Egg Nog French Toast

I created this over Christmas break so that my family would help me finish the Egg Nog.  Nobody in my family of 6 likes Egg Nog except for me....and hello...have you seen how many delicious calories there are in Egg Nog?  My body can't afford to drink it all by myself.  So I made this French Toast, and everyone loved it!  Hooray!

Egg Nog French Toast
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Egg Nog
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 loaf of french bread

Directions:
Whisk together Egg Nog, milk, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg until eggs and spices are well blended.  Slice french bread into 3/4 inch thick slices.  Dip each slice of bread in the egg nog mixture and place on griddle.  Flip and cook on the other side.  Enjoy with this cinnamon syrup.

Skinny Apple Muffins

I have always loved muffins!  Always!  I love eating muffins for breakfast, lunch, snacks...whenever. The only problem is they are usually loaded with sugar and calories.  I have adapted this recipe from an apple streusel bread recipe I have to make it lighter so that the kids will still enjoy it, but so that you can also afford to eat more than one for breakfast!  Each muffin is just 123 calories!!  (I didn't calculate all the other stats, but if you want them, I will make my lazy self calculate it for you!)  They are still yummy and my kids love them!

Skinny Apple Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 granny smith apples, peeled and grated
cinnamon for sprinkling
brown sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flours, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2.  Cream butter, applesauce and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Beat in the eggs, lemon juice and vanilla.
3.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until moistened.  Add apples and stir gently to combine.
4.  Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.  Spoon the batter into the muffin tin filling each tin 3/4 of the way full.
5.  Sprinkle tops of the muffins with cinnamon and brown sugar.
6.  Place muffin pan in oven and cook for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Makes about 14 muffins.

Recipe Source:  Kimmy's Creation

Homemade Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

These are so, so yummy and perfect for fall.  I love the orange color the pumpkin gives these rolls.  Fun for serving with soup or eating plain.  This are a delight in your mouth!

Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
Ingredients: 
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast or 2 packages
1 cup warm water (110-115 F)
1 can (15 oz.) of pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour
extra softened butter for brushing (about 1/4 cup)

Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water; let stand for 5 minutes.  Beat in pumpkin, sugar, butter, egg, salt and 3 cups flour.  Add enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough.  Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; divide into thirds.  Roll each portion into a 12 inch circle; cut each into 12 wedges.  Brush with butter.  Roll up from the wide end and place pointed end down, 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  

Recipe Source:  adapted from a Taste of Home Magazine

Apple Streusel Bread

This bread is absolutely fantastic.  It has just the right amount of apple and the perfect combination of flavors.  We love it.  I love to make bread into mini loaves so I can give some away so I don't eat it all because trust me, I can and will do it.  Be sure if you make smaller loaves to decrease the baking time. 

Apple Bread:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

Streusel Topping:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare topping, combine flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.
3. To prepare bread, combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and vanilla.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until moistened. Add apples and stir gently to combine.
6. Spoon half of the batter into a buttered 9-by-5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping. Spoon remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining topping. Finish by sprinkling evenly with brown sugar.
7. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the pan and set on a rack to cool. Makes 10 servings.

Recipe Source:  The Costco Cookbook

Shauna's Banana Bread

I am not the biggest fan of banana bread because I am not the biggest fan of bananas, but this bread, oh my, is one of the best banana breads I've ever tasted. My dear friend, Shauna, would invite us over all the time for banana bread when we lived in Portland. Then she would send us home with a loaf. What a dear, dear woman. This is a family favorite!

Shauna's Delicious Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
3 or 4 smashed bananas
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter. Then mix in eggs, bananas, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla. Add the remaining dry ingredients, beat until smooth. Pour into greased pans. This makes two large loaves of banana bread. Bake large loaves for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Don't overbake! Bake for less time if you make smaller loaves of bread.

Recipe Source: Shauna Nemelka

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hello you!  I'm calling your name.  You can't have just one bite.

Lovin' the gooey middles coming out of the oven. 

Seriously?  Look at that frosting just drizzling down the side of that cinnamon roll.  That's my kind of roll baby!

