Brown Sugar Molasses Muffins

    Well, Autumn has arrived in Central Texas, early this year.  After a mild summer, by our standards, we seem to be having an early fall.  I have been seeing muffin recipes posted on Facebook for the last few days so I decided to make my own.

     First, lets talk about basic muffins.  There are four basic ingredients and you can add to those as you like.  The batter will be stiff when finished.

Very Easy Monkey Bread (Monkey Balls)

 Wow, it has been months since I posted anything.  I have been so busy with school and work.  But here is a very easy and yummy treat.  I made this one evening for breakfast and it never made to breakfast.
I must share a funny story about this.  When my kids were little, I made this from scratch.  They decided one day to call this Monkey Balls.  No matter how much I tried to dissuade them from saying that, they continued.  It was not like they had not had Monkey Bread, elsewhere.  They just decided to name mine with their own special thoughtful kid-name,  and to this day, when I make this amended version, they both walk in and ask, "Did you make Monkey Balls?".

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe combines yummy with convenience and ease.  These delicious cinnamon rolls are made, then refrigerated for 8 hours before baking  You will need to allow an hour or so before serving because the rolls have to be brought to room temperature and then baked. While the rolls are baking you can make the icing which takes about 20 minutes.  Use a stand mixer, if you have one, because the icing needs to be whipped for 15 minutes.  I line my jelly roll pan with foil because it makes my life easier.  You can use a jelly roll pan without the foil, if you prefer. The entire process takes 10 to 12 hours depending on how quickly the dough rises.  This makes a lovely addition to a brunch table because it can be assembled the night before and completed the next morning and it makes about 30 large rolls.

French Toast with Blackberry-Orange Reduction

This is a great way to start a long weekend with a wonderful brunch that includes a Mimosa or a Peach Bellini. This French Toast uses regular thin sliced sandwich bread. When you run it through the egg mixture, leave it in just long enough to coat the bread.  Do not let it sit and soak up the egg mixture like you would if you were using thick sliced, coarse bread.

Broiled Peaches

It is time for brunch! All of the stone fruit has been absolutely wonderful this year. These particular peaches came from Cooper Farms in Fairfield, Texas.  I hope that you have taken the time to sample Nature's bounty this year.  When Chris asked me why I had bought these peaches, I knew I have been sampling quite a bit of produce this year. But when it is this delicious, it is time to buy, cook, can, and preserve.  So that is what I have been doing this summer.
This recipe turned out better than I could have expected.  I hope you enjoy it!

Summer Fruit Pancakes

You might think that my parents had health issues because of the amount of bacon, butter, and eggs with which we cooked, but neither had those problems.  I have no scientific evidence to prove my theory, but I believe it was because we gardened organically and all of the meat was organically, farm raised and processed.  We did not consume large amounts of food and we worked hard all year, except December and January.  We ate protein for breakfast and at lunch, on Sundays.
We sat together at the table and we left when everyone had finished.  The first time one of my cousins asked to be excused from their dinner table, I was horrified. Why would they leave the table, I wondered? Was the conversation so boring?  I have always wondered and never asked.
I found the conversation at the dinner table compelling.  All sorts of topics were discussed, except topics that were considered inappropriate for mixed company or the table, including calving, butchering, news that might be controversial, and the like. For the most part, conversations were about funny things that happened during our day or a neighbor coming to visit.  When Debbie and Charlotte Knox or Jimmy Bingham came to visit, or we walked across the field to their house, my sister and I got to  play with them.  That was not often because most families in our area were doing the same things we were doing.

Fresh Fig Bread

The figs are starting to ripen so I have a few.  Not enough to make fig preserves but definitely enough to eat fresh and make this delicious bread.  I leave the figs in larger larger pieces because of the texture that the fruit adds to the bread.  You can add 1/2 cup of  toasted walnuts or almonds, tossed with a small amount of flour, to the batter, if you like.  We do not usually add any type of nuts to quick breads but that is because we do not care for the texture.  This will make either 2 large loafs or three small ones.

