This was so simple and cute! I have been in love with Annie's Eats lately! I could browse her blog all day. Several of the recipes I'm doing this week I found on her site! She cooks the things that I love. And she loves to bake cupcakes. What more could you want? You should definitely play around her site if you haven't done so already. This recipe was yummy. It took a little more maneuvering that I expected to get the bacon and the bread tucked into the muffin cups but its worth the extra couple of minutes. I ate 2 and really could have had 3. If you have more than 2 adults to feed I would recommend making more. You could just make as many as you need. The recipe is easy to adjust up or down. I think it would be great served with some grilled asparagus to round it out. I didn't think that far ahead tonight. Ella had her first ballet class this evening. She was so stinkin' cute! It brought back so many memories of my dancing days. I told her that we would have to pull my ballet shoes out of the attic so we could "twirl" together. She loved that idea. But she's in bed and the ballet shoes are still in the attic. There's always tomorrow, right?!
6 slices of bacon (I used turkey bacon)
6 slices of bread
1/4 cup shredded cheese
6 eggs
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 6 wells of a muffin tin with cooking spray. In a frying pan or the microwave, cook the bacon until partially cooked, but not cooked through. If you're using turkey bacon is fully cooked already. I just put mine in the microwave for about 1 minute to warm up. If using real bacon, drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Cut out rounds of bread using a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Mine cut it out just shy of the crust. Press the bread rounds into the greased muffin wells. Curl a piece of bacon around the edge of the piece of bread, tucking it between the bread and the muffin tin. Divide the shredded cheese among the center of each piece of bread.
One at a time, crack an egg, removing about half of the white and dropping the remaining white and yolk over each piece of bread being careful not to break the yolk. Save your egg whites for breakfast the next day...that's what I'm doing! Once all of the bread pieces have been topped with eggs season each one with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are cooked through to your liking (about 6-10 minutes) and the bacon is crispy. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Annie's Eats)
This was my first attempt at making scones. I've always shied away from them because I was afraid they would be a little on the dry side. I was under the impression they were sort of like dry biscuits. Not these! I knew that bacon and cheese would straighten any scone right up! Annie's Eats is a fabulous blog that I visit regularly. I was browsing around the other day and ran across this recipe. It was perfect to fix this week for my craving for "breakfast for dinner". I halved the recipe below and it still made 4 big scones which I halved for the picture below! Plenty for us and I still have leftovers for breakfast tomorrow!
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced (I omitted these)
10 slices bacon, cut into slivers
1 cup buttermilk (plus extra if needed)
For the egg wash:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut bacon into bite-size pieces. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper; mix briefly to combine. Add the cubes of butter and mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are about the size of small peas. (Alternatively, this can be done in a regular mixing bowl, using a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.) Add in the grated cheese and mix just until incorporated.
Mix in the green onions, bacon and 1 cup of the buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture. Stir by hand just until all the ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is to dry to come together, mix in the remaining buttermilk a tablespoon at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch disk. Slice the dough into 8 to 10 wedges.
In a small bowl combine the egg and water and whisk together. Brush each wedge lightly with the egg wash. Transfer the scones to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I served mine with Scrambled Eggs.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Annie's Eats)
There is nothing like ending the day on a sweet note. I have missed out on making this recipe the last two times I put it on the Menu. The first time my youngest daughter was sick and got put in the hospital. Not only did I miss out on it, but Shannon from The Bargain Buggy and Aubrey from Eastern Shore Mom missed out as well. I was supposed to go to Destin for a girls weekend and make this for breakfast one morning! Totally bummed. Then, last week I was exhausted from baking cupcakes and completely forgot to make it Saturday night for Sunday morning. I was determined to get it made today! I assembled it this morning before work and baked it this evening. Clay and I were happy with cereal for dinner because we got to have this for dessert! If you've been hiding in a closet and have never heard of The Pioneer Woman, you must go now to check out her site. I've made several recipes of hers and loved the results of all of them. The Chicken Scallopine I made last night was the most recent. I found this recipe because I was looking for things that used pita chips. They were on sale that week at Publix and I have several bags in my stockpile. I LOVE bread pudding and I couldn't wait to see how this turned out! The salt on the pita chips balances out the sweetness of the custard and topping. The blueberries give it a nice tart pop. And you guys know how much I love maple syrup! Either for breakfast or dessert, you can't go wrong with this recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
1 Family Size Bag Stacy's Pita chips
7 large eggs
2 cups whole milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup heavy cream (can use half-and-half)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
6 oz. fresh blueberries (optional)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (plus a tad more)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
Grease 9 X 13-inch baking pan with butter. Pour in bag of pita chips and arrange evenly. In a bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over pita chips. Cover pan tightly with foil and place in refrigerator overnight, or at least 6 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove pan from refrigerator. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over the top. Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Slice butter and add to bowl, then use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks crumbly (I used my mixer to do this).
