Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Before I start posting some yummy fall foods, I wanted to share this lemon poppyseed muffin that I made a few weeks ago. Muffins from scratch are so much better than those from a box. You cut out all the uncessary chemicals and additives and get to really taste the flavors of whatever kind you are making. Plus, you can adapt to your own tastes and substitute different ingredients to make it healthier if you want. The recipe I found used a little less butter and sugar than most that I came across and were just under 200 calories a piece. I'm not a huge calorie counter (more of an ingredient counter) but many muffins can really pack a punch with calories and fat. Like I said, when you make them at home you can control what goes in them. I'm ready to make some pumpkin muffins!

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup organic or natural sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
zest of 2 lemons
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray pan with nonstick spray or prepare with liners
2. Cream butter and sugar
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
4.In a seperate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds, lemon zest and salt.
5.Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture alternating with the lemon juice and the vanilla
6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan
7. Bake for approximately 20-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean
*I opted not to do a lemon glaze this time, but you if you wanted to add it, just mix up a little lemon juice, lemon zest, a little bit of milk, and some powdered sugar.



Recipe source: slightly adapted from Food.com

Cinnamon rolls

Just the smell of these right from the oven made the time spent making them worth it. Actually, they were easier than I thought. But like most breads, you have to wait for them to rise. I have been wanting to make them all week though and finally got to make them this morning.  Since I slept in a little later, they were more of a brunch instead of for breakfast. These would actually be good for a mother's day brunch!  My mom lives a couple hours away but we will be seeing her next weekend when my baby sister graduates from high school!  And if I had made these for my mom, I would have tried to make them gluten free.  Love you mom! Happy (a day early) Mother's Day!

Ingredients
Rolls

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup water

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

 

Filling

1/8-1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup pecan pieces

Cream Cheese Icing

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3-4 Tbsp milk

Directions

1. Add ingredients to bread machine according to manufacturer's suggested order and set on dough cycle. (or mix by hand and let rise for about an hour and a half)

2. When dough is done, turn it out onto a well floured surface and knead until no longer sticky

3. Roll out dough to form a rectangle (mine was about 12 inches wide by 20 inches long)

4. Brush with melted butter ( I used a little over 1/8 cup)

5. Combine cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle over the dough. Then sprinkle with the pecan pieces

6. Roll up dough (starting on the long side) until it forms a uniform log shape

7. Using a serrated knife, score the log into equal parts and then slice (mine were about 2 inches a piece). You may need to trim the ends if there isn't enough filling in them.  I got 8 rolls out of this dough, but you could make the pieces slightly smaller and get more out of it.

8. Place in a buttered 13x9 pan, cover with a towel and let rise for 45-60 minutes

9.Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown

10. For icing, beat cream cheese on high. Add in milk until combined and then add in powdered sugar. Use less milk for a thicker icing and more milk for a thinner icing.

Recipe Source: adapted from Hoosier Homemade

Cream Cheese Icing: Harper's Original

English Muffins

I've been attempting to become a better and more knowledgeable bread maker. I've made some sucessful and not so sucessful breads, but trying new things and learning what other food bloggers are making is really fun. I decided I wanted to try and make some kind of breakfast item and was actually going to try Bagels at first. However, they seemed really complicated and I wasn't up for the challenge at the time. I thought about doing English Muffins and the recipes I found seemed way easier so I gave it shot.  My first attempt was a bit of flop, but my 2nd batch came out pretty good. They actually tasted like the store-bought kind only better! I'm going to have to give Bagels a try sometime soon...

Ingredients
1 Pkg active dry yeast
1/2 Cup +2 Tbsp warm water
1 Tbsp Honey
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm milk

Directions
1.Add the yeast, water, and honey to a large mixing bowl and let proof for about 5 minutes.
2.Add in both flours and salt
3.Add in the warm milk
4.Mix with a dough hook for about 5 minutes until it comes togethers
5.Form dough into a ball, remove from bowl, lightly oil the bowl and return the dough ball
6.Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size
7.Lightly flour your counter or surface you are using and roll the dough out into a log shape
8.Cut into 12 pieces (I actually got 14 out of mine- you can use a kitchen scale if you want to make sure they are all even)
9.Form each piece into a round patty and coat each side with cornmeal

10.Cook in a lighltly oiled frying pan (I used cast-iron) over medium low heat for about 5 minutes on both sides (tip: you may need to wipe out any burnt cornmeal in between batches so you don't burn any of your english muffins like I did during my first attempt)

11. Top with butter, jelly, or your favorite topping. I made an egg sandwich out of mine :)



Recipe Source: Adapted from The Wanna be Country Girl

Whole Wheat Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins

Although it's felt like Spring for the past month (some days even summer), today is the official first day of the season! I love all the yummy produce that is now is season or will be in the next few weeks, especially Strawberries. They were on sale last time I went to the store so I bought a few cartons and wanted to make something at least semi-healthy with them. I decided on muffins and used some of the whole wheat flour I had left and as well as the rest of our oats.  I also didn't use as much sugar or butter as most recipes called for and used skim milk. Still not sugar or fat free, but definitely better than some versions I looked at. The recipe below made 18 muffins.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chopped Strawberries

1 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp regular sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup regular uncooked oats

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup skim milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

6 Tbsp of melted butter

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350

2. Mix the regular sugar in with the chopped strawberries

3. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients

4. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter then stir into the dry ingredients

5. Mix in the chopped strawberries

6. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan and sprinkle tops with a little more brown sugar if desired

7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes

Recipe source: Harper's Original

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

This recipe comes from the Chanticleer Inn, a bed and breakfast I worked at throughout college. It was such a great job and I really enjoyed working there. The breakfast was always great and I have a couple recipes from there that I like to make. The owners are really nice and the atmosphere is so charming. I mainly worked the front desk but sometimes got to help out in the kitchen or prepare some of the breakfast items the night before (the chocolate bread pudding was fun to make!) If you ever need a quiet weekend getaway I highly recommend checking them out. It's right outside of Chattanooga, TN on top of Lookout Mountain.

Ingredients
*I cut the original recipe in half-makes about 6 pancakes
1 cup of flour
1 Tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp of salt
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup of buttermilk
4 tbsp of butter, melted
1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions
1. Sift flour, sugar, baking poweder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together into a large bowl.
2. Beat egg in a medium bowl until frothy. Add buttermilk to the egg and beat well. Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in 2 Tbsp of the melted butter.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then grease with some of the remaining butter. Pour 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake. Sprinkle blueberries on top of each pancake and cook until bubbles start to form.

Flip and cook other side until golden brown.



Recipe source: Chanticleer Inn (stayatchanticleer.com)

French Toast

We usually try make a pretty decent breakfast on Saturday or Sunday (both if we're not too busy). Sometimes it's healthy, sometimes not so much. French Toast is one of those things I don't make awhole lot because it's so heavy, but it definitely fills you up and is good on a cold yucky morning.  One of these days I'm going to make my own sourdough bread to use. 

Ingredients

Sourdough bread (we've been buying a pretty decent loaf at Bi-Lo that doesn't have a lot of preservatives or extra junk)
3 eggs
splash of Milk
dash of Nutmeg
dash of Cinnamon
1 tsp of Vanilla
Syrup
Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions
Pre-heat pan or large skillet on medium heat. Cut sourdough bread to desired thickness. Whisk together eggs and milk.  Add in spices and vanilla and whisk again. Add a little butter to skillet and let melt. Dip both sides of bread slice into egg mixture and place onto skillet. Let cook for a few minutes and then flip once bottom is golden brown.  Once done, serve with syrup and powdered sugar.

*Tip: World Market usually has spices for cheaper than the grocery store. That whole thing of cinnamon was only $3.99. I've gotten a bunch of spices there for much less than I would at Publix or Bi-Lo.

Recipe source: Harper's Original

Christmas Food

I wanted to make this post earlier this week, but our family dog Buck, had to be put to sleep on Tuesday so I've been a little down in the dumps. He was a really great pet, and we will all miss him.

Ok, so on to less depressing things. One of my family's Christmas traditions is my dad cooking a big breakfast.  It's one of my favorite things about Christmas day.  We are lucky we were all able to be together and have such yummy food to eat. Another thing my dad and I do (at least for the past few years) is to have a Bloody Mary. I never used to really like these, but my Dad makes them taste really good! So, for breakfast we have eggs, biscuits and gravy, grits, sausage and bacon.  And this year we used some hot sauce left from our wedding. I love it!

Having our families living in different cities is hard. Last year and this year, we spent Christmas Eve and part of Christmas Day at my parents and then drove back to Chattanooga and had Christmas dinner with Nathan's family. The thing I hate the most is losing an hour on the drive back! I'm glad we got to spend the holiday with both families though.  For dinner we had twice baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, 7 layer salad, broccoli casserole, rolls, ham, fruit cocktail and then some yummy desserts!

(Isabella is ready to eat!)

Just want to say thank you to my parents, siblings, and my in-laws for all of the gifts and a memorable holiday. I love all of you!