To Die For Blueberry Muffins

***Don't you just absolutely love waking up on a weekend to the smell of something delicious baking in the oven?  A few days after my recent surgery, my sister - Suzanne - got up early and baked these A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. blueberry muffins.  Honestly, one of my favorite moments during the week my two sisters were staying with us was being woken up by the wonderfully scrumptious smell of these muffins slowly wafting into my bedroom.  That sort of thing just makes you feel super loved and taken care of.  :)

It's actually really funny, because when Suzanne was looking for a blueberry muffin recipe the night before, she picked this recipe before realizing I already had it on my blog.  I guess great minds think alike...lol.  It's not often that I post the same recipe twice, but these muffins are worth the extra attention.  They bake up nice and big, are packed with beautiful blueberries, and the cinnamon-sugar crumble on top makes these unforgettable. 

I bet you never thought a simple little muffin could be unforgettable, did you???  :)

If you've had a chance to read my last post, you might remember me telling you about Brad and Maranne's trip to the farmers' market.  Well, they came home with a gloriously large bucket of the prettiest blueberries you've ever seen.  If you've got some fresh blueberries around the house, this is a perfect way to showcase them!  There's no better time than now to take advantage of the season's best fruits.

Surprise someone you love and bake these muffins over the weekend.  Trust me, they won't sleep very late with the smell of these muffins in the house!

Bon Appetit!***

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

Source:  allrecipes.com

 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: 

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

My Favorite Quiche!

***It's not often that a recipe is worthy of re-posting.  I think I've only done that once or twice in the entire time I've written this blog.  However, this is one of those rare occasions.  Back in 2009 when Brad and I went to Europe, we had the most amazing Quiche Lorraine at the incredible Les Deux Magots cafe in Paris.  It was delicious and was served alongside a yummy salad of fresh greens (Quiche Lorraine sur Salade Verte).  Oh, it was heaven on a plate!  It also didn't hurt that we were sitting on the patio of one of the most famous cafes in Paris, after all...haha.  The atmosphere and people-watching in that particular area are hard to beat.

I'll never forget the elderly lady that was sitting at the table right next to us (the tables were situated pretty close together).  She was dressed to-the-nines, was all by herself, and was just the quintessential, classy Parisian lady.  I wish more than anything that I had tried to strike up a conversation with her.  Brad and I had spent that entire day shopping at all the famous patisseries and bakeries that I had researched before the trip.  I had bags from all over - Poilane, Pierre Herme, Laduree - and I had them all piled at my feet under the table.  The lady noticed my bags and smiled the sweetest smile.  We said "hello" and that was that.  She just seemed like someone who could tell you some pretty awesome stories.

Shortly after we returned from our trip, I posted a recipe for Quiche, which you can see HERE.  This time around, I added more mushrooms and spinach.  This made all the difference, and I definitely prefer this dish as listed below.  It's packed with yummy ingredients, and the Gruyere cheese is simply decadent.  

After one bite of this, you'll be in love!

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:1 pie crust, rolled out and fitted into a 9″ pie pan

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp oil

1 medium onion, minced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 bag (6 oz) baby spinach
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 tbsp flour

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the pie crust for 5-7 minutes, until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce oven to 325°F.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is wilted. If there is a lot of extra moisture in the pan, drain the vegetable mixture.

In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, onion, bacon, spinach, mushrooms, and salt. In a separate bowl, toss the cheese and flour together. Add the cheese to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into your partially baked pie crust and bake 45-55 minutes, until set. Let it cool for about 20 minutes before slicing. It can be served warm or at room temperature.

 

 

Delicious Cheese & Sausage Balls

***Some things are so addictive - chocolate, a good book, coffee, shopping...and these Cheese & Sausage Balls!  

My Aunt Julie brought the ingredients along when they came to stay with us last weekend.  Brad and I were both so happy!  This recipe is something that she makes on Christmas day every year, so it was a special treat for us to have them on William's birthday weekend!  

The best part? - This recipe is incredibly easy but absolutely packed with yummy deliciousness.  Each little bite is like biting into a sausage biscuit from your favorite breakfast restaurant.  Even though they are made with hot sausage, they're not too spicy.  Let me just say this - I usually don't like anything that's super spicy, and these are amazing!  We did leave out the cayenne pepper, but if you like the heat, by all means add it in!

This is the sort of thing that would make a perfect appetizer for a party.  They'd be so cute with a fancy little toothpick stuck in each one, and arranged in rows on a pretty platter.  If you volunteer to bring appetizers to a party or family gathering anytime soon, this just might be the recipe you're looking for!

Bon Appetit!***

 Before baking...

Cheese & Sausage Balls
Source:  Julie Culbreth

Ingredients:
3 cups Pioneer Brand Buttermilk Biscuit & Baking Mix OR Bisquick
1 lb. mild or hot sausage, depending on your preference
8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)


Directions:
Mix baking mix and raw sausage.  Add softened cheese, then pepper.  Blend well.  Shape into 3/4 inch balls.  Bake at 375-400 degrees F, for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Devour!


Recipe makes 9 dozen.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread - Southern Living

***There seriously aren't very many things that smell better than Banana Nut Bread baking in the oven.   Don't you agree?  This recipe for Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread from Southern Living magazine was one of the very first recipes that I added to this blog...back in November 2007!  In fact, I came across it when I worked for the magazine as a Marketing Intern.  Back then, I didn't have a photo for every recipe, and the blog post was simply the recipe and nothing else.  Because this is my go-to recipe for Banana Nut Bread (and because it is so amazing!), I thought that it deserved a little more attention. 

This is quite honestly some of the best Banana Nut Bread that I've ever had.  An entire 8oz. package of cream cheese is added right to the batter, along with 4 mashed bananas.  The cream cheese adds so much to this recipe, with an incredibly moist texture being the main component.  Plus, the roasted pecans are the perfect addition.  Roasting the nuts brings out their natural oils and adds SO much flavor...Don't skip this step!  To roast them, simply place the pecans on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted.  I usually add a sprinkling of pecans over the top of the batter before baking.  Another trick is to leave a few small chunks of banana...I don't mash them up completely. 

Another great thing about this recipe?  It makes TWO loaves, so you can put one in the freezer for later or give it away to someone very lucky!

Bon Appetit!***

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread
***Makes 2 loaves***

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanillla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch loafpans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. (I found that after one hour, my banana bread wasn't completely cooked through.  I ended up baking it for an extra 10-15 minutes.) Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Source: Southern Living magazine

Country Hashed Browns - Ina Garten

***Ina Garten never lets me down...Her recipes never disappoint and consistently deliver in the flavor department.  Case in point - Her "Country Hashed Browns."  One thing that I adore about the weekend is making a yummy homemade breakfast.  After watching Ina prepare this dish recently on her TV show, I knew that it was going to make an appearance in my kitchen soon.

I decided to surprise Brad with a delicious brunch this morning...And we were both thrilled with how it turned out.  I served these hashed browns with fresh scrambled eggs, juicy peaches from Chilton county, and plump blueberries from the farmer's market.  It was the perfect blend of fresh fruitiness and hearty yumminess!  We didn't want the meal to end!

After a brunch like that, you know the day ahead will be fabulous!

Bon Appetit!***

Country Hashed Browns
Source:  Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and 1/2-inch diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced scallions, white and green parts
1/2 pound smoked ham slices, 1/2-inch diced


Directions:
Melt the butter in a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan. Add the potatoes, onions, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally with a flat spatula, until the potatoes are evenly browned and cooked through. (Allow the potatoes to cook for 5 minutes before turning.) Turn off the heat and add the parsley, scallions and ham. Reheat on top of the stove or over a hot charcoal grill.


Cook's Note: Use any leftover potatoes in Potato Basil Frittata (see recipe) for lunch.


You can peel and dice the potatoes early and keep them in the refrigerator in a bowl of cold water. Drain them and dry them well with paper towels before frying.

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes + Banana! - Pioneer Woman

***Ahh...pancakes...one of those quintessential, scrumptiously delicious breakfast foods....But wait a gosh-darn-minute....Who says you can't have pancakes for dinner, anyway?  That's exactly what I made tonight...Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes, to be precise.  I took these over-the-top pancakes one step further by adding some mashed bananas.  WOW...that's all I can say!