Sprinkle flour mixture over the blueberries and make sure its evenly distributed. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Chips on top should be crispy and crunchy. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Drizzle with blueberry or maple syrup and serve warm.
Note from The Pioneer Woman: "If you're feeling naughty, top with whipped cream. Just don't say I told you to do it!"
Enjoy!
(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)
I saw Paula Deen make this casserole on the Food Network several years ago. It looked awesome. We made it that year for our Christmas morning breakfast at my parents house. I've made it several times since then and adapted the recipe some. I found that when I made it as written with the sliced bread the casserole was too soggy. It had all of the components of bread pudding (which I love) so I decided to make it as such. I cubed the bread instead of slicing it and I formed mini loaves in my "mini loaf pan". The results were outstanding. Another reason I love this recipe is because its made the night before and kept in the fridge. Just make the topping in the morning and bake. I love serving it with sliced strawberries and maple syrup. Heaven in my mouth! This is definitely one you are going to want to make. I think this is one of my signature dishes!
1 loaf french bread, cubed in 1-inch pieces (6-8 cups of bread)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of salt
maple syrup
strawberries
Praline Topping:
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Cube bread into 1-inch pieces (I use a whole Italian loaf from the bakery). Allow to sit for a few hours on the counter to stale. The drier the bread, the better it will soak up the egg mixture. spray the mini loaf pans with cooking spray (I use 2 pans making 16 total loaves). Evenly distribute the cubed bread among the cups. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread cubes, making sure all are covered evenly with the egg mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the Praline Topping: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well (I use my fingers). Crumble the praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. If you make this into a bigger casserole just adjust your baking time. Serve with maple syrup and strawberries.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Paula Deen)
Dawn Hoover, the Mobile Register's Spice of Life columnist, sent this to me last year. I've been holding onto it and waiting for the right time to make it. Easter sounded perfect. We had my Mom's Sweet Potato Casserole last year, so this year I wanted to change it up some. My Mom actually made this and brought it with her to my house. Oh. My. Gosh. This was probably my favorite thing we had for Easter Brunch. I kid you not. The swirls of cream cheese throughout the potatoes was scrumptious. The oat topping with the pecans and cranberries and the crunchy apples...Oh...I just can't say enough. You DEFINITELY have to try this. I hope you can make it as good as my Mom did! I will be requesting this from her more often. I even ate the leftovers cold right out of the fridge. Yeah, I guess I'm weird like that because it was awesome!
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1 40-oz. can cut sweet potatoes (Mom used about 7 fresh sweet potatoes)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
2/3 cup chopped cranberries (Mom used Craisins)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats (uncooked)
1/3 cup cold butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, potatoes, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon with mixer until well blended. Spoon into 1-1/2 quart casserole; top with apples and cranberries. Mix flour, oats and remaining sugar in medium bowl; cup in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (I just use my fingers). Stir in nuts. Sprinkle over fruit layer in casserole. Bake 35-40 minutes or until heated through.
