Tag: BRUNCH

LEMON BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE ~ BLOG 366.95

Whether you need a brunch or potluck dish, this streusel topped Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake is the perfect choice!

LEMON BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray a 10″ Springform pan with non-stick spray.

STREUSEL TOPPING
½ cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups AP flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla

  • In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, flour, sugar and vanilla until crumbly. Set aside.

CAKE
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1 cup vanilla bean yogurt or sour cream
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen small wild blueberries (see note)

  • In a large bowl, whisk together butter, oil and sugar for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, yogurt, lemon juice and zest and whisk until combined.
  • Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir just until combined.
  • Stir in blueberries and set aside.

FILLING optional
8 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 LARGE egg
zest from one lemon

  • With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and lemon zest until smooth.

GLAZE optional
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice

ASSEMBLY

  • Spread ½ of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Spread cream cheese filling in the center, staying away from the edge of the pan as much as possible.

  • Top with remaining cake batter and spread to cover as much of the cream cheese filling as possible.

  • Sprinkle the crumb topping over top.

  • Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes, or until center is set and DOES NOT jiggle when moved. You don’t want an unbaked center! and it could take up to 80 minutes.
  • Let cake cool to room temperature before drizzling the glaze over top.
  • Serve.

NOTES 

  • Frozen blueberries will release more moisture as they bake, so you may want to reduce the oil to 2 tablespoons if using frozen berries.
  • Both the cheesecake filling and the glaze are optional – just depends on how much sweetness and decadence you want for the occasion.

EVERY SUNDAY PANCAKES

There is just nothing better than homemade, fluffy pancakes doused in butter and PURE maple syrup for a Sunday morning.

EVERY SUNDAY PANCAKES yields +/- 12 pancakes depending on size
1 ½ cups cake flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 LARGE eggs
¼ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla

  • Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a LARGE mixing bowl.
  • In another bowl whisk buttermilk and eggs together.
  • Add vanilla and butter, whisking until blended.
  • Whisk milk mixture into the dry ingredients JUST until moistened.
  • Allow batter to stand 10 minutes!!!  This step is a MUST for fluffy pancakes!
  • Melt butter on medium hot grill.

  • Lightly grease griddle.
  • Ladle ¼ cup of batter onto hot griddle, cooking until bubbles begin to pop. DO NOT flip pancakes before seeing air bubbles.
  • Flip and cook until golden brown.
  • Serve immediately.

overnight CINNAMON ROLL FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

CINNAMON ROLL FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
TOAST
12 slices thick BRIOCHE bread
2 cups whole milk
6 LARGE eggs
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon QUALITY cinnamon

  • Cut bread into 1 inch cubes.
  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
  • Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon.
  • Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over bread cubes and toss.
  • Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and sugar.
  • Pour evenly over bread cubes and toss to coat.
  • Fold in raisins.
  • Arrange an even layer in the baking dish.
  • Cover tightly with saran and chill overnight.

TOPPING
1/4 + 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon QUALITY cinnamon
6 tablespoons melted butter

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Uncover casserole.
  • Mix together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.
  • Sprinkle over casserole.
  • Drizzle melted butter over casserole.
  • Bake 35-45 minutes until browned and baked though in the center.

ICING
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
4-6 tablespoons whole milk
2+ cups powdered sugar

  • Cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
  • Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons milk, blending until smooth.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar until well incorporated.
  • Add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a pourable desired consistency.
  • Pour over slightly cooled french toast casserole and serve.

BANANA LEMON BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST

BANANA LEMON BLUEBERRY* FRENCH TOAST
1 16 ounce loaf DAY OLD sourdough, french or brioche bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 LARGE roasted bananas (OPTIONAL) see note
1 1/2 cup WILD small blueberries*
6 LARGE eggs
4 large egg whites
2 cups milk
1/3 cup PURE maple syrup
ZEST and juice of 1 LARGE lemon
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Powdered sugar, butter and maple syrup for serving

  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Spread a layer of the roasted bananas on the bottom of the baking dish

 

  • In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.
  • Fold in the bread pieces.
  • Pour mixture into baking dish evenly.
  • Sprinkle blueberries over bread pieces.
  • Cover the baking dish tightly with saran and refrigerate over night.

 

  • Remove baking dish from refrigerator and let sit out while you preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Bake uncovered 45-55 minutes until golden brown and center is set.
  • Serve dusted with powdered sugar or butter and maple syrup.