These are hands down probably some of the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever tasted if not the best.  They got rave reviews from everyone I gave them too including the hubs and kids.  The cinnamon roll recipe is from Pioneer Woman.  They are truly to die for and will leave eating a whole pan without sharing.  The frosting is a cream cheese frosting which in my opinion is a must for a cinnamon roll.  You may not want to start making these because friends and neighbors will begin knocking down your door when they smell the delicious smell of oozy, gooey cinnamon and sugar combined with butter wafting through the neighborhood.  Plus, you can even store the dough for up to 3 days if you don't have the time to make a complete batch.  Good luck resisting these, but you absolutely must try them! 

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
Dough:
1 quart milk (not skim)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
9 cups all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt

Filling:
2 cups melted butter, plus more as needed
1/4 cup ground cinnamon for sprinkling
2 cups sugar, plus more as needed

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:
1.  For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

2.  Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

3.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.

4.  To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.

5.  Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

6.  Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices.  One log will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into a pan.  You can use pie plates, 9x13 inch baking dishes, or baking sheets.  Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd.

7.  Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the counter top for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.  I made my rolls bigger than 1/2-inch thick, and they took a bit longer to cook. 

For the Frosting:
Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.  

Recipe Source:  The Cinnamon Rolls Recipe - The Pioneer Woman, The Cream Cheese Frosting - Cooks 

Pumpkin French Toast

We just made this french toast for breakfast.  It is scrumptious!  It has a perfect balance of flavors with the pumpkin and cinnamon while still tasting like french toast.  I ate it with the pecans; the rest of the family ate it without.  Each way it is delicious!  The cinnamon syrup is so great.  You have to try it!

Pumpkin French Toast

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 - 6 slices bread
Pecans, chopped

Directions:
In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Place the slices of bread into the egg mixture and let soak while the pan heats up [3-5 minutes].

Spray skillet with non-stick spray in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place bread into the pan and cook until golden brown on 1 side, approx. 2-3 minutes. Turn the slices over and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes longer. Top with pecans and this delicious cinnamon syrup. Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Krista's Culinary Creations

Great Harvest Cinnaburst Copycat Bread

WARNING: This bread is hazardous to your health.  Due to the extreme moistness, the soft texture, and the heavenly burst of cinnamon flavor, one is in danger of suffering from eating a whole loaf in one sitting.  Not only will this overload you with pure delight, but will create a need for you to rebuy cinnamon chips and cancel work for the next day so you can make another loaf and eat it straight out of the oven.  In case of this emergency, be sure to keep a stick of butter next to the oven in preparation for the consumption.   

Great Harvest Cinnaburst Copycat Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon yeast (1 pack)
1/3 cup oil (I used veggie oil)
1/2 T salt
1 egg
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cinnamon chips

Directions:

• In mixer combine yeast, sugar, and warm water and milk; let bubble for about 5 minutes.
• Add in oil and egg.
• Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix and then add salt.
• Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until it comes away from side of bowl.
• Add the cinnamon chips when it gets close to the right consistency. The dough will be very sticky but the softer the dough the lighter the bread. So use the least amount of flour you can handle.  (Note:  Don't overmix the cinnamon chips.)
• Grease a mixing bowl.  Let dough rise in bowl until doubled in size.
• Form into loaf (or whatever shape you want).
• Let rise until double.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  I baked my bread for 30 minutes exactly, and it came out perfect, but my oven cooks hot. 

Makes 2 loaves

Recipe Source:  Slightly adapted from Rae Gun Ramblings

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday, It's a Keeper

My Mother's Day line up starting with Praline-Pecan French Toast

Let me just start out by saying - I have the best husband ever!!!!  There I said it.  It's out in the open.  All Saturday night, he was prepping food for me so that I didn't have to cook or prepare a single thing on Mother's Day.  And let me just say, the hubs has been holding out on me.  He has some crazy skills in the kitchen.  The boy can cook.  So he surprised me for breakfast by baking me this Praline-Pecan French Toast...

Yep, that's bread underneath there smothered in a praline-pecan mixture.  It was fantastic!  I even had the leftovers this morning, and it was still delicious!  He and the kidlets brought me breakfast in bed with the sweetest cards ever!  I thoroughly enjoyed laying in bed, reading my cards and eating 'til I was stuffed.

