Brioche French Toast

You can make French Toast with any kind of bread, but you really haven't lived until you make it Brioche!  Trader Joe's has heavenly thick sliced Brioche that is so perfect it makes me want to cry! But if you don't have a Trader Joe's close, any thick sliced bread will do!

Brioche French Toast
(about 10 thick slices)

5 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 t cinnamon
2 t vanilla
thick sliced Brioche (or any kind of bread)

Heat griddle over medium heat.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together the first four ingredients. Dip bread slices in egg mixture letting each slice absurd the mixture on both sides. Place on hot, buttered griddle.  Cook for about 1 minutes per side or until they are golden brown and spring back to the touch.  Repeat until all the slices are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Vanilla Bean Scones

I love scones!  And as much as I love them, I think my boys love them more! I literally hid these and totally kept them all for myself, after we ate them for breakfast one morning.  They are a copy cat recipe of Starbucks Petite Vanilla Bean Scones.  I got the recipe here.

Vanilla Bean Scones

(32 petite sones)

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar 

1 T baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 egg

2 t vanilla bean paste (you could also use 1/2 a vanilla bean scraped and 2 t vanilla extract)

Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar

6-7 T heavy ream

1 t vanilla bean paste (or 1/2 vanilla bean scraped and 1 t vanilla extract)

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Whisk or pulse in a food processor to mix.

4. Add butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or pulse with a food processor until mixture resembles cornmeal texture.

5. In another bowl, whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla bean paste

6. Add liquid to flour mixture and pulse until just combined.

7. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead the dough briefly until the dough comes together.

8. Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.

9. Cut the dough into 8 rectangles or squares and then cut each on one diagonal and then the other creating 32 petite scones.

10. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges just start to turn brown.

11. Transfer the scones to a cooling rack to cool completely.

12. Whisk together the ingredients for the glaze adding the cream one tablespoon at a time until desired thickness. Dip the cooled scones in the glaze and place them back on the cooling rack to harden.

Blender Pancakes (of the guilt-free variety)

I love a sweet breakfast! But when you are trying to eat better, there aren't that many sweet options.  When I came across this recipe, I was totally skeptical!  But thought I might as well give it a try!  So glad I did!  My kids even liked them! I am excited to have a healthy, sweet, breakfast without the guilt or added inches to my hips! I got the recipe here.

Blender Pancakes (of the guilt-free variety)

(makes about 10 pancakes)

6 egg whites

1 cup rolled oats, dry

1 cup cottage cheese

2 t sugar

1 t vanilla

1 t cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Cook on a heated griddle or pan sprayed with cooking spray or greased with a little butter and serve as desired.

Cinnamon Crumb Top Muffins

We have had a few snow days here is Texas and it brings out the baking monster in me!  There is no better way to spend a snowy morning than to fill your home with the smell of sweet baking goodness! When I saw these muffins they called to me!  I just had to try them, and they made our snowy day off of school so delightful!  You know calories don't count when the kids have a snow day, right?! I found the recipe here, changed it a smidgen and devoured these beauties!

Cinnamon Crumb Top Muffins

makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t baking soda

2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/3 cup oil (I used avocado oil)

3/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

The Crumb Topping

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups flour

Glaze

1/4 -1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-2 t milk

Preheat oven to 375.  Prepare muffin pan by greasing or lining with paper liners, set aside. 

Make the crumb topping by combining sugars, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk in melted butter.  Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until moist.  Spread the mixture out on parchment paper to dry until ready to use.  

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  In a large glass measuring cup whisk together milk, oil, and eggs. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.  Scoop the batter evenly into prepared muffin pan.  Sprinkle with the crumb topping and gently press the crumbs into the batter.  Place into the preheated oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  

While the muffins are cooling whisk together the powdered sugar and the milk to make the glaze.  Drizzle glaze over the cooling muffins.  Serve while warm!