It was one of those moments where I didn't have the exact ingredients that I needed.  But hey, sometimes those moments are just what you need for an awesome result!  The recipe calls for 1 full cup of sour cream, and I only had 1/2 cup.  Oh, what ever should I do??  I glanced around the kitchen, and my eyes fell upon the perfect solution...a few perfectly ripe bananas.  I peeled one of those suckers, put him in a bowl, and mashed him all to bits.  After adding the one banana to my 1/2 cup of sour cream, I had just the right amount.  Voila!

These pancakes tasted a lot like banana nut bread.  In fact, a drizzling of chopped pecans over the top would have made these pancakes even better.

While making these pancakes, I couldn't help but sing Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes" song to myself...

...Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now...

This recipe is certainly going in my regular repertoire...I KNOW you'll love these!!***

Edna Mae’s Sour Cream Pancakes
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ree says this makes 12 4-inch pancakes; I got 6 that were closer to 5 inches

Ingredients:
7 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (I used 1/2 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup mashed banana)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter
Maple syrup

Directions:
Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; you want it to slowly get nice and hot.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in the bottom of a medium bowl. Dump the sour cream in on top and stir it together very gently; it’s okay to leave the texture a bit uneven. Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and stir them into the sour cream mixture, once again, being careful not to overmix.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in your skillet or griddle and pour the batter in, a scant 1/4 cup at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until bubbles appear all over the surface [See Pancakes 101 for this and other tips], flipping them carefully and cooking for about a minute on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve in a stack, topped with a pat of butter and a cascade of maple syrup.

Homemade Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!

***If you've ever had the good fortune to eat a warm Krispy Kreme doughnut right off of the conveyor belt, you know that they are purely heaven-sent.  However, there isn't always a Krispy Kreme right down the street or at your disposal, so this recipe will help satisfy your doughnut craving! 

A co-worker of mine shared this recipe with me last week, and I couldn't wait to try it!  These doughnuts are very easy to make...The hardest part is simply waiting for the dough to rise.  After frying the first few doughnuts, you may want to cut into them just to make sure they're cooked all the way through.  I don't have a candy thermometer, so I had to guess at the right temperature.  The first few were a tiny bit under-cooked in the middle, so they had to go back into the hot tub!

I only made half of this recipe, because I certainly didn't need the full 48 doughnuts hanging out in the kitchen!  While these do taste A LOT like the real thing, no homemade doughnut can replace the original!  Without a doubt, you'll LOVE these!

Bon Appetit!***

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Recipe Adapted From:  http://www.recipezaar.com/Krispy-Kreme-Doughnuts-63746

Ingredients:

Doughnuts:
2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yeast
4 eggs (beaten)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
7 cups sifted flour

Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cold water

Directions:
Mix together ingredients for glaze.  Set aside.

Melt butter in hot milk, add 1 tsp sugar and salt. Allow to cool.  Pour milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Beat in yeast, nutmeg, eggs, remaining sugar, and 3 cups flour.

Add rest of flour (dough will be sticky).

With the dough hook attachment, knead for 5 minutes.  Cover bowl with a kitchen towel, and set it in a warm, dry room.  Allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Roll out dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness, cut into shapes.

Do not re-roll dough, then allow to rise for 30-45 minutes.

Heat oil to 365° and fry 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until brown. Toss in the doughnut holes first, let those cook, and then proceed to cooking the doughnuts.

Let them cool on a paper towel.  This will help get the glaze to stick.

Dip in warm glaze.  Enjoy!

Classic French Toast

***French toast is certainly one of those classic breakfast dishes that is always tasty. Believe it or not, I've never, ever made French toast until just recently. I'm not sure why...It's something I've been wanting to make for a while now, so I started off with an easy recipe from The Taste of Home Cookbook last weekend.

This recipe is so incredibly easy to make. Just mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl, dip in the French bread, and throw it onto a buttered skillet...Voila!

I made a classic mistake though...A few slices of my bread soaked for too long and got a little soggy. Trust me, you don't want soggy French toast! So, just use caution when dipping the bread into the egg mixture.