Then for dinner, he made me a gourmet burger which, oh my heavenly days, was delicious.  I felt like a Carl's Jr. commercial eating it.  "If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face."

 
Click here for a recipe of these gourmet burgers.  My man knows how to work that grill.  :)

For dessert?  Creamy, perfectly smooth, decadent, cheesecake.  Yes, he baked me a cheesecake.  That's what he was doing the night before.  I love cheesecake.  This was definitely one of the best cheesecakes I've ever eaten.  I'll be posting his recipe soon.  Mouthwatering! 

It was not only a great day for food, but to reflect on how much I am truly blessed.  I was raised by a wonderful mother who is an absolute angel. The gratitude and love I have for her are more than I could ever express in words.  I have a wonderful mother-in-law who I also love dearly, and I have the best husband and sweetest kids ever.  I am so blessed! 

Now on to Praline-Pecan French Toast

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) French bread loaf
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Cut 10 (1 inch thick) slices of bread.  Reserve remaining bread for another use. 

2.  Stir together brown sugar and next 2 ingredients; pour into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans. 

3. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients.  Arrange bread slices over pecans; pour egg mixture over bread.  Cover and chill 8 hours. 

4.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake bread 35-37 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately. 

Recipe Source:  Southern Living February 2011

This is how the french toast looks when you pull it out of the oven.  The pecan side is face down.  Just flip it over and serve. 

Linked to:  This Week's Cravings, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Full Plate Thursday

Lion House Rolls

I can't tell you how many roll recipes I've tried and enjoyed throughout my life.  I have a thing for bread, muffins, and pretty much all baked goods.  Oh........these rolls.........heavenly.  They are soft, buttery, and delightful. Definitely a recipe to make over and over and over again.  The Lion House is famous for it's delicious baked items.  If you haven't tried this recipe yet, you must partake of the goodness.

Lion House Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
5 to 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:
In your mixer combine water and dry milk. Stir until dissolved. Add yeast, sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 2 more cups flour, and mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, and 2 minutes on medium speed. Add remaining flour a 1/2 cup at a time.  The dough should be soft, but not overly sticky.  (You may not need to add in all the flour.) Once combined, knead with hands, or knead in a mixer. Place dough in a oiled bowl. Turn over once so dough is covered with oil. Cover with plastic or a towel, and let rise in a warm place until double in size.  I always put my dough in the oven with the light on.  Place dough on floured surface. Roll out dough, and brush with melted butter. (Can you see why these are soooo good?)  Cut rolls into desired shape and size.  (Click here for a video to help shape your rolls, Lion House Style.) Place on a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Let rise in warm place until rolls are doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot.  I was able to make 25 rolls with my dough, but it really depends on how big you make your rolls. 

Linked to:  Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits, Full Plate Thursday, Saturday Swap, Savory Sundays

Sweet Pull-Apart Rolls

A delectable, sweet, sticky pull-apart bun that's perfect for Easter morning or any special breakfast occasion.  What I love about these yummy morsels is that they are easy and there's only five ingredients!  You can make 'em the night before and then cook 'em up in the morning - perfect to give you a morning sugar rush to jump start your day!  There is butterscotch pudding in the recipe, but trust me, it doesn't taste like butterscotch.  The butterscotch pudding just makes it taste like a buttery melt-in-your mouth piece of culinary heaven. 

Sweet Pull-Apart Rolls

Ingredients:
24 frozen Rhodes rolls
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 pkg. cook and serve butterscotch pudding
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Place the frozen rolls in a greased bundt pan. Sprinkle the rolls with the pudding powder and cinnamon. Melt the butter and brown sugar together (I used the microwave.); pour over the rolls. Place a damp towel over the pan and let sit for 6-8 hours until it rises. (I let mine rise for 10 hours overnight.)  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool for a 5-10 minutes then place the pan upside down on a plate and let the yummy gooey stuff fall all over the rolls.  Use a spatula and smother the yummy gooey goodness all over until every single roll is covered in it.

