Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

When I was craving Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, I asked my grandma to see if she had a good recipe.  Her recipe cabinet looks like this!

So, I just knew she would have something for me in that stash!  Ask and you shall receive!  She sent me this really cool "basic batter" page from a 1991 edition of Ladies Home Journal.  It has 16 variations of muffins on one page!  There are bran and corn ones, even oatmeal and plain types.  I already had a Lemon Poppyseed Muffin mix in my cabinet but I will definitely try the homemade version from this sheet next time!

Here are the Oatmeal Blueberry ones and how to make them:

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk

1 large egg

2/3 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/3 cup flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat and 1/3 cup all-purpose white.)

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, tossed with 1 Tablespoon flour

For topping:

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin pan cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients:  melted butter, milk, egg, and oats.  Let stand 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients:  flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined.  Fold in the blueberries.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over muffins.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove from pans and serve warm.  Or cool completely, wrap well and freeze up to 1 month.  To reheat, loosely wrap each muffin in a paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Egg Casserole

I was pleasantly surprised when we were asked to bring a dish to share at our last BSF Monday meeting before summer break.  It's the only day throughout the year when BSF stands for Bring Some Food!  Woohoo!

In addition to sharing our favorite dishes during this fellowship time, we were also preparing to share what the Lord has done in our lives throughout the 30 week study of Matthew.

For as long as I can remember, I have been a faith-filled person.  I grew up in a Christian home, accepted Christ at a young age, participated in youth group activities, and spent several summers at a week-long Christian camp.  We now attend church regularly and I've participated in lots of Bible studies over the years.  But generally, I was just kind of going through life believing.  Through this study, I learned that "blind faith is not biblical faith."  Sure, the previous Bible studies I've done have kept me in the Word during the study and brought me closer to the Lord but it wasn't until this study that it hit me.  I needed to and was ready to go deeper.  Romans 10:17 promises that faith comes as we read God's Word.  The best way to believe is to expose yourself intentionally and steadily to the Bible.  Intentionally and steadily meaning purposefully and routinely.  Jesus doesn't promise life following him will be easy but he does promise it will be rewarding.  It's not always easy but I'm excited at 6:00am to get up before the baby to do my reading, studying, and question answering knowing that will most likely be the only quiet time of my day, but more so knowing that the Lord has so much to teach me if I will just be obedient and open his Word with an open heart, refreshed eyes, and a clear mind.  Through that time together it's as if He has grown my heart to love Him more and know Him better.

So, let me encourage you to find a quiet time that works for you, open His word and listen.

Ok back to the food...I was hoping to sign up to bring this Blueberry Banana Bread, but the only thing left to put my name beside was a breakfast casserole.  However, I still had the bread on my mind so I made it too for us to enjoy at home. :)

Here is how to make it:

Breakfast Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

1 dozen eggs

1 cup milk

white bread, crusts removed

1/2 lb sausage, browned and drained

small onion, chopped

1/2 red pepper, finely chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown sausage along with onion and red pepper until cooked through.  Drain off excess grease and set aside.  Arrange bread in bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Beat eggs and milk and pour over bread.  Sprinkle sausage, onion, pepper over eggs.  Cover with cheese.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 300 degrees for 1 ½ hours total (1 ¼ hours covered, 15 minutes uncovered).

Enjoy!

Here it is ready to go in the frig overnight.

Muffin Frittatas

All of the sudden, I have a picky eater on my hands.  Basically if it's not bread-like, cheesey, or crunchy, it's not going in my 17 month old little boy's mouth.  Being somewhat of a healthy eater myself, this is causing me some distress!  Much to my dismay, the kid won't even try a blueberry.  :(  Hoping it's just a phase, I must press on being creative and sneaking fruits and vegetables into his diet when I can while still offering him the real thing so he knows they are available.  Thank goodness he loves these Peter Rabbit Organics veggie blend pouches...

They say it can take 15 to 20 exposures before a child will try something new...not sure I have the patience but I must find a way!