*You can make this the day before and make the topping before you bake it the next day.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Kraft Foods- Sent by Dawn Hoover)
This is another brunch recipe that's quick and easy. Its prepared the night before and stuffed in the fridge overnight. English muffins always go on sale in the grocery stores. This is the time of year for asparagus and if you have leftover Easter ham try it out on this (that is, of course, if you didn't make this for Easter!) I roasted my asparagus to get the most flavor out of it. Trim off the tough ends, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, and roast in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes. If you like asparagus, try it out in a dish like this!
4 English Muffins, torn into bite size pieces (4 cups)
2 cups cubed cooked ham (10 oz)
2 cups cut up fresh cooked asparagus (I roasted mine)
4 oz. shredded Swiss Cheese (I used Mozzarella)
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1-1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (I omitted this)
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard (I omitted this)
In greased 2-qt casserole square baking dish spread half the muffin pieces. Top with ham, asparagus, and cheese. Top with remaining muffin pieces.
In bowl, whisk together eggs and sour cream. Stir in milk, onion, mustard and salt and pepper. Pour over layers in dish. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours (I did mine overnight).
Bake, uncovered in a 325 oven (mine was set to 350. If you do this watch the baking time) for 60-65 minutes or until internal temperature reads 170 (I see if its golden and it its set in the center). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)
These are SO yummy! Really a favorite with the men. My brother said its like his favorite Waffle House meal all combined in one little package. Everybody wanted leftovers to take home, but these were the first to go! If you have some of the eggs and sausage leftover, wrap them in a torilla with cheese for a breakfast burrito the next day.
1 20-oz. package refrigerated hash browns
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives (I omitted these)
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 eggs
1/2 lb. Jimmy Dean sausage
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (mine was at 350, so I left them in longer) Grease a large baking sheet; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, the 2 beaten eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used more salt than that...those potatoes are bland!) Shape mixture into 12 mounds (about 1/3 cup each) on prepared baking sheet. I only got 9 mounds out of it. Press the back of a tablespoon into each mound, making a nest. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and set.
Meanwhile, beat together the 12 eggs, milk, the 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper (If you only get 9 nests like I did, 8 eggs would work). In a 12-in skillet melt butter over medium heat; pour in egg mixture. Scramble the eggs with a spatula over medium heat. Fold them around the pan until they are cooked through, but still glossy and moist. Remove from heat.
In another skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spatula. Cook until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels. Add to the eggs and mix in about 1/2 of the cheese. (I still used the 12 eggs and 1 whole roll of Jimmy Dean, but I had lots leftover. I just wrapped them in a tortilla and make a breakfast wrap the next day!)
Spoon about 1/3 cup of egg mixture into each potato next. Sprinkle cheese over eggs. Return to oven; bake about 2 minutes or until cheese melts. If desired, garnish with chives.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)
I really liked this one! I love cooking with eggs and this was a fresh change for dinner. This would be great served at a brunch though. The colors are very pretty. I did half the recipe below though but used 7 eggs (instead of 6). I also sauteed the tomatoes and spinach for about 2-3 minutes before adding them. This is perfect for Spring. Publix has bacon and eggs on sale this week. I grabbed the produce from my local farmers market. And I got some beautiful plants too. Let's see how long it takes me to kill them!
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups, 1 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (the only salt I use)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (yes, mine comes from a can)
1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (or 1 medium tomato, chopped)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
12 eggs, slightly beaten
parmesan cheese
additional bacon and tomatoes for garnish
In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from pan.
Carefully add potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Remove from heat.
Top potatoes with bacon, spinach, tomatoes and mozzarella. Pour eggs over mixture. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes or until center is just set.
Place on wire rack; immediately sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Let stand 10 minutes.
To serve, cut into 8 wedges. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with additional bacon and cherry tomatoes.
Enjoy!
(adapted from a Publix publication)
I wish I didn't like to bake so much. I really do not need any of this mess in my house. These muffins are a little more on the good-for-you side though! The oil is reduced by using applesauce, and there's only a moderate amount of brown sugar. This is the first time I've made these muffins using the applesauce and I really was impressed (see the link for the original recipe). I think I will look for that substitute in future recipes. These muffins freeze well, so its good to make a whole batch and stick some in the freezer for easy breakfast on-the-go. Ella likes these too! I was cooking from the pantry this week, so I had all of the ingredients and only paid $.79 for the carrots. These would be great to take to a school for an Easter party with some cream cheese frosting! But that defeats the healthy part, doesn't it?!?
