Granola

For the past several weeks I have been playing around with granola recipes, trying to make the perfect one for me.  I think I am getting really really close!  I am loving this one.  I customized the nuts and added ones I like (and had on hand).

Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup nuts/seeds (any combination of nuts and seeds - sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, pecans, whatever your favorites are)
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
Dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, etc)(this is optional of course)

Directions:

Heat oven to 250 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.  (I use a sheet cake pan and it fits perfectly).  Mix oats, nuts, coconut and cinnamon in a large bowl.  In a blender, combine brown sugar, syrup, oil and salt.  Fold into the dry mixture until well combined.  Spread onto baking pan.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Add dried fruit in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

I'm not sure if this was a dessert or breakfast...... oh yeah, it was breakfast!!  This is so delicious!!


Coconut Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal


Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats
Salt to taste
1/4 cup applesauce
Smidgen of turbadino sugar (just a smidge!!!)
Few drops of coconut extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp. melted butter
Dark chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut (as much or as little as you want,need,DEMAND!)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine all ingredients.  Pour all ingredients into a small pan or ramekins - or a vintage yellow Pyrex!  Cook for 20 minutes or until firm.

Overnight Oats in a Jar

So confession:  I have never had oatmeal before.  I know - weird.  In my defense, I grew up in sunny Arizona, where eating hot cereal for breakfast could possibly put you on the road to heat exhaustion.   I have seen these oats in a jar thing on pinterest, and they looked yummy and all, but since I didn't know what oatmeal tasted like I was just like, "Meh, I'll pass."

WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I THINKING???

I have been missing out people.  This was the most delicious, dessert like breakfast I have ever had!!  I.  LOVE.  IT.

This recipe can be completely customized to your personal tastes, so here is the bare bones and you just need to take it and run with it.  Make it your own.  I have seen it made with yogurt, but I don't really care for yogurt, so this one is yogurt free.  If you want to add it, go for it.

Overnight Oats in a Jar

Ingredients:

1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or almond,skim, soy)(I used Silk coconut milk, found in the dairy section right by the regular milk)
1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
1/2 cup berries (today I used strawberries and blackberries)(and more like a 1/2 cup of each)
1/2 banana (ok, ok, I used the whole thing, IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!!!) 
sweetener to taste (brown sugar, honey, stevia - whatever you like best)
dollop of almond butter
pinch cinnamon

For the topping:

1 tbsp chopped pecans (or any nut)
Granola for crunch factor

Directions:

Place all the ingredient in a jar; shake, cover and refrigerate overnight. I only had the oats sit overnight, I have to be honest.  I didn't want the fruit all mushy, but I am weird like that.  I know, but remember, I just barely found out oatmeal was good!!  There are so many weird things about me, you don't even know!!  Add your favorite crunchy toppings such as nuts, granola, etc and enjoy the next day.  Other things you could add - vanilla or almond flavoring, puffed rice cereal, coconut, gojis, sunflower seeds, pepitas, dried fruit instead of fresh fruit - whatever you have that sounds good!!!

Fruit and Seed Bars

These bars are delicious.  I love seeds and coconut so it just couldn't go wrong for me.



Fruit and Seed Bars
Recipe found at With Style & Grace

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons flaxseeds, whole or ground
1 cup dried fruit  (dried blueberry, cranberries, apricots, etc.)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
pinch of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup agave or honey
1/2 cup sun butter (sunflower seed butter)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment, allowing the parchment paper to come up two sides of the pan.  In a food processor, pulse the oats, pepitas, sunflowers seeds, flaxseeds, dried fruit, coconut and cinnamon until finely chopped.  Add the agave (or honey)(I actually used a combination of the two) and sunflower butter and pulse until the mixture is combined.  Pour the mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm to touch.  Let cool completely, then use a serrated knife to cut into the 2-inch bars.  The crumbly bits left over on the bottom of the pan are perfect over fruit or yogurt!!!

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Sausage Breakfast Casserole


Ingredients:

1 1 /2 lb. ground pork sausage
1 package crescent roll dough
2 cups mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Cook the sausage. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 9X13 pan. Press crescent rolls onto bottom of pan. Cook for 5 minutes. Combine eggs, sausage, cheese, milk, salt and pepper to taste and pour over crescent rolls. Bake for 20 minutes. Check to make sure eggs aren't still runny. Yummy!

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

I was inspired by a friends facebook post to finally pull out the donut pans that have been sitting in my cupboard for 6 months and make something delicious.  Pumpkin has been hitting pinterest hard the past few weeks, and luckily I had pinned a pumpkin donut recipe recently that I was anxious to try.  These donuts are fantastic!!  Moist (I hate that word), sweet and so, so good.  I doubled the recipe to use up a large can of pumpkin; most of them I just put the cinnamon sugar on top but some of them I put a glaze on just for kicks, and then the last batch I added mini chocolate chips to them.  If you don't have a donut pan these can also be made into muffins, just lengthen the cooking time.  I got my donut pans at Ross for dirt cheap, they are also reasonable on amazon.  Happy eating!!



Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Beat everything together until smooth.  Add 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (8 ounces)  flour, stirring just until smooth.  Lightly grease two standard donut pans.   If you don’t have doughnut pans, you can bake these in a couple of standard muffin tins; they just won’t be doughnuts.  Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full, using a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well.  Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.   If you’re making muffins, they’ll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes.  Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.  While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with cinnamon sugar.   If you’ve made muffins, sprinkle their tops heavily with the spiced sugar of your choice. 

Cinnamon Syrup

I saw the recipe for this syrup and knew I just had to make it. Unfortunately, I've been trying to eat healthier (I know, UNFORTUNATELY!) so I figured if I was going to go all sugar crazy with the syrup I should at least TRY to make the pancakes a little healthier. (waaahhhhh)

This syrup is fantastic! I'm thinking how great it would be to drizzle the left overs onto some vanilla ice cream........................... uh, oh, I'm sorry. I was off in a food fantasy. These things happen when you're trying to eat healthier.

UNFORTUNATELY.




Cinnamon Syrup

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:


1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk


Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in milk.

Overnight Sausage Casserole

Overnight Sausage Casserole
Recipe from Our Best Bites


Ingredients:

6-8 slices white bread
Softened butter for bread
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
12 oz. pork sausage browned
1 (4 oz.) can green chiles
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dry mustard

Directions:

Remove crusts from bread and butter on one side. Place bread, buttered side down, in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over bread. Sprinkle sausage over cheese, then top with green chiles.

Whisk the eggs, add milk and seasonings and combine.

Slowly keep stirring while pouring over casserole.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

I have tried making these 'overnight' type of things quite a few times, and have never really liked them.  They are usually too mushy for my taste.  This one turned out perfect and I'm wondering if it's because it's using the thick texas toast?  Anyhoo, it's easy and delicious!!!  It worked out perfectly to put it in the oven first thing in the morning and let it bake while the kids were hunting Easter eggs!



Overnight French Toast Casserole
Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
12 slices Texas toast or any leftover bread
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

Melt butter and pour in a 9x 13 pan. Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts if you are using them. Whisk eggs, milk & vanilla together. Layer bottom of pan with half the bread pieces Sprinkle half the brown sugar mix over the bread. Layer the second half of bread. Pour egg mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from the refrigerator and cover with a new piece of foil. Preheat oven to 350 and bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 20 more minutes. French toast should be browned and set. You can also remove it from the oven and pour some maple syrup on top and place back in the oven to caramelize for about 5-7 minutes.

Chilaquiles

I have to admit I am pretty much addicted to this.  I make it for lunch for me and whichever kids are my favorites that day (ha, despite what you claim children, I DO NOT HAVE FAVORITES!) a couple of times a week.  It's a perfect use for those chips in the bottom of the bag that are all broken and too small for salsa!!

2 cups oil frying
1/4 cup chopped onion (you know I don't add this, right?)
30 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. salt (way too much, just do it to taste, I also add pepper)
1 (7.75 oz) can mexican style hot tomato sauce (el pato, baby!!)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shredded jack cheese (or cheddar.  or cheddar jack.  whatever)

In a large skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees.  Carefully stir in the onion and tortillas.  Fry until tortilla strips are crisp.  Remove rom heat and drain on paper towels.  Drain the skillet, leaving only a thin residue of oil.
OR you could do what I almost always do, just use the broken chips from the bottom of the bag.  Waste not want not!  Chop chop!!
Over medium heat, return the tortillas to the skillet, and stir in the eggs.  Season with salt.  Cook and stir until eggs are firm.
Mix tomato sauce and water into the skillet.  Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Top with cheese.  Serve when cheese is melted.
Welcome to the best scrambled eggs EVER.


Recipe courtesty of Allrecipes.

Spinach and Bacon Frittata

This recipe is from the latest Everyday Food and it is FANTASTIC!!! I was going to make it without the bacon to have a meatless meal, but who am I kidding? This is bacon we're talking about here. I can't read the word bacon as an ingredient and not add it, it just wouldn't be right. The kids LOVED this and wanted me to make more, like NOW, but I didn't have any more ricotta.


Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
coarse salt and ground pepper
5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
5 boiled potatoes
spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a medium nonstick ovenproof skillet, cook bacon over medium high head until crisp. Drain all but 1 tsp. of fat from pan. Add potatoes and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and toss until barely wilted, about 30 seconds.
Add egg mixture and stir until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until center is set, about 15 minutes (20 for me.)

Here's what I did different to make it faster; I used the realbacon bits things instead of frying bacon, just a tablespoon or so and I used about a cup of frozen hash browns instead of the potatoes. I was thinking convenience and time savings. This takes about 5 minutes to put together and 20 in the oven, so it's a really quick meal. AND DELICIOUS!!!

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine.