OK its Blog time again, and guess what it is about this time!!!

I eluded to this in my last Christmas Blog about our days activities…Well; here are some recipes and ideas that might be helpful.  I think looking at these are giving me that “D”, stands for drool, (in case you don’t remember, or you haven’t been reading my blog), factor.  I think I mentioned previously, Ana would make the usual breakfast…fast and easy.  Well, when you had three active kids and two impatient parents (which spell disaster on Christmas morning); we had to improvise and do it that way… (Except for my “traditional” hot drink slurping) remember we had them, “squirming in the seats” and the looks, ouch…like I had the plague or something or some other “interesting” looks, I don’t want to know about right now…kids, do you remember those moment?  Me being my normal nonchalant self about it, ignoring them, (shhhhh don’t tell them, but in reality, I was the worst for being impatient and wanting to un-wrap the presents…of course, just to watch their faces and all the oooooh and ahhhhh…yah right (not)…I think my kids are going to kill me after they read this…wouldn’t you? 

Can you tell which one is mine? LOL  The infamous mug!!!

 

(ahhhhh, for me…such fond memories…)The smell of scrambled eggs, sausages, warm biscuits, butter and Orange juice and last but not least, hot chocolate.  (Not together, of course…sounds gross). Every year unbeknownst to my wife I wanted to notch it up a bit…but like I said before we needed quick, easy and filling. These recipes are some of the ideas I had for notching it up…

 Peach Bread Pudding with Warm Brown Sugar Sauce

 

 

 

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Peach Bread Pudding with Warm Brown Sugar Sauce   This recipe will make 4 individual baking dishes, about 6 smaller ramekins or your can bake it in one 8×8-inch baking dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

·         1/2 a loaf of day-old unsliced bakery bread

·         3-4 peaches, peeled and sliced
·         3 eggs
·         1/2 cup white sugar
·         1/2 cup heavy cream
·         2 cups whole milk
·         1 1/2 tsp. vanilla or vanilla bean paste
·         4 tsp. white sugar, for topping

Brown Sugar Sauce:
·         1/4 cup salted butter
·         1/2 cup brown sugar
·         1/4 cup heavy cream
·         pinch salt

Instructions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350° F. and grease 4 individual dishes or an 8×8-inch baking pan. Set on to a baking sheet and set aside.

2.    Peel peaches and cut in to slices. Set aside.

3.    Slice bread in to thin 3/4-inch slices or cube. If using slices, you’ll want your bread pieces to be about an inch higher than the height of your baking dish, so figure out how tall they should be and cut off the bottom of the slices to that height. (*You won’t need the part you cut off the bottom, but you can use them by cutting them in to cubes and making some croutons with them!). Then cut each of the trimmed slices in half from top to bottom to make two pieces. Set aside.

4.    In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/2 cup white sugar, cream, milk and vanilla.

5.    Place your bread slices in to your baking dishes (or dish) by slightly overlapping them (crust side facing the side of the dish) and allowing them to tilt back a bit. If using cubes, place in your dish or dishes. Place some peach slices in the gaps between the bread. Pour some of the egg mixture over the bread and in to the dishes, just until it reaches the top edge of the dish or until it nears but doesn’t cover the top of the bread. Allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, and then top up with remaining egg mixture, just until it reaches the edge of the dish again or near the top of the bread. You may not need it all.

6.    Lightly brush the top of the bread with a bit of the egg mixture, and then sprinkle a heaped 1 tsp. of white sugar over the top of each dish, especially on the top crust edge. Place dishes on baking sheet (to catch any overflow!) in to preheated 350° F. oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden and set. (*You may want to check at 25-30 minutes in case it’s browning too quickly, in which case, just lay a sheet of aluminum foil over top while it finishes baking.

