Spiced Asian Pear Muffins

At our Funky Fruit Food Tasting Party the other weekend, we taste-tested the Asian Pear and I fell in love. And when we fall in love with some one or some fruit, we find that we just can't get enough, which totally explains my gluttonous behavior this past week.

Then Jen and I had a conversation about muffins and this recipe from years ago popped into my head and I knew I had to make it ASAP with the Asian pear. I made it with such excitement and anticipation that it was only after the first batch was baking away in the oven that I realized I had forgotten to add the salt.

These muffins need salt.

I know this because I added salt to the remaining batter, baked them up and had myself a taste-off.
Yea...these muffins need salt.

These muffins are super moist and fabulously flavored. What's not to love.....there's cinnamon in them people!!!!?

And the truth is, you don't have to use Asian pears - you can use any pear you want - but use the Asian....use the Asian....use the Asian......

Spiced Asian Pear Muffins

2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Ginger
One Teaspoon Baking Soda
One Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
One Egg
One Cup Greek Yogurt (or regular)
1/2 Cup Oil (I like Coconut)
3 Tablespoons Molasses
1-1/2 Cups Finely Chopped Pears (Asian if you can)

In a bowl, combine first eight ingredients. In another bowl, beat the egg, yogurt, oil, and molasses until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Fold in pears. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes.

Eat warm...eat cold...eat many!!!

Sausage & Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

What's better than a nice big breakfast on a weekend morning? Big hearty breakfasts are a staple in my house, especially on Sunday mornings, so I'm always on the lookout for a good breakfast recipe that's easy to make and doesn't need any specialty items. Though the kids always request pancakes of some sort, I like to have a little variety on hand to encourage them to eat some protein. This breakfast casserole really fits the bill on all accounts! The only thing on the ingredients list that I might be missing on any given day is the cottage cheese...but hey, I'll pick some up just so we can make this savory dish!

Give it a try this weekend just for your family, or break it out when you have company...either way, everyone will be impressed and asking for seconds!


Sausage & Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

24 oz. frozen shredded hashbrowns
1/3 c. butter
1 1/2 tsp. beef flavor bouillon
1/2 lb. mild bulk sausage
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 c. chopped onion
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. small curd cottage cheese
1 c. mild cheddar, shredded

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, butter, and bouillon. Spoon into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish; press on bottom and up sides to rim to form a crust. Bake for 25 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350. In a large skillet, cook sausage & onion, pour off grease, and remove from heat. Stir in the eggs, cottage cheese, bacon, and cheddar. Pour into prepared crust. Bake 30-35 minutes or until set, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Little Orange Muffins

We like muffins. A lot. There...I said it.

In our house, muffins are a staple. On Saturday or Sunday mornings, I generally feel that a "bigger-than-usual" breakfast is in order, and that is typically when I have the most time to do something a little creative. It's a great time to try out a new pancake recipe, breakfast casserole, quiche, breakfast burritos, or anything else you might think of trying. My kids have really begun to enjoy weekend mornings, and it's not because of the cartoons!

I found this recipe in the box for my new Pampered Chef mini-muffin pan, and thought it sounded tasty...not to mention, EASY!!! So we gave it a whirl, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint! They came together in no time flat, and the fact that they were mini muffins just added to their allure. My daughter kept exclaiming at how "cute" they were! Well they WERE cute, but they're pretty yummy too...so try 'em soon!

Little Orange Muffins

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. orange zest

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a mini-muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir well.

In another bowl, mix butter and sugar until well blended. Add the egg and whisk until smooth. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Add the flour mixture gradually, and stir until ingredients are moistened, but be careful not to over mix.

Using spoon, fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. Bake 12-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in the pan for 3 minutes and remove. Cool slightly.

If you want a light topping for the muffins, you can dip the tops in melted butter and then dip in sugar. They're great with or without, so try them both ways!!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

The first time I ate these pancakes I was in Indiana visiting my brother's family, on a Saturday, in the fall, and it was sunny outside. I remember the details of that day because food does that to me. I remember sitting in the dining room when a wonderful smell entered the room. It smelled like baked sweetness. I said, "What is cooking in the kitchen?"

