Apple Cream Cheese Tartlets

I was looking for a reason to use these crescent rolls and cream cheese I had before leaving for Christmas for 2 weeks. I came up with this little gem. For some odd reason I had these fried apples in my cupboard that I bought for something else about 6 months ago...so they sound a little weird, but work GREAT in this recipe!! It can work for either a dessert or breakfast.

1 can Luck's Fried Apples with Cinnamon
1 (8oz) cream cheese softened
4 T sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
2 cans crescent rolls

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
sprinkle of cinnamon

Open can of fried apples and with a knife, cut through all of the apples while in the can until cut very small. Pour into a bowl and mix with cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon. Press 1 crescent roll into each muffin tin with enough coming out the top to surround filling. Place 2-3 T into each crescent roll, folding the crescent roll around the filling till it closes on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from muffin tin and drizzle with glaze. Enjoy!!

Monkey Muffins

These are extremely delicious! They are a great holiday dessert, breakfast or brunch idea. I know I'm going to make them several times during the holidays! My dough raised A LOT and therefore were coming out of the pan. This is not how The Pioneer Womans looked and I was a worried that they weren't going to be as good, but BOY was I wrong!! I forgot to take a picture before serving them and had to wrestle the pan away from the guests to take this one before it got devoured. I will DEFINITELY be making these again!!!

Bread Dough (I used Rhodes dough...or you can use refrigerator biscuit dough)
Butter
Sugar
Cinnamon
Sweetened Condensed Milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put 1/2 teaspoon of butter in each muffin tin cup. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into walnut size balls (or cut refrigerator biscuit dough into thirds) and place three into each muffin tin.

Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter and a generous sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon. Allow dough to rise or just bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle a generous dose of sweetened condensed milk over top of each one. Allow rolls to sit and absorb drizzle before serving.

*From The Pioneer Woman.

Cinnamon Rolls

These are perfect to give away to your neighbors and friends for the holidays and boy are they delicious!!! So give them a try...they don't disappoint!

1 quart (4 cups) whole milk (I used what I had in the fridge)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (plus 1 cup extra, separated) flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1 T salt
3 cups (to 4 cups) melted butter
2 cups sugar
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon

Procedure:

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1 ½ to 2 cups melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Use one of the following for the frosting: Maple frosting* or Cream Cheese Frosting.

For the maple frosting, I substituted syrup for the coffee and didn't add maple flavoring.

From The Pioneer Woman.

Aunt Cheryl's Whole Wheat Waffles

SIFT:
3 c. whole wheat flour
3 T. baking powder
1 ½ t. salt
6 T. sugar

ADD and beat on low for 2 minutes:
6 egg yolks
2 ½ c. milk
¾ c. oil

Beat egg whites until stiff.
Fold into batter.

Keri's Sunrise Slushies

2 c. OJ
1 c. cranberry juice
1 medium tart apple
½ c. cubed peeled mango
2 c. halved strawberries
8-10 c. ice
Blend half and then the other half
1 cup= 73 calories

Scott G's Quiesh

2 non-dessert pie crusts
4 eggs
1 c. half and half
½ c. mozzarella cheese shredded
½ c. parmesan cheese shredded
1 can green chilies
1 lb. sausage

Cook sausage and combine all ingredients.
Split between 2 pie crusts.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Keri's Orange Julius

1 (6oz) frozen Orange Juice
1 ¼ c. Milk
1 c. Water
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
12 Ice Cubes

Blend in Blender

Regi's Breakfast Orange Rolls

½ c. butter
½ c. sugar
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1 pkg of pop and fresh rolls

Melt butter in microwave in 9 in. pie pan.
Add sugar and juice and stir.
Put rolls into mixture and bake.
10-15 min. at 375.

Hello butter! Hello Yummy!

Crepes

1 ¼ c. milk
1 c. flour
1 egg
1 t. cooking oil
¼ t baking powder
1 t. sugar
1 t. vanilla

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins

These are AMAZING! And the perfect fall treat. You can have them in the morning with no cream cheese frosting as a tasty muffin, or you can frost them up and have the perfect go-to dessert.

Muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!

Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

*From The Pioneer Woman

Apple Sausage Quiche

2 (8 in.) unbaked pie crusts
2 c. grated swiss cheese
1/2 lb. sausage cooked, crumbled
2 c. apples, peeled and sliced
4 eggs
1 T. flour
1 t. salt
1 c. milk
1 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 T. margarine, melted

Layer cheese, sausage, and apples in pie shells. Combine remaining ingredients and beat well until mixed; pour over layered ingredients. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

I haven't tried this yet but my friend said it is the best quiche she's ever had so we'll see.