1 cup raisins
2 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 cups shredded carrots
Combine raisins and water in a small bowl. Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain raisins, discard water and set raisins aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, applesauce and brown sugar; beat well. Combine egg mixture and flour mixture; mixing until just moistened. Fold in carrots and drained raisins. Spoon into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool before 30 minutes if you frost them (I eat mine as is).
Enjoy!
(adapted from AllRecipes.com)
I have been eye-balling this recipe for some time now. I doubt that maple syrup (the real thing) will ever go on sale. I just buy mine at Sam's and keep it in the fridge because I love it so much. But this week Publix has Aunt Jemima syrup on sale, so I thought close enough. Time to break out that pancake muffin recipe! You could probably substitute the Aunt Jemima if that's what you have on hand. It won't be quite as yummy, but I'm sure it would still be great! These muffins were wonderful. I have never browned butter before, so I was a little intimidated. No need to be though. It was simple. Just keep an eye on it, and once it starts turning brown, remove it from the heat. I loved the texture, the flavor and the maple glaze. Fabulous muffin. I don't think Joy The Baker has probably ever made anything less than wonderful. Don't forget that I'm going to try her Avocado Pound Cake Monday night!
7 tablespoons butter (I used I Can't Believe Its Not Butter Sticks)
1/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or Aunt Jemima)
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
For the Maple Glaze:
3/4 cup maple syrup (you could try Aunt Jemima)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan (I noticed mine around the edges). The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye (Mine took approximately 5 minutes from the first bubbles). Remove from heat.
Whisk, milk, egg, yolk, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Add the brown butter slowly to the egg mixture, whisking to mix. Combine well (Add it slowly so the heat from the butter doesn't scramble the eggs).
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the milk and butter mixture all at once and gently stir to combine.
Divide the batter among muffin cups evenly (Its supposed to make 12, but I got 11 out of it). Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.
While the muffins are baking make the maple glaze. In a small saucepan simmer maple syrup and lemon juice, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a thick syrup. This will take about 15 minutes over low heat.
Remove from heat and let it cool slightly to thicken. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, poke a few holes in the muffin top with a toothpick and dip each muffin top in the maple glaze. After dipping all twelve muffins, start with the first muffin you dipped and dip each muffin again.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Joy The Baker)
I love a good Monte Cristo. I found this recipe in the Rachael Ray Magazine featured as a kids' recipe. I thought Ella would really like it. She just wanted a plain waffle. Go figure! I enjoyed my Monte Cristo Waffle'wich though! Instead of using regular bread, you just use two lightly toasted waffles. This week Publix had Aunt Jemima waffles B1G1. Also, with the Target and Manufacturers coupons you may have printed previously, you could score the Oscar Mayer Lunch Meat for $1.50 each. Great deal. I used Raspberry Jam, but any could be substituted. The original recipe called for apricot. Strawberry would be yummy. I'm not a huge fan of grape, so I'm not going to recommend that one :) This is a great change-up for a Sunday morning breakfast. Oh, and look at the original recipe for a slightly different version made in a panini press. I didn't feel like getting mine out this morning, and I also like the egg around the original one. Hope you like it!
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
2 frozen multi-grain waffles (I used regular, they were on sale)
1 slice ham
1 slice turkey breast
1 slice Swiss cheese (or mozzarella or Monterrey jack)
1 egg + a splash of milk (would be enough to make 2)
1 teaspoon butter
powdered sugar, optional
maple syrup, optional
Lightly toast waffles in a toaster. Spread each side with the jam and sandwich the ham, turkey and cheese between both slices.