"Cottage Cheese Pancakes" was the reply.

What?!

These pancakes were so moist and so wonderful with just a hint of sweetness that maple syrup for me, was not a necessity. ( Jen, The Pancake Master is totally freaking out right now because warm maple syrup is a no-brainer in her book and I'm sure most of you would agree.) All I'm saying is these pancakes did not need it. Call me crazy, but I like to first taste the cake and then assess the need for added sweetness.

What's even better is the speed at which these pancakes can be made. If you can't whip up this batter in the time it takes to heat up your skillet or griddle, then someone should light a fire under your butt, because I can throw all the ingredients together and blend them into the perfect batter and still be staring at the stove waiting for the temperature to be just right. This is a feat anyone can accomplish, so challenge yourself!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Four Eggs
One Cup Cottage Cheese
1/2 Cup Oats
One Tablespoon Vanilla
One Teaspoon Almond Extract (optional, I suppose)
Milk (optional)

Drop eggs, cottage cheese, oats, vanilla, and almond extract into your blender. Blend until all oats are dust. Done!

I have made this recipe for years using 1/2 cup oat flour instead of oats, but the rest of my family makes it the original way with the rolled oats. Choose your own path...

As far as I am concerned, the ingredient most responsible for the flavor in these pancakes is the cottage cheese, which is probably why the pancakes are named after him, but choose your cottage cheese wisely. Low fat, low quality, poor tasting cheese will result in low fat, low quality, poor tasting cakes. Choose your best cheese....

Milk is optional because you can add it if you feel the pancake batter is too thick. I have never used it myself. These pancakes have a crepe quality and I have never seen the need to thin them further.

The vanilla and almond extract really makes this recipe sing! Do NOT deny yourself !



Wow! For such a simple recipe, there sure is a lot to say.....

Monkeybread...Not just for monkeys!!

Now I just want to begin by saying that I'm quite sure you've had monkeybread before. It's probably been around for centuries...well, at least as long as poppin' fresh dough has been around, anyway. But sometimes a recipe is so good that you only allow yourself to make it for "special occasions" and in doing so, you hardly ever make it because maybe "special occasions" don't come around as often as they should.

Yes, I am familiar with this scenario. It happens to me all the time.

And it leaves me wondering...just what constitutes a "special occasion"?

And more importantly, "Why don't I make monkeybread more often?"

Well I don't have a plausible reason, but listen up folks...things are going to change around here! From now on, I declare that monkeybread will be a staple in my house! Yes, I love it that much.

And I'm sure you do too, so what are you waiting for? Make it for the ones you love this weekend! It's the perfect Saturday or Sunday breakfast item to go with some fluffy scrambled eggs and tasty sausage. The gooey, buttery, stickiness is divine...the cinnamon sugar, to die for! Three cheers for monkeybread!!


Monkeybread

(3) 10 ct. tubes of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, not the flaky kind
1 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2-3 tsp. cinnamon
chopped pecans

First, lightly butter the inside of a bundt pan and preheat your oven to 350. Now, open up those tubes of biscuit dough and cut each biscuit into quarters. Next, take a large-sized ziploc bag and put 1 cup of sugar and 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon in it, seal it, and give it a good shake to combine. Next, throw those quartered biscuits in there and shake those too, so that the pieces are all coated in cinnamon sugar goodness. Don't worry if they stick together...it's no big deal, I promise. Take all of the coated biscuit pieces out of the bag and put them into the bundt pan. I usually sprinkle my chopped pecans in randomly with the pieces. You can leave them out if you're not a nut person, like my hubby...but I personally like the nuts! The bigger, the better! I'm not sure what this says about me.

Now, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together over medium heat, stirring. When it's all melted and combined, pour it all over the biscuit pieces. Really let 'em soak it up! It will be worth it, I promise!

