Tag Archives: breakfast

Morning Glory Muffins

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Muffins & Scones and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
Morning Glory Muffins

Morning Glory Muffins

Just the name of these muffins puts you in a good mood doesn’t it?  Somehow it feels like you’re going to have a good day.    I like to call them “glorious morning muffins”, and they are one of my favorites.  They can turn the dreariest morning into a glorious one.  : )

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These carrot-flecked whole-grain muffins can be made ahead so you can hit the floor running on a busy morning.  Add a non-fat latte and your day will be off to a healthy start.

COCONUT-CARROT MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

YIELD:  12 muffins

Assemble the ingredients and they go together quickly.

Assemble the ingredients and they go together quickly.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, or coconut oil, melted if necessary
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts,  optional

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners

2.  Whisk whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a medium bowl.

3.  Whisk eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla in a large bowl.  Whisk in oil.  Gently stir in the flour mixture just until moistened.  Fold in carrots, 1/2 cup coconut, raisins and nuts, if using.

4.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups.  Mix together the remaining oats, and coconut.  Sprinkle on muffin tops.

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5.  Bake at 350* until they spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached,  30 – 35 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Delicious as they are when first made and eaten warm, they also seem to improve over night and taste even better the next day, when flavors have had time to blend.

SOURCE:  Eatingwell.com

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch, Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Corned Beef Hash with Eggs.

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs.

If I am lucky enough to have some corned beef left from our St. Patrick’s Day meal, I like to make corned beef hash.  I can remember  back to when I was  child visiting my grandmother, and she made this same meal in a black cast-iron frying pan.  She kept the pieces of potato rather large, almost like home-fries, and they got brown and crusty, along with the meat.  She also added any carrot that might be leftover and lots of onion.  As she served it, she topped each serving with a poached egg.   I loved, loved, loved it.  Although I now have and use her cast-iron pan, I can’t seem to quite duplicate  what she created.  Perhaps over time, my memory has enhanced what it was like, but that is what I aim for whenever I make hash.

This year I was fortunate in having a good-sized piece of corned beef left and I cooked extra vegetables so I could make this hash dish.

CORNED BEEF HASH WITH EGGS

SERVINGS:   About 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • 3  cups of cooked potatoes, cut into cubes, about 1/2 to 1 inch.
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil,   Or 1 Tablespoon oil and 1 Tablespoon butter;  I think it helps brown up the potatoes.
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons Horseradish
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • about 1/2 pound corned beef, cut into pieces about the same size as the potatoes
  • optional:  left over carrots, sliced
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

WHAT YOU DO:

1.  Heat oil in a heavy fry-pan,  cast-iron, preferred.  Add potatoes, cook until golden in color, 10 – 12 minutes.

2.  Add onion, season with salt and pepper.  Cook until potatoes and onions are browned,  about 5 minutes

Browning the potatoes and onions.

Browning the potatoes and onions.

3.  Add horseradish and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir in corned beef ( and carrots, if using).

Add in corned beef and carrots.

Add in corned beef and carrots.

Add cream, drizzling evenly over all.

Pouring in the cream.

Pouring in the cream.

Make 4 depressions in the mixture and break an egg into each one.  Cover lightly and cook until egg whites are set.

Cook until eggs are set.

Cook until eggs are set.

Serve each portion of hash with an egg.

Serve each portion of hash with an egg.

SOURCE:  Martha Stewart

Hot Cross Buns

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bread, Rolls and tagged with , , , , ,
Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns

A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun made with currents or raisins and marked with a cross on top, traditionally eaten during Lent, but especially on Good Friday.

There are many superstitions associated with hot cross buns.  “One of them says that a piece given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover.  Because there is a cross on the buns, some say they should be kissed before being eaten.  If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck.  If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly.  The hanging bun is replaced each year.”**   HaHa,  I guess it would need to be!

**quote from Wikipanion

Tall, pillowy, and delicious, I'm sharing it with you!

Tall, pillowy, and delicious, I’m sharing it with you!