Glazed Donut Hole Mini Muffins

Love these mini muffin donut holes!  They are so delish! Here is where I found the recipe.  Talk about easy and fast! I did change the recipe a little, here is what I did…

Glazed Donut Hole Mini Muffins
(makes 24 mini muffins)

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 t baking powder
1 cup flour

Maple Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T real maple syrup (I didn't have any so I used 2 t maple flavoring)
1-2 T milk

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 24 mini muffin cups. Mix together the melted butter and sugar. Stir in the milk, then add the baking powder and flour and stir until just combined.  Fill the prepared muffin cups equally.  Bake for 15-20 or until the tops a lightly golden.  Cool and drizzle with maple glaze.

Glaze:
Whisk together the 3 ingredients for the glaze until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

Peach Cobbler Muffins with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Peach season is one of my favorite times of year! Late summer, not quite fall, last Saturday before school starts time of year.  I used this muffin base with chocolate chips and kept thinking to myself, this is all wrong!  It needs peaches, not chocolate chips!  So a couple of days later I added fresh diced peaches and vanilla bean glaze.  And like magic, these muffins were born!  They will made as many times as possible during this most delicious season!  Happy going back to school!

Peach Cobbler Muffins with Vanilla Bean Glaze

(12 muffins)

2 cups flour

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 large peach (or two small ones) peeled and diced small

Vanilla Bean Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 T milk

1/2 t vanilla bean paste (you can use vanilla extract too)

For the muffins:

Preheat the oven to 400.  Grease muffin pan or use liners.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugars, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, coconut oil and vanilla bean paste.  I add the coconut oil to the warm butter and stir them together to melt the coconut oil.  

Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix until almost all the flour is absorbed.  Add the diced peaches and gently fold them in until they are incorporated and the flour is all absorbed.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the edges are golden brown.  While the muffins are cooking make the glaze.  

For the Glaze:

Place all the glaze ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth.  While the muffins are still hot, drizzle glaze over the muffins.  Let them cool for 5-10 minutes.  Serve warm!

Orange Dream Machine (Our Version)

Our boys wake up almost every Saturday and ask to go to Jamba Juice. Their preferred flavor choice?  Orange Dream Machine. Everytime!! SO I finally decided I could probably make it cheaper and maybe even healthier.  Here is what I came up with and it has passed the taste test by every boy, including my husband!

Orange Dream Machine (Our Version)
(about 6 cups)

2 cups Orange Juice
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (I used Honey flavored, if using plain you will need to add more sweetener)
1 scoop (2 oz) vanilla protein powder
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 T agave, or more to desired sweetness
3 cups of ice, or until desired consistency
2 Calamondin oranges (optional, I happen to have a tree.  They are really small about the size of a large grape) You could add 1/2 of a mandarin or a couple slices of a regular orange.

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust ice for consistency and agave for sweetness.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

I don't know about you, but when our zucchini plant starts producing we have a couple of frantic weeks that we have way more zucchini than we possibly know what to do with.  I have to get creative quick! So when I saw this lemon zucchini bread pop up on Pinterest I knew I had found a winner!  I mean lemon?! Zucchini?! Sweet bread?! Yes, Yes, YES! It did not disappoint! Although I have to say, the lemon dominates! The zucchini was just there as my justification that I was eating healthy! Add in the bonus of using one more of these fast growing, fast producing veggies and this bread is a keeper! Original recipe found here.

Lemon Zucchini Bread
(1 loaf)

2 cups flour
3/4 t salt
2 t baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup avocado oil (or canola)
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 T lemon juice
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 c grated zucchini

Glaze:

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 T milk

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.  In a large bowl beat the eggs.  Add the oil and sugar and mix until blended.  Add the lemon juice, buttermilk, and lemon zest to this mixture and mix well.  Stir in the shredded zucchini.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.  Grease a loaf pan and pour the batter into it.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.   While the bread is cooling, mix up the glaze.  Pour the glaze over the warm bread.  Let the glaze set before slicing.