Now bake it for 35-40 minutes, until it's a nice, golden brown. Let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes before inverting it onto a plate...you really want the dough to soak up all that gooey goodness! After you invert it, grab a timer and see how long it takes to disappear!

Potato Pancakes and Sauerkraut

Hey! Food Alert!

Today is International Pancake Day!!

How 'bout that!? And it just so happens we have a pancake recipe for just this ever-so-special occasion! It's not your everyday pancake - there's no maple syrup involved - but who wants an ordinary pancake on such an extraordinary day such as International Pancake Day!?

Remember our Potato Tasting Party??......

As promised, here are the wonderful and savory pancakes we first tasted at the Potato Party last weekend. They weren't heavy but they were filling, which is a wonderful kitchen trick. I believe Patty brought this recipe home from Germany, which totally explains the sauerkraut!

GenieBen Sie!
(enjoy)


Potato Pancakes

3 Medium Red Potatoes, cut in pieces
One Medium Onion, chopped
3 Eggs
Olive Oil
Sour Cream
Sauerkraut

In blender or food processor, blend first 3 ingredients until smooth. Cook in oil in skillet at low heat until browned on both sides. You want these pancakes to cook slow so the potatoes get a chance to warm all the way through.....so patience will be required. Top with warmed sour cream and sauerkraut.

That's it! All done! Short and sweet...and delicious!

~~~~~~~

Did you notice there are no seasonings mentioned, such as salt and pepper? That's because such seasonings threaten to mess with the flavor of the sauerkraut and we don't want to mess with a flavor as distinct as sauerkraut. As our good friend and naturopath, Patty reminds us regularly, it is important to get protein at every meal, so adding a little turkey sausage to the kraut would be a great way to make this a balanced breakfast.....or lunch...or even dinner.

All we can tell you is that it was a solid hit at our Potato Tasting Party so we are highly recommending that you try some potato pancakes of your own.

We are confident that you will come up with many different variations of this recipe, as possibilities of toppings and seasonings are endless....Impress yourself!

Celebrate this day RIGHT by eating pancakes for dinner!

Goat Cheese Frittata

Another Frittata!


And you know why? Because it's just so obvious.

Eggs.

Vegetables.

Cheese.

COMPLETE BREAKFAST!

We don't know how you feel about Goat Cheese (Chevre). Don't know if you know what it is or what it tastes like, but we're here to tell you it's a wonderful cheese to work with in the kitchen. It's favorably known for it's pleasant tang and creamy texture and can be found in anything from salads to cheesecakes!

For us, getting a speck of goat cheese with each bite is as exciting as getting a chocolate chip in every bite of a cookie. The cookie itself is worth our attention for sure, but let's get real shall we, everybody's eating the cookie for the chocolate. We KNOW we are not alone in this...........

We certainly aren't comparing goat cheese to chocolate - that's preposterous - but in this frittata, you're going to want a little cheese surprise in every bite you take!


Goat Cheese Frittata

4 Large Eggs
One Medium Sized Yellow Squash, chopped in one-inch pieces
1/2 Medium Red Onion, chopped in one-inch pieces
One Red Bell Pepper, chopped in one-inch pieces
One Cup Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms
2 Tablespoons Milk
1/8 Teaspoon Chili Powder
2 Ounces of Goat Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, toss vegetables with olive, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on cookie sheet and place in hot oven. Roast for approximately 20-25 minutes until veggies are cooked.

Preheat broiler. Whisk the eggs, milk, chili powder, and another pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl and blend. Set aside.

Pour some olive oil into your cast-iron skillet - enough to coat - and warm to medium heat. Add the roasted vegetables to the skillet when warmed, then pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Cook for a few minutes just until the eggs start to set. Crumble the goat cheese over the eggs and vegetables. Reduce the heat and cook until it is almost set but the top of the frittata is still a little runny - 2-3 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler and watch it closely. You want to broil the top so it's set and golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool a minute or two, then remove the frittata from the skillet using a spatula. Cut into triangles and serve.

This heats magnificently the next day.

Impossible Pie

I don't where to begin with this fabulous deelish dish.

Do you like coconut?

Doesn't matter. You'll like this.

You don't normally eat pie for breakfast?

Doesn't matter. You will now.

