Bacon-and-Egg Muffins

I saw this recipe in my Better Homes and Garden magazine and few weeks ago, and they just look so scrumptious to me, so I decided to make them tonight for dinner. The boys started complaining about them as soon as they saw the picture in the magazine. Winston "helped" me mix the muffins since Malcolm and Quinn were doing homework, and I think it helped warm him up to them. In the end, they all loved them. Well I have some weird children and Quinn and Winston both pulled the bacon off, but other then that, they all raved about them. It is a super plus when the kids will eat them. Both Quinn and Winston gave me a thumbs up while they were eating them, and they both moaned while eating them, which they both do when they really like food. Ha! I'm sure dipping them in maple syrup sure helped. We talked about freezing them and trying them for breakfast on other days too, so we'll see how that goes, or how they go as leftovers. 

Bacon-and-Egg Muffins

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut in thirds

5 eggs

Salt and ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter, melted

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Maple or cane syrup (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet cook bacon just until it begins to crisp. Drain and reserve drippings. Return 2 tsp. drippings to skillet. For scrambled eggs, in a small bowl beat 3 of the eggs, 2 Tbsp. water, and a dash each of salt and pepper. Cook eggs in hot skillet over medium heat without stirring until eggs begin to set on bottom and around edges. With a large spatula, lift and fold for uncooked portion to flow underneath. Cook until set yet still moist. Transfer to bowl; set aside.
Brush twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with some of the remaining bacon drippings. Set muffin cups aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt. In a separate bowl combine milk, oil, and remaining 2 eggs; stir into flour mixture. Fold in scrambled eggs and cheese. Spoon into muffin cups (cups will be full).

Place one bacon piece on each muffin. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, until light brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. To loosen muffins from pan, run a small metal spatula or table knife around edges of muffins; remove from pans. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Do you love Sugar Cookies but hate the work of mixing the dough, letting it chill, rolling it out, cutting it out, rolling it out, cutting it out, repeat? And then after all that, you have to frost them? I love a good sugar cookie but they are so time consuming! You have to have a whole day dedicated to making a batch.

I came across this recipe on Pinterest and all my hours spent on that website have finally been worth it. These are wonderful, easy, and everyone loves them!! I made them for work and they were gone in seconds. Here is the easy recipe:

Sugar Cookies:

1 C. Butter, Softened
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
2 t. Vanilla or Almond Extract (I used Almond)
5 C. Flour
1 t. Salt
1/2 t. Baking Soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer or kitchen aid until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla or almond extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to butter/sugar mixture and stir until combined. Spread dough onto a greased 13x18 baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until light golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For soft cookies, do not overbake. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 C. Butter, Room Temperature
4 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
1 t. Vanilla or Almond Extract (I Used Almond)
4 C. Powdered Sugar
5 T. Milk
1/4 t. Salt

To make frosting, combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in vanilla or almond extract and salt. Add powdered sugar in a 1-2 cup increments, until combined, then add milk on Tablespoon at a time until frosting is desired spreading consistency. You may not use all the milk. Spread frosting over the cooled cookie bars and cut into squares.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Are you all tired of me posting new recipes yet? Well I have like 3 others I still want to post, two of which are pumpkin recipes from last year that I never posted! Haha! Sorry, just sharing the love of food!

I pinned this recipe on Pinterest and have been dying to try them. I finally had the chance to make them today for a game night with friends. 'Tis the season for pumpkin right! I thought these were really good. The cupcake part was so good, in fact, I thought they seemed a little bit more like a muffin. They are really good without frosting. The frosting was delicious too. I added about a cup more of powdered sugar to the frosting though, because it was just too soft. I liked the flavor better without the extra powdered sugar, so maybe next time I would see if chilling it for 1/2 hr or so would make it good to frost with. (I think next time I'd like to try this recipe too.) This isn't the greatest pic, as I didn't take it until we were at the game night and only 4 cupcakes remained, so I just snapped it really quick. If you go to the other girls blog, her picture makes them look so much more delicious. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the  brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined.  Add dry ingredients, and mix on low until smooth. Fold in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Makes ~ 18 cupcakes. (Mine made 24 cupcakes.)