Breakfast Scramble for One

Some mornings {ok, most!} I struggle to just get my kids to school. Forget the fact that I have to feed them, pack lunches, make sure their crazy bedhead won't embarrass me as a mother, etc… BUT, then, after I drop them off, its just me and my little {big} guy at home.  So, once I have started my washing machine and sometimes my dishwasher, I finally get to think about me.  This can be VERY short lived! But eating a good breakfast seems to make my day less daunting.  This breakfast scramble has been my go to, the last couple of days.  Inspired by these beautiful, fresh eggs my sweet neighbor brought me!  Don't they look all Easter-y?!  They just called to me to make a light healthy breakfast out of them.  So I went to work, and sat down {ALONE} at my table, grabbed my Kindle, and just savored my minute alone! Hope you enjoy this with a little quiet time of your own! HAPPY SPRING!

Breakfast Scramble for One

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T diced onion
diced ham or bacon
2 T diced tomato
a small handful of fresh spinach
shredded cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add onion and ham.  Cook until onion is soft and ham just starts to brown on the edges.  Add eggs and stir until eggs are cooked.  Add tomato and spinach and continue stirring until the spinach is wilted.  Salt and pepper to taste. Top with shredded cheese.

Aebleskivers

This is a recipe that my family made growing up.  They were always a favorite special breakfast for us and I love that I can carry on the tradition with my kids!  They were a little skeptical about these but when I explained they were simply round pancakes, they jumped on board quickly!  We love topping these with fresh strawberry jam and powdered sugar but lots of things are delish.  Some things to try are: Syrup, nutella, apple sauce, fresh berries… I could go on, but I think you get the picture.  These do need a special pan.  It is called an Aebleskiver pan, Amazon has them for around $20.  It is a cast iron pan with round holes in it.  Aebleskivers are a Danish tradition.  The Danish cooks liked to use a long knitting needle to turn them in the pan.  You can use a fork, or I like to use a kabob skewer, it was just easier for me.

Aebleskivers
makes about 30

2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 eggs, separated
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 T. sugar
4 T. melted butter
oil for cooking

Separate eggs and beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Mix all the other ingredients, except the egg whites, together and mix until smooth.  Fold in the egg whites last.  Put about a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of each Aebleskiver pan cup, heat until oil is hot. Once the oil is hot, pour about 2 Tablespoons of batter into each cup.  When they start to bubble around the edges, turn quickly. Continue turning and cooking the ball to keep it from burning.  It is done when the entire outside is golden brown and it is cooked through the middle.  I inserted a toothpick in the middle to check for doneness (Is that a word?). Once it is done, place on a paper towel covered plate.  Serve hot with any toppings you desire.

Croissants

I love croissants!  They are definitely my favorite pastry.  I have never made them before but I recently read a fiction book about 3 girls who inherited a bakery from their Grandmother they had never met.  The book went into detail about these women learning to make croissants and I instantly knew I wanted to give it a try.  While they can be labor intensive, they are not difficult! I actually loved the process and the outcome.  I filled about half with good quality chocolate chips and those were the best! Don't let these lovely pastries intimidate you, give them a try, you will not be disappointed! I found this recipe over at King Arthur Flour's website. Make sure to read through the whole recipe as there is quite a bit of fridge time needed! But don't worry, they are totally worth the wait!

Croissants
(2 dozen)

Dough

2 large eggs, plus enough warm water to make 2 cups of liquid
1/4 cup sugar
5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 t yeast
1/2 cup dry milk
1 scant tablespoon salt
2 T butter, melted

Butter
1 7/8 cup butter, cool to the touch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the dough:
Male a sponge by cracking 2 eggs into a 2 cup measuring cup and add enough warm water to make 2 cups. Beat well and put into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer.  Using the dough hook, add one Tablespoon of the sugar, 3 cups of flour and the yeast.  Mix until smooth, cover and set aside.