~~~~~~~~~~

My mother made this for us when we were kids, only she never served it as a dessert, but rather as a custard for breakfast. My mom was a firm believer in eating a hearty breakfast - the kind that included oatmeal, brown rice, yogurt, eggs, whole grain toast, AND Impossible Pie.

In my mom's eye, this was a custard with eggs, milk, butter, and coconut - which totally fits the bill for breakfast. I should add that she always cut the sugar to at least half and having this "pie" for breakfast was considered special - not an everyday affair.

Why is it called Impossible Pie? Our family has always reasoned that it's because it's impossible to mess up. We have made it with every type of flour - brown rice, oat, wheat, etc. We have made it with every sort of milk - soy, rice, kefir, etc. No matter how creative we get, it still bakes up in the oven looking beautiful and tasting pretty.

But through the magic of the internet and the wealth of information that swirls within it, I have learned that an Impossible Pie - of any flavor - is given that name when the baked dish conveniently bakes its own crust. It's a like a little miracle in the oven - all the ingredients intertwining perfectly to create a crust on the bottom, while special ingredients float to the top. Super easy and super tasty - just the way we like it!

Now, as for the coconut itself, I have never made this for a NON-coconut lover that did not like it. I am not a big fan of the coconut myself, but I do love this dish. If you can convince the anti-coconut eater in your life - and we all have one of those in our life, don't we - to try it, they will be pleasantly surprised. And of course, the very best coconut to use is the dessicated (dried) variety, that is unsweetened. Many NON-coconut lovers prefer the dessicated kind over the drippy, sticky, sugar-laden coconut.

This is the perfect breakfast for those out-of-town guests that spend the night. The heavenly aroma it releases while baking will awaken even the sleepiest of sleepers from their slumber.

IF you loooove coconut and think a true dessert pie with the coconut sounds wonderful, just follow the recipe below, but double the sugar. You'll have yourself one tasty coconut custard pie.


Impossible Pie

One Cup Milk
4 Tablespoons Melted Butter
2 Eggs well beaten
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Flour ( I use Oat)
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
One Cup Shredded Coconut

Mix all ingredients together until combined. Pour into pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Frittata

Do you know that I never tried asparagus until I was 22 years old? Growing up, my father had the biggest garden for miles around where he grew lots of fruits and vegetables - so many, that we spent most of the month of August each year canning all that produce, but he never grew asparagus.

So, I was 22 years old and a lovely couple who were patients of mine, invited me to their house for dinner. The wife asked, “Do you like asparagus?” I thought to myself, “aspara-what?” If I remember correctly, in that moment I responded that I did, but later that evening during dinner I came clean and admitted I had never even heard of asparagus and had no idea what it was.

Being friends with Jen, it’s hard not to be a fan of the vegetable because she Loooooves asparagus! Between her serving it for dinner frequently and eating at restaurants that like to compliment their fish and salmon with it, I have grown to have a sincere appreciation for this vegetable. I don’t know that my appreciation will ever grow into the sappy kind of love Jen feels for it, but one can never tell…..

So, if you have a sincere appreciation for the flavor and health benefits of asparagus or better yet, feel a sappy kind of love for it, then this Frittata is right up your alley. Now, frittata is like the pizza of egg dishes, which means anything goes! It's like making an easy omelet with any vegetables or meat you want. Today, we want asparagus.


Asparagus Frittata

2 Cups Asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
One Cup Yellow Squash, cut in small pieces
1/2 Cup Green Onions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 Eggs
1/2 Cup Ricotta or Cottage Cheese or Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Water
One Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley
One Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Marjoram (one tsp dried)
One Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

In a large bowl, whisk together Ricotta cheese, eggs, water, parsley, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water to cover for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water, then drain again and set aside.