Another saying that I particularly like says that sharing a hot cross bun with another person is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year.  By sharing this recipe with all of you I hope that we will continue to be “friends” in the coming year as I am coming up on my one year anniversary of writing this blog on March 31.  I value all of you who read this blog and all who have decided to follow me as I continue to write about my cooking adventures, some with fantastically good results (like this recipe, I think), and others with somewhat less than stellar results.  But that’s why I blog; to share it all–the good, the bad, and the in-between.

If you have seen or purchased hot cross buns at the supermarket you know that they are smallish round buns, with the white cross on top.  I, personally, find them to be quite dry, sometimes overcooked, and practically tasteless.  The ones you can make at home are so much better there really is no comparison.  Yes, they take a little time because they are a yeast dough, but if you have a bread maker it is so easy, you will wonder why you haven’t made them before.  This recipe is one that I got from King Arthur a few years ago and since I first made them I don’t deviate or make alterations because they rise so well and once baked make a light, tender, pillowy, bun with an aroma that is unbelievable.  The flavor is derived from the spices that go into the dough, but also from a flavoring called Fiori di Sicilia, an all-natural citrus- and vanilla-scented flavoring.  It is available through the King Arthur Baker’s Catalog.  In its absence you could use a little vanilla, and either lemon or orange flavoring, and they would still be fantastic .

HOT CROSS BUNS

YIELD:   Makes 14 buns

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup apple juice or rumIMG_3550
  • 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit  (I use a mixture of candied citron, lemon peel and orange peel)
  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants
  • 1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs,  1 separated
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia flavoring
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1  1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder  (this is not an error)
  • 4  1/2 cups all-purpose flour

TOPPING

  • 1 large egg white, reserved from above
  • 1 Tablespoon milk

ICING

  • 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing

1.  Mix the rum or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm.  In my microwave this would be 1 minute at 50% power.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.  While this is cooling you can be mixing up the remainder of the recipe, because the fruits go in at the end.

2.  Mix together all of the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead, using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the dough is soft and elastic.  Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed.

This is what I do:  Following instructions for your bread machine layer in the liquid ingredients first, followed by the flour mixture ( i.e.  4 1/4 cups flour plus all the spices, brown sugar, salt and baking powder)  Make a depression in the top of the flour and pour in the yeast last.  Start the bread machine on the dough cycle, and let it mix up everything.  When it is almost at the end of the mixing phase, add the fruits and any liquid.  Check soon after to see if the dough looks too wet, and add the remaining 1/4 flour if it needs it.  Allow the machine to finish the dough cycle till it has risen.  Proceed with step 4.

3.  Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered.  It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.

4.  Remove the dough to a floured surface and divide the dough into ball-sized pieces, about 3  3/4 ounces each.

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A 1/3 measuring cup or muffin scoop makes about the right portion.  You should make about 14 buns.  Greasing your hands helps with handling the dough and shaping into balls.  Arrange them in greased pans.  Suggested pan sizes include 10″ square, 9″ x 13′, or two 9″ round cake pans.  The cake pans were a good choice for me allowing for 7 buns in each (see picture), as I gave away one pan of buns.

Seven buns in each cake pan.

Seven buns in each cake pan.

5.  Cover pan(s), and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they’ve puffed up and are touching one another.  While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375*F.  I have had good success with putting my pans on top of a heating pad set to “low”.  The consistent temperature gives a high rise, and the baking powder in the dough gives it another boost in the oven as they bake.  I think this is what makes these buns so light and pillowy.

6.  Whisk together the egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns.  This gives the buns a nice shine when baked.

7.  Bake the buns for 20 – 22 minutes, until they are golden brown.    Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. Temperature should be 160 degrees.  Some people have reported that the buns in the center of the pan may be a little doughy still at 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.

Note how high they rise and the shiny tops from the egg wash.

Note how high they rise and the shiny tops from the egg wash.

8.  Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun.

Pipe crosses on top when they are cool.

Pipe crosses on top when they are cool.

Tall, Pillowy and delicious.

Tall, Pillowy and delicious.

The frosting crosses looked a little thin, so I want back after taking these pictures and made the crosses bigger with more frosting.  We like frosting!  🙂

SOURCE:   slightly adapted from King Arthur  Baking Company

Lemon Curd Filled Poppy Seed Muffins

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch, Muffins & Scones and tagged with , , , , , ,
Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with lemon curd filling.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with lemon curd filling.

