Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

This recipe is from my sister, Amy.  She made them for us when we were visiting at Mom's house.  They are so delicious!  I believe they are from a Taste of Home magazine.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened.  Fold in cranberries and pecans.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.  Serve warm.  Makes 2 dozen.

Avocado on Toast

This is hands-down my favorite thing for breakfast but I usually save it for every once-in-awhile.  We grew up with this.  My grandparents, who lived in California where avocados are plentiful, introduced it to us and it's been a favorite ever since.  Best on some great whole grain bread.  So yummy!

Avocado on Toast

4 slices of bread, toasted

1 avocado, peeled and slightly mashed

lemon juice

salt

Butter warm toast.  Spread avocado on toast.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt.  Enjoy!

Breakfast Casserole

We like to make this for Christmas morning.  It serves a lot of people and can be prepared the night before.

Breakfast Casserole

1 stick butter
32 oz. pkg. frozen hash browns
1 dozen eggs
1 c. milk

1 can diced green chilies

1/4 cup diced onion
Salt and pepper

1 tsp. dry mustard (optional)
2 c. shredded cheese
1 lb. breakfast sausage, cooked (can used diced ham, bacon, etc. I use turkey sausage.)

Melt butter in 9x13 inch pan. Spread 3/4 of the hash browns in pan. Sprinkle with sausage, diced onion, and green chilies.  Sprinkle with 2/3 of the cheese.  Slightly beat eggs. Add milk, salt and pepper, and dry mustard; pour over hash browns. Top with remaining hash browns and cheese. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees if everything is thawed. If not, add another 15 minutes or so.  This can also be made the night before.  Cover tightly and refrigerate. 

Quick & Easy Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are quick and easy with only 30 minutes needed for rising.  If you are careful not to add too much flour and leave the dough nice and sticky, then you will have perfect rolls every time.  These are perfectly soft and very ooey-gooey.  Also great because they only make one pan of rolls.

Quick & Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp. butter
3 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp. yeast (or 1 pkg. instant yeast)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg

Filling:

1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

Place milk and 4 Tbs. butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for a minute and a half.  Butter should be mostly melted.  Stir and set aside to cool.  (Can also heat on stove top for this step.  Heat just until milk is scalded.)

In mixer bowl combine 2 cups flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt.  When milk mixture has cooled to warm (not hot) add it to the flour mixture while mixer is going.  Whisk egg and add to mixture.  Beat for about 1 minute or until ingredients are well combined.

Switch to dough hook on mixer and add remaining flour until dough just starts to leave the sides of the bowl.  It will be very soft and a little sticky.  Continue to knead for 5 minutes.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Roll dough into a rectangle about 12x14 inches.  Spread melted butter over dough.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Sprinkle evenly over butter.  Be sure to go all the way to the ends.  Roll up from the longer side and pinch edges closed.  Cut into about 12 rolls using dental floss.  Place in a greased baking pan.  Cover pan with a clean towel and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

Bake rolls at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown.  Spread with icing while still warm.

Makes about 12 rolls.

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2-1 tsp. almond extract

2-3 Tbsp. milk

Cream powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and 2 Tbsp. milk.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  If too thick, add more milk half a tablespoon at a time until desired thickness.  Spread on warm cinnamon rolls.

Cheesecake Dip

This is a great dip for fruits, graham crackers, or vanilla wafers.  Great with the graham cracker crumbs but I make it without most of the time.  Can also be used as a delicious filling for crêpes with fresh berries and fruits or as a pancake topping.  We save this recipe for special occasions!

Cheesecake Dip

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2-3 Tbsp. sugar (or to taste)

1 pint fresh strawberries (we also like bananas, pineapple, apples, grapes, berries)

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (optional)

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add sour cream, sugar, milk, and extract; mix until smooth.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  Place strawberries and crumbs in separate serving bowls.  Dip strawberries/fruit into cheesecake mixture, then into dry crumbs.  Enjoy!

Banana-Orange Topping

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet!  We use it all the time!  Maybe that's the problem.  We eat it before I can even get a picture.  Even this one was an afterthought right as we were getting ready to dive in.  It is our favorite topping for pancakes and waffles.  I grew up with this topping.  My mom always made it for us.  It's quick and easy and so much better for you than syrup.  It's also a great way to use up ripe bananas instead of making them into banana bread.

Banana-Orange Topping
1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 can water
2 bananas mashed with fork
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat OJ concentrate, water, and bananas in small pan.  Bring to a boil and boil for one minute; stir frequently!  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Serve warm over pancakes or waffles.

