French Toast

It's raining outside, and from the looks of it, it may be raining all day.  What to do?  I know...make a yummy breakfast of French toast.  The great thing about French toast is that it makes for a special breakfast without a lot of prep time or clean-up, unless you want to get fancy and make some sort of fruit stuffed French toast.  But that is for another day... 

Now I realize that the recipe for French toast is pretty basic, but I will admit that I have made some French toast in the past that really didn't qualify as anything special.  In fact, it wasn't very good at all. But this morning was different...and I even used plain old whole wheat bread!  I'm sure the French toast would have been a bit more scrumptious with some thick French bread or Challah bread, but I didn't have any...remember, it was a rain emergency!  Besides, I'd like to think my whole wheat bread brought this breakfast one step closer to qualifying as health food.  Right?   Anyway... I think the key to making really good French toast involves several steps, besides using a really good bread.  First, the outcome is better if the bread is a bit dry or stale.  Second, the egg mixture must be mixed really well, so you don't end up with egg-y bread.  Finally, let the bread really soak up the egg mixture--for at least 15 seconds per side.  It results in a softer, fluffier French toast.  Yum!

French Toast

4 eggs
1 c. milk
1 T. sugar
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. salt
8 slices bread, preferably stale

In a shallow bowl, beat eggs well; add milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt .  Soak the bread for 15-30 seconds on each side.  Cook on a hot, greased griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.  Serving suggestions: powdered sugar, cinnamon-sugar, or butter and syrup.  Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Biscuits

This is what we had for breakfast today.

The picture is not the best (I curse the awful lighting we have in this temporary housing), but I assure you it was yummy!  What did you have?

I still consider myself to be quite the novice when it comes to making rolled biscuits.  BUT...I think I have found the best recipe yet.  Thanks to Beth from kitchenMage, I made these babies.

Now if you are comparing mine to hers, I know what you are thinking.  Hers look much better.  Let me remind you that I already stated I am a bit of a novice at this whole biscuit making thing.  It could also be due, in part, to  my crappy lack of photography skills and the fact that I used a phone camera.  Either way, I think these are the best I've ever made!  

I have always been a lover of biscuits.  As a kid, I cherished the occasional "going out for breakfast" events because it meant I could order biscuits instead of toast.  Homemade biscuits were not a staple in our kitchen, but I loved them so.  The fluffy, soft, buttery goodness was such a treat.  

Let's face it.  Biscuits really aren't that tricky.  After all, they require just a few basic ingredients, and they really take no time at all in an oven.  However, when you are new to mixing, kneading, and rolling dough, the job can feel a bit daunting.  The more you mess with dough, the tougher the biscuits become, and if things aren't just right, you can be left with a sticky, gooey mess before you ever get to cut any biscuits.  Then there is the whole "just how thick am I supposed to roll this stuff" to get the perfect end result?  It does take some practice...and well, some confidence (which, by the way, comes with some trial and error--as with everything in life).

Anyway, I am glad that I have continued to make homemade biscuits.  I have come a long way from my first ever batch of bisquick "drop" biscuits (because I was too scared to attempt rolled biscuits).  Baking a fluffy, flaky, biscuit from scratch really can be done!

I did not use a food processor, as Beth did.  I used my hands, but these were really easy.  Be sure to check out Beth's extra notes, as well as her photos of the whole process.  It is all good info.  And, thank you, Beth!

Easy Homemade Biscuits

from Beth at kitchenMage

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cold butter
1 cup cold milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.

Next, cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the flour mixture.  Then cut in the butter with your hands by shmearing (yes that is my own word) it between your fingers (there's no need for a pastry blender).  The result should be a crumbly looking dough, with the butter pieces about the size of peas.

Then add in the cold milk and gently mix the dough until it just comes together.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough just a few times to get it into a more cohesive ball of dough (I did have to add just a sprinkle or two of flour to keep it from sticking to everything!).

Roll the dough out (I rolled it into a circle) to a thickness of about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch, and cut your biscuits with a biscuit cutter or glass (I actually used a 3-inch cutter).  I was able to get 8 biscuits from this batch, and I did save the leftover dough for later, as Beth suggested.

Place your biscuits on cookie sheet (no need to grease) and bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

The end result is a lovely, fluffy, warm biscuit...mmm, so good with butter and jelly, or used to make a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit sandwich, as we did this morning. Then there is always biscuits and gravy.  Are you hungry yet?  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Donut Puffs

 I LOVE the Fall!  The temperature change, the colors, the decor, the comfort food, and all things pumpkin!  The rest of my family is probably not as in to pumpkin as I am, but I definitely didn't get any complaints from these donut puffs.  I call them puffs because they aren't shaped like donuts, donut holes, or even muffins.  So...puffs, they are!