Rejuvenating Banana Smoothie

Yesterday, I had a long day, outside.  I had planned ahead, the night before I took Potassium and froze a big towel.  Then when I was ready to go out, I put on 100 spf block, made sure to take plenty of hydrating liquid and got my frozen towel.  By the end of the day, I was sick as a dog.  When Chris came to pick me up, his exact words were "You don't look so good".  I had gotten overheated and had leg cramps. Thanks to Johnny McMillan and Chris for making sure that I was okay and got home.

Egg Casserole with Sausage and Vegetables

Happy Father's Day!  This is a hearty egg casserole that will satisfy everyone in the family.  It has layers of vegetables, sausage and eggs.  And it makes a beautiful presentation on a buffet. This takes a little more work than a classic egg casserole because the sausage is rendered and the onion is caramelized but the flavor makes the extra time worth the effort.

Quick Breakfast Sandwiches

I have always been a fan of a homemade breakfast sandwich.  It can be on a biscuit (my mom made the best) or slices of bread (especially Mrs. Baird's). But I have never developed a taste for fast food breakfast sandwiches.  I know many people like them because there a plenty of those stores (that is what they are called, not restaurants) around.  About the only time I eat that type of food, anymore, is at the airport and I am reminded why I do not stop by at other times. It seems wrong to spend money on something to consume that is so disappointing.
But Whining is not the reason for this post.  I decided to find out how long it actually takes to make a delicious breakfast sandwich.  I started with a lovely French Baguette from Panera Bread, but you can use whatever bread you have available.  Scrambled eggs and microwaved bacon; made a yummy spread and then served it with a pickle.  It seems I need to buy some vegetables.  All in all, it took 15 minutes.  How long did it take you to drive to the drive-thru, order your meal, and receive it; then eat it in the car? Did you have to deviate from your destination or was the drive-thru your destination?  See my point. I hope that you try this the next time you want a breakfast sandwich, plus you will  probably not be seeing Dianne Sawyer talking about the health risks of eating your homemade breakfast sandwich :)

Crumb Cake

Nancy and Karen are visiting me and I wanted to make a coffee cake for brunch.  While gathering the ingredients, I found that there was very little brown sugar in the pantry.  As you are probably aware, I live out in the country so I had to change the recipe that was planned.
But, I had enough brown sugar to make this coffee cake with a little bit of crumb topping.  It turned out delicious.  So the next time things do not go as planned, branch out and try something different. It might turn out great!

Monkey Bread

This started out as breakfast cake for the next morning, but it smelled so wonderful that we each had to sample it after it had cooled.  It is very easy to make if you use frozen bread dough.  Just let the dough thaw in the refrigerator.  Put the frozen dough in a well oiled bowl to thaw, the day before.  Then it will be ready when you are ready to make this. I used Bridgford brand frozen white Ready Dough.

You do need to let the dough rise for about an hour after you roll the dough balls.
This makes a nice addition to Sunday Brunch.

1 loaf of frozen Bread Dough, thawed
3 1/2 cups of Brown Sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons of Butter or Margarine, melted (I prefer butter for this because of the flavor)

Prepare a 12 inch springform pan by greasing the bottom and sides. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom, place it in the springform pan, and butter it.  Press 2 cups of brown sugar on top of the parchment paper and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon together.  Tear off dough in pieces, about 2 Tablespoons per piece.  Roll each piece of dough in melted butter and then in the sugar and cinnamon mix. Place each piece of coated dough in the pan, on top of the brown sugar.  Leave a little room for the dough to rise.  Continue until all of the dough is used.  Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm part of the kitchen until the dough had doubled in bulk, about 1 hour in a reasonably warm kitchen.  
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it is done.  Carefully run a knife around the edge between the pan and the bread.  Turn out onto a pretty serving plate.  BE CAREFUL! The brown sugar is very hot and can cause severe burns, if it touches your skin. Remove the parchment paper and let the bread cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Cornmeal Pancakes with Homemade Pineapple Syrup

These pancakes will put a smile on your face! Easy, delicious, and quick.  I cooked these on a griddle, so before cooking the pancakes, I cooked the bacon and left the drippings on the griddle.  Then I cooked the pancakes. You can use butter or oil for the pan if you do not want to use the bacon drippings, it is up to you.
Make the syrup first and keep it warm.  You can make this with pineapple juice, alone, so I have listed proportions and you can multiply to suit your needs. It is so good you will think about home made syrup the next time that you eat any other syrup.  It also makes a good topping for ice cream :).