Fresh Collard Breakfast Burritos

Here's a little recipe I invented this week.  I've been trying to decide what to call these but I can't seem to come up with anything except yummy.  Tory's main word he kept using to describe them was "fresh".  We had them for dinner so I don't know if "breakfast" is the right word either.  But...they DO have collard greens in them!  Ha!  Call them what you want.  They are tasty and my whole family gobbled them up.  You could easily make this vegetarian by leaving out the eggs and adding white, pinto, or black beans or scrambled tofu instead.  I think some mushrooms and/or peppers would have been good in here, too.  Whatever you do, don't scrimp on the collards!  So delicious and very "fresh".

Fresh Collard Breakfast Burritos
1/2 onion, diced
8 large collard leaves (at least!)
2 cups leftover brown rice, or cook up some fresh
3 eggs, beaten
1-2 avocados
lime juice
salsa
tortillas

Cut out tough center stems in each collard leaf and discard.  Stack leaf pieces together and roll tightly lengthwise (like a cinnamon roll).  Slice into thin pieces and then slice through each of those to make small pieces of the collard leaves.  Set aside.

In large skillet, saute onion in a little olive oil.  Add collards.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Add brown rice and heat through.  Push contents over to one side of the skillet and add beaten eggs.  Scramble eggs until about half-way cooked and then mix with rice and greens.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.  I, of course, used my favorite Mrs. Dash-garlic and herb.

In a small bowl mash avocados and a few squirts of lime juice (and salt if desired).  To assemble burritos I like to spread the avocado mixture on the tortilla first (helps hold it all together).  Then put egg/rice/greens mixture on top.  Top with salsa! 
This recipe made 8 burritos.

Crêpes

I served a mission for my church in Belgium and France.  It was one of the best experiences of my life!  While I was there I definitely enjoyed the wonderful foods.  So many good things that I miss!  Chocolate for one.  Too bad I can't whip up a batch.  Something I did learn to make was crêpes.  And if you want to pronounce it correctly...say it with a short "e" sound as in "festival".  I like to make them for special occasions for my family.  I recently made them for our breakfast on Thanksgiving Day.  While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is nowadays widespread in France and they are considered a national dish.  Crêpes are served with a variety of fillings, from the most simple with only sugar to elaborate savoury fillings.  The fillings I had most often on my mission were fruit spreads (jam), white sugar sprinkled with lemon juice (very good-you only need a little bit of sugar), yogurt (which of course is heavenly in France.  Oh how I miss it!), and of course Nutella.  You must have Nutella.  Of course there are many other fillings but those were the fillings most commonly served to me.  Fruit with whipped cream is yummy as well as cream cheese, ice cream, peanut butter, chocolate sauce, etc.  Then there's always eggs, cheese, vegetables or anything else to make them more of a meal.  This is the recipe I used on my mission.  I've never tried any others because this one works and tastes great!  To cook them I have a special crêpe pan that I bought in Belgium.  It is basically just a really good nonstick pan with 1/2 inch sides.  (See bottom photo.)  This makes it much easier to flip them.  A good, thin, flexible spatula is also handy for turning them.  I never grease my pan and I try to spread the batter as thin as possible.  I cook mine on medium heat.  The first one is usually a flop until the pan reaches the correct temperature but you need one to "sample" anyway so it all works out.  I can usually get about 12-14 out of one batch.  They are really very simple to make and enjoyable to eat!  :o)

Crêpes
 
1 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. milk
 
Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix eggs, vanilla, oil and milk. Mix about half of the wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Mix and mix with a wire whisk until there are NO lumps! Add rest of wet ingredients. Should be consistency of “melted McDonald’s milkshake”.


In a crepe pan or nonstick skillet, put about a 1/4 cup or less batter in a nonstick skillet and whirl skillet to coat bottom. You want them to be as thin as you possibly can make them. You can even spread it out with a spatula. Cook on first side until bubbles form. Then flip over. This takes practice and usually the first one or two don’t look good. It helps to have a flexible spatula to get underneath them. Cook on second side for just a few sec. Stack cooked crepes right on top of each other on a plate.  Place favorite topping in center and either roll up or fold in quarters. Refrigerate any cooked leftovers. Just cover with plastic wrap.

Buttermilk Pancakes

If you ever have some leftover buttermilk you HAVE to make these.  They are very light and fluffy.  Must be made with buttermilk.  So good!

