Tag: Brunch

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, eggs, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, Main Dish

Scrambled Egg Squares (Strawberry Shortcake Eggs)

Posted on by lmc

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This is one of the first recipes M&K were able to make on their own. About 12 years ago, during a Scholastic Book Fair, M spied a Strawberry Shortcake Berry Yummy Cook Book named for her favorite cartoon character called Strawberry Shortcake. She fell in love with the book on the spot. We brought it home and she went to work trying to find the perfect first recipe to make for Saturday breakfast.

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Early Saturday morning, M&K put on their aprons and began assembling the egg dish. They did a fantastic job measuring and pouring ingredients. They were delighted when we pulled the completed dish from the oven.
The original recipe was called Huckleberry Pie’s Hash Brown Bake (so cute). At the time, the recipe included hash brown potatoes but we weren’t fond of the soggy potatoes in the dish so we tweaked it a bit. We gave our adapted dish a new name; Strawberry Shortcake Eggs.
(Note: I have renamed the dish to Scrambled Egg Squares for the blog just because I didn’t want to confuse readers; I didn’t want anyone to think that strawberry shortcake was part of the recipe! 🙂

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The best part about making a pan of these eggs is that they are great for feeding a crowd or a big family quickly. Just pour the beaten eggs into the pan with a few other ingredients and in 20 minutes, you’ve got lots of eggs. I often wrap the cooked squares individually in plastic wrap and freeze them. Later, I use them to make breakfast sandwiches by combining an egg square with an English muffin, a sausage patty (optional), and a slice of cheese.

Scrambled Egg Squares ( Strawberry Shortcake Eggs)

8 eggs
3/4 cup milk or half & half
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons Ready to Serve Real Bacon Bits, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs with milk or half&half. Stir in shredded cheese, and bacon pieces. Pour into baking pan and bake for 17-20 minutes or until set, puffy, and lightly browned. Cool slightly before cutting into squares.

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Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food, Main Dish

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Casserole

Posted on by lmc

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Not far from our home, there is a Pepperidge Farm Outlet that we often visit when going to a nearby mall. One of the items I usually stock up on is the cinnamon raisin bread that is always marked down to a reasonable price. I bring the loaves home and tuck them in the freezer for lots of different recipes.
This is a tasty casserole that takes minutes to put together. It’s such a treat to put a big pan of French toast in the oven rather than standing in front of the stovetop making slices in small batches. This makes for more time to enjoy early morning conversation with the family while savoring the awesome combination of cinnamon, raisin, pecans and maple syrup with a piping hot cup of coffee. I often make this the night before serving so that when I wake up there is no prep time and the casserole is ready when the rest of the crew wakes up.

Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast Casserole

5 cups cinnamon raisin bread, cubed
3 cups milk
6 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons softened butter, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray with cooking spray a 13×9″ baking pan. Pour bread cubes into the prepared pan. Beat milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and almond extract together in a bowl until evenly mixed; pour mixture over bread cubes. Set aside for bread to absorb liquid, about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and pecans. Evenly arrange butter cubes on top of casserole. Bake until golden, about 50 to 55 minutes.

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food

Old Fashioned Baked Oatmeal

Posted on by lmc

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As the weather turns from hot and humid to cloudy and cool, this recipe for Old Fashioned Baked Oatmeal really hits the spot. I bake a tray of it so that it is ready to eat for a quick fall breakfast before leaving for work or school. M often puts it in a bowl with a little warm milk to eat like a breakfast cereal, while others take a scoop or cut a square to eat it with a side of yogurt or a cup of coffee. Which ever way you may prefer to eat this breakfast staple, it surely won’t disappoint. This is a tasty mixture of cinnamon, oats, cranberries, and vanilla…yummy!