Berry Smoothie

This is a delicious Berry Smoothie.  Use any type of frozen fruit that you like.  By using frozen fruit, the need for ice is eliminated. I had frozen strawberries and blackberries.  I microwave the fruit for 10 seconds so that it blends better. 
At one time, I made this with 1/8 pound of silken tofu, but have developed a food irritation to soy products.  If you prefer, try the tofu in place of the yogurt.  It makes a wonderful smoothie, also. Simply take a pound of silken tofu and divide it equally into 8 pieces.  You will have the base for 8 great smoothies!

1/2 cup of Plain Yogurt
2 cups of Frozen Fruit
1/3 cup of Fresh Orange Juice
Sweetener, if desired (Honey, Sugar, etc)

Blend until smooth. 

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/berry-smoothie

Savory Overnight French Toast

I am not sure if this should be French Texas Toast or Texas French Toast.  You will need to use Texas Toast to make this recipe since it is refrigerated overnight.  With all of the protein and carbs, you will probably only need one piece of toast per person.  It is very filling.

6 slices of fresh Texas Toast

2 Tablespoons of Butter, melted

4 Eggs

1 cup of Milk

2 Tablespoons of Flour

1 teaspoon of Tarragon

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

4 ounces of Thinly, Sliced Turkey, torn into bits

Butter a 13" X 9" pan.  In a bowl, mix eggs, milk,, flour, tarragon, salt and pepper.  Whisk thoroughly until all is blended.  Brush bread on both sides with melted butter then place bread into prepared pan and pour egg mixture over the bread.  Flip the bread slices over to coat.  Top with cheese and turkey.  Refrigerate for 8 hours.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.   Serve with Fried Boiled Potatoes.

This is a very delicious way to use leftover boiled potatoes! 
Refrigerate boiled potatoes overnight.  Cut into1/4 inch slices and fry in hot oil. Salt and serve.  The best ones are the ones that a hole develops in the middle, while frying. Yummy!

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/savory-overnight-french-toast

Breakfast Tacos for Dinner

February is always a busy month. It may seem that way because it is short.  Whatever the reason, I run out of time, regularly.  This is a very easy meal and takes about 15 minutes to prepare.  It is perfect for those days when nothing is thawed and stopping at the grocery store is out of the question.

You will need two skillets. 

6 Eggs

1 Tablespoon of Margarine

6 slices of Bacon

6 Flour Tortillas

1 cup of Shredded Low Fat Cheddar Cheese ; that is as close as I can get to healthy on this recipe, sorry :(

In the first skillet, arrange bacon and cook over low-medium heat. Turn slices, as needed, until crispy. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels.  Wipe the bacon drippings from the pan and set aside.

 In the second skillet, melt margarine over low heat.  Break eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine.  Season with freshly cracked black pepper.  Add to the melted margarine.  Leave the eggs alone until they start to set. Once the eggs start to set, use a large spatula to drag the edges to the middle.  Let set again and repeat.  Once the eggs are set, remove from heat.

Return the first skillet to the heat.  Place a tortilla in the pan and let it heat. Once the tortilla starts to heat, flip it over and add 2 Tablespoons of cheese, scrambled eggs and slice of bacon.  Top with 2 more Tablespoons of cheese and fold over.  Remove to a plate and repeat until all ingredients have been used. Serve with salsa and hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/breakfast-tacos-for-dinner

Baked Apple Dumplings

It has been a rainy, dry, cold, hot Texas winter.  It is not unusual for the weather to change quickly here but this is extreme.  Sunday and Monday, we had the fireplace blazing.  Today, I'm tempted to open the windows for some air. I am not complaining, mind you.  I post what we are eating and what we have a "hankering" for. Normally, my posts run about a week behind the actual meal but I decided this was the perfect post for today
I decided to bake a lovely pan of Baked Apple Dumplings. 
You will need to preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Dough

