Blueberry Crumble Cake with Lemon Icing

Our current favorite special-occasion-cake.  Holy mackerel, it's a goodie.  I make it for John whenever he does something even remotely cool so that eating it several times a month is justified.  It comes together so fast, too.  Great for entertaining... 

{What you need}

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

3 oz. plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh/frozen)

For topping:

3/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

6 tablespoons frozen butter (to grate in)

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is best!)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and set aside.  Mix all dry ingredients together then add the wet and combine until just incorporated.  Fold in the blueberries and pour into prepared cake pan. For the topping, combine the flour and sugar and grate in the frozen butter.  Mix together with fingers until crumbly.  Sprinkle the topping over top the cake batter, making sure to cover EVERY SQUARE CENTIMETER with the topping because it will become the most delicious crumbly crust you've ever had and makes the cake.  Bake for 40-50 minutes (DON'T OVER BAKE!! It's better to under bake a little if you're worried...). While it's baking, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until a glaze forms, then drizzle over hot cake.  Serves up great for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or for shameless grazing all day long.

Overnight Blueberry Croissant French Toast Bake

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We made this for Easter brunch this year and were speechless with how delicious it was.  Definitely a winner for entertaining and holidays.  It is so decadent and flavorful! Serves 10.

{What you need}

10 large croissants

2-8 oz. bricks of neufchatel or cream cheese

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

12 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter

Lightly grease a large casserole dish.  Break up the croissants and place half of them in the bottom of the dish.  Chop up the cheese in small cubes and spread them around the top of the croissants.  Evenly spread 1 cup of the blueberries on top of that and cover with the rest of the croissants.  Mix the eggs, milk, syrup and vanilla together and pour over the croissant mixture.  Cover and refrigerate over night.  In the morning, remove dish from fridge 30 minutes before you put it in the oven.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350, then uncover and bake 20-30 more minutes.

While it is baking, combine the water, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  While continually stirring, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the other cup of the blueberries and turn down to simmer.  Cook on low for 10 minutes or until the blueberries burst.  Remove from heat and add the tablespoon of butter, stirring until it is melted.  Serve over the french toast bake. 

inspired by this recipe

Breakfast Pizza

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This was awesome!  We have a weekly tradition of pizza at our house and it's fun to find a fun variation.  Plus we LOVE brinner, so this was perfect for our family.

{What you need}

• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped bacon, cooked
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

any other omelette-type toppings you'd like

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).  Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles. Place in an ungreased 12 inch pizza pan with points toward the center. Press together to form a crust. Bottom of crust should be sealed and outside edge should be slightly raised so that the beaten eggs don't run off the edges too much. Spoon bacon and any other of the toppings you chose over crust. Sprinkle with hash browns and top with cheddar cheese.  Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour over crust. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake in preheated oven until eggs are set, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Inspired by this recipe.

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Fluffy Pancakes

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I'm not a pancake person, but these are absolutely to DIE for.  They are a similar consistency to waffles, and I'm a major waffle girl, so this is a great compromise with John, who is not-so-much a waffle guy as a pancake guy.  Great for Saturday morning breakfast with you cute little family.

{What you need}

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray
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• Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Compliments of Kris at allrecipes.com

Breakfast Pie and Homemade Pie Crust

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This is a great savory breakfast pie, perfect for Easter Brunch!  You can play with the taste a little by adding cheeses of your choice, but we loved it with colby jack and mozzarella.  It would be awesome with cheddar and swiss, too.

{What you need}

1 pound ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup cheese of your choice

1 cup different cheese of your choice

{for the crust}

2 cups flour

1 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

Make the crust first:  In a large bowl combine flour and salt.  Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water and mix until a ball is formed.  Divide dough into two, one for the bottom and one for the top of the pie.  Press one of the balls of dough into the bottom of a pie dish, rising up the sides slightly.  Roll the other ball of dough out flat into a large circle to cover the pie once you put the filling in.

*You can keep the dough in the fridge over night for optimal outcome, but I just used it right away and it was still delicious.

For the pie filling: In a large skillet, saute onions and mushrooms until onions start to become a little translucent.  Add the beef and cook thoroughly.  Drain the drippings and stir in garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk, and mayo together.  Combine with the meat mixture.  Fold in cheeses and pour mixture into the prepared pie dish.  Cover pie with second portion of pie crust and seal off around the edges.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 and bake for 20-30 minutes more, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Let stand about ten minutes before cutting.  