Buttermilk Pancakes

3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

These pancakes are very quick, easy, and delicious! And the best part is that you just make them right in your blender. You don't need any ground up flour. You just use whole wheat and it grinds itself up in the blender. Cool! My mom used to make these all the time when we were growing up. There were always a few crunchy pieces of wheat in the pancakes which made them slightly crunchy and extra delicious! This particular recipe is from The Sisters' Cafe. I make it so often that I'm just going to post it here so I don't have to keep going back to their site to look for it. I don't use as much oil as it calls for. I reduce it to 1 Tbsp. I also leave out the sugar. I usually make them up as pancakes but you can use the recipe for waffles, too.

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes
1 c. plus 1 Tbsp. whole wheat berries
1 c. milk
2 eggs
4 Tb oil
2 Tb sugar (or honey)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Blend wheat berries and milk on high for 4-5 minutes, until batter is smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend on low for a minute, or until incorporated. Cook on hot waffle iron. (Stir batter before pouring into waffle iron, because the heavier wheat particles will settle at the bottom.) Makes about 10 waffles.(To make pancakes instead of waffles, use 1 c. wheat berries and 2 Tb oil.)

**I have found that my blender will do 1 1/2 recipes just fine. So for instance I use 1 1/2 cups wheat, 1 1/2 cups milk, 3 eggs, etc.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cinnamon rolls have a little extra surprise. They have vanilla pudding in the dough which makes them so moist! This is my favorite recipe to use.


Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup warm water
2 packages (about 2 Tbsp.) active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 box (3 1/2 oz.) instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs, room temp
1 tsp. salt
6-7 cups flour

In a small bowl add yeast and sugar to warm water. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In mixer, mix pudding and milk until well mixed. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Add yeast mixture. Gradually add flour. (Switch to bread dough hook after about 3-4 cups of flour are added.) Knead until smooth. Do not put too much flour in the dough! You want it to be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled. Roll out on floured board to a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread with filling.

Filling:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp (I usually only use about 1 stick or maybe just a little more)
2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon

Spread soft butter over surface of dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar until evenly covered. Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the top. Starting at one of the long sides, roll up very tightly. Cut rolls 1 1/2 inches wide with floss* or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased sheet cake pan (or other pan with sides) about 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden. Do not over bake. Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp. milk

Makes about 24-32 rolls.

*Cutting the cinnamon rolls with dental floss is the EASIEST way to cut them. To cut rolls with floss: cut a 10-12 inch piece of dental floss. Holding one end in each hand, slide the floss under the rolled up dough. Bring both ends straight up and cross one behind the other. Switch hands and continue to pull ends horizontally in either direction until the floss is straight and the roll has been cut. Repeat for each roll. It's that easy! Perfect rolls every time, never squished.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes with Honey-Pecan Butter

These are some of our favorite "special occasion" pancakes. They are so delicious and perfect for Fall! Very moist-almost like a muffin! The last time I made them I decided to use the waffle iron. I actually think they were easier to cook this way. Just make sure you spray the waffle iron with some nonstick cooking spray.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes with Honey-Pecan Butter

Mix:

2 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. EACH of nutmeg and allspice

3/4 cup sugar

1/8-1/4 tsp. salt

Mix:

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the dry and wet ingredients. It will be a thick batter. Pour 1/4 cup scoops of batter on hot griddle; cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook other side. (Or cook on a waffle griddle that has been sprayed with cooking spray.) Serve hot. These are very moist!

Honey-Pecan Butter:

1/2 cup pecans (I use walnuts instead sometimes.)

1/2 cup butter, room temp

1/4 cup honey (I usually use maple syrup instead)

Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes or until browned. Stir occasionally. Finely chop toasted nuts. Beat butter and honey together until smooth. Add nuts. Serve with Pumpkin Pie Pancakes. Makes one cup. A little goes a long way!

Cornmeal Waffles

These are some of our favorite waffles to make. We've been out of our whole wheat to grind into flour so we've been making this cornmeal variety a lot lately. We use our grinder to grind popcorn into fresh cornmeal and it makes such a difference! So fresh! They still turn out great even if you don't grind your own cornmeal though! Top with your favorite waffle topping. We enjoy the no sugar added flavored applesauce by Motts.

Cornmeal Waffles

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3 eggs
3 cups milk (we use soy milk and have the same results)
1/4 c. oil (I usually reduce to 2 Tbsp. or omit entirely.)

Mix dry ingredients together. In separate bowl mix wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and mix well. Bake on waffle griddle that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.