Some muffins can be boring, especially if you’re used to making them from a boxed mix, and your choices are somewhat limited.   If I’m putting in the time and effort to bake muffins then I want them to be special and worth the effort that went into making them.  I can say that these little gems are way special and way good.  I will even go so far as to say they are elevated to greatness by the addition of lemon curd baked in the middle of each one and fresh lemon zest in the batter and lemon juice in the icing.

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This is how I used some of the curd that I made and wrote about here.

Is this extra work?   Heck, no!  I like to see the flecks of lemon zest in the dough and taste that deep lemon flavor in every bite.  Most people would probably  agree that muffins are a breakfast ( or brunch) food, but I say eat them anytime you heart desires.  Think afternoon tea and a lemon muffin.  Oh,  yeah,  they’re that good!

LEMON CURD FILLED POPPY SEED MUFFINS

YIELD:    a dozen muffinsIMG_3299

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
  • lemon curd

For the icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.  Preheat the oven to 400*F.  Place paper muffin cups in a regular-sized muffin pan.   Place muffin pan on a baking sheet.

2.  In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist.  Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Thoroughly mix lemon zest with the sugar.

Thoroughly mix lemon zest with the sugar.

3.  In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and quickly stir to blend.  (Be mindful not to over do it here)  Stir in the poppy seeds.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently.

4.  Fill muffin cups with half of the batter and put a teaspoon full of lemon curd in each one.

Place half the batter in muffins cups and add a teaspoon of lemon curd.

Place half the batter in muffins cups and add a teaspoon of lemon curd.

Fill in with the rest of the batter.

Fill with remaining batter.

Fill with remaining batter.

Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Cool muffins on a rack completely before icing them.

5.  When the muffins have cooled, put the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and add about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the lemon juice.  Stir together and keep adding small amounts of the juice until you get a drizzly consistency.  Use a spoon to drizzle icing over the tops of the muffins.

Drizzle lemon icing over cooled muffins.

Drizzle lemon icing over cooled muffins.

Just right with a cup of tea.

Just right with a cup of tea.

SOURCE:  adapted from   Baking:  From my home to yours  by Dorie Greenspan

Citrus Waffles with Marmalade Compote

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
Citrus Waffles with Orange Compote

Citrus Waffles with Orange Compote

Every once in a while I pull a surprise  meal and we have “breakfast for supper”.  The events last weekend provided me with just such an opportunity.  We had plans for Sunday that would have included a meal but at the last minute they were unexpectedly cancelled .  I was then faced with the need to come up with a meal that I had not planned for.  So, breakfast for supper was the perfect solution.

Running in parallel  was my desire to incorporate more citrus into our diet.  So I came up with this idea for adding grated orange zest to my waffle batter and making an orange compote to spoon over the top.  Brilliant, if I do say so myself  🙂  I like to add some whole wheat flour to waffles as another way to get in some fiber, and I also added some wheat germ.  Buttermilk makes waffles nice and light if you have some, but you can sour milk and get the same results just by adding a little vinegar to the amount of milk called for.  A non-stressful Sunday evening supper that turned out better than I expected.

COMPOTE

Orange Compote

Orange Compote

YIELD:   Serves 6

Make the compote first and keep warm while you make the waffles.

  • 1/4 cup reduced- sugar orange marmalade  (such as Smucker’s)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 cups fresh orange sections, or any combination of orange and grapefruit.  I used a Cara Cara orange, a navel orange and a clementine.

To prepare compote:   place first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat;  cook 2 minutes until marmalade melts.  Reduce heat, and gently stir in orange sections;  keep warm.

WAFFLES

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flourIMG_3264
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 1  1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1  1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • cooking spray
  • powdered sugar

1.  To prepare the waffles:  lightly spoon both flours into a bowl.  Add brown sugar through nutmeg and stir with a whisk.

2.  Combine buttermilk and next ingredients through egg.  Add this mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Wet and dry ingredients ready to be combined.

Wet and dry ingredients ready to be combined.