Recipe Source:  My SIL Elisabeth Merrill

Linked to:  Potluck Sunday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Full Plate Thursday, Sweets for a Saturday

Savory Onion Twist

This is what I call pretty bread. It just looks plain pretty to me. Sitting there in all it's glory, lookin' all delicious and such. It could be the foodie centerpiece of a Christmas dinner. I almost hated to dig in...Almost... :) This bread definitely was delicious. It was my first attempt at this so my twirlin' of the bread got a little crazy and skiwhompish (is that a word?). So I had to cook mine for a little longer than the recipe calls for. This definitely made my taste buds giddy.

Easy Refrigerator Dough

1 package or 1/2 tablespoon yeast
1 1/2 cups very warm water
1 cup unseasoned lukewarm mashed potatoes
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
6-7 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in potatoes, sugar, shortening, salt, eggs and 3 cups of the flour. Beat with spoon until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover bowl tightly; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 5 days. Punch down dough before using.

Savory Onion Twist

1/2 of the Easy Refrigerator Dough from above
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or miracle whip
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:
1. Prepare Easy Refrigerator Dough. Divide dough in half; cover and refrigerate half of cough for another use.

2. Grease large cookie sheet. Roll remaining half of dough on lightly floured surface into rectangle, 15x10 inches. Mix 1/2 cup of the cheese and the remaining ingredients. Spread cheese mixture over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up dough, beginning at 15-inch side; pinch edge of dough into roll to seal.

3. Cut roll lengthwise in half. Place halves, filling sides up and side by side, on cookie sheet; twist together gently and loosesly. Pinch edges to fasten. Cover and let rise in warm place about 25 minutes or until double.

4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with 1/2 cup remaining cheese. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

Seriously...delicious! A fabulous breakfast for a cold wintery almost December morning! The syrup is absolutely fantastic!

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

1 Eggs—Separate whites and yolks
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/8 cup oil
3/4 cup pumpkin
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tbls. sugar
3/4 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 - 1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Mix egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and pumpkin. Mix together flour, sugar, soda, salt, and spices. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and barely mix. Beat egg whites til stiff and fold into other ingredients. Pour batter onto a preheated, greased skillet and cook. Serve with Cinnamon Syrup.

Cinnamon Syrup

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens slightly. Pour into serving dish. Makes about 1 cup.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

These are my mini loaves.

I make this pumpkin bread every year. This could quite possibly be the best pumpkin bread I have ever tasted. EVER!!! It is absolutely delicious, and it stays so moist. You won't want to miss this recipe. You could all 5 loaves by yourself. Yep, it's that good. It's that addictive.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

3 cups pure pumpkin
6 eggs
1 ½ cups oil
4 ½ cups sugar
3 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. nutmeg
1 ½ cups water
4 2/3 cups flour
1- 24 oz. bag chocolate chips (save back some chips to sprinkle on top of loaves)

Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients mixing well. Add chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few of the chips on top of the loaves before baking. Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 1 hour and 5-10 minutes. Makes 5 large loaves.

Morning Glory Muffins

These muffins are fantastic! My family loves them. I make the giant size muffins for my husband and I and the mini muffins for the kids. This recipe came from my fabulous friend Celia, who also gave me the dynamite cornbread recipe.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 apple, peeled and grated

2 cups grated carrots (optional)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional - You can add your favorite type of nut!)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until smooth. Add oil and vanilla and mix. In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until moist. Then add the coconut, apples, carrots, and nuts and stir. Bake in greased muffin cups at 350. For making large muffins, bake for 25 minutes. Regular muffins - 20 minutes. Mini muffins - 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

Coconut Pancakes

I love coconut so it should come as no surprise that I love coconut pancakes as well. Mmmmm!!!! Delicious!

Coconut Pancakes

1 egg - separate whites and yolk

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

1/8 cup oil

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix egg yolks, coconut milk, and oil. Mix together flour, sugar, coconut, soda, and salt. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into other ingredients. Pour batter onto hot griddle and cook yourself up some pancakes! These go so, so well with this delicious coconut syrup.