2 cups of Flour
1 Tablespoons of Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
1/3 cup of Shortening
2 Tablespoons of Sweetened Condensed Whole Milk (EAGLE Brand not Pet)
1/2 cup of Water

In small bowl, combine sweetened condensed whole milk and water. Set aside
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut shortening into dry ingredients until the mixture appears like "small peas".
Make a well in the flour-shortening and add milk-water mixture.  Mix with a fork until all flour is moistened.
On a pastry sheet, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch.  Cut into 4 inch squares.

Filling

1 cup of Apple, peeled and chopped
1 package of Spiced Apple Cider
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg

Mix together.

Butter or Margarine, cut into small pieces
Cinnamon and Sugar, mixed
1/2 cup of Boiling Water
Powder Sugar

To Assemble, place 2 Tablespoons of apple in the middle of each square of dough.  Wet the edges of the dough with water and pull up all sides to a point in the middle.  Press all sides together.  Place in a 9" X 7" baking pan.  Carefully pour 1/2 cup of Water along the bottom of the dumplings.  Dot with butter or margarine.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. (I keep a small spice container of cinnamon and sugar to use.)
Bake for 35 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with powder sugar and serve.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/baked-apple-dumplings

Breakfast Parfait with or without Granola

Breakfast Parfait without
Granola

This is an old favorite breakfast that I have started to revisit. A little protein, a few carbs, some calcium and all around deliciousness make this a nice way to begin the day. I am told that milk contains B-12 which builds red blood cells that help carry the oxygen and nutrients throughout your body.  So you get deliciousness and nutrition. What a Plus!

I use plain, unflavored yogurt, but use whatever yogurt that you like.  My personal favorite is Alta Dena Yogurt, but store brand yogurt works in this as well. 
You could make some granola to sweeten the parfait and add a little sweet crunchiness to the dish. The recipe for Granola is included at the bottom.The fruit is enough sweetness for me but if you use plain yogurt, you could add a little honey or some other sweetener, as well.

1/2 cup of Yogurt
1/2 cup of Berries or other fruit, washed and stemmed
Granola (optional)

In a dessert dish, layer the yogurt, berries (and granola, if using). Top with a berries.

Homemade Granola

5 cups of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 cup of Sweetened Flaked Coconut
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Applesauce
1/4 cup White Sugar
1/4 to 3/4 cup Coconut Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
nuts and dried fruit (optional)
oil

Line a jelly roll pan with foil and oil. Set Aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and coconut. Set Aside.
In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup oil, applesauce, sugars, cinnamon, ginger and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Continue to cook until the oil is no longer separated from the rest of the ingredients.
Pour oil and applesauce mixture over the oats and coconut and mix thoroughly.  Spread the mixture evenly in lined jelly roll pan.  Bake a 350 degrees for25-30 minutes.  Stir once while baking.  Remove from oven and lower heat to 170 degrees.  Let the granola cool down while the oven heat is being reduced.  Place pan of granola back into the oven and bake.  Stirring every 10 to 15 minutes until granola is no longer soft.  This will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Let cool and add in any other ingredients you might like such as toasted almonds or dried cherries. Then  place in an airtight container.

I hope that you have a wonderful, delicious, nutritious breakfast and Enjoy!

Deloris

Round Blueberry Scones

Round Blueberry Scones

If you are looking at the photo and wondering why these scones are not triangular, it is because of the blueberries.  To keep the blueberries whole, the dough had to be handled carefully.   I could have rolled the dough, as I would if I had made an orange or raisin scone, but then the berries might have burst.  That would be a true disappointment. So these are made in a way that is similar to drop biscuits.  The texture is the same as a good scone, these are just shaped round.  You could form these into triangles instead of rounds, but I thought these looked just fine. 
Wash the berries before using, remove any stems, and lay out in one layer on a paper towel.  Cover with another paper and let the berries dry.
Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees.