Jimmy Dean Hickory Sausage Breakfast Casserole

1 pkg. Hickory smoke flavor Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
10 eggs, lightly beaten
3 c. milk
2 t. dry mustard
1 t. salt
6 c. cubed bread
2 c. (8oz) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ t. black pepper
½ c. sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 med. Tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)
½ c. thin-sliced green onions (optional)

Preheat over to 325. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink. Combine eggs, milk, mustard and salt. Distribute half the bread evenly in a butter 9x13x2 baking dish. Sprinkle with half the pepper, half the cheese, half the sausage and half of each optional ingredient. Repeat layering. Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole. Bake uncovered 60 minutes, or until eggs are set. Tent with foil if top begins to brown too quickly. (may be assemble ahead and refrigerated up to 12 hours before serving)

Absolutely the best sausage breakfast casserole I have ever tasted.

Cinnamon Waffles

Oh boy...when Jami and I found this recipe, we made it 3 days in a row and now it's my go-to recipe for waffles...they are UNBEATABLE!

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 cube butter (melted)
2 eggs
1 1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
1/2 c applesauce

Mix together and cook in a waffle iron until golden brown.

*From Lisa Lyman's recipe box

Overnight French Toast

I love me some french toast. It's one of my favorite breakfasts. This recipe is such a wonderful, delicious and SIMPLE idea for breakfast! I love it. It's perfect for those times when you have a ton of company and no time or ideas for breakfast. You'll be sure to impress those guests with this one!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch slices
1 cup brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk (you can substitute with regular milk)

Melt butter and put at the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Wisk together eggs, both milks and vanilla in a separate bowl. Put a layer of sliced french toast over the butter in the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the sugar and cinnamon mixture over the bread. Put another layer of bread over the sugar mixture. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread. Sprinkle the remaining sugar and cinnamon over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning cover with tin foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes until the top is browned and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve! It can also be served with syrup.

*From frugalupstate.com

Breakfast Club - Croissants with Warm Blackberry and Apple

This is only our second Breakfast Club - last weekend the concept was given a very wide berth thanks to over indulging in beverages on Saturday night at K's barbie. But, we're back with vengence this weekend! Today's breakie included the left over pikelets from yesterday, with Peach and Apricot jam, Summerberry Jam or Passionfruit Curd for slathering over the top ... mmmmm! But the star dish is one of our favourites for this time of year, Croissants with Warm Blackberry and Apple. This version is made the WW way but for maximum enjoyment use full fat croissants and whatever fruit is on hand, blueberries and raspberries added in work really well.

Croissants with Warm Blackberry and Apple

2 eating apples (3 if on the small side), peeled, cored and chopped roughly

150g blackberries

2 reduced fat croissants, halved

2 tsp low fat spread

2 tsp caster sugar (I use vanilla suger)

Place the apples and blackberries in a small pan with 2 tbsp water. Bring gently to the boil and simmer for 3-4 mins until softened.

Preheat the grill to medium. Spread the croissant halves with the spread and arrange in an ovenproof dish. Spoon over the blackberry and apple, so that some of each piece of croissant is exposed. Sprinkle with the sugar and grill for 2-3 mins until the croissant is beginning to brown.

Serve warm, divided between two plates.

Serves 2

Think this one came from a WW magazine!

Meatfree Monday: Banana Berry Oatmeal

     I love breakfast for dinner. In the summer, I also love light dinners. It's just to hot to eat heavy things. This oatmeal was filling, but not like a big greasy hamburger or heavy pasta would be. It was just satisfying and full of fruit which is a good healthy alternative to our normal pancakes for dinner on Sunday nights!

     This photo was taken from David Zinczenko's cookbook. My photo turned out totally unappetizing! The berries I used were frozen and ran into the oatmeal making it a funky color. The flavor was fantastic, and this photo shows how delicious the dish really is!




1 egg

1 cup milk

3/4 cup quick oats

1/2 cup mixed berries

1 Tbl chopped pecans or almonds

1 tsp vanilla protein powder

1 tsp ground flaxseed

1/2 banana, sliced

1 Tbl plain or vanilla yogurt

• Whisk everything but the banana and yogurt. 


• Cook until set (or microwave for a couple minutes until set)


• Let cool for a minute or two. 


• Top with banana and yogurt.

Sorry no features of the week this week or next. These posts were schedule to post automatically. 

Best Ever Pancakes

I think I have mentioned one of my favorite cookbooks before...A PTO cookbook from an elementary school where my grandma used to work. I love this cookbook because it has recipes that real people make....and those real people must think the recipes are fantastic or they wouldn't have submitted them to be published in the PTO fundraiser cookbook. Sometimes, I look through cookbooks and they have a few things I would make, but I would never buy the cookbook because other recipes have crazy ingredients or seem really complicated...not that I don't like a challenge every once in a while.

Anyway, as I flipped through my favorite, well one of my favorite, cookbook I saw "Best Ever Pancake" and I had to make them. We make pancakes every Friday morning to celebrate making to the end of the week, so I'm always on the lookout for a good recipe. These were great. They were nice and buttery, without being super rich.  We will definitely keep this recipe in our rotation.

1-1/2 c flour (I used half whole wheat/half white)
1-3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbl sugar
1 c milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten (or 1 egg + 1Tbl flax seed + 3 Tbl water)
3 Tbl butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in large bowl.
• Combine milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. 
• Scoop 1/4c batter onto hot griddle. Flip when edges begin to turn.