He will NOT try eggs in any of the forms I have tried so far but I thought he would for sure go for these Muffin Frittatas.  I think he might have taken one bite...but I loved them!

Here is how to make them:

Muffin Frittatas

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

3/4 cup chopped zucchini

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

3/4 cup turkey sausage crumbles

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in medium bowl until blended.  Add cheese, zucchini, bell pepper and turkey sausage.  Mix well.  Spoon evenly into 12 greased muffin cups, about 1/4 cup each.  Bake 20 minutes until just set.  Cool on rack 5 minutes.  Remove from cups and serve warm.

Tip:  To save time in the morning, bake them the night before and refrigerate.  Quickly re-warm in the microwave when ready to serve.

Another option is to reheat the frittata and sandwich it between a sliced and toasted whole wheat English muffin.  A quick and healthy way to start your morning! :)

Enjoy!

Source

Snickerdoodle Bread

Wow!  I mean, WOW!  This stuff is awesome!

My mom loves Snickerdoodle cookies so I knew she would love this twist on a old classic.  I made this bread and my first ever pot roast in the crock pot last time she came to visit.  We enjoyed this sweet bread in the morning with our coffee and during nap time with our coffee.  :)  Lots of coffee being consumed these days with a 16 month old even with a solid night's sleep...but that's a different story.  Moms of boys, are you with me?!

Back to this delicious bread...here is the recipe link.

Snickerdoodle Bread

Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Bread

I have made this amazing bread twice already and cannot wait to make it again!  I was a little disappointed when my friend at church said they already had enough treats for this Sunday morning because I thought I had an excuse to make this bread yet another time. :(  I might make it again anyway just because my little guy and I love it SO much!

Every oven cooks different so be sure to check your bread with a toothpick before removing it from the oven.  The loaf pictured above was from my mom's oven (electric) and was baked for exactly 60 minutes.  Came out perfect!  The loaf below was from my oven (gas) and could have gone about 10-15 minutes longer as it was still a little doughy in the middle.  Although, I didn't mind! :)

The difference could also have been the bread pan I used in each setting.  At my mom's, I used a 9x5 glass loaf pan.  At home, I used this new adorable ceramic orange ruffled loaf pan I found at World Market. :)  Whatever the case, double check your bread using a toothpick inserted into the middle.  It should come out clean.

Look at those fresh,whole blueberries bursting from inside!  Give me a slice now!

Here is the recipe...Giada's Blueberry Banana Bread!

Enjoy!

Favorite Things Friday #8

I love muffins and so does my 1 year old...

That being said, I need to make sure they are healthy and right now, I'm loving Duncan Hines Simple Mornings.

So far, we've only tried the Blueberry Streusel and the Apple Cinnamon, which are both wonderful.

 

Real ingredients.  Nothing artificial!

Doing research for this post, I found out they also have Triple Chocolate Chunk, Wild Maine Blueberry, Cinnamon Streusel, and Chocolate Chip!  I cannot wait for these other varieties to come to a store near me!

Have a great weekend!

Apple Bread

When my mom was here a few weeks ago, she made us a delicious apple crisp.  Served warm with vanilla ice cream.  Yum!  She likes to use a combo of Jonathan and Granny Smith apples for the crisp so we purchased a bag of each leaving me with a few leftovers patiently waiting to be used in this Apple Bread!

Here is how to make it:

Apple Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (plus 1 1/2 Tablespoons for coating apples)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar (plus 1 teaspoon for the glaze)
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely ground lemon zest
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 to 2 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and diced apples (about 3 large apples)

Directions:

1.  With the oven rack one level below the middle, heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, knocking out the excess flour.  Set the pan aside.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.  Set the mixture aside.

3.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high for 2 minutes.  Reduce the speed to medium, then gradually mix in the sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Mix in the vanilla and lemon zest, scrapping down the sides as needed.

4.  Add half the dry mixture to the creamed ingredients, mixing on low to combine.  Add the buttermilk, then stir in the remaining dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until evenly mixed.  Stir the reserved 1 1/2 Tablespoons of flour with the apples to coat, then fold them into the batter.