Old Fashioned Baked Oatmeal

3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in dried cranberries and pecans. Spread into a 9×13″ baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. While cooling, Cover with aluminum foil to lock in moisture.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

The Perfect Poppy Seed Bread

Posted on by lmc

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This is a family favorite! I have been making this quick bread recipe for years. Once the loaf is pulled out of the oven, the whole thing seems to disappear shortly thereafter. It’s an easy enough recipe…everything gets dumped into a bowl and popped into the oven rather quickly. I always keep an ample supply of poppy seeds in the pantry for when my kids are craving the scrumptious flavor of this delicious loaf.

The Perfect Poppy Seed Loaf

3 cups flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract

In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil, and extracts; mix well. Pour into two greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely before serving.

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Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Rise and Shine Morning Muffins

Posted on by lmc

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Rise and Shine Morning Muffins

Well, I have the last of this week’s school lunches packed and heading out the door with my children. It’s Friday and as we head into the weekend, I will have to plan my selection of items that I will bake for next week’s menu.
This is one of my favorite lunchbox recipes to send to school. These little gems are filled with whole grains,apples, nuts, pineapple and raisins. Plenty of goodies to keep a hungry tummy satisfied. I bake a large batch and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for a week’s worth of lunches.

Rise and Shine Morning Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all- purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped apple
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line muffin pan cups with paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In another mixing bowl, stir together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in carrot, apple, coconut, pecans, pineapple and raisins. Add flour mixture and stir just until blended.
Spoon batter into prepared cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to cooling racks to cool completely. Store muffins in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Easy Banana Crumb Cake

Posted on by lmc

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Well, it’s back to school for my high school kids this week and I am baking
packable lunch items for the start of the school year. I spied a few overly ripe bananas on the kitchen counter last night so I searched my old recipe folder for a banana recipe that would be suitable for lunch box storage. I used to make this cake all the time but it seems other recipes have become favorites and this one was moved to the back of the folder. I seriously can’t figure out why…this is a great moist, sweet, crumbly cake that is really easy to assemble quickly. Once again, I am using a cake mix to reduce time while adding flavor.

Easy Banana Crumb Cake

1 package white cake mix
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 medium ripe bananas
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed and cold
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray a 13×9″ baking pan. Place first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Beat well. Pour into prepared pan. In a medium bowl, combine topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.

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Posted in breakfast, Brunch, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box, slow cooking

Slow Cooker Breakfast Granola

Posted on by lmc

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My kids seem to be addicted to granola. If I had to buy it pre-packaged every week, I’d be bankrupt. Thankfully, I have several recipes for this crunchy, delicious and versatile treat. We use it to top yogurt or ice cream, add milk (cold or hot) to eat it as a breakfast cereal, and mix it with sweet and salty treats to make a trail mix. What I like about this recipe is that you can set it in the crockpot and let it cook for a few hours without heating up the house with the conventional oven during the summer months. The key is to slightly prop the crockpot open with a wooden skewer. This tiny opening lets the moisture out but keeps the heat inside the liner. Stirring the mixture every 30-35 minutes is also the key to success.

Slow Cooker Breakfast Granola

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Spray the liner of the slow cooker with cooking spray. In a separate bowl, mix oats, vanilla, honey, syrup, and canola oil. Pour into prepared slow cooker.
Cook the granola on low for 2 1/2-3 hours, venting the lid slightly. ( I use a wooden skewer.) Stir mixture well every 30-35 minutes. Cook until golden brown and quite dry.
Pour the finished granola onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool completely. Add pecans, cranberries, or raisins if desired. Store in an airtight container.

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Posted in and sauces, breakfast, Brunch, Food, glazes, Main Dish

Lazy Day Eggs Benedict

Posted on by lmc

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Saturday morning and what to make for breakfast… The weather has turned cool and the sky is filled with rain threatening clouds. Everyone heads into the family room, staking their claim in a comfy position to relax and enjoy a lazy morning with nothing on the calendar. These days are few and far between…work, school, and sport schedules seem to dictate the agenda seven days a week. This weekend we are free to do as we like.
I can’t believe that the month of July is coming to a close. Soon we will be buying school supplies and everyone will be headed back to school. My heart is heavy as I think about our first child heading off to college this year…How will we manage without her? This will be a difficult transition for me…I will miss her so.
This morning, as I searched the refrigerator for ingredients to make a family breakfast. I pulled out fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, eggs, and bagels. As I set things out on the counter, I realized that I had enough to make one of my favorite breakfast items, Eggs Benedict. I usually use English muffins for the base but only had bagels this morning. This is my homemade version of a true breakfast classic.