For the butter:
While the sponge is doing its thing, set up the butter inlay.  Mix the butter and flour together until it is smooth and there are no hard lumps.  You can do this using a spoon, food processor, mixer or by hand. Be careful not the use a high speed, that will incorporate air and we don't want that! Lightly flour a piece of plastic wrap and shape the butter into an 8 inch square using a dough scraper or a spatula. Wrap up the butter and place it in the fridge on a flat surface for at least 30 minutes.

Finish the dough:
Stir the melted and cooled butter into the sponge. In another bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups of the remaining flour, the sugar, the dry milk and the salt.  Add this to the sponge and mix until you have a soft but kneadable dough.  Check the dough after kneading for 4-5 minutes and add more the remaining flour if it is still sticky.

Once the dough is smooth and elastic, pat it into a square, loosely cover it and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (The goal is to have the butter and the dough the same consistency, that will make it easier to fold them together to create layers).

Rolling in:
Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface.  Roll it into a square about 12 inches across.  Unwrap the butter slab and place it in the center of the square at a 45 degree angle so it looks like a diamond in a square. Fold the flaps of the dough over the butter until they touch in the center.  Pinch them together to seal in the butter. Lightly flour the top and then turn the dough over so the seams are on the bottom.  Gently tap the dough into a rectangle using your rolling pin. Lift the dough to make sure it isn't sticking, dusting with flour as necessary.  Gently roll the dough from the center out until you have a rectangle 20 inches long by 10 inches wide. When you have reached this size, brush off any excess four and fold the bottom 1/3 of the dough into the center and the top 1/3 over that, like folding a letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees to the right so it looks like a book ready to open.  That is your first turn!

You need to do this a totally of 4 times.  Between each turn wrap the dough and return it to the fridge for up to 30 minutes.  This will keep the thin layers of dough and butter you are creating from breaking open.  Also remember to keep your surface and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour. (Don't worry if your layers break open, that is how I knew it was time to put it back in the fridge). Also, I would flip my dough and make sure the underneath was lightly floured, this seemed to help too. When my layer would break, I would just make sure that it was on the inside when I folded the dough into a book. Once you have done this 4 times, wrap the dough and place in your fridge for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight. 

Shaping the dough:
using half the dough at a time, roll it into a 12" x 18"rectangle.  Trim the edges, on every edge with a ruler and a pizza wheel.  (this will allow the croissant to puff up when baking). Cut the dough in thirds length wise and in half through the middle. This will give you six pieces.  Now cut each of those in half diagonally, making twelve total. Roll the dough starting with the point facing away from you.  It is ok to stretch them a little as you roll them.  If you want to put filling in your croissants, this is the time. (I highly recommend chocolate.)  Place a table spoon of filling at the wide edge near you and roll from there.  I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, they were heaven! Make sure the tip of the croissant is tucked underneath. Place the croissants on a lightly greased or parchment papered cookie sheet. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, or you can freeze them at this point. 

Baking the croissants:
take the croissants out of the oven and preheat the oven to 425.  While the oven is heating, brush the tops with 1 well beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. When the oven is hot, bake the croissants for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes. The croissants should be a golden brown, even where the folds overlap so you don't have a doughy center.  Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Cinnamon Quick Bread

This bread is Yum!  And made my house smell incredible!  It is similar to Friendship Bread.  Not quite the same but hey, you don't have to wait 10 days for this! Gotta love instant gratification!  I found the recipe here.

Cinnamon Quick Bread

Batter:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
4 cups flour
2 t baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cup sugar
2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 2 loaf pans and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, 2 cups sugar, and eggs.  Add the buttermilk, flour, and baking soda and mix until combined.  Pour 1/4 of the batter into each loaf pan.  Now sprinkle about 1/4 of the cinnamon/sugar mixture on each loaf.  Divide the rest of the batter evenly into the two loaf pans and then do the same with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Swirl each loaf with a knife.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack.