7.    Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before eating. If not eating right away, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

8.    While puddings are baking, make the brown sugar sauce by melting butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cream and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Allow to come to a boil, stirring regularly. Once it comes to a boil, cook another few minutes, stirring regularly, and then remove from heat and pour in to a bowl or pitcher. Cover and refrigerate if not using right away. It can be re-warmed in the microwave/saucepan to serve.

9.    Serve puddings at warm, at room temperature or slightly re-warmed in the microwave, topped with warm brown sugar sauce (*You’ll want to place your small dishes on a plate, as the brown sugar sauce will most likely spill over the sides when poured on top).

Eggnog French Toast

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 12 slices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

·         1 1/2 cups eggnog

·         5 large eggs
·         1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
·         1/2 tsp rum extract
·         12 slices Texas toast (or other white bread like challah or French bread)

Directions:

1.    Preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees.

2.    In mixing bowl whisk together eggnog, eggs, nutmeg and rum extract until very well blended.
3.    Pour mixture into a 11 by 7-inch baking dish (or other similar sized shallow baking dish) and dip bread 2 slices as a time into mixture, then rotate and coat opposite side (I also like to gently squeeze to soak to the center, then lift and gently squeeze again to remove excess).
4.    Transfer to buttered griddle and cook until bottom is golden brown then flip and cook opposite side until golden.
5.    Serve warm with maple syrup and sweetened whipped cream if desired.

 The Next two are Cinnamon Rolls, they are a little more involved and can be a little tricky, but they are worth it.

Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12-16 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:

Dough:

·         6½ tbsp. sugar
·         1 tsp. salt
·         5½ tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
·         1 large egg, slightly beaten
·         1 tsp. orange zest
·         3½ cups bread flour
·         2 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
·         1 cup plus 2-4 tbsp. whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature
Filling:
·         ¼ cup sugar
·         1 tsp. ground cinnamon
·         ½ tsp. ground ginger
·         Dash of grated nutmeg
·         2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Glaze:
·         3 cups powdered sugar
·         1 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
·         6-7 tbsp. milk
·         1 tsp. orange zest
Directions:

Rolls:
1.    In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the sugar, salt and butter on medium-high speed until smooth. 
2.    Mix in the egg and orange zest until incorporated. 
3.    Mix in the flour, yeast and milk until a dough forms. 
4.    Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed, about 8 minutes until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky.  (You may need to add a little extra flour or liquid to achieve this texture.) 
5.    Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat. 
6.    Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
7.    Mist a work surface with spray oil. 
8.    Roll it out into a rectangle with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the dough with flour if needed to keep it from sticking (about 12 x 14 inches for larger rolls or 9 x 18 inches for smaller rolls). 
9.    Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and spices in a small bowl and mix to blend. 
10.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the surface of the dough. 
11.  Sprinkle the berries over the top evenly of the dough. 
12.  Starting with the wide edge, roll up the dough into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon sugar spiral as you roll. 
13.  Pinch the seam shut, and with the seam side down, slice the log into your desired number of rolls. 
14.  Transfer them to a baking sheet or baking dish lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, placing the rolls about ½-1 inch apart.
15.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 75-90 minutes, until the rolls have grown into each other and have nearly doubled in size.  At this point, the rolls can also be covered and retarded in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 
16.  Pull the pan out of the refrigerator 3-4 hours before baking to let the dough proof.
17.  Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. 
18.  Let cool in the baking pan or dish about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. 
Glaze:
1.    Whisk together the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and then drizzle over the top of the cinnamon rolls. 
2.    Let cool at least 15-20 minutes before serving. YUMMY!

 Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

with

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes
Yield: 12 rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls with the flavor of gingerbread cookies smothered in cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Recipe can also be made as overnight cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients:

For the Dough

·         1 cup whole milk
·         3 tablespoons unsalted butter
·         1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or substitute all-purpose flour)
·         1/4 cup light brown sugar
·         1 large egg, lightly beaten
·         1/3 cup molasses
·         2 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Platinum Instant Yeast (1 standard envelope yeast)
·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
·         1 teaspoon kosher salt
·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
·         1 teaspoon ground ginger
·         1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
·         1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
·         2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
·         1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
·         1/4 cup granulated sugar
·         1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
·         1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
·         1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
·         3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
·         3 ounces cream cheese, softened
·         1/4 cup powdered sugar
·         3-4 tablespoons milk
·         1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
·         1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
·         1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1.    Prepare the dough: Pour milk into a large glass measuring cup. Add butter and microwave on high, until the mixture is warmed to the temperature directed by the yeast manufacturer (120°F to 130°F for Red Star Platinum Yeast). Start with 30 seconds, then microwave in 10-second intervals, until the desired temperature is reached. The butter may not melt completely and the milk should feel warm but not hot.

2.    Place the white whole wheat flour, brown sugar, egg, molasses, vanilla, yeast, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in the bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Pour in the heated milk and butter. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Beat on low speed, until the flour is absorbed and the dough is no longer sticky, scraping down sides of bowl as you go. If dough is extremely sticky, add remaining 1/2 cup flour one tablespoon at a time, combining after each, just until dough begins to form a shaggy ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. It should still feel fairly tacky.

3.    If using a stand mixer, fit the mixer with a dough hook and knead on medium low for 6 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Add a little flour, one tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky and clings readily to your hands. Lightly oil a large, clean bowl with cooking spray. Form dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

4.    Meanwhile, make the filling: Stir together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Set aside. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.

5.    Once the dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12x20-inch rectangle. Brush them all over with 3 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle all of the sugar and spice filling over the top. Starting at one of the short edges, roll the dough into a tight log, then tightly pinch the seam to seal. Gently stretch and pat the dough log as needed so that it is roughly even in diameter and 18 inches in length. With a serrated knife, gently saw the log into 12 segments (each segment will be 1 1/2 inches wide). Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan, cut sides up. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. (It may take a bit longer but is worth the wait.) Alternatively, you can place the rolls in the refrigerator and let rise overnight.

6.    Place rack in center of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls until golden and the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Check the rolls at the 20-minute mark. If browning too quickly, gently tent with foil and continue baking.

Frosting:

7.    In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. Add a little additional milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Frost rolls and serve warm.

 

Notes:

These rolls are perfect to make ahead and let rise overnight in the refrigerator. Once the rolls are shaped, arrange them in the pan, cover with plastic wrap, then let rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, set the pan out at room temperature for a half hour, then bake as directed.

 

Donuts…just donuts…and just a picture of what I wish I could add to my Christmas Breakfast…but, Alas…I can see Ana shaking her head right now…LOL

 

Spiced Mocha Hot Chocolate

(yah, like my mug would look like that!!! At least I could dream…LOL)

Ingredients:

·         2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

·         2 tablespoons sugar
·         1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
·         1 tablespoon instant coffee
·         pinch of kosher salt
·         1 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
·         3/4 cup heavy cream or full-fat canned coconut milk
·         2-4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.    In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, instant coffee and salt.

2.    Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
3.    Add the milk and cream.
4.    Bring it to a simmer, stirring every few minutes.
5.    Sprinkle the dry chocolate mixture over the hot milk, turning the heat down to low.
6.    Whisk continuously until smooth (do not let it boil), then whisk in the chopped chocolate and vanilla extract.
 

O.M.G!!!

Homemade Monkey Bread

 

 

 

 

 

This is an overnight recipe you have to make ahead. Be sure to read all of the instructions before baking.