Inspired by this recipe and this recipe

Baked Fritata Breakfast Casserole

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This was just a last minuted, throw-together-in-time-for-dinner-on-a-busy-day kinda meal.  And we ended up loving this dish!  It would be perfect for a brunch as well, or an Easter Morning breakfast.  So delicious.

{What you need}

2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled

1/2 large onion

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cup Bisquick

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

{that is about half of this recipe}

8 eggs, beaten

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 small can diced green chilies, drained 

sour cream, guacamole, salsa, bacon bits, green onions, tomatoes, etc

Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until they are soft.  Drain and put back in the pot.  With a cheese grater, grate the onion into the potato pot.  Add the 2 beaten eggs, Bisquick, salt and pepper.  Mash and mix until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.  Grease a 9x13 casserole dish and mold the potato batter into the bottom of the dish.  Mix together the 8 beaten eggs, cheese, and green chilies and pour in the casserole dish over the potato dough base.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until the center of the casserole no longer jiggles.  Serve hot, topped with your toppings of choice.

Mashed Potato Pancakes

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If you know me, you know potatoes are my favorite food.  You can make them in so many different ways!  I just never get sick of the variety.  And these might be my new favorite form of tot.  They were soooo delicious.  I also used the leftover batter as a base for a breakfast casserole the next day.  DIVOOM!

{What you need}

5 pounds potatoes, you can peel if you want

1 large onion

3 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups Bisquick, or the like

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Boil the potatoes until soft, about 15 minutes.  Drain and put back in the pot.  With a cheese grater, grate in the onion into the pot.  Add the beaten eggs, Bisquick, salt and pepper.  Mix and mash thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated and you have a batter the same consistency as mashed potatoes.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Form pancakes from the potato dough, about the size of your palm.  Cook in the oiled skillet, about 3-4 minutes each side.  Serve with sour cream and avocado, with a side of eggs, easy over.

(Inspired by this recipe at allrecipes.com)

Biscuits and Gravy

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We're not really the 'biscuits and gravy type,' but we thought we'd be adventurous and just go for it.  We were both surprised at how delicious these turned out!  We should have known, though, because we are both suckers for Brinner {breakfast for dinner...}.  We served it up with hash brown potatoes.  It would be great with scrambled eggs, too.

{What you need}

Biscuits:

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons melted butter

{or just go for the Pillsbury on a busy night...}

Gravy:

1 pound sausage {or turkey sausage}

2 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons flour

3.5 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Combine milk and butter and incorporate into dry ingredients just until blended.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until there is no pink left.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and gradually add the milk, salt, and pepper.  Stir over medium heat until it thickens to desired consistency.  Serve over warm biscuits.

(compliments of Darlene Brenden)

Cake Batter Pancakes

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Happy birthday to the love of my life, John William!!!  The big 2-5.  Here is a festive and fun way to wake up your birthday boy or girl on their special day.  Yields about 12 pancakes.

{What you need}

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup yellow cake mix

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 cups milk

1/2 tablespoon sprinkles

{glaze}

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 tablespoon sprinkles

Combine flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk it together until thoroughly blended.  Add just one cup of milk, the eggs, and the vanilla.  Whisk until well blended, adding a little milk here and there until you reach the consistency of regular pancake batter.  Fold 1/2 tablespoon sprinkles in batter right before cooking.

Preheat a skillet on medium heat.  Spray non-stick cooking spray on the pan if you need to, and measure out 1/4 cup batter per pancake.  Cook until the up side of the pancake bubbles, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side, about one minute more.  Serve with vanilla glaze!

For the glaze, combine everything and whisk together until it forms a syrup-y consistency.  You may want to add a tablespoon or two of milk at a time until it gets to the thickness you prefer.

Happy Birthday!!!

A First Fathers' Day Feast:

This is John's first Fathers' Day and to celebrate I told him to pick a special meal he would want me to make.  He explained his love for "Brinner" -- Breakfast for Dinner -- and requested the following menu:

Crepes with fruit and posh syrup

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

Aebelskivers

 Banana Bread

Chocolate Lava for Dessert

Don't worry, we are inviting over my parents and brother and sister-in-law to help us eat all this food, because there will be a TON.  But it was very fun for me to make for the father of my child.  Love you so much, John, and I can't wait to raise our son with you!!  

Aebelskivers

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Aebelskivers are a traditional Danish dish, sort of like donut holes but much better.  You have to have a special pan to make them:

John and I got one of these pans for our wedding and this dish has become a favorite in our home.  John requested them as part of his Father's Day feast.  

