EASY DELICIOUS Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

• Cake:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup of sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• Topping:
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 9x13 pan with non-stick spray
2. In a large bowl, mix everything together for the ingredients of the cake.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. For the topping, mix all of the ingredients well in a small bowl.
5. Drop spoonfuls of topping on the batter and then swirl it with a knife.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. (You can reduce the glaze and the cake would still be yummy.)

Baked Oatmeal with Berries and Almonds

4T melted butter
3 c. berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or combo)
2 c. oatmeal (not quick oats)
1 c. toasted almonds-coarsely chopped (I used raw and toasted them in a pan until browned)
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
2 c. milk (regular or coconut or almond)
2 eggs
1/2 c. brown sugar (I used coconut sugar and some pure maple syrup)
1 tsp vanilla

Spray 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Scatter berries in baking dish. In a small bowl whisk together dry ingredients. In another bowl combine melted butter, milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix the oat mixture with the milk mixture and then pour over berries, shaking the dish to distribute evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Serve warm.

Applesauce Bread

Found this recipe on a website I visit now and then-delicious and super easy. I love that it is made with whole wheat flour and honey as part of the sweetness! It's so good you will probably want to make 2 loaves!!

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center and add applesauce, eggs and butter.  Stir well.  Pour into a buttered bread pan or stone.  Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

No-Bake Energy Balls

These are our new favorite snack! 

They're easy to make and packed full of goodness. 

Make them. You'll love them. 

And you won't feel bad eating one (or two, or three!)

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup nut butter (peanut, almond, etc...)

1/3 cup honey (or agave)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flax

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. 

Put the bowl in the fridge and the let the dough chill for 20-30 minutes. 

Once chilled, roll the dough into balls and enjoy!! 

Store the rest of the balls in an air tight container in the fridge.

Baked Oatmeal

We have loved this for breakfast since the mornings have turned colder-it feeds everyone and makes the  house smell delicious!!

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1/2  cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

 1/4 cup applesauce

Additional milk

 

 

Mix together the dry ingredients. In a seaparte bowl, mix together the wet ingredients and then combine them until well blended.  Pour in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until set and slightly browned around the edges.  Serve warm with additional milk, fruit and nuts if desired. Serves 8

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

While we were in Austin, Texas we had breakfast at the Magnolia Cafe on South Congress our last morning there.  The Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes came highly recommended and they were fabulous! It was probably because we had to say goodbye, but I didn't want that breakfast to end! I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and these come pretty close to the real deal!!

Ingredients

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/2 cup cornmeal

·         1/4 cup sugar

·         1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

·         1 teaspoon coarse salt

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

·         1/4 cup whole milk

·         3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, plus more for griddle

·         1 large egg, lightly beaten

·         2 cups fresh blueberries ( I used frozen-rinse first)

·         Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions

1.     Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter, and egg and fold in blueberries. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (mixture will be lumpy).

2.        Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat.. Brush griddle with melted butter. Spoon batter onto griddle 1/3 cup at a time.  Cook until edges are set, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve with pure maple syrup.

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are just as tasty as they sound.

The muffin has the the most perfect amount of graham cracker flavor and

the buttery, graham cracker topping is crunchy and delicious.

Make them. You'll love them.

recipe and image via

Ingredients

• 2 cups Flour, All Purpose
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ½ cups Sugar
• 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs, They Can Have Small Bits In Them
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• ⅓ cups Canola Or Vegetable Oil
• 1 whole Large Egg
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• ¾ cups Milk Chocolate Chips
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• ¼ cups Flour, All Purpose
• ¼ cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed
• ¼ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• 3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line muffin tins with liners or spray well with cooking spray and set aside.

For the muffins, in a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs until blended. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir in by hand.

Using an ice cream size scoop, fill each muffin liner or tin with 1 scoop, about 2/3 full.

For the topping, in a bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and stir to combine all the dry ingredients well. Add the melted butter and mix well until crumbly and looking like wet sand.

Top each muffin with 1 heaping tablespoon of crumb topping.

Bake for 16-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Moist, delicious muffins that taste kind of like a warm cookie. Makes 15 muffins.