Puffy Pancakes with Berries

These have been a favorite of my husband's since high school.  So, when I came across this version with berries in it, I was excited!  They have become the new favorite in our house and are requested daily!  They are quick and easy and you can make them with or without berries! We like ours with powdered sugar and syrup.

Puffy Pancakes with Berries

(4 servings)

3 T butter

3/4 cup flour

1/4 t salt

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 t vanilla

1 cup berries (fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or blackberries or a combination)

Preheat oven to 450.  Once it is hot, place better in a cast iron pan (or just an oven safe glass pan) and place it in the oven to heat up and melt the butter.  

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.  In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until smooth.

Remove the hot pan from the over (the butter should be bubbly, but not burned).  Pour the batter into the hot pan and then add the berries.  Return the pan to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned and puffy around the edges. 

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut into pieces and serve with syrup.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

So Yummy!  I didn't have any buttermilk to make my usual banana muffins so I went on a search for a recipe that didn't use buttermilk.  I found this recipe on the King Arthur Flour website.  They have never led me astray and this recipe just boosted my confidence in them!  You can really put whatever chips or nuts you want in them or leave them all out but I have to say the combo of semi-sweet chocolate and cinnamon chips was divine!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
(12 muffins)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup mashed, ripe bananas (I used 2 medium)
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/4 t coconut flavor (optional, but so good)
1/3 c milk
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 cups flour (you can use half white and half whole wheat)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
3/4 cup cinnamon chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy.  Beat in the banana, egg, vanilla, coconut flavor, and milk. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour and stir until smooth.  Add the chips (if using) and then divide evenly into the prepared muffin pan.  Bake the muffins at 350 for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cinnamon Twists with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I woke up this morning wanting a cinnamon roll so bad!  But they take way longer to make than I was willing to wait.  So as I sat dreaming, I remembered a pizza place in Provo, UT that used to make cinnamon twists called Tricky Sticks.  They came like bread sticks with frosting to dip them in.  And then I remembered a couple of weeks ago I made these bread sticks.  Well, the wheels started turning and I morphed the two ideas and came up with these! Quick and easy and oh so good!

Cinnamon Twists
(15-20 sticks)

1 1/2 cups warm water
3 T sugar
1 T yeast

Mix this together and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then add:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 t salt

For the middle:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 t cinnamon

Mix the dough until smooth and let it rise for 10 minutes.  Roll the dough, on a floured surface, into a big square.  Brush the softened butter over the lower half of the dough and sprinkle it with the sugar and cinnamon.  Fold the top half down and cut the dough into 15-20 sticks.  Twist each stick and place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Let the twists rise for 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats to 400.  Bake the twists for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2 T butter, softened
2 T cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t vanilla
3 T milk

Beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth.  Drizzle over warm twists and save the rest for dipping!

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

I love scones and I love lemon!  These come together so fast and are so beautiful and delicious, you just can't go wrong!  Such a great way to start a beautiful, sunny morning! I found this recipe at Our Best Bites.

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

(8 scones)

2 cups flour, lightly spooned into the measuring cup and leveled with a knife
1/3 cup sugar
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t poppy seeds
8 T frozen butter
1/2 cup sour cream, I used light
1 egg
zest of 1 lemon

Glaze


1/4 cup lemon juice
2 T melted butter
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt.  Add the lemon zest and whisk to combine.  Grate the frozen butter (or used a food processor) and toss it into the flour mixture.  Combine it with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal.  set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and egg.  Add this to the flour/butter mixture and toss with a fork until it comes to a ball and all the flour is moistened.

Lightly flour a surface and place the dough on it. Press the ball into an 8 inch disk and cut into equal wedges using a butter knife or pizza cutter. Place them evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove from the oven and let them cool.

While the scones are cooling, whisk together the glaze.  Drizzle over the scones. IF you do it while they are still warm, it will spread over the top and drip down the sides, my favorite! Or you can do it when they are cool and drizzle squiggles on the tops.