Super Easy Stuffed French Toast

So we had all this left over bread hanging around from a family reunion. I couldn't freeze it because my freezer is packed. I was trying to think of some way to use the bread because I hate wasting food. This stuffed french toast was the perfect solution. This was so easy to make and so good.

Ingredients:

12 pieces of bread

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

cinnamon

5-6 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbls. sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

whipped cream

berries

1. Soften the cream cheese and mix in the sugar and vanilla. Spread this mixture on a slice of bread and top it with another piece of bread. Repeat with remaining bread.

2. Heat your griddle. Mix the eggs, milk, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Dip the stuffed bread in the egg mixture. Turn to coat all sides. Then place on griddle and cook.

3. Top with whipped cream and berries. Delish! (Makes 6 pieces of stuffed french toast.)

Linked to: 
This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking

Deep Dish Pizza

We love this deep dish pizza. It comes from my friend Krista's blog. It is excellent!

Deep Dish Pizza

2 1/3 – 3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp yeast

1 cup warm milk

2 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil

In your mixer combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Mix well. In a separate bowl combine warm milk, sugar and olive oil. While your mixer is on low, slowly pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Let the machine knead the dough for 5 minutes. Put in a greased bowl and let rise. After dough has doubled in size put dough on lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll each half into a 7 inch circle. Place over your knuckles moving the dough around in a circle so that the middle is thinner than the sides. Put 1-2 Tbsp olive oil in the bottom of pan. Spread the olive oil evenly throughout the pan. Place the dough into a cake pan and press out to the sides of the pan, trying to avoid getting the oil on top of the dough. You need enough so that it will fry the bottom of the dough. Let the dough rise 10 minutes. The put on your favorite toppings. Bake on bottom rack of oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Butterscotch Rolls

The inside of a delicious butterscotch roll.

The outside of a delicious butterscotch roll.

I love, love, love these rolls. They are so delectable! My mom used to make them for us growing up. Enjoy!

BUTTERSCOTCH ROLLS

1 Recipe Sweet Roll Dough:

1/2 cup warm water

2 Tablespoons dry yeast

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter or margarine

6-7 1/2 cups flour

In a bowl dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, salt, egg, butter, and 1/2 of flour to yeast. Mix with spoon til smooth. Add the rest of or just enough flour to handle easily. Turn onto lightly floured board, knead until smooth (about 5 minutes). (I do all the mixing in my Bosch.) Round up dough in a greased bowl, bring greased side up. Cover with cloth. Let rise til double. Push down, let rise again. Shape.

FOR RICHER DOUGH: Same as above only use 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour.

Roll dough into about an 18-inch circle. Cut into twelve triangles. Put a spoonful of pudding mixture on each triangle. Roll up and place on greased cookie sheet, point side down. Let it rise for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Frost with glaze when rolls are cool.

FILLING:

1 package (6 ounce cook and serve) butterscotch pudding

2/3 cup coconut

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Add coconut and pecans. Let mixture cool.

GLAZE:

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons evaporated milk

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Boil brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter for 1 minute. Blend in powdered sugar.

Poppy Seed Bread

I got this recipe off my friend Krista's blog. We loved it! I am a huge fan of poppy seed anything!!! My hubbie loved this bread too. I actually didn't make the glaze. We just ate the bread plain. Sorry I don't have a picture. Krista has a beautiful picture of the bread on her blog.

POPPY SEED BREAD

3 cups flour, sifted
2 1\2 cups sugar
1 1\2 t. salt
3 eggs
1 1\2 cups milk
1 1\8 cups vegetable oil
1 1\2 t. poppy seeds
1 1\2 t. vanilla extract
1 1\2 t. almond extract
1 1\2 t. butter flavoring

GLAZE:
3\4 cup sugar
1\4 cup lemon juice (or orange juice)
1\2 t. vanilla extract
1\2 t. almond extract
1\2 t. butter flavoring

Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Line the pans with wax paper, then grease and flour wax paper. Preheat oven to 350. Mix all bread ingredients together, then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour. Mix glaze ingredients together. Heat in microwave just to melt sugar (2 to 3 minutes). Remove bread from pans. Pour glaze over hot bread or use pastry brush.