Also, make sure your skillet is nice and buttered. If not, the toast will stick and you'll end up with an egg-y mess!

Powdered sugar, warm maple syrup, and your choice of fresh fruit all make wonderful toppings for this dish. Paula Deen even has a recipe for French Toast stuffed with bananas and walnuts...so, feel free to go crazy with your favorites! I'm definitely going to be giving Paula's recipe a try soon too!

This recipe is just scrumptious! Bon Appetit!***

French Toast

Recipe adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook; New Revised Edition

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

8 slices day-old French bread (1 inch thick)

Directions:

In a bowl, beat eggs. Beat in the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Soak the slices of bread for a few seconds on each side (don't let the bread get soggy!).

Cook on a hot greased griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with warm maple syrup. Fresh fruit also makes a great addition!

Enjoy!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

What can I say...We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We started the day with Pioneer Woman's amazingly sinful, made-from-scratch cinnamon rolls. You might remember me making these last year on Christmas morning. Those things are so ridiculously good...It's hard to find the words to describe them...Hah.

Pioneer Woman says it best:
"If you begin making these for your friends and family during the holidays, I promise you this: you'll become famous. And, on a less positive note, people will forget everything else you've ever accomplished in your life. From that moment on, you'll be known - and loved - only for your cinnamon rolls."

Folks, she's not kidding...they're THAT good! You can find the recipe HERE.

I even surprised 3 of our neighbors with pans of these cinnamon rolls. They seemed very excited!

I also made another Red Velvet Cake. This time, I decorated the top and sides of the cake with candy canes. They added a wonderful, pepperminty taste to the cake that made it taste like Christmas! Click HERE for the recipe.

I'm so excited to report that I received 5 awesome cookbooks as part of my Christmas loot this year. They include:

A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes by David Tanis (of the famous Chez Panisse)

Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller (Famous chef of The French Laundry and Bouchon Bakery)

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond

(Her FOOD BLOG is awesome and this cookbook is even more awesome!)

The Lady & Sons Savannah Cookbook Collection by Paula Deen

The Christmas Tree...

It was mass chaos in our living room at 8:30AM this morning...hah...

Our pups...Lady & Hannah

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your family!!!

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread!!!

***With summer upon us and all of the deliciously fresh fruits that are available, I've really been craving fruits! Beautiful strawberries, amazing cherries, perfect peaches...the list goes on and on. I find myself buying this fresh produce and telling myself I'll worry about exactly what to make with it later! The fresh cherries that I used in my Classic Cherry Pie is a perfect example.

Recently, I had a strange craving for lemon poppy seed bread...something sweet, yet lemony. Lemony...is that a word?? This recipe definitely fit the bill...It is similar to a pound cake both in texture and taste. Because of that, it's not overly moist, but it is extremely delicious! This bread made a great breakfast, and it was easy to grab a slice before running out the door for work each morning.

Specs of freshly grated lemon zest really make this bread beautiful and add a great little zing of taste...not to mention the yummy glaze that gets brushed over the top! I imagine this recipe would make great little lemon poppy seed muffins. Hmm, I might just have to give that a try!***

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)
3 tablespoons (30 grams) poppy seeds
13 tablespoons (184 grams) unsalted butter, softened

Lemon Syrup:
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a loaf pan (8 x 4 x 2 1/2 inch) (20 x 10 x 7 cm). Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds until combined. Add the softened butter and half the egg mixture and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about one minute. This aerates and develops the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating about 30 seconds after each addition. This will strengthen the structure of the batter.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may have to cover the bread with buttered foil after about 30 minutes if you find the bread over browning.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the sugar and lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with about half the hot lemon syrup. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes then invert onto a greased wire rack. Brush the remaining syrup onto the bottom and the sides of the loaf. Reinvert the bread so it is right side up and then cool the bread completely before wrapping. Store at least overnight before serving to allow the lemon syrup to distribute throughout the loaf.

Makes 1 loaf.

Source: http://www.joyofbaking.com/

The Best Blueberry Muffins on the Planet!

***Alrighty folks, guess what...the recipes are making a strong come-back!!! I know I've devoted a lot of time to my posts about our Europe trip lately (and I certainly hope that you've enjoyed them!), but now that those posts are completed I can get back to posting all recipes! Yippee!