Orange Rolls (No Rise)

I LOVE Orange Rolls (you know me and citrus!). So when I found this recipe on Our Best Bites, I knew I had to try it!  They came together so fast and they are so totally yum!  They have a biscuit texture with orange roll flavor...seriously, they are addicting!  So the next time you want a sweet roll for breakfast with out the hassle of letting yeast dough rise, this is for you!

Orange Rolls (No Rise)

(makes 12 rolls)

For the dough:

3/4 cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar

4 T butter, melted

1 t vanilla

2 cups (9 oz.) flour

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

Filling:

4 T butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

zest from 1 orange (I used 2 Cuties mandarins)

Glaze:

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 T melted butter

2 T orange juice (I juiced the two mandarins that I zested)

Preheat the oven to 400.  In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds.

Now, add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (DO NOT over-process).  The dough will be very soft. Don't add any more flour!  Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times just until smooth.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface.  Make it into a 12x15 rectangle.

Now put the filling on.  Spread the dough with the softened butter, sprinkle evenly with the sugar and the orange zest.  Roll the dough from the long side, making a long snake. Cut it into 12 equal parts and place into a greased pie pan.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  While they are cooking, whisk together the glaze ingredients.  When the rolls come out of the oven, drizzle with the glaze.  Serve warm!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Saturdays at our house are usually pancake/waffle day but sometimes I just need to mix it up a little. And I NEEDED chocolate today (ok, I need Chocolate everyday!) But, at least this way, I could disguise it as breakfast!  These muffins are moist and delicious and who doesn't love banana and chocolate!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

(12 muffins)

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 t cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas, pureed (about 1 1/2 cups)

6 T butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease or line a muffin pan and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.  In a medium bowl whisk together bananas, eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla.  Mix the wet mixture into the dry by gently folding it with a rubber spatula.  Add chocolate chips, being careful to NOT over mix the batter.  Fill the muffin cups until almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, be careful to not over bake.  They are done when a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs on it.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I have a love affair with muffins.  I could eat them everyday, although I try my best not to!  I also have a love affair with fresh blueberries, Michigan has taught me this.  So when I first saw these, I just couldn't resist (I did adapt the recipe though)!  The first batch I made I kinda forget to put in the egg (yes I am losing my mind, it goes a little more with each child I have) and had to add it AFTER the blueberries.  Lets just say they tasted great but the dull blue color just wasn't very appetizing to photograph.  But the whole thing made for a fantastic excuse to make muffins again!  He, he, he!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

(makes 12 muffins)

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup sugar

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:

2 T sugar

1/4 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease or paper line a muffin pan. 

In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.  In another bowl mix together water, oil, egg and vanilla.  Stir this into the dry ingredients until just moistened.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  (Do NOT defrost frozen blueberries)

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full.  Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the batter in the muffin pan.  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Pumpkin Muffins

There is just something magical about the smell of baking pumpkin in my house this time of year!  We have had an uncommonly warm and snow-free Fall here in Michigan (NOT that I am complaining) but it is  making it a little hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away!  So, this morning I needed something to get me in the mood for this beautiful, thankful season.  When I came across these muffins here, I knew they were just what I needed.  I adapted the recipe to my liking and the results were so perfectly pumpkin-y and Fall-ish! (Yes, I just made up both of those words)!

Pumpkin Muffins

(12 muffins)

1 2/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground cloves 

1 t ground nutmeg

1 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 eggs

1 t orange zest

1 cup pumpkin

1 stick (4 oz) butter, melted

6 oz white chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt and orange zest.  In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs and melted butter, until smooth.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients until almost all the dry ingredients and moistened.  Add the chocolate chips and mix until the ingredients are just combined. (DO NOT over mix!)  Scoop batter into a greased or paper cup lined muffin tin.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the muffins are puffed up and springy to the touch.  Cool on a wire rack.