NOTE:*

  • You can substitute the blueberries with just about ANY other berry, peaches or even apples making this recipe just as delicious!
  • Let the bread cubes sit out on the counter overnight. The dryer they are, the more custard they will absorb. You want them to be crispy like croutons.
  • This can be frozen, but I really don’t recommend it – it always seems soggy to me.
  • This is a GREAT way to use up bananas if you need to, but the recipe works wonderfully even without them.

CROISSANT BERRY FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

This is a rich indulgent brunch recipe that is also super easy to prepare in advance for those special holiday mornings.

CROISSANT BERRY FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

15 mini BUTTER croissants
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup SUPERFINE sugar
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup currants
1/2 cup small WILD blueberries
6 LARGE eggs
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 teaspoon QUALITY ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons PURE maple syrup

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • Slice each croissant length-wise, being careful not to cut all the way through.
  • Cream together the cream cheese and sugar.
  • Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the inside of each croissant.
  • Divide strawberry slices evenly between the croissants laying them onto the cream cheese and close the croissants.
  • Sprinkle with currants.
  • Layer the croissants into the dish, packing them tightly.
  • Sprinkle the blueberries throughout the dish.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
  • Pour egg mixture SLOWLY over the croissants, making sure to get some into every nook and cranny.
  • Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours or bake right away.
  • When ready to bake, COVER and bake for 30-35 minutes or until set.
  • Serve with more maple syrup and fresh fruit.
  • Enjoy!

HEAVENLY HASH

This is a VERY versatile recipe!! With using what is on hand I often trade out the flavor of soup (I used cream of Poblano today), the green onions (I had a shallot that needed using), the hash browns (I used tater tots) and the cheese (I used a combination of Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella to use up 3 partial blocks). The only thing I think CANNOT be changed is the honeybaked ham and I usually have some i the freezer leftover from whatever previous holiday just occurred.  It adds such a unique flavor!

HEAVENLY HASH
2 pounds OreIda frozen diced hash brown potatoes
1 can cream of celery soup
2 + cups diced ham (HONEY BAKED HAM)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 bunch green onions, finely diced
1 3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese ( I use a combo of medium, sharp and Skellig Sweet)
1 cup crushed potato chips

  • Preheat 350°.
  • Spray large flat baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Whisk together soup, sour cream and seasonings until smooth.
  • Fold in the ham and green onions.
  • Fold in 1 1/4 cups of the cheese.
  • Fold in hash browns.
  • Spread into prepared baking dish.*
  • Bake until top is slightly golden , about 1 hour.
  • Sprinkle with last cup of cheese and potato chips and bake additional 10 minutes.

NOTES:

  • Great for brunches and large groups.
  • We like a firmer casserole so I use a flatter baking dish to spread out the mixture.

SWEET & SPICY BACON DUTCH BABY PANCAKE

Giving up sugar is the HARDEST thing I have ever had to do. And since it will NEVER change I’m still working to take some favorite recipes and rework them into less sugary meals so I can eat them.

SWEET & SPICY BACON adapted from GIADA
1 pound slab bacon, cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces **
1/4 cup PURE maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons FRANK’S original hot sauce

  • Place the bacon in an even layer in a large skillet.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often with spatula until the bacon is light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  • Whisk together the maple syrup, black pepper and Frank’s in a small bowl.
  • Pour off some of the rendered bacon fat, leaving just a small amount.
  • Return the skillet to the heat and pour the maple syrup mixture over the bacon.
  • Braise gently until the syrup thickens and glazes the bacon and the bacon is deep golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  • Serve warm.

DUTCH BABY PANCAKE
3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
OPTIONAL
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, to garnish
Berries, whipped cream, jam or maple syrup if desired

  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Place butter in a 10-12 inch enameled cast iron skillet and place skillet in the hot oven to heat up while you mix the batter.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla until smooth.
  • In a separate medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use an electric beater to fully incorporate the wet and dry together until smooth.
  • Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and swirl butter over all sides.
  • Pour the batter into the center of the pan and place the pan in hot oven.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and brown around the edges and set in the center.
  • Remove from the oven and dust with powdered sugar. The pancake will immediately start to collapse.
  • Top with bacon pieces or berries and whipped cream.
  • Dust with powdered sugar and add berries if desired.

NOTES**

  • Any leftover bacon is PERFECT in a homemade baked BBQ bean recipe.
  • SLAB bacon can be hard to find. When I can’t find it, I use thick sliced and cut it into 2 inch pieces.