I've got to start with the most amazing blueberry muffins on the planet...seriously...I'm not kidding. These.Are.Fantastic! On a recent Sunday morning, Brad mentioned that he wanted blueberry muffins for breakfast. He was kidding...he didn't actually expect me to have everything I needed to make these kick-butt muffins. But surprisingly, I had all I needed. About 45 minutes later, these delectably scrumptious, bakery-quality muffins were sitting on a cooling rack...just beckoning me over to them..."Eat me!" they were saying....LOL.

We took one bite and we were both in love. I don't know if it was simply because we were just craving blueberry muffins or not, but you gotta try these! The cinnamon-y crumb topping that goes over the top before baking is just incredible. These muffins puff up so beautifully...Serve these, and everyone will think you spent $3.50 on each one at the bakery! These are SURE to impress!***

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/To-Die-For-Blueberry-Muffins/Detail.aspx

French Crepes - Nutella & Banana!

***One of the foods that I was most looking forward to trying in Paris was definitely the crepes. You can order them with almost any filling combination imaginable - chicken, ham, eggs, cheese, Nutella, bananas, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes...the list goes on and on. The best thing is - there are crepe stands everywhere in Paris! And let me tell you, after hours of walking around the city, a crepe really hits the spot! Our two favorite combos were Chicken & Cheese (Poulet e Fromage) and Nutella & Banana....OMG....they are so fabulous!

Crepes were one of the first dishes that I re-created upon returning home. By now, you probably know I have a weakness for chocolate...so, of course I had to make Nutella & Banana Crepes! Nutella is so delicious...chocolately, hazelnutty goodness! You can usually find it in your grocery store near the peanut butter and jelly.

I really tried to find a crepe recipe that would resemble the ones we had in Paris...everytime we ordered Crepes I watched very carefully as they made it...I had to remember the techniques! Haha. The batter always seemed to be pretty thin...that was an important criteria. After reading the reviews for this recipe, it sounded like a perfect place to start. The only things that I added were the vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

The combo of chocolate and bananas works so perfectly here...especially in these crepes. If you want to try a piece of Paris, just make this recipe...you'll LOVE it!***

FRENCH CREPES

INGREDIENTS:1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting
1 banana, sliced
Nutella

DIRECTIONS:Sift together flour, sugar and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk together with an electric mixer. Beat in flour mixture until smooth; stir in melted butter.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat....I used Pam cooking spray to coat the skillet. Pour or scoop the batter onto the skillet/griddle, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe (I used a soup ladle to pour the batter into the pan...one ladle-full for each crepe. I also used about a 10 inch skillet to make these crepes...which will ensure they are a perfect circle). Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

TO ASSEMBLE/FOLD:

With crepe still in pan - Fold in half. Spread Nutella on the folded crepe, and top with sliced bananas. Fold in half one more time. Transfer to a plate and finish it off with a dusting of powdered sugar and a few extra sliced bananas on top.

Notes:

- If using different fillings such as shredded cheese, let the crepe stay on the heat for a few extra minutes...until the cheese starts to melt and the fillings are warm.

- If your batter isn't thin enough, you may need to add a little extra milk to the batter. Just play around with this recipe until you get the perfect consistency.

- You'll know the crepes are almost finished when tiny bubbles start appearing on the top of the batter...just like when making pancakes!

Source: All Recipes

Absolutely Sinful Cinnamon Rolls

***Alrighty, here are the cinnamon rolls that I mentioned in my previous post. I put these together on Christmas Eve, and then baked them on Christmas morning. Let me just tell you...there's nothing quite like the smell of yummy cinnamon rolls wafting through the house on Christmas morning...ahhhhh...so wonderful! This is going to be a new tradition for us...fresh, homemade rolls on Christmas. I thought that I might try this recipe, and then maybe try a new one next year...until I found one that I really loved. However, I hit the jackpot on the first try! This is THE recipe that I'll always use.