Lemon Blueberry Quinoa pancakes

recipe and image via

I love quinoa and had bookmarked this recipe a while ago to try.  We had a big carton of blueberries that needed to be used in the fridge, so I decided to try it out. They were delicious! If you didn't know there was quinoa in the pancakes, you might not be able to pinpoint the secret ingredient.  But they have an incredible texture and will keep you full all morning. Not to mention, they're healthy!!

1 cup cooked quinoa

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large egg whites

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

2 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup fresh blueberries

Stir dry ingredients and the quinoa together in a small bowl. In a medium size bowl, whisk together egg whites, yogurt, milk and brown sugar until smooth. Combine wet and dry ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in quinoa, lemon juice and vanilla extract until combined. Fold in fresh blueberries.

Lightly coat a griddle or skillet with butter or cooking spray over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cup onto skillet (I kind of spread it out into a circle on the griddle, as the batter is thick). Cook for about 2 minutes until bubbles appear on the top and the underside is golden brown, flip and do the same. 

Makes about 8-10 pancakes.

Banana Crumb Muffins

This muffin recipe comes from my friend Kristine and is absolutely delicious. They're easy to make, no tricky ingredients, and the crumb topping makes them oh so good. These might be the perfect banana muffin, if I do say so myself.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 bananas, mashed

1/2 cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

Crumb Topping:

2 T packed brown sugar

2 T all-purpose flour

2T quick oats

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter (cold)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin

papers.

In a large bowl, mix together first set of dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat

together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour

mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until

mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center

of a muffin comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Yields 12 muffins

Garden Scramble

Sometimes having breakfast for dinner is what just sounds good. This is a one of my favorites. Granted, it is better in the summer when I can go out and pick fresh zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes from the garden, but its delicious at any season. It's good and good for you!

1. Chop to a small dice and saute in a small amount of olive oil, your favorite vegetables:

any color bell peppers, red or yellow onion, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, cooked potatoes, etc.

2. Season well with salt and pepper.

3. In a small bowl, scramble enough eggs for the number of people you are feeding.

4. Pour over sauted vegetables and gently stir until cooked through.

5. Top with your favorite cheese-crumbled feta or sharp cheddar are my favorites.

Serve right away.

Over-Night Apple Butter

A friend of mine went apple picking and shared the harvest with me. I've been waiting to try this recipe and now was the perfect time. I think this would make a great Christmas gift for neighbors!

Ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds of any variety or a mixture!)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or until apples are very tender.
Puree using an immersion blender (or conventional blender in batches) . Continue to cook, uncovered, on high 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Spoon into jars; cover and chill up to two weeks or freeze.

Delicious on toast or even pork chops!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Wondering what to do with your over-grown zucchini?? These are amazing! Serious chocolate goodness-moist and delicious and nutritious, right?



Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup cocoa, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all of the dry ingredients in one bowl and blend all of the wet ingredients and the chocolate chips in another bowl. Add the dry to the wet and stir only until combined. Fill each cupcake pan 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the center appears firm. Do not over-bake to insure ultimate moist chocolate goodness.

Egg and Steel Cut Oats

Awhile back I saw this recipe on Framed Cooks and finally tried it-delicious! I love steel cut oats but usually top them with chopped nuts or dried fruit or brown sugar or maple syrup....or a combination of everything! But taking a savory approach instead of sweet is also very yummy. Oatmeal and poached eggs are both comfort foods for me and so the combination is oh so comforting.

Prepare oatmeal according to directions. Stir in your favorite grated cheese.

Ladle in a bowl.

Top with poached egg.

Sprinkle with chopped greeen onions, additional cheese and salt and pepper.

Pumpkin Granola

So, I was trying to get to our Twopeasandapot.blogspot.com website, but twopeasandtheirpod.com was saved in our recent web addresses and so I started thumbing through the recipes. I was craving homemade granola because we ran out of our last week and I stumbled upon this recipe. I LOVE pumpkin anything (except pie interestingly enough...) and decided to try it out. I left out the pepitas and dried cranberries but it is so incredibly delicious and chewy and tasty. It's like a holiday party in your mouth. It is so good on our homemade yogurt! Try it out!