CHICKEN CHILE CORN CUSTARDS

CHICKEN CHILE CORN CUSTARDS
2 medium fresh poblano or Anaheim chile peppers, roasted
1 small sweet red pepper, roasted
2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
5 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups Green Giant white corn niblets, drained
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can green chiles, drained well
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 425˚.
  • Grease 6 six ounce ramekins.
  • Place ramekins in a 13×9 baking dish.
  • In a large bowl combine eggs and cream.
  • Fold in peppers, corn, chicken, cheese, bread crumbs, chives, chili powder, salt and pepper.
  • Pour mixture evenly into ramekins.
  • Place baking dish on center rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Add 1 inch of boiling water to the baking dish.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove ramekins from water and serve on plates.

BACON CHEDDAR PANCAKES

With my current health issues I have been trying very hard to come up with savory meals that have ZERO sugar.  We make these occasionally, but they are going to become the go to pancake recipe in the future.

I found this recipe in a magazine and found it just intriguing enough to try. I made just a few very small changes (the first time):

  • It called for regular cheddar and I used white cheddar.
  • It called for 3 slices of bacon and I used 4.
  • It had you serving with just butter which we tried and then we added maple syrup which was a serious plus in our book.
  • It also said it would make 8 pancakes and I got 11.

Then, this last time I amended it a little more for flavor.

BACON CHEDDAR PANCAKES
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground pepper
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 LARGE egg
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled – 3 crumbled into batter, 1 crumbled for garnish
2 green onions, sliced thin, save a little for garnish
1/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese + a little for garnish
Sour Cream

  • Preheat skillet and spray with non-stick cooking spray or melt butter**.
  • Sift together the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry, whisking only until incorporated well.
  • Fold in bacon, green onions and cheese.
  • Using 1/4 cup measure scoop batter onto prepared skillet.
  • Turn when you see bubbles on the entire pancake surface.  If you wait for the bubbles you will need to only flip once and pancakes should be golden.
  • Cook until golden.

**NOTE: I prefer butter for a little extra flavor.

CORNED BEEF HASH

What do you do with left over corned beef? Make HASH of course!
CORNED BEEF HASH
We like ours crisp so I use more of small dice/shredded mixture.   Cut yours according to your tastes.
left over corned beef (about a pound), diced and shredded
2 tablespoons organic butter
1/2 pound cooked potatoes, diced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
fresh ground pink Himalayan salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add onions, cooking a minute or two until translucent.
  • Add corned beef and potatoes.
  • Add seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, stirring and scraping bottom as necessary.
  • Serve with poached or fried eggs.

BASIC OMELETTE RECIPE


BASIC OMELETTE serves 1
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon butter
1/3-1/2 cup filling of your choice (bacon, diced ham, crumbled cooked sausage, onions, shallots, mushrooms, diced peppers, shredded cheddar or swiss cheese, etc…)

  • Prepare all your filling ingredients before you begin cooking as the eggs will cook fairly fast.
  • Whisk together eggs, water, salt and pepper in small bowl until WELL blended.
  • Heat a 6 to 8-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
  • Add butter and TILT pan to coat entire bottom.
  • Pour in egg mixture. Your mixture should set almost immediately at edges.
  • Gently push cooked portions from edges toward the center with a spatula so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. Continue cooking, tilting the pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed until the surface thickens and there is no visible liquid remaining.
  • Layer your filling on one side of the omelet.
  • Fold omelet in half with turner.
  • With a quick flip of the wrist, turn pan and INVERT or SLIDE omelet onto plate.
  • Serve immediately.

BISCUITS AND SAUSAGE GRAVY BAKE

BISCUITS AND SAUSAGE GRAVY BAKE
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 tablespoon avocado oil
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Wondra flour
3 cups milk
FRESH ground salt and pepper
1 can Pillsbury JUMBO biscuits
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (hubby like sharp – I prefer medium)

  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add sausage and cook until completely browned and crumbly.
  • Drain sausage in colander until free of oil.
  • Return pan to heat and add butter.
  • Whisk in flour until a golden roux appears.
  • SLOWLY add milk, whisking constantly until heated through.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add sausage pieces.
  • Coat 11×7 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Place dish on baking pan to catch any drips.
  • Separate biscuits and then separate each biscuit in half so you have 16 pieces.
  • Place 8 halves in baking dish.
  • Cover with half the sausage mixture.
  • Sprinkle half the green onions over the sausage.
  • Repeat layers and sprinkle with cheese on top.
  • Bake 40 minutes or until golden.

NOTE: CAN EASILY BE MADE INTO INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS & I OFTEN SERVE IT WITH AN EGG ON TOP.

Linking up to FULL Plate Thursday.