{What you need}

2 egg whites

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying

cinnamon and sugar, powdered sugar, or desired toppings

In a glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a firm peak.  Set aside

In a separate bowl, combine flour, powder, sugar, soda, salt, egg yolks, butter, and butter milk, all at once, and blend until smooth.  Gently fold in the egg whites last.

Put about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the bottom of each aebleskiver pan cup and heat until hot. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of the batter into each cup. As soon as they get bubbly around the edge, turn them quickly (Danish cooks use a long knitting needle, but a fork will work). Continue cooking, turning the ball to keep it from burning.

Crepes

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John served his mission in Montreal and loves all things French.  Incidentally, his whole family is in France right now, but we had to stay behind because I could go in to labor at any moment.  So for Father's Day John requested a feast of breakfast food, starring crepes.  So classy and delicious!

{What you need}

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1 1/3 cups flour

2 pinches of salt

3 teaspoons vegetable oil.

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil.  Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan with a thin layer of batter.  Cook 2-5 minutes, turning once, until golden.  Repeat.

Serve with fresh cream, strawberries, bananas, powdered sugar, lemon juice, nutella, whatever you like.

Also, I'm looking for a good savory-crepe dish, like one that is filled with chicken salad or something.  If you know of any, please pass them along!!

Corn Bread

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A great winner from the Our Best Bites cookbook.  Not just ordinary cornbread, but a cake-like muffin you won't have a hard time getting anyone to eat.

{What you need}

1 box yellow cake mix

2 boxes jiffy cornbread mix

eggs, milk and oil according to both packages (sub all water for milk)

Combine and mix well.  Bake according to cake packages.  Serve with honey butter.

Glorified Hash Browns

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I love allrecipes.com.  I find so many winners there.  This one is delicious and just about the easiest thing you could ever throw together.  The chive and onion cream cheese adds a nice twist.  I served this dish with this egg casserole at a family dinner and got rave reviews for both.  And it very well could have been the most simple meal I have ever entertained with.  Try it and let me know what you and your guests think.

{What you need}

2 (10.75 oz ea.) cans cream of celery soup, undiluted

2 (8 oz ea.) containers chive and onion cream cheese

1 (2 lb.) package froze cubed hash brown potatoes

1 cup (or more) shredded cheddar cheese

Microwave the soup and cream cheese for about 3-4 minutes, or until cream cheese is melted.  In a large bowl, combine soup mixture with potatoes and stir until evenly coated.  Bake for 35-40 minutes in a greased 9x13 casserole dish.  Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for about 3-5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.  That's it!  So good...

(compliments of Betty Sitzman)

Colleen's Over Night French Toast from Kneaders

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Those of you in Utah or Arizona have most likely heard of Kneaders Cafe and Bakery.  That place is divoom.  If you aren't around those parts and don't have access to a Kneaders, any type of chunky cinnamon bread will be great in this recipe.  Skip down to the bottom for a simplified version of the instructions if you don't have time to make this the night before.  Great for Sunday morning breakfast or fancy brunches!  Serves 6-8.

{What you need}

1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread, sliced in 8 pieces

8 eggs

1 T brown sugar

1 T vanilla

3 c. milk

3/4 t salt

2 T butter

Butter a glass baking dish generously (9" x 13").  Place the bread in the baking dish.  Set butter aside.  Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over the bread.  Cut butter into small pieces and dot over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least four hours.  Uncover and bake 45-50 minutes at 350.  Serve with whipped cream and strawberries.

*For good ol' fashioned french toast style, combine all ingredients (except the bread) in a glass dish and whisk together.  Saturate each slice of bread in the egg batter and fry on a greased skillet over medium heat.

(compliments of Kneaders Cafe and Bakery)

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

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• We love Sunday Morning breakfast at our home.  These pancakes are a delicious variation of lemon poppy seed muffins and have become a favorite Sunday Morning addition, when we're not running late to church...
• yields 8 pancakes (I doubled it)
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• {What you need}
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• cooking spray
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• Stir the milk, vinegar, lemon extract, and lemon juice together in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes to curdle. Whisk in egg, butter, and vanilla extract.
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• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds  until well combined. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk a few times until the batter is mostly free of lumps.
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• Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes over with a spatula and brown the other side, about 2 more minutes.

Serve with powdered sugar and lemon juice or a fruity syrup.  You could even make a glaze to go with it instead of syrup. Or maple syrup would be great, too.

(Inspired by this recipe)