6 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter, chopped and chilled, plus extra for tops
2 cups of Flour
1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder
1/4 cup of Sugar plus extra for tops
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
1 cup of cleaned Blueberries
2 large Eggs
1/2 cup of Cream

Lightly butter a cookie sheet and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, 1/4 cup of sugar and salt.  Cut the chilled, chopped butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the flour resembles coarse cornmeal.  Carefully add blueberries and toss with your very clean hands.
In a separate bowl, beat together eggs and cream.  Make a well in the middle of the flour and butter mixture and pour in the eggs and cream.  With your very clean hands, mix the flour and cream together until the dough forms.
Divide the dough into 12 equal balls.  Carefully roll in your hands and then pat out to about 3/4 inch thick. Try to keep all the scones an equal thickness. 
Place on the prepared cookie sheet and brush the tops with butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!


Deloris

Crepes with Pears and Apples

Crepes with Pears and Apples

Need something for Sunday Brunch.  This is light, lightly sweet and tender.  The crepe has no sugar in it but this topping does.  When you make this start the batter in a blender to refine the flour unless you have a quick blending flour.  Since I do not, I use the blender.
You can also mix the batter several hours ahead and let the flour absorb the liquid. Just remember to refrigerate it while you wait.
You will need a small pan, preferably non-stick, with a 6" bottom.  However, I do not have that either, so I used my smallest pan which is about 8".  Start pouring the batter at the center of the pan and circle out.  You can get a 6" crepe that way. Or just use the entire pan and have a larger crepe. You will just get fewer crepes.
Wash the Pear thoroughly and reserve the peel.


For the Crepes

In a blender, add
2/3 cup of milk
2/3 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of flour
blend this until it is smooth. 
You can add a very small amount of extra water, if needed, but try not to do this.
Pour the batter into a large bowl or measuring cup, at least 4 cups, and beat in, by hand,
3 large eggs.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Now make the pear and apple topping.

1 pear, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 apple, peeled, seeded and thinly slice
1 Tablespoon of Butter
1/4 cup of unsweetened Apple Juice
In a saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Add the pear and apple slices. Cook until slightly until just tender.  Add apple juice and lower the heat.  Cook until the sauce is thickened, set aside.

Candied Pear Peel

Julianne the Pear peeling and make a simple syrup of 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar.  Bring the simple syrup to a boil and then add the strips of peel. Gently stir the strips to keep the from sticking together as much as possible.  Cook until the water is removed but the syrup is not browned.  Remove peel to a  lightly buttered plate and shape the peel.  Remember that the peel is candied and is very hot. You will need to use forks to shape it. Set aside to cool.

To cook the crepes
Stir the batter to make sure it is smooth.  Set a plate beside to remove the crepes to when cooked. Make 24 squares of wax paper to place between the crepes.  Heat the pan to medium high and spray with vegetable oil or brush with oil. Using a 1/4 cup as a ladle, fill half full.  If you are using a pan larger than 6", you will need a little extra batter.  Use the first crepe to determine how much more is needed. Start at the center of the pan, making a swirling motion and pour out.  Let the crepe cook until it is at the point of starting to brown at the edges.  Shake the crepe pan and the crepe will usually loosen.  With a spatula, carefully flip the crepe and let it cook only a few seconds on the other side.  Remove and place a wax paper square over it and repeat until all of the batter is used. The brown side is turned into the inside of the crepe so that it does not show.

To serve
Place a folded crepe on the serving plate and top with pear and apple. Then a strip of candied pear peel.

*STORING-You may make the crepes ahead and store in the refrigerator up to 2 days ahead. Do not place wax paper between the crepes during refrigeration or freezing.
 Let the crepes cool on the plate with the wax paper and then remove the wax paper.  Any extra crepes can be thoroughly wrapped, 4 together in foil and then placed in a large freezer bag and frozen for 1 month. When ready to use, defrost and place in a 300 degree oven until warmed through and crepes are easily separated. About 10 minutes.

This sounds like a lot stress but it really goes fast and is a wonderful treat.  I hope that you try making crepes.

Enjoy!

Deloris