5.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing it with a spoon.  Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar.  Bake 55 to 65 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then loosen the loaf, turn it out, and let it finish cooling on the rack.

Imagine a slice of this Apple Bread paired with a cup of Folgers Caramel Drizzle coffee!  This version of a caramel apple :) makes a wonderful afternoon treat!

Enjoy!

Source:  FamilyFun Magazine

Heavenly Biscuit, Oh My!

If you are ever in the Fort Myers Beach area, you have got to check out this place!  We were on the search for a new breakfast place near Bonita Springs, FL when we stumbled across this little gem.

The name says it all...Heavenly Biscuit!

The Special pictured above is bacon, tomato, egg, and cheese on a delicious biscuit.  I subbed the egg for just the whites.

If you've been following along, you know by now how much I love breakfast!  Although this place is small and their menu is smaller, you are bound to find something to satisfy your morning hunger pangs at this joint.

Start your meal off with one of these bad boys to share and you're set for a good while!  Oh and don't forget the coffee!

Good things come in small packages! :)

Favorite Things Friday #1

Happy Friday!!!

I'm finding it true that AB (after baby), the weekends are very similar to every other day.  Wake up about the same time, feedings/meals about the same time, naps about the same time, and same time to bed.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a routine but the occasional surprise is wonderful every now and then!

To wake up from the same ol' routine, I'm creating Favorite Things Friday!  So, here we go with the inaugural post and probably my most go-to item!

drum roll, please..

Fiber One Original

At only 60 calories per serving, I have it a few times a week, at least!

It's awesome in this oatmeal

and this Fiber One Pancake.

Some mornings, I load blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and top them with Fage 0% Greek Yogurt, Fiber One Original and a drizzle of honey or agave nectar.  Yum!!!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Banana Hershey Bar Muffins

One afternoon I set out to make banana chocolate chip muffins.  After mixing all the ingredients together, I opened the drawer to pull out the bag of chocolate chips, but they were nowhere to be found!  Who is to blame?!  Was it my husband and kids who like to eat them right out of the bag or was it me who used them all in the last batch of chocolate chip cookies?!  Guess I should gather all my ingredients before I start baking...lesson learned.

Luckily, in that same drawer is where we keep the Hershey Bars for making s'mores so I chopped some of those up and added them in place of the missing chocolate chips.

That is how these Banana Hershey Bar Muffins were born. :)

Here is how to make them...

Banana Hershey Bar Muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Hershey Bars, chopped

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine brown sugar and butter in larger mixer bowl.  Beat at medium speed until creamy, scraping bowl often.  Add bananas, eggs, and vanilla.  Continue beating until well mixed.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until moistened.  Gently stir in chopped Hershey Bar.

Spoon batter into greased muffin pans.  Bake about 18 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Delicious but next time I'll add crushed graham crackers and tiny marshmallows make the flavor complete. :)

Enjoy!

Blueberry Granola Waffles

These Blueberry Granola Waffles all started when
I brought a package of my favorite granola home from back home.

Waffles sounded really good one morning but I had no "mix" left and I'm not really an Eggo fan...although we always have them in our house, because my step-son loves them.  So, I found this recipe for a homemade waffle mix and added 3 of my favorite toppings to create a delicious breakfast.

Here is how I made them...

Blueberry Granola Waffles

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter

1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

fresh blueberries, washed and dried

your favorite granola

Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

pure maple syrup

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; beat until blended.

Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffle is until golden and crisp.

Transfer the waffle to a plate and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, fresh blueberries, a sprinkling of granola, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.  Continue cooking the waffles with the remaining batter and topping them.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!

Love blueberries?  Check out my post on them here.

Original waffle recipe can be found here.

Egg White Veggie Frittata

Ok, if you've followed my blog very long at all, you know by now that...I LOVE BREAKFAST!

I'm sharing with you today one of my favorite breakfasts from one of my favorite restaurants...Dixie Cream Cafe!  They are open for breakfast and lunch 6 days a week.  If you're in the area, stop in and say I sent you!  They will definitely know me...