Blueberry Muffins 2

We went back to get more blueberries. The U-pick season had just ended, the day before-just my luck, so we got some from the cooler. For lack of creativity, I decided to make blueberry muffins again. Though I liked the muffins we made before, I decided to try something different. These were fabulous right out of the oven...and the next morning, too!

I found it in my favorite old cookbook: Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.


As I type this, I smell the strawberry muffins baking. We like muffins, can't you tell?

2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat/half white)
2 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c fresh/frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 c milk
3 Tbl flax seed (or 1 Tbl oil)
3 Tbl oil (canola)

• Preheat oven to 400*. Grease or line muffin pans.
• In large bowl, mix flour, 2 Tbl sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• In small bowl, beat egg slightly, then stir in milk, flax seed, oil, 1/2 c sugar, blueberries, and lemon extract.
• Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened. Ovoid overmixing to prevent toughness.
• Spoon into muffin pan.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until risen and golden. Toothpick should come out clean and dry.
• Cool on wire rack immediately

Blueberry Pull Apart Bread

  A couple of weeks ago I had to go to a family reunion. Of course, we were all supposed to bring one of our favorites, but like a typical food blogger I don't have one favorite. I wanted to make something that would be ok to sit out for a while and something that would be easy to serve. I remembered this pull apart bread that was amazing! When I went to start on it, I realized I didn't have butterscotch chips! This is rare, because I always have butterscotch chips. I was not discouraged. I figured if I could make babka with fruit in it, pull apart bread would work too!

     This turned out so good. When I pulled it from the oven I considered drizzling on a powdered sugar glaze, but I'm glad I didn't. It was just sweet enough without putting you into a coma. The blueberries and cinnamon sugar filling really complimented each other. Think blueberries and cinnamon rolls...

     As an aside, I apologize for the picture. I didn't get to take the best picture because I was rushing to get this done to take to the reunion...in a disposable loaf pan. That is why the picture is a close up of the bread!









for the dough:

2-3/4 c flour (take away 2T + 2.25 tsp if using whole wheat)

(Add 1 tsp wheat gluten/cup whole wheat flour)

1/4 c brown sugar

2-1/4 tsp salt

2-1/4 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c butter

1/3 c milk

1/4 c cold water

2 eggs, room temp

for the filling:

1 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

8 oz. blueberries

1/4 c butter, melted

• Mix 2 cups flour with brown sugar, yeast, and salt. 


• Warm milk and butter until butter melts. Add cold water. Let stand for 2 minutes.


• Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix at medium speed for about a minute.


• Add the eggs and remaining flour, and mix  for another minute. 


• Cover the dough with a wet towel, and rise until doubled. (1 hour?)

• For the filling, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 


• Knead dough a couple times. Add a little flour if it's too sticky.


• Roll dough into a 12x20 rectangle.


• Spread about 2 tablespoons of the melted butter evenly over dough. Add the sugar mixture and sprinkle the blueberries on top of that. Make sure to spread out the bits so they cover the entire surface of the dough.


• Cut the dough into 6 equal short strips. Make two stacks of dough with 3 strips in each stack. Then cut each stack into 6 equal parts. (Now you should have 12 stacks of 3)


• Layer the dough squares in a greased (I used parchment paper too) loaf pan, like a flip book. 


• Let the dough rise for 30-45 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 350*


• Pour the rest of the melted butter over the top of your loaf. 


• Place on a rack in the middle of the oven, and bake for 30-40 minutes. Watch for the bread to turn slightly golden, then cover loosely with foil. This will allow the center to cook, but prevent the top from getting too dark.

linked up to 

Sweet Tooth Friday

and 

Sweets for Saturday

Not So Virtuous Cranberry Granola

Today marks the end of my first week back at the gym!  Three (in my opinion) fairly vicious spin classes later and I'm cream crackered!  If only tomorrow wasn't weigh in day and I could actually have a cream cracker ... resting on a plate right beside the most gigantic hot chocolate you have ever seen ... the currently on vogue kind made with ganache and not powder ... with a mountain of whipped cream on top ... and some marshmallows, just for good measure ... maybe one of those chocolate spoons too ... and while we're at it, some chocolate sprinkles on the top!  [Sigh]

Instead (with my oh so virtuous halo positively choking me!) I have this offering from my backlog vault!

Cranberry Granola
150g rolled oats
2 tsp light oil, such as rapeseed
2 tbsp maple syrup
25g pumpkin seeds
100g dried cranberries
50g ready to eat dried apricots, chopped

Preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, il, maple syrup and seeds (it's easiest if you use your hands).

Place in a roasting tin and bake for 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally until just golden.  Stir in the cranberries and apricots and allow to cool.  Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Serves 8
WW magazine

I have no doubt that did actually start out relatively healthy, it's a weight watchers recipe after all.  I maybe added one or two of my own touches along the way though ... like a variety of dried fruit ... slightly more maple syrup as required ... cacao nibs ... you get the gist ;0)
(If you don't tell those weight watchers people then I won't either!)