Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are delectable, especially when warm. And SUPER easy to make-- you don't even have to get the mixer out! Yay! I used bananas I had in my freezer. The espresso powder was somewhat problematic. You can use instant coffee, but I have tried this with so-so results in the past, so I decided to find the real thing this time. I got mine at Williams- Sonoma, and I've also heard you can get it at Whole Foods.

This recipe is from Smells Like Home.

1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

This recipe is brilliant. I hate Bisquick, and my kids always seem to be "starving" every time I try to make pancakes. I made the mix a few days ago, and we finally got to try them this morning. It's quick and easy, and they are totally yummy. They went really well with chocolate chips in them, too, so that was a bonus! We used buttermilk, as the recipe calls for, but I bet it would be good with regular milk, too if that's all you have on hand. You could also use all whole wheat flour if you wanted to.

I found this recipe over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). If desired, grind the oats in a blender or food processor before adding to the other dry ingredients for a smoother mix. With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (I've never had to add additional oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. As a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 4-5 4-inch pancakes.

Baked Oatmeal

I have had this recipe queued for awhile waiting for a morning with time enough to actually get it made. Not that it takes very long, but most mornings my kids wake up and demand to eat immediately, which precludes a lot of breakfast prep and bake time. So yesterday, the opportunity presented itself, and I jumped at the chance. This recipe is really simple and tasty, but as I ate, I was struck by how versatile it is. I added some slivered almonds myself, and you could add any nut of your choice, or dried fruit. You could use maple or fruit syrup. This may seem a little evil, but you could put chocolate chips or even nutella on this. Caleb had made some homemade carmel, and he ate the leftovers with that today! The sky is the limit. I may even make it again Sunday morning after my run!

This recipe comes from my cousin-in-law, Cydney.

Mix together:

1/2 C. butter (melted) or olive oil (I, of course, used butter)

2/3 C. brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

Add:

3 C. rolled oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 C. milk

Mix well. Pour into 9x13 in. dish. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.

Variation: add 1-2 cups finely chopped nuts.

Berry French Toast

This is a super yummy simple breakfast that you might be able to make with what's already in your kitchen.

This recipe is adapted from the October 2010 Family Circle.

1 package (8 oz) reduced- fat cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp light sour cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 C. berries (the recipe called for chopped strawberries, but I used blueberries)

8 slices bread (I used challah because that's really all I use for french toast)

4 eggs

1 C. milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. You could fold your fruit into this topping, or leave it separate, as I did.

2. Mix eggs, milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and spice in a large bowl. Dip bread slices one at a time and fry on hot griddle until browned on both sides.

We spread the topping like butter (it was pretty thick) and sprinkled the blueberries on top, but you can do it however you'd like it. We also used the topping as a spread for pumpkin doughnt muffins later that day.

Spinach and Cheese Strata & Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

I tried two new recipes on Christmas day, both came from Smitten Kitchen, and both were a huge hit! The strata is meant to be made the night before, which is key, because it really cuts down on time in the kitchen when you are entertaining. The mushrooms were a simple, light, and tasty side dish addition to our Christmas dinner-- though I could probably do with all the capers, it was a nice change of pace.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

Adapted from Gourmet (sniffle), February 2003

Serves 6 to 8

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, squeeze of all excess liquid, and chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 cups cubed French or Italian bread in 1-inch cubes (1/2 lb)
6 ounces coarsely grated Gruyère (2 cups)
2 ounces finely grated parmesan (1 cup)
2 3/4 cups milk
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Sauté onion in butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg and continue cooking for one minute. Stir in spinach, remove from heat and set aside.

Spread one third of the bread cubes in a well-buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other ceramic baking dish. Top with one-third of bread cubes,one-third of spinach mixture and one-third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice with remaining bread, spinach and cheese.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Cover with plastic wrap and chill strata for eat least 8 hours or up to a day.

The next day, let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F. Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
Perfect as can be from Gourmet.com

1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved lengthwise if large
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt shallow baking dish. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately, with crusty bread on the side for swiping up the juices.

Christmas Menu

The holiday craziness has me totally slacking on blogging... I'm not even going to post a recipe, just some links to things I'm going to be making for Christmas day... Maybe you'll get some inspiration or last minute ideas.

We are spending Christmas morning at our house for the first time since Caleb and I got married.

For Christmas morning, we're having coffee, oj, and these cinnamon rolls.

Christmas brunch will be this breakfast casserole, bacon, and fresh fruit.

I'll also have plenty of this homemade vanilla- caramel half and half. In my opinion, half and half is a little slice of heaven on earth, and this recipe is brilliant! PS: If anyone can find me a glass pint bottle like the one in the picture on this link, I would be eternally grateful!

We're heading to Christmas dinner at my Grandmother's, and I'll be taking these buttermilk biscuits and this mushroom casserole.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and happy eating! :)

Baked French Toast

Used challah for this when I made it (couldn't find brioche), and it was delicious.

Source: Martha Stewart Living (a recent issue, not sure exactly which one).

6 large eggs

2 C. milk

1/3 C. heavy cream

1/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (we used ground)

1/2 tsp. salt

10 slices day- old brioche

1 C. pecans, coarsely chopped or crushed

3 Tbsp. sugar

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Whisk in milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.

2. One at a time, dip the brioche slices into the batter to coat. Overlap slices in a 9 x 13 in. ceramic or glass baking dish. Pour remaining batter over top. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 375º. Top with pecans and sprinkle with sugar. Bake, covered with parchment- lined foil, for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is golden brown and crunchy, 20- 25 minutes more. Serve with syrup.

** we also decided it would be really good with berry compote or syrup.

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

These muffins are FAN- TAS- TIC! Easy, yummy... if you're looking for something surprising to bring to your Thanksgiving dinner... this could be it (unless you're expected to bring the turkey-- people might be disappointed :). I will definitely not be reserving these for fall. They deserve to be eaten all the time.

This is yet another recipe from the Nov. 2010 issue of Everyday Food. Yep, this issue was a winner!

For the batter:

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

3 C. all- purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/3 C. buttermilk

1 1/4 C. pure pumpkin puree

3/4 C. light- brown sugar

2 large eggs

For the sugar coating:

3/4 C. granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 C. unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour 12 standard muffins cups **(I just sprayed with cooking spray and no flour-- too much time and mess). To make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt , nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

2. Spoon 1/3 C. batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 in pan on wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 day.)

These can be frozen, up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350º oven, then coat in butter and sugar.

Chocolate Chip Oat Scones

This recipe is from our dear friends Melanie and Mei. It's a favorite at our house for breakfast or anytime. Also really good warmed up if you can't eat them right out of the oven.

2/3 C. margarine or butter, melted (I always use butter, margarine does not exist to me.)

1/3 C. milk

1 egg

1/4 C. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 1/4 C. oats

1 1/2 C. flour

chocolate chips (I use milk or a mixture of milk and dark)

In a medium bowl, mix butter, milk, and egg together with a wooden spoon. Stir in sugar, baking powder, and cream of tartar. The mixture will start to look a little bubbly. Stir in oats and then flour. Add as many chocolate chips as you want. Pat dough into a circle (I usually do it on parchment paper on a baking sheet so I can just bake right on there). Cut it into 8 triangles (no need to cut all the way through the dough, just score it). Bake on cookie sheet or baking stone at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.