Just about every time we go, I get the Egg White Veggie Frittata.  It's awesomely full of mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers then topped with jack cheese.  It comes with a huge buttermilk biscuit and a side of seasoned home fries (which I usually sub for fruit).  Pair all this with a cup of coffee or two (with Splenda and skim milk) and I'm set for the morning!

This just happens to be the place where a BIG surprise happened over the weekend!  We decided to go to Dixie for lunch on Saturday and who was sitting there waiting for us?!  My parents who flew in that morning!  AND just about 30 minutes later, in walks my sister, her husband, and their 6 week old little girl who all drove down from Indiana!  Wow, was I surprised!  Turns out they were all in town for my surprise birthday party that night!  What an awesome weekend filled with family and friends!

Rise and Dine!

Many of you moms and dads may subscribe to Parenting Magazine.  I do and usually get some good advice or at least things to ponder from the articles.  I especially loved a little section entitled "Rise and Dine" in the most recent edition.  It states that...

"Kids who regularly eat breakfast scored 4.6 points higher on IQ tests than those who generally skip a morning meal, according to a recent study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.  Researchers say eating breakfast fuels the brain after a night of fasting, plus interacting with parents at breakfast time promotes brain development, vocabulary, and comprehension skills."

Wow, that's amazing!

Lucky for you, I have some great breakfast recipes that you will love.  Here is a round-up so far.

Enjoy!

Open-faced Breakfast Sandwich

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Fiber One Protein Pancake

The Best Banana Bread Ever

Dunkin' Eggs

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Waffle-grilled Cheese

Zucchini Bread

Nutty Granola

Whip up one of these to share with your little one and have a Good Morning! :)

PS - You can easily find all my recipes categorized on the "In the Kitchen" tab at the top of the home page.  Check it out here --> In the Kitchen

Zucchini Bread

So, my mom was in town last week, and I always like to bake something for her when she visits.  Last time, I made her this Rustic Blackberry Tart.  This time I thought Zucchini Bread sounded nice and summery.  It brings back memories from when I was little.  Mom would bake up some of this bread with fresh zucchinis from my dad's garden.  I don't have a garden so zucchinis fresh from Fresh Market will have to do!  My mom did help me plant some flowers in my new cute terra cotta pot and by our mailbox.  We also bought a majestic palm and planted it in a planter for by the pool!  Now, if I can just keep them alive!

Anyway, back to the Zucchini Bread...

Here is how I made it:

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups zucchini, shredded and drained

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Directions:

Beat eggs until foamy.  Stir in sugar, zucchini, oil, and vanilla.  Gradually add dry ingredients and spices.  Stir in the nuts.  Pour into 2 bread pans greased only the bottoms.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool at least 10 minutes.  Remove from pans.

Enjoy!

PS - I used chopped walnuts in this bread and they were really good.  You could use pecans instead but I didn't have any on hand after my last use of them while making these Chewy Almond Toffee Bars!  Oops!

Blueberry Waffle-Grilled Cheese

You may remember the Wafflewich that I like to make for lunch or the Chicken & Waffles which I love for dinner!  Well now, the day is complete with Blueberry Waffle-Grilled Cheese for breakfast!  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all using your waffle maker!  Who would have thought?!

Here is how I made it...

Blueberry Waffle-Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

2 slices of whole wheat bread

Butter

Light cream cheese

Blueberries

Pure Maple Syrup

Waffle iron

Directions:

Preheat the waffle iron to medium.  Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Spread cream cheese on the other side of each slice of bread.  Place one piece of bread, butter side down on the waffle maker.  Top with  blueberries.  Place second piece of bread, cream cheese side down, on top of the blueberries.  Close the waffle maker and grill for a couple minutes until steam stops or the bread is toasted and the cream cheese is melted.  Top with pure maple syrup and a few more blueberries for decoration.

Yummy!

Learn more about how good blueberries are for you here!

Recipe source

Nutty Granola

When the summer heat arrives, it's time to start eating a little lighter.  I love Ellie Kreuger's Nutty Granola.  It's sweet and a little salty.  Perfect for sprinkling on top of yogurt and berries or eating right out of the container!