3.  Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat it.   Spoon batter onto hot waffle iron, spreading out to edges.  Cook 5 minutes or  until steaming stops.  Repeat with remaining batter, keeping waffles warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

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4.   Sift powdered sugar over tops of waffles and serve with warm orange compote.  Maple syrup tastes really good on them as well!

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SOURCE:   a Carolyn Original

Cinnamon Chip Scones

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Muffins & Scones and tagged with , , , , ,
Cinnamon Chip Scones

Cinnamon Chip Scones

You know how, when you eat a potato chip, one is never enough?  Like that certain brand of chips that claim ” you can’t eat just one.”   Well, these scones are like that.  Rich with butter, they are studded with sweet, spicy cinnamon chips.  If you would like to enrich them even further you may add chopped nuts.

Spicy, cinnamon chips scattered throughout.

Spicy, cinnamon chips scattered throughout.

We love these scones, and being a cinnamon lover, I like to add some ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients.  Also I keep buttermilk powder in the house, so when a recipe like this one calls for buttermilk, I just measure out the correct amount of dry powder and add water to equal the amount of buttermilk needed.

Scones are always best eaten while they are still warm, and these are no exception.  Of course two people probably are not going to eat eight scones while they are still warm, so to get that same warmth, just zap one quickly on medium heat in the microwave.  That’s what we do for a quick breakfast with coffee.  Frequently I will make scones while I’m making dinner, so we have one for dessert while it is warm, and then the rest are ready to be reheated as needed for breakfast(s).

CINNAMON CHIP SCONES

SERVINGS:   Makes 8 scones

You will find many uses for these packaged cinnamon chips.

You will find many uses for these packaged cinnamon chips.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4  teaspoon salt
  • 1/4  cup sugar
  • 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2  cup butter, preferably unsalted
  • 1/2  cup buttermilk  (or 1 Tablespoon vinegar in a measuring cup,. add milk to  1/2  cup mark.  Stir to combine.)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2  cup cinnamon chips
  • 1/4  cup chopped nuts (optional)

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar.

2.  Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with a few chunks of butter still visible.

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and vanilla.  Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.  Stir in cinnamon chips and nuts, if using.  Do not over mix the dough.

4.  Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently just until it holds together..  At this point you may pat it into a circle about 8 inches in diameter,  cut  into 8 triangles, and transfer to baking sheet;  or you can scoop up about 1/3 cup dough, and place on parchment lined baking sheet for a “drop-style” scone.  That is how I made the ones pictured here.

Crispy edges, soft and tender inside.

Crispy edges, soft and tender inside.

5.  Bake in a preheated 400*F oven for 12 – 14 minutes, until they’re golden brown.  Remove from the oven and serve warm.

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These deliver on their promise. What’s better than cinnamon when it’s warm!

SOURCE:  King Arthur Flour,  The Baking Sheet

Good Morning Breakfast Cake

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch, Cakes, Snacks and tagged with , , , , ,
Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

In the morning there are often “sleepy-heads” who take their time about getting to breakfast.  If it’s your job to marshall the troops in the morning, this cake might just be the magic that gets everybody up and on their feet.  What, cake for breakfast, you’re asking?  Yes!  This one has all good things in it to jump start the day.

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Starting with pumpkin providing carotene and fiber, add eggs for protein, some walnuts with their heart-healthy oil, a topping that’s heavy on the oatmeal (but I won’t tell if you won’t), and milk.  The flavor is outstanding–not sweet, just right– and the crumb will melt in your mouth especially if served warm.

I baked this cake on a Saturday afternoon intending it for Sunday morning, but we could not ignore the wonderful aroma of it baking.  When I asked Mr. D. if he would like a piece with coffee he replied, “I thought you would never ask.”   It was as flavorful and satisfying as the aroma promised and we both wanted another piece.   (But we didn’t).

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PUMPKIN CRUMB CAKE

SERVINGS:   About 12

INGREDIENTS  for the cake:

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter (If you use salted butter, cut back on the salt.)
  • 1 cup sugar
  •  3 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

    Making the crumb topping

    Making the crumb topping

For the TOPPING:

  • 2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350*,   grease or spray a 8″ x 11″ baking dish.