Pumpkin Granola

ingredients:

5 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ tsp. salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pepitas

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

*Note-serve granola with yogurt, milk, or enjoy plain.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

I sent my mom a picture of the blueberry coffee cake I had made for dinner yesterday
and she responded that she had made the same dish for breakfast!
Great minds think alike - and this is one delicious coffee cake!

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs, baking powder, salt and soda. Alternating, add flour and sour cream.
Fold in blueberries. Pour into a well buttered 9x13 pan.
For the topping: Cream brown sugar and butter.
Add flour to get a semidry, lumpy mixture.
Spread on top of batter. Bake for 40 minutes
or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
The topping should melt and partially sink into the batter.

PECAN and WILD MAINE BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST

We have an annual ski trip and always look forward to great friends, food, and SKIING!! Rhonda made this incredible breakfast-the perfect start to a fantastic day on the slopes.

Yield: 10 - 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) loaf supermarket French or Italian bread, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (to coat baking dish)

8 large eggs

2-1/2 cups whole milk

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 cup pecans, chopped coarse

1 cup wild Main blueberries (can substitute regular blueberries)

1. Casserole: Spread the bread cubes in a baking pan and bake for 15 minutes or until dry and hard at 325 degrees. Pull out of oven to cool.

2. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and pack the dried bread cubes into it. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until combined. Then whisk in the milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Cover the entire mixture with plastic wrap and push the bread down into the egg mixture until soft and well coated. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Topping: Stir the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until smooth and then stir in the pecans. Wrap in plastic wrap and also refrigerate overnight.

4. Bake and serve: Unwrap the casserole and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Pull out and sprinkle the blueberries on top, then the pecan topping mixture and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately with warmed maple syrup.

Nie Nie's Banana-Chocolate Chip Bread

This bread is tasty tasty and easy to make. The sour cream (I used plain yogurt) gives it the most moist texture and the chocolate chips make it a tempting option for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Make it. You'll love it :)

image & recipe via

• 
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Egg In a Frame

I was inspired by this picture the other day
to make one of my very favorite breakfast for dinner meals...
Egg in a Frame.

The recipe is easy easy, but sometimes even the easy recipes are forgotten!
Topped with avocado and salt and pepper -
this made for one delicious dinner!

Take a slice of sourdough bread (or whatever you have on hand)
and using a small circular cup, cut out the center as if you were using a cookie cutter.
Butter the front and back of the bread and the bread hole you just removed.
Place on a hot griddle or pan and crack an egg into the center.
Cook for about 2 minutes and then flip.
When the egg yolk is cooked to your liking, remove from the pan
and top with avocado, salt and pepper.

enjoy!!

*growing up our favorite part was always the buttered toasted bread hole and i'll have to admit... it's still pretty tasty!

Pumpkin Pancakes (w/ Cinnamon Syrup)

More pumpkin, I know... BUT these are delicious! And easy! AND we had them for dinner tonight. The cinnamon syrup is amazing and the perfect compliment to these pancakes. Make them, your stomach will thank you and your house will smell like the holidays :)

photo here recipe here

Makes 13-15 pancakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

Mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Spray a skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Working in batches, drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet or griddle. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn pancakes over. Cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Cinnamon Syrup

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup water

Stir together dry ingredients in a small saucepan. Then add water and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue boiling and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. About 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes before serving.

Serve pancakes hot with cinnamon syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Or if you're feeling lazy...

This mix is delicious. I have some in our cupboard. Trader Joe's baby :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I can't get enough pumpkin! These muffins were absolutely delicious! The recipe makes a lot, which is great because I love giving away delicious things. Add these to your holiday baking list!

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups granulated sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease muffin pan (makes 3 dozen). In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and then set aside.In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, canola oil, water, vanilla, and eggs and mix until smooth. Whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix in the flour (a few lumps is ok). Fold in the chocolate chips and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffins from oven and cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. With a knife, loosen each muffin, remove from pan and cool.