Here's how to make it...

Nutty Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned oats (not the quick cooking kind)

1/2 cup raw unsalted walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup unsalted almonds, chopped

1/2 cup unsalted pecans, chopped

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray.  In a medium bowl, combine the oats, nuts, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon.  Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and bake until golden brown (about 30 minutes) stirring occasionally.  Transfer the sheet to a cooling rack and let cool completely.  Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

Yum!

Dad's Dunkin' Eggs

Saturday morning I woke up to a quiet house.  Everyone was away for the weekend so it was just me, the baby, and Unkas.

I enjoy a quiet moment every now and then, but on this particular morning with no plans for the day, I was missing my family.  For a little taste of home, I decided to make a breakfast my dad would make for me if he was here or I was there.

I started by slowly brewing a small pot of regular coffee instead of quickly popping in the usual K-Cup.  My brewed coffee never matches up to my dad's but this pot was pretty close.  Growing up, whenever my dad made breakfast, it was always dunkin' eggs!  My sister and I would ask for them all the time.  In fact, on a spring break road trip to Florida, we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast and the waitress was pretty confused when we ordered "dunkin' eggs"!  My dad quickly explained to her that they were really eggs over easy but in our house, we call them dunkin' eggs. :)

Here is how I made them...

Start by spraying your Mini Egg Skillet (It's the bomb!) with non-stick spray.  Heat it over low to medium heat.  Crack one egg into the skillet being careful not to break the yolk.  After just about two minutes when the white part look almost cooked, drop a little bit of water into the skillet along the edge (I used a straw dipped in a glass of water as a dropper.) and cover with a lid to create steam for about a mintue.  This way the whites will finish cooking leaving the yolks runny and you don't have to flip the egg!  Transfer the egg to your plate.  Cook second egg the same way.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Note:  If you do use the Mini Egg Skillet, you'll have to cook each egg separately as opposed to two or more at a time if you were using a larger skillet.  Serve with buttered toast, bacon, and berries for a complete breakfast meal!

ahhh :) This breakfast and call home made my morning better.  Now, I can get on with my day!

Linking up at Semi Homemade Mom!

The Best Banana Bread Ever!

Don't throw out your ripe bananas!  Make banana bread!  You must try this recipe!

It really is The Best Banana Bread Ever!  I've tried many different recipes.  They are all too dry, too hard, too chewy, or too bland.  But, not this one!  This one is perfectly moist and has a yummy banana-ie sweetness.

I can't wait to share it with you!  Here it is!

The Best Banana Bread Ever

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/8 cup white sugar

1 1/2 cup shortening (like Crisco)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 eggs

6 tablespoons milk (I used whole this time because I had some leftover.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 medium-sized)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line your bread pan(s) with wax paper, spray with non-stick spray, and lightly dust the bottom with flour.

With a mixer, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, and shortening.  In a separate bowl, mix the baking soda, eggs, milk, and vanilla.  After mixing well, add to the creamed mixture.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and cinnamon.  Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture.  Mix just until combined.  Do not over mix from this point forward.  Fold in the mashed bananas.  Pour the batter into loaf size baking pan(s).

Bake for about 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes.  Run a butter knife around the edge to loosen the loaf.  Carefully flip the pan over onto a plate or flat surface and let the loaf gently fall out.  Peel off the wax paper and flip the loaf back over to right-side up.  Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!  Makes 2 loaves or 1 larger loaf.

I prefer mine warmed up with butter and honey!

Mini Egg Skillet & Spatula

From time to time, I come across a kitchen utensil I cannot live without!  And this set is one of them...

The Mini Egg Skillet & Spatula

The little skillet fits 1 to 2 cracked eggs perfectly and makes just the right sized egg round!  I use these two gadgets a couple times each week when I make my Open-faced Breakfast Sandwich!

The mini egg skillet and spatula can be found at Bed Bath and Beyond or on Amazon.com.  I just love them. Aren't they cute?!

What kitchen utensils can you not live without?!

Comment below and let me know.  I'd love to check them out!