2.  In a medium bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients  (flour through salt) and set aside.

3.  In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter till light and fluffy.  Gradually add in the sugar and continue creaming.  Add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl after each.

4.  Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix in well.

5.  Add in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk just till incorporated.

6.  With a spoon, stir in the nuts.    Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Cake batter in the baking dish.

Cake batter in the baking dish.

7.  Prepare the crumb topping:  In the medium bowl, measure out the oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Whisk together. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives.   Sprinkle over the cake batter in the pan.

Sprinkle on the crumb topping.

Sprinkle on the crumb topping.

8.  Bake at 350* for 45 – 50 minutes.  Test with a toothpick or cake tester for doneness.

Just out of the oven.

Just out of the oven.

Please have a piece while it is still warm to fully appreciate this wonderful cake!

So good warm with a cup of coffee.

So good warm with a cup of coffee.

Eggnog Baked French Toast

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Eggnog baked French Toast

Eggnog baked French Toast

If you are anything like me right about now you have “bits of this” and ” a little bit of that” left over from Holiday cooking and baking, and you’re wondering how to use it all up.  If it’s eggnog you want to use up, wonder no longer.  I have just the recipe for you.  You’re gonna love it, and so will any children you may be feeding.  This might even turn into a post Holiday tradition, or a special breakfast for New Year’s morning.

The cranberries provide a hit of tartness in amongst the sweet.

The cranberries provide a hit of tartness in amongst the sweet.

Besides including eggnog, this French toast will also accommodate any other additions such as fresh or dried cranberries, or raisins that you might want to add.  In my version, pictured here, I used fresh cranberries, and we particularly liked the occasional tartness in amongst the sweetness of the toast.   Since this is prepared the night before and baked in the morning it is an ideal menu item for either breakfast or brunch.

Great for a Holiday breakfast or brunch.

Great for a Holiday breakfast or brunch.

EGGNOG BAKED FRENCH TOAST

YIELD:   4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup low-fat eggnog
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 small French baguette, (or half a large one) cut into 1-inch cubes.  (About 5-6 cups )
  • 1 cup additional fruits, i.e. cranberries, raisins, dried cherries

DIRECTIONS

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, and whisk briefly.  Add the eggnog, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix in.  Add the cinnamon and nutmeg.  Whisk well till all is evenly combined.

Stir in the bread cubes until evenly coated.  Stir in the fruit.

Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  Transfer the bread-egg mixture to the baking dish.  Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or over night.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375* F.   Remove the plastic wrap, and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until puffed and light golden brown.  Let cool a few minutes, then serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and additional maple syrup if desired.

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SOURCE:   Everyday Occasions,  via Annie’s Eats Blog

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Carolyn's Originals, Holiday and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Sausage Polenta Breakfast Casserole

Sausage Polenta Breakfast Casserole

On Christmas morning I’m usually torn between wanting to open gifts, and getting something ready for breakfast.  Of course, I start with coffee—I must have my coffee before anything.  Breakfast should be hearty enough to sustain us until we have dinner later in the day, so it can take some time to prepare.

So I have been experimenting with breakfast casseroles to come up with a recipe that can be assembled the evening before and just popped into the oven the next morning.  While it bakes you can be hanging out in you pj’s, tearing open those presents, and enjoying the smell of something wonderful baking in the oven.

I’ve recently found packages of pre made polenta at the grocery store.  They are tube shaped and wrapped in a plastic wrapper.  Usually found in a refrigerator case somewhere near the deli department. This can be a great convenience if you know what to do with it. So that is what I have been experimenting with.  This recipe uses the sliced polenta to make a crust (of sorts), into which you layer some precooked breakfast sausage, seasonings, and an egg/milk mixture.  Top with cheese, bake, and  out will come a spicy, cheesy, egg dish that is hearty and filling.  In the pictures you see here I have made only half the recipe for two of us, and not having bulk sausage on hand I used brown and serve sausages, cut into slices.

SAUSAGE WITH POLENTA BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

SERVES:   6 – 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 1  16-ounce roll polenta
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 10 – 12 ounces breakfast sausage, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash hot pepper sauce
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1.  Using 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, brush into a 9-inch pie dish or similar baking dish.

2.  Slice the polenta into 1/2 inch thick slices, and arrange in the bottom and up around the sides of the baking dish to form a “crust’.

3.  Put the remaining teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet, crumble in the sausage and cook to render the fat from the sausage and brown it..  Add the green onions and garlic powder; sauté 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and spread over polenta in the baking dish.

4.  In a medium bowl,  Mix the eggs, milk, salt and hot pepper sauce.  Pour over the sausage mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Egg mixture poured over the sausage and polenta.

Egg mixture poured over the sausage and polenta.

5.  In the morning, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Uncover dish,  sprinkle on the shredded cheese, and bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until set.

Sprinkle on shredded cheese before baking.

Sprinkle on shredded cheese before baking.

Melted cheese, and a little brown and crunchy around the edges, YUM!

Melted cheese, and a little brown and crunchy around the edges, YUM!

SOURCE:    A Carolyn Original

Rum Raisin Cranberry Muffins

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch, Muffins & Scones and tagged with , , , , , ,

You know something?  I’m not happy  when certain behaviors (on my part) become expectations.  You do something say, twice, and suddenly it becomes your job and other people now expect it from you.  Does this happen to you?  What I do to try to prevent this is to change things up frequently.  For instance just the other morning Mr. D. asked me “got any scones?”  Now, why would he expect me to have scones available—because in the past few weeks I made two or three different kinds of scones, and now he wants them all the time.  See what I mean?   BUT this week, there are no scones!   No, we are taking a break for a while, because I am off in a new direction.  This week it’s muffins.

Rum Raisin Cranberry Muffin

Rum Raisin Cranberry Muffin

Muffins are the replacement for scones.  Not just any muffins.  Ones in which the raisins and cranberries have been soaked in rum for a while before adding to the batter.  And there’s orange peel and spices in there, too.  After one of these with your morning coffee, you’ll be whistling a new tune as you leave for work.   ” Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to work I go.”  or “whistle a happy tune, whenever you’re feelin blue”, or, “whistle while you work, Tra-la-la-la-la-la.”   OH, my,  I think I’m getting into my happy Christmas Spirit a little early here.  But seriously, these muffins are way good, and  healthy too, so its OK to have one and not have feelings of guilt..

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When I decided to make these I did not have a recipe, just an idea of what I wanted to create.  So I turned to my King Arthur Baking Sheet for a basic cranberry  muffin recipe and then did some major modifications to come up with this combination of flavors. Heating the rum mixture causes the alcohol content to evaporate, leaving behind a faint rum flavor, but also plumps up the raisins and cranberries.  However, if you would prefer not to use rum, you may substitute either apple cider or apple juice, or even orange juice.

RUM RAISIN CRANBERRY MUFFINS

YIELD:   1 dozen muffins

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup dark rum
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1  1/2 cups regular or white 100% whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or non-fat dry milk powder
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
  • 1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest (orange peel)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease the wells of a muffin pan, or line with papers.

2.  Combine the rum, raisins and cranberries in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-low heat.  Remove from heat.  Cover and let cool for 10 minutes or so while you continue with the recipe.

3.  In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.  In another bowl whisk together the  eggs, orange zest, milk, and oil or melted butter.

4.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until barely blended, add in the cranberry/raisin mixture with their juice, and continue to blend them into the batter without over mixing.   Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full.   Divide all the batter evenly among the cups–they will be almost full.

5.  Bake for 18 – 20 minutes until they’re golden brown, and test done with a toothpick.  Remove from the oven, leave in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Rum Raisin Muffins after baking

Rum Raisin Muffins after baking

GLAZE     Not necessary, but it really puts the finishing touch on these muffins. (It’s the frosting on the cake! )

  • 2 Tablespoons orange juice, apple juice or apple cider
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

In a small saucepan (or use the microwave), stir together the glaze ingredients.  Bring just to a boil to dissolve the sugar.  Dip the tops of the warm muffins into the glaze.  As it cools is becomes a sweet, crunchy little cap on the muffins.   Cute!

Muffins with Glaze

Muffins with Glaze

So good with coffee!

So good with coffee!

SOURCE:  based on a recipe from King Arthur Flour