Lazy Day Eggs Benedict

3 English muffins or bagels, sliced in half
6 slices of lunch meat ham or or Canadian bacon
Scrambled Eggs
Hollandaise Sauce

Scrambled eggs

6 eggs
3 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and water using a fork. In a non-stick skillet, pour in the eggs; stir constantly as they cook. Remove the eggs to a plate when they are set, but still moist. Do not over cook. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Cover, and blend for about 5 seconds. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the melted butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream until thickened. Pour mixture into a sauce pan to cook through. Set on low heat until ready to serve.

Putting it all together…
Lightly toast 3 English muffins or bagels (6 halves). Assemble by placing a piece of ham or Canadian bacon on the muffin or bagel. Top with a generous amount of scrambled eggs. Spoon warm hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.

Posted in Baked goods, Brunch, Desserts, Food

Apple-Blueberry Slices

Posted on by lmc

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When my kids were young, we used to find every opportunity available to pack up the car to find a local farm or orchard where we could pick the latest harvest. We’d arrive home with our bounty of goodies and spend the next few days canning, freezing, and baking with the produce that we picked. One of my favorite apple orchards was in Wisconsin. The owner would always have a recipe sheet displayed on the front counter for customers to take home with their purchase. All of the recipes were tested on the owner’s family and proved to be delicious.
One year, we picked bushels of apples and arrived at the front counter to see the usual list with various apple recipes listed along the front and back of the page. When I got home, I tried the recipe for Apple Slices. Wow, was it delicious! Every time I make the slices, I am asked for the recipe.
This week I added a handful of blueberries to the filling mix. I had a few leftover blueberries and I thought they would compliment the apple and cinnamon flavors.
I was right! These are delicious! The original apple slice recipe will always be at the top of my favorite recipe’s list.
Here’s the recipe for the revised apple-blueberry version.

Apple-Blueberry Slices

Dough:
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
Filling:
3 cups apples, cored, peeled and chopped
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray with cooking spray a 9×13″ pan.
For the dough: In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, and baking powder. Cut in shortening and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan. Set the rest aside.
For the filling: In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Gently mix in the apples and blueberries. Sprinkle the apple-blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the apple- blueberry layer. Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely. Use my powdered sugar glaze recipe to drizzle over cooled pan.

Posted in Baked goods, Brunch, Food

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

Posted on by lmc

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Boy, if you don’t like this cake, I don’t know what to say! A bonus…it’s super easy to make. Once again, I started with a basic cake mix.
Years ago, I found a recipe for a cinnamon coffee cake that was a bit time consuming to pull together. It tasted great so I continued to make it for the family. Then, a couple of years ago, I found a similar (but easier) recipe in the newspaper and tucked it away for another day. Yesterday, I had a taste for my original cinnamon coffee cake recipe. While looking through my recipe binder, I found the page ripped from the newspaper that I had tucked away some time ago. I thought…why not give it a try? After altering the recipe a bit, I quickly mixed it up and threw it in the oven.
Well, the smell of the cinnamon and extracts was enough to make me salivate in front of the oven, as I watched the cake rise and take shape. Mmmmm, it sure smelled wonderful! And, after letting it cool and giving it a taste, I was not disappointed! This sweet, moist, cinnamon roll coffee cake is absolutely delicious!

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

1 box yellow or white pudding cake mix
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter extract
Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon softened margarine
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Prepare cake mix as directed on the package. Add extracts to the batter and mix well. Spray, with cooking spray, a 13×9″ baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Pour half of the batter in the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the topping mixture over the batter. Pour on the remaining batter and finish by adding the remaining topping. Swirl through the cake mix with a knife. Bake according to package directions. Cool and top with my powdered sugar icing. Yummy!