Prep Time: 9 hours (includes rising)

Total Time: 9.5 hours
Servings: 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Dough

·         1 package (2 and 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast (recommended: Red Star Platinum)
·         1/4 cup warm water (110F-115F)
·         1 and 1/4 cups warm 2% milk (110F-115F, 2% or higher milk fat, no lower)
·         1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
·         1/4 cup granulated sugar
·         2 large eggs
·         1 teaspoon salt
·         5 cups all-purpose flour
Coating
·         3/4 cup unsalted butter
·         1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
·         1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
·         2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze
·         1 cup (120g) confectioners' sugar
·         3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream (or milk for a less creamy texture)
·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Dough:

1.    Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir it around a bit and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Add the milk, melted butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes (using a dough hook if you have a stand mixer or using a hand mixer). By hand add enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. About 5 cups total.

2.    Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Do not over-knead, which will yield a tough, chewy bread. The dough is ready when it is smooth and when you can poke it with a finger and it springs back. Form dough into a smooth ball and place into a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. I greased the bowl with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Coating:

1.    melt 1/2 cup of butter in a small bowl. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon together in another small bowl. Set aside. You will use the rest of the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla later.

2.    Spray a 10-12 cup bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Punch the cold dough down very gently to allow the air bubbles to release. Pull apart pieces and roll into balls, about 1.25 inches in diameter. You will need 40-45 balls total, so be modest with their size. Dip each ball, one by one, in the melted butter and then generously roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat them. You may need more cinnamon-sugar depending how heavy you coat each ball. Arrange them in the bundt pan as you go. If you did not use Red Star Platinum yeast, cover the pan and allow dough balls to rise again for about 45 minutes at room temperature. If you did use Red Star Platinum yeast, move ahead to the next step and bake right away.

3.    Preheat oven to 350F. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter and whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla until combined. Pour the buttery mixture over the dough balls in the bundt pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly. Cool for 5-10 minutes and invert onto a large serving plate.

Glaze:

1.    Simply whisk all of the glaze ingredients together and pour over the bread. You may either cut the bread into generous slices or let everyone pick off the gooey pieces themselves. Monkey bread tastes best served on the same day, but will stay fresh for 3 days if stored covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

 

Strata

Anyone?

Creamy Egg Strata

Let this Creamy Egg Strata be the star of breakfast. Made with Swiss and Parmesan cheese, this creamy egg dish is worth waking for.

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Hands-on: 35 Minutes
Total: 10 Hours, 10 Minutes
 

Ingredients:

·         1/2 (16-oz.) French bread loaf, cubed (about 5 cups)

·         6 tablespoons butter, divided
·         2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
·         1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
·         1/3 cup chopped onion
·         1 teaspoon minced garlic
·         3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
·         1 1/2 cups chicken broth
·         3/4 cup dry white wine
·         1/2 teaspoon salt
·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
·         1/2 cup sour cream
·         8 large eggs, lightly beaten
·         Garnish: chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1.    Place bread cubes in a well-buttered 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter, and drizzle over bread cubes. Sprinkle with cheeses.

2.    Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Whisk in flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Whisk in broth and next 4 ingredients until blended. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3.    Gradually whisk about one-fourth of hot sour cream mixture into eggs; add egg mixture to remaining sour cream mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture over cheese in baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 8 to 24 hours.

4.    Let strata stand at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove plastic wrap, and bake 30 minutes or until set. Serve immediately.

 Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Strata

 

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 
Ready In: 9 Hours 30 Minutes
Servings: 6

"Eggs combine with cheese, bacon, and bread to become a fluffy cheese strata that no one can resist! This is an easy recipe for guys who want to surprise that special someone with breakfast in bed!"

 

Ingredients:

·         12 thick slices white bread, cut into 1
·         inch cubes
·         1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon
·         2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
·         1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms  (optional)
·         12 eggs
·         2 1/2 cups half-and-half
·         1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

1.    Toss cubed bread with bacon, cheese, and mushrooms, and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and mustard until smooth, then pour evenly over cubed bread. Cover dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

2.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3.    Remove plastic wrap from the baking dish, and bake strata in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, and the eggs are set, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Well, enough is enough…I hope you got some ideas from these recipes…they all sound so good and they all pass the

“D” factor.