UPDATE:  Since originally writing this post in 2008, I've  made these cinnamon rolls every year for Christmas!  They are a holiday tradition that my family looks forward to all year!  You can see my other posts here, with lots more photos of these sinful cinnamon rolls:
CHRISTMAS 2009
CHIRSTMAS 2010
CHRISTMAS 2011

The great thing was that I could prepare them on Christmas Eve. Just put them together...all the way until the step where they're ready to go into the oven. Instead of popping them into the oven, just put them in the fridge and let them rise for the 2nd time in the fridge overnight (they'll rise VERY slowly in the fridge). Then, in the morning let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then pop them in the oven as directed.

I looked and looked online and in my numerous cookbooks for the perfect recipe. I think the thing that got me about this particular recipe was the coffee glaze drizzled over the rolls...omg. You had me at coffee! I didn't look much further after that.

I found this recipe over on Pioneer Woman's blog. She's got a great story that goes along with them, so be sure to check out her post.

I will say that I decreased the ginormous amount of butter that she called for in this recipe. I also halved the recipe to suit my needs. I didn't need 7 pans of rolls...neither do my hips! :)

Try these today...you won't be sorry! I promise!!!***

ROLLS:

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman
Note:   The original recipe makes about seven 8" round aluminum tins of cinnamon rolls.  After cutting the original recipe in half, you'll end up with 3 - 4 tins full of rolls, with 7 - 8 rolls per tin...depending on how large you cut them.

Ingredients: (This is 1/2 the original recipe)

DOUGH:
2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 pkg active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tablespoon salt

FILLING:

1 cup melted butter, plus more as needed

1/8 cup ground cinnamon for sprinkling
1 cup sugar, plus more as needed

Directions:

Mix milk, vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup of sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point.) Remove from heat and let it cool 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in package Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute and then add 4 cups of flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

Next, add 1/2 cup flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir mixture together. From here, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it—overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to rise out of the pan, just punch it down. Or, of course, you can just go ahead and make the rolls.

Sprinkle surface generously with flour and roll the dough into a thin rectangular shape, about 1/4" thick. Brush melted butter on top, then sprinkle sugar over the butter, and finish with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Starting with the wide end, roll the dough tightly towards you in a neat line. Next, pinch the seam to the roll to seal it. Spread 1 tbsp of melted butter in each pan/dish. With a sharp knife, begin cutting the dough into 1 inch slices, and laying them in the pans. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 - 17 minutes, or until golden.

IF MAKING AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING:   Instead of popping them into the oven, just put them straight  into the fridge and let them rise for the 2nd time in the fridge overnight (they'll rise VERY slowly in the fridge). Then, in the morning let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then pop them in the oven as directed.

FROSTING:

Ingredients:

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. maple flavoring

1/4 cup milk

1/8 cup melted butter

1/8 cup brewed coffee

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients, and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don't skimp on the frosting!

Yummy Blueberry Muffins

***Brad and I had a craving for something yummy last Sunday morning. I had some fresh blueberries hanging out in the fridge, so these blueberry muffins sounded perfect. If you don't have any fresh blueberries on-hand, frozen blueberries work just fine. The lemon zest in these muffins were the secret ingredient...they add the perfect little zing to each bite. And just look at that blueberry goodness! ;)

I used a trick that I learned from Giada De Laurentiis when making these muffins:

- Place blueberries in a fine mesh strainer over your mixer bowl. Add flour to blueberries and shake until all flour makes it into the mixer bowl below. A thin layer of flour should remain on all blueberries (see photo below). This will prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins during the baking process! This will also result in nice, sifted flour in the mixing bowl...you can then proceed with the recipe, adding the sugar, baking powder and salt to the flour.

One more thing...I sprinkled a little sugar over each muffin before baking. This just makes them extra yummy.

Enjoy!***

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour (180 g)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg beaten

3/4 cup milk (180 ml)

1/4 cup cooking oil

3/4 cup blueberries (120 g)

1 tsp lemon peel (5 ml) (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center. (See note above regarding the flour trick!)

In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Yes, the batter should be lumpy. (If you try to stir all the lumps out, your muffins will be very tough.)

Carefully fold in blueberries and optional lemon peel.

Grease muffin cups, or line with paper bake cups; fill each 2/3 full. Bake at 400°F for 19 - 21 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from pans; serve warm with butter.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook