Buttery Orange Muffins

I tried this recipe for a special breakfast this morning. It came from a little recipe book I bought a long time ago, called "Old-Fashioned Muffin Recipes." These muffins turned out so well and I thought they tasted AMAZING!! The kids weren't that impressed, but I think it's because they were expecting something a little less cultured, like chocolate chip or something! These would be great tea party muffins, but were so yummy for breakfast too.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbs. grated orange rind
Butter for tops of muffins

Combine dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Separately mix egg, oil, milk and rind. Pour into dry mixture, stirring until batter is just moistened. (It's thicker than the average muffin batter - more like sticky biscuit dough, but it's OK.) Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Place a small piece of butter (a fleck) on top each batter-filled cup. Then, evenly top each with the following mixture:

1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. grated orange rind
2 tsps. orange juice

Bake in 400 degree oven. 15 - 20 minutes (I did mine for 20)

baked french toast

I hope & pray everyone had an absolutely wonderful Christmas. Once again, I'm stealing recipes. If this is wrong, I hope someone will tell me-I do try to give credit where credit is due. My bff, Dawn posted about what to do with extra bread, because the snow storm the weatherman predicted didn't come & we had all rushed out to get bread & milk. :) I tried this recipe for Christmas morning breakfast & we all loved it. In fact I'm thinking it might become a Christmas morning tradition.

Baked French Toast
(courtesy of Dawn's sister-in-law)

1 lb of bread
8 eggs
3 cups milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray. Rip bread into bite size pieces and put in pan. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl and pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Topping
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup

Melt butter in small sauce pan. Mix the sugar and corn syrup in and simmer until bubbling (stir occasionally). Pour over top of dish French Toast and bake uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes. **We added 1/4 cup of chopped pecans to the topping, which was yummy. Another suggestion was to take an 8 oz. block of cream cheese & put chunks(about 1" cubes)spread through out the bread & make it more like a cheese pastry.

It was very easy to make I measured out my topping ingredients the night before as well so all I had to do was throw in the pan. It serves about 8.

Cinnamon Twisties

1 can of either crescent rolls or butter flavor biscuits
1/4 c. butter
3/4 cup cinnamon/ sugar mixture (make to taste)
chopped pecans or flaked coconut opt.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in baking dish of your choice. Remove pan from oven. Individually roll out biscuits or if using crescent rolls just unroll them. Dip one piece at time in melted butter. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture and twist. Lay side by side in pan. Sprinkle with optional toppings if desired. Bake until golden brown on top for 15 -20 minutes.

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:
2 pounds of frozen Tater tots
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 pound of cooked breakfast sausage
2 soup cans full of milk
3 or 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 dozen eggs

Directions:
Place tater tots, sausage, and cheese in greased 9x13 inch pan. Beat eggs, milk, soup, and salsa, then pour over tater tot stuff. Stir all ingredients around to make sure everything is coated. Cover pan and stick in the refrigerator over night. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes or until thoroughly cooked in the middle.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

This is our favourite pancake recipe. Our family usually does not eat pancakes for breakfast - we eat them for supper! It's the kids' favourite meal because they ask for it all the time. When I add bacon, it's my husband's favourite meal. And it's always my favourite meal because it's so easy! I also add fruit when I make this for supper.

Combine in a small bowl and mix with fork.

2 c. buttermilk *
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs

In a larger bowl combine:

1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. unbleached, white flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Add wet ingredients to the dry bowl and mix, only until moistened. Fry in hot, lightly greased skillet.

*I have to confess that I've never used real buttermilk to make these pancakes! Here's my secret: For every cup of buttermilk that you need, put 1 T. of lemon juice in a one cup measure, then add regular milk to fill it up. Allow that to sit for about 5 minutes. The lemon juice causes the milk to sour and viola! you have buttermilk!

Cinnamon Muffins

My family devours these muffins! They are my husband's favourite, so I made these for Father's Day breakfast on Sunday. I hope you'll try them and enjoy them too! Remember, if you try any of the recipes on this blog, be sure to come back and leave a comment. We want to know what you think!

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

In a bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat well. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Fill greased muffin cups half full. (These work well with muffin papers as well.) Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking....

In a small, shallow bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Melt butter. When muffins are done, dip tops in butter, then in cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

I usually make a double batch because these are so popular!

Sausage Egg Casserole

This is an awesome and very easy breakfast casserole! We make it here at the camp and just about everyone loves it!

Ingredients-
2 tubes of crescent rolls
dozen beaten eggs
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound of cooked sausage

Directions
Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with one rolled out tube of the crescent rolls. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 7 min. or until just VERY lightly browned. Place sausage, cheese and eggs over slightly cooked crescent rolls. Cook for about 15 or 20 min. (eggs should be looking almost cooked). Spread other tube of crescent rolls on top of the egg mixture. Cook for about 10 more min. ( top should be golden brown and the egg mixture completely cooked!)

South Beach eggs on the go!

So these are my South Beach breakfast favorite!

They are similar to a quiche and I don't know WHY I didn't do it before now! This recipe is similar to the one in the South Beach book, but I didn't like theirs.

1 cup 2% or fat free shredded cheese

1/2 cup meat (either cooked sausage or shredded Ham - low fat)

6 eggs

1/4 cup milk

Crack open the eggs in a bowl add in milk, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well blended. Pour egg into muffin pan filling each 1/2 full. Drop cheese, meat, and veggies into each muffin cup as much as desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean! They store great in the fridge for about 2 days and heat up beautifully for a minute in the microwave. I haven't tried freezing them yet... so let me know if you do how it works! Mix it up ... be creative!

Vanilla Waffles

I've tried several waffle recipes and this one is our FAVORITE! The vanilla gives it a great flavor... even without syrup! Waffles are a Sunday night favorite around our house!

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk



Directions

Cream the butter with the sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Combine the flour and baking powder. Add to the mixture and gradually add the milk and eggs.
Pour batter on hot waffle iron. Makes 14 waffles.

I always make extras then freeze them in a freezer bag. Pop them in the toaster and VOILA... breakfast in a flash (or pop.. if you factor in the toaster)

Choose-a-Flavor Quiche

Don't let Quiche scare you. It really isn't hard at all to make!

Ingredients
1 pie crust
3 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp minced onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Dash ground nutmeg
3/4 cup of meat or veggie (some options are bacon, broccoli, ham, , or sausage)
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 T flour

Directions
Line the unpricked pie crust with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes more or until crust is nearly done. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temp. to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together eggs, milk, onion, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in meat or veggie. Toss together cheese and flour. Add to egg mixture; mix well. Pour egg mixture into HOT crust. Bake in the 325 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes. Enjoy.

My children LOVE this meal. I usually serve it with muffins and fruit.

Baked Oatmeal

I'm posting this recipe to celebrate! I was sick for a week with a bad sinus infection. For 5 days I could taste and smell NOTHING! It totally took the fun out of eating. On Sunday morning, my husband made baked oatmeal, as has become the tradition at our house. When it was about halfway done, I noticed something wonderful! I could smell it baking! And when it was done, I could taste it too!! It was the best smell and taste in the whole world at that point! I thought you might enjoy it too! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law shortly after we were married.

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c. oil
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/4 c. cooking molasses (do not use blackstrap)
• 3 c. quick oats
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 c. milk

Whisk together eggs, oil, honey and molasses. Add dry ingredients; mix, then add milk. Pour into well-greased square (or round) pan. Bake 30 min. at 350. Check center with knife for doneness. If still gooey, bake a few minutes longer.

We eat this with a little milk poured over the top of each serving and a small dollop of jam or applesauce. I like mine with just milk! Like I said, this has become a weekend tradition, with Daddy being the main baker. I love having a morning off!

Mashed-potato Cinnamon Rolls

If you want an awesome cinnamon roll recipe, look no further! It seriously doesn't get any better than this one!

Ingredients for the dough

1/2 pound potatoes
2 packages active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Cups warm water
3/4 Cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 Cup sugar
2/3 Cup nonfat dry milk
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
8 Cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Cook potatoes until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid;set aside. Mash potatoes; set aside 1 cup. Heat reserved potato liquid to 110-115 degrees. In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and the 2 Tbsp. sugar in potato water; let stand 10 minutes. Add warm water, mashed potatoes, butter, eggs, sugar, dry milk, salt, vanilla and 5 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and chill overnight.


Filling:
1/2 Cup butter, melted
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Icing:
4 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Punch dough down; divide into thirds. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 12" x 8" rectangle; spread with butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon (I usually separate these evenly three ways before I combine them. Then I combine each 1/3 portion.); sprinkle over the dough. Roll up from a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut each into 12 slices; place cut side down in three greased 9x13 inch pans. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 22-27 minutes. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over hot rolls. Makes 3 dozen.

Baked Ham and Swiss with Mushroom Sauce on Croissants and Fresh Fruit

That's really the title for this recipe! It's from one of my favourite recipe books called "Cooking for the Rushed" by Sandi Richard. This meal makes a great, fancy lunch or brunch, but my husband is happy to have this for supper any day of the week! It's a very grown up sandwich, but our kids like it too.

• 1 T. butter or margarine
• 12 mushrooms
• 4 green onions
• 1 T. flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 t. ground pepper
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 6 large croissants
• 6 slices deli sliced ham (or turkey if you prefer)
• 6 slices deli sliced Swiss cheese
• 1/2 small honeydew melon
• 6 nectarines
• 1 small bunch green grapes

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat butter in a non-stick pan at med-high. Wash and chop mushrooms and green onions, adding to pan as you chop. Stir as you add. Stir in flour and gradually add milk until mixture begins to thicken. Add spices, stir and remove from heat.

Cut croissants in half, lengthwise. Place bottom halves on a cookie sheet. Layer each bottom half in this order: 1 slice ham, 1/6 of the mushroom sauce, and 1 slice of cheese. Cover with the top of croissant. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

While this is baking.... Wash and cut melon and nectarines into slices. Wash grapes and arrange in a very classy sort of way on the serving plates. (Of course, you can use any fruit that your family likes or whatever is in season.) Place the croissant alongside when done. Enjoy!