You can find this recipe all over the blogosphere as donuts, and donut muffins.  I adapted the recipe from babycakes slightly.   I like to substitute some white flour with a bit of whole wheat flour.  I also use unsweetened applesauce in place of the oil whenever I can.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't exactly call these puffs healthy, but I feel like small changes can help a bit. 

I whipped these babies up one night when I was feeling a bit stressed and irritable.  I needed something to take my mind off my troubles.  These were quick and easy, and they hit the spot with a cup of coffee.  They were also a good incentive for my kiddos to finish their homework! 

When in need of some good old comfort food, make some pumpkin spice donut puffs and get your fall on!

Pumpkin Spice Donut Puffs

adapted from babycakes

1¾ cups flour (I used 1 c all purpose flour, and 1 c whole wheat flour)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup pumpkin (canned)

½ cup milk

For Topping:
½ cup melted butter
⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and set aside.  In a larger bowl, us an electric mixer to combine the applesauce, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk.

Pour dry ingredients into liquid ingredients and stir until moistened. Do not over mix.
Drop by rounded mounds into a muffin tin (sprayed with cooking spray).  Bake about 4 to 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into "puff" comes out clean.

Melt butter in a small bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in a zipper bag.
While donuts are still hot, dip each one in melted butter, then shake in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to add topping.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins w/ Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

I needed to use up several very ripe bananas, but banana bread takes up to an hour and fifteen minutes to make.  It was already a late Saturday morning, and I didn't want banana bread that badly.  My already lazy Saturday would have become even lazier!  So, I decided to look for a quicker banana muffin recipe to make instead.  I found a recipe here that used applesauce instead of oil, which is good because we had lost our oil in our move, and it hadn't been replaced yet.  It also makes the muffins a little bit healthier.

I changed the ratio of whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour just a bit.  I then changed up the recipe even more by adding chocolate chips (YUM) and a cinnamon-sugar topping!  The result...a yummy, moist, chocolate-y muffin.  The cinnamon-sugar topping was just the right touch to make this weekend breakfast special.  I think the next time I make these, I may try using all whole wheat flour.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
 adapted from SparkRecipes (SERENITY)

1/2 cup all whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
1/4 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Topping:
4 Tbs butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar mixture (2 tsp cinnamon to 4Tbs sugar)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tin or use paper muffin liners.  Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat banana, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir in applesauce.  Stir in flour mixture. Once combined, add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Pour batter into muffin cups, about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (mine took the full 20 minutes).  If you use paper liners, the muffins stick to the paper until they have set awhile.  While the muffins are still warm, dip the tops in the melted butter, and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Makes 12 muffins.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

I seem to be on an oatmeal kick lately...which is good considering I have three containers of it on the shelf downstairs!  I have this same problem with cheese.  I always think we may need some once I'm at the store--only to come home and find out I now have an abundance.  Oh well...

We typically buy the huge box of Quaker instant oatmeal packets from Costco.  We go through some oatmeal in this family, especially in the winter.  I have been on a mission to make more homemade meals, however, and I thought why not oatmeal.  After all, we all know that homemade is healthier and tastier, right?  And although instant oatmeal is fast, it's not like cooking it on the stove takes hours.  How hard can making a tasty bowl of homemade oatmeal be?

Well, I quickly found out that good oatmeal is not just water and oats with some sugar sprinkled in--Yuck!  I wanted something that mimicked my 1-minute microwave version.  So, I began searching for oatmeal recipes.  There are a lot of versions out there...crockpot, overnight, homemade instant packets.  I tried one crockpot version, and it was NOT good.  My crockpot tends to overcook things because it is so hot, and I spent days (or so it seemed) scrubbing burned oatmeal off of it.  I was intrigued by the instant packets, but the more I thought about it, it didn't seem cost effective at all.  The amount of time spent making them did not make sense when the amount of savings was mere pennies, at best.  Plus, I didn't feel so good about using all those baggies.

I think I've finally found the answer thanks to Blissful and Domestic.  I have made very minor adjustments to this recipe, including reducing the amount of sugar (only slightly) and cutting the recipe in half to make less.  I think I have a keeper...and it only takes about 15 minutes, of which I can be doing other things, as well (emptying the dishwasher, getting dressed, pestering my kids to get a move on, making lunches...and so on).

Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes with Blueberries

I came across this recipe at OAMM and thought I would give it a try.  My kids are big fans of pancakes and they ask for them often.  This version of the blueberry pancake is made with a healthy boost of oatmeal and only 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour--no white flour!  You can't beat blueberries and oatmeal for a healthy breakfast.

As I was making these babies, I began to think that my kiddos were not going to like them.  They turn out very dark--beware!  Whenever a food looks even slightly burned, my kids turn up their noses.  When I sampled them, I noticed a definite hearty texture.  Texture is a funny thing with kids, too.   However, the taste was very good, and it was too late to turn back, as this is what I was making for breakfast.

