stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don't worry about a few lumps. If the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.

3. Use a little butter or oil each time you add batter, unless your skillet is truly nonstick. When the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. Flip when bubbles appear in the center of the pancakes and the bottoms are cooked; they won't hold together well until they're ready.

4. Cook until the second side is lightly browned, a couple more minutes, and serve or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degree-F oven for up to 15 minutes.

*** THANKS for visiting! All these Christmas animations are FREE for use on your blog or site, enjoy!