Lightly scramble the egg and milk together in a shallow bowl. Coat the whole sandwich with the egg mixture (just like you would for french toast). Cook in a small skillet over medium heat in 1 teaspoon butter (you could also just use a good spray of Pam). Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
Cut into squares and drizzle with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Check out the recipe link at the bottom. In the comments, somebody grilled theirs on the panini press and then dunked them in maple syrup! Yummy!
Enjoy!
(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
I am so glad that I came across this recipe. Every week I look at the cranberry bakery bread in the Publix ad, but I cannot bring myself to pay almost $5 for it! This worked out perfect because Craisins were B1G1 this week. I had apples left over from the Apple Dumplings and the rest I consider staples. I made mine in mini-loaf pans so its a portable breakfast this week. This would make a great gift-bread also. The cranberries would be festive for Valentine's Day. Another great idea for your child's teacher! Hint...my Mom would love this for those of you who have Mrs. Sumlin for your kindergarten teacher! This is quick, easy and delicious. Mix it all up in one bowl and bake. Yummy!
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup shredded apple (about 1 medium)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of an 8X4- or 9X5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray (I used a mini loaf pan. It makes 8).
In a large bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar, the oil and egg. Stir in apple, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Pour batter into pan. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle over batter.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes (or 30 minutes for mini-loaves), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1-1/2 hours before slicing (of course, I couldn't wait this long!)
Enjoy!
(adapted from Betty Crocker)
Yep. The title says it all. These ARE the best blueberry muffins. I changed it up a bit by adding some cranberries and using frozen blueberries. But this guarantees that these can be made year round. Keep the blueberries in the freezer and your Craisins stocked, and you've got wonderful blueberry muffins ready at all times! I've even made these with a pecan streusel topping before, but decided to leave that off this morning. My little family wasn't worthy of those "special" muffins this morning! Next time maybe. I'm going to take some to the office in the morning to share. This would make a great special treat for your child's teacher for Valentine's Day too. They all get tons of chocolate. Some fresh blueberry muffins would be great!
1-1/2 sticks butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking sodea
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (this is the only salt I ever use)
1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries (NOT thawed)
1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 muffins cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream and milk. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries and cranberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed (keep the blueberries frozen until ready to use so they don't turn the batter purple any more than necessary).
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each about 2/3 full. Again, if you have not invested in the Large Scoop from Pampered Chef, you ought to. It is perfect for filling muffin cups. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
I love how you can really see the blueberries and cranberries on the bottom of the muffins!
Enjoy!
(adapted from Ina Garten on FoodNetwork.com)
I love making a Monte Cristo sandwich. Cheryl's Cafe in Spanish Fort has a great one! This is a different version of the sandwich that is great for brunches and showers. It is built by layering cooked, flat crescent rolls with ham, cheese, turkey and raspberry jam and cooked through in the oven. I still had some crescent rolls in my fridge from the last sale, and this was the perfect way to use them. And I love raspberry jelly! Mozzarella could probably be substituted for the muenster cheese. You just want a mild, white cheese. You could also half it, if you just wanted to make breakfast for 4 people. Just make sure that you have enough crescent roll to make 3 layers.
2 8-oz crescent rolls
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons honey
6-oz. thin sliced turkey breast
6-oz. thin sliced ham
6-oz. muenster cheese, sliced or shredded
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 tablepoon sesame seeds
Unroll dough and press into rectangles divided by the score marks, mashing the "triangle" seams together (I used the Big and Buttery crescents, so I ended up with 6 rectangles- 2 rectangles for each layer). Place on baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons honey and butter (I melted mine together in the microwave before brushing). Bake for 8-12 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Cool 15 minutes.
Layer on a baking sheet: crust, ham, turkey, cheese, crust, ham, turkey, preserves, crust. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake another 10-15 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting.
I like serving it sprinkled with powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup!
**I made the crescents last night and stored them in a large zippy bag. I assembled the Monte Cristo this morning and kept it in the fridge for a few hours before actually baking it. If you do put it in the fridge, increase the baking time. You want the meat warmed through and the cheese melted.
Enjoy!
(adapted from my Mom, Sandy Sumlin)