Saute' yellow squash in oil until softening and then add scallions and cook one more minute. Stir in asparagus.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the vegetables to a greased 9-inch pie pan. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and sprinkle the Parmesan on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden and set. Cool on a rack for a few minutes before serving.

This reheats beauuuuutifuly!


Coming Tomorrow.... The New And Improved Egg Just For Easter!

Perfect Pumpkin-Oat Muffins

You may have noticed that we have a thing for pumpkin. Kind of like the "thing" we have for Matthew McConnaughey, but just a *little* less intense. But seriously, we really like pumpkin! What's not to like, after all? It's high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Beta Carotene. It's slightly sweet, and can be used in a myriad of ways, from cookies, cakes and breads, to ravioli, roasted veggies, and soup! And really, folks, anyone can grow pumpkin plants right in their own yard...and roasting them or pureeing them is really no big deal...and SO worth it!!

These particular muffins are light and tasty, and mildly sweet. They are good for breakfast, or as a mid-day snack! We've even been known to freeze them individually, so we can grab one on the go when there's no time for a full breakfast. And yes, you can definitely use applesauce instead of the oil, but you don't necessarily have to. You may also consider using half oat flour and half white flour, just to increase the health benefits.

Perfect Pumpkin-Oat Muffins

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. pure pumpkin puree
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. apple juice
2 large eggs
1/4 c. oil
2 tbsp. old fashioned oats

Preheat your oven to 375. Either grease your muffin tins or use some fun paper liners. Combine flour, 1/2 c. oats, nuts, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the pumpkin, honey, apple juice, eggs, and oil. Add to flour mixture and stir just until blended. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. oats.

Bake for 23-27 minutes. Take out of pan and cool on cooling rack. Serve warm, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Coming Soon... OUR Birthday month continues as we celebrate Jen's Birthday!

Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes

2 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
1-1/2 Cup Milk
8 Ounces Sour Cream
1/3 Cup Butter, melted
One Cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

Topping:
1/4 Cup Sugar
One Tablespoon Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Water
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

These pancakes are to die for! So very moist and fluffy, you will not be able to stop yourself at just one serving! This is our" go-to" recipe if we have guests for breakfast... not only because they are wonderful, but also because this recipe makes a lot!

I will tell you that the original recipe called for double the ingredients for the topping, but I just find that every time I make it, I have quite a bit of blueberry sauce left over. Plus, you always have a couple of people who prefer maple syrup over fruit topping, so that usually factors in as well. Now, having leftover blueberry sauce is not a bad thing, if you eat it. It's so yummy! But if you forget about it and leave it in the back of the fridge...well, that's just sad. And blueberries can be expensive, so we prefer not to waste them if possible. That being said, if you really want some leftover blueberry sauce, double the "topping" portion of this recipe and then gorge yourself!! Just be careful you don't eat too much and end up looking like Violet Beauregard!!

"Violet! You're turning violet, Violet!! What am I going to do with a blueberry for a daughter?" Heeheehee...we just love that movie!!

Let's get started, shall we? We'll start with the blueberry topping...that way if you make the portion above and you don't think it looks like enough, you can go ahead and double it. Hey, we're just here to make your life a little easier! Now get out a medium saucepan and combine your sugar and cornstarch, gradually stirring in the water. Add those luscious blueberries and bring to a boil over a nice medium heat. Boil for about 2 minutes...and don't quit stirring! We need that sauce to thicken up! When it looks good to you, remove it from the heat and cover it to keep it warm. Ok, ok, go ahead and taste it if you must.

For your pancakes, combine your dry ingredients in a nice sized bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs, and then add in the sour cream, milk, and butter. Mix these ingredients well. Now, make a bit of a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour your sour cream mixture into it. Stir just until moistened. Fold in your tasty blueberries very carefully and be careful not to overmix. Err on the side of caution here!! You don't want flat pancakes, do you? Heat your oiled griddle up and pour the batter on, making them whatever size and shape you want. When they start to bubble, lift up a corner to check for doneness. And we're sure you can all take it from here...especially if you read yesterday's post!