As we sat down to breakfast, no negative comments were made (I was shocked).  When my kids tried them, they liked them a lot!  Success!!  These pancakes are quite filling, so you can feel good about feeding them to your kids before sending them off to school.

Pineapple Orange Banana Green Smoothie

I have really gotten into the green smoothie craze.  It is such an enjoyable way to get extra veggies into your diet.  I started out with my Purple Monster smoothie, but I began searching for, and experimenting  with other flavors.  When I was growing up, we would splurge every once in a while on a carton of orange pineapple banana juice.  I loved it.  I recently found a blend of almond milk and coconut milk by Blue Diamond in the grocery store.  A light bulb went on.  All of these flavors together would make a great tropical smoothie.

This smoothie is refreshing, sweet, and great for breakfast!  It has a light hint of coconut, which makes me feel like I'm drinking some fancy tropical drink on the beach instead of some green vegetables in my kitchen!

The Purple Monster (Green Smoothie)

Green smoothies are all the rage right now.  I was intrigued when I started seeing them pop up on Pinterest all over the place.  I, like many people, was wanting to start some new healthy habits at the start of the year.  I like vegetables, but I do find it difficult to eat enough throughout the day.  So I thought this would be a great way to sneak extra vegetables into my diet, as well as my kids' diets.

I decided to start with a smoothie containing strawberries, blueberries, and bananas.  My kids were already used to these fruits in a smoothie, so I thought it would be easier to get them to drink it.  To my surprise, the blueberries in this smoothie gave it a purple color instead of green (hence the name "Purple Monster"), making it even easier to get them to try it! Score!

I have to admit that I was skeptical, at first, about the taste of this smoothie.  I was sure that I would be able to taste the spinach.  To my delight, I didn't notice the spinach at all, other than a sweetness that it added.  This was also my first experience with almond milk.  I loved it, and my kids did, too!  Sweet success!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

I try to vary my kids' weekday breakfasts.  Don't get me wrong, cereal is quick and easy when we are trying to get out the door on time, but it can get boring day after day after day...  I also worry that it isn't all that healthy, especially when your kids have nagged you enough that you finally say yes to the cereal that is ladened with preservatives and artificial colors and flavors.  Eww!  It happens every once in a while (especially when Dad does the shopping).

I decided to make these blueberry lemon muffins that I found over at The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I thought they would go well with fruit & yogurt parfaits or green smoothies..  I love that they are made with frozen blueberries because we always have these on hand. 

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

To make these muffins a bit healthier, I replaced half of the white flour with whole wheat flour.  I also replaced the sugar (in the batter) with agave nectar.  These were a hit with my family and co-workers (my son wasn't so happy that I decided to share our leftovers).  These muffins crown nicely (Don't you just hate puny, flat muffins?).  They aren't overly sweet, either.  The sugar topping is the perfect touch.  They will make even the novice baker a star!

Cinnamon Breakfast Biscuits

Every so often, when I was teaching, the ladies in the cafeteria would serve cinnamon raisin biscuits with a sugar glaze drizzled over top.  I would get so excited when the scent of cinnamon and warm gooey goodness  greeted me as I entered the building.  I always had to buy one, even if I'd already eaten breakfast.  They reminded me of the cinnamon raisin biscuits from Hardees.  YUM!  Anyway, I discovered this recipe for cinnamon biscuits in my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.  I just had to try them.  I did make a couple of changes by using a combination of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour.  I also cut back a little on the butter and used a little bit of applesauce to make up for it.  I didn't use raisins because my kids are weird about them, but these biscuits turned out yummy without them!

Cinnamon Breakfast Biscuits

Healthy Whole Wheat Pancakes

I'm so excited!  I've done it.  I've gotten my kids to eat whole wheat pancakes without turning up their noses and complaining.  In fact, all I could hear was, "Mmm... these are so good!"  The pancakes were fluffy (flat pancakes are so disappointing) and very tasty. You can't beat that in a low-fat pancake.

Even better, I made Gina's blueberry compote that can be found over on Skinnytaste, and the kids couldn't get enough!   That's saying something, because these days I have a very difficult time getting my son to eat any fruit other than an apple or something from a can!  I only had frozen blueberries, but it came out perfectly.  It was a bit sweet, but you can adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.

How about that...I sneaked in some whole wheat goodness and real fruit!  Take that kids.  I'm going to make you healthy eaters whether you like it or not!

Healthy Whole Wheat Pancakes

The true test of these pancakes was the next morning.  We defrosted the frozen pancakes in the microwave for 30 seconds and then popped them into the toaster.  They were still yummy!  What a great (and quick) weekday breakfast.