Source: Adapted from MarthaStewart.com.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick salted butter

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.  Mix until thoroughly combined.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the caramel.  Beat on medium high speed until light and airy, and completely mixed (about 2 minutes). Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration.  If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny.  If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Source: Slightly adapted from SprinkleBakes.com.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

On one of the first of the rainy days here, as there has already been many, I knew it was a soup kind of day. I wanted to make this cheesy veggie soup, but Matt doesn't love all the different veggies in it. He wanted loaded baked potato. So I decided to use the base of the veggie soup, with the pretty typical ingredients of baked potato soup. We thought it was one delicious loaded baked potato soup.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

3-4 russet potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces (I don't like peeling mine.)
1/2 cup (more or less to your liking) sliced green onion
2 tsp. salt
4 cups water (or enough to cover the potatoes while cooking)
1 lb. bacon, cut in small pieces and cooked nice and crispy
3 Tbls chicken bouillon (or to taste)
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbls dry mustard
1/2 lb. american cheese
sour cream to garnish
shredded cheese to garnish


Place potatoes and green onions in a large stock pot and add salt and water (enough water to just cover potatoes). Cook over medium-high heat until potatoes are tender, (but not too done, or they just fall apart) about 20 minutes. Stir in bacon, chicken bouillon, and milk. Simmer for 5 more minutes. In a separate saucepan, make a roux by melting butter over medium-high heat until foamy. Stir in flour and dry mustard and cook and stir until fragrant and golden brown, about 1 minute. Add roux to soup and stir until thickened. Add cheese to soup and stir until melted. Keep hot, without boiling, until ready to serve. Add sour cream to garnish, and if you love cheese like Matt, add shredded cheese. Now serve with Grammie's rolls, and you've got a perfect rainy day meal!

Black Pepper Biscuits

A few weeks ago one of my FB friends posted this recipe and I knew I had to try it. I love biscuits, but I've never found a recipe I've just loved. Tonight I made these and Matt and I both agreed, best homemade biscuits we've ever had. They were delish and I could've ate many with the raspberry peach jam I just made. Yum! This recipe is orginally from the Food Network, a Bobby Flay recipe.

So a few of my thoughts about this recipe. The black pepper could easily be omitted if you're not a fan, as you just sprinkle it on top prior to baking. I followed the recipe and used unsalted butter (since I had some in the freezer), but Matt and I agreed, they could've used a little more salt. So I think next time I will use salted butter and slowly add the tsp of salt until it seems salty enough, but try if for yourself how you'd like it and go from there. Since I rarely plan ahead to make something with buttermilk, I used the "homemade" buttermilk substitute of 1 tbls vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk method. Also, don't let the lack of heavy whipping cream in your fridge from making these, as I think they would probably be okay without, just a thought. (I'll have to test that next time.)

Black Pepper Biscuits

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk

1/2 cup heavy cream (brushed on top prior to baking)

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper (I sprinkled some from my shaker, nothing near this amount.)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to distribute the ingredients evenly. Scatter the butter over the top of the flour mixture and pulse 4 or 5 times or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and pulse until the mixture just begins to come together. (I don't have a food processor, so I used a pastry blender to "cut" my butter in. Then I used my kitchen aid when I added the buttermilk so I didn't have to work so hard by hand.)

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat the dough into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. (I used my rolling pin, it's faster.) Use a 3-inch round cutter to make 8 biscuits then place them on the prepared baking sheet. Press together the scraps of dough, and repeat process. Place the biscuits on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper; brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with black pepper. Bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

So these are supposedly PF Chang's lettuce wraps, but I don't think they are exactly, but still very yummy. I got it from a ward cookbook we did in Cali, and I've been dying to try them and finally did last night. I am now on a quest to find one that's even more like PF Chang's, but I thought I would share these as they are a nice healthy, easy and yummy meal. 

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

3 TBS oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 cup chopped water chesnuts
3 TBS chopped green onions
1 tsp. mined garlic
8-10 lettuce leaves

Fry Sauce*
2 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS brown sugar
1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

Bring oil to high heat in frying pan. Saute chicken for 4-5 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, mince chesnuts, garlic, and onions.
Remove the chicken from the pan. Keep oil hot, adding 1 more
tablespoon of oil and the chesnuts, garlic and onions, saute them. In a
small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar until well
blened. Place the chicken back in the pan, adding the fry sauce. Saute a
few more minutes.
Serve a scoop of chicken mixture with some lettuce leaves, wrapping it
up in the lettuce.
*I actually used twice the amount of fry sauce. I also think to make them even more healthy, they could be made with less oil.

Belgian Waffles

 I love waffles.....!  If you come to my house you WILL have waffles served to you for breakfast.  I love them slightly crisp outside and tender inside.  Light, not heavy.  I love them hot off the griddle.  I love making sure every hole is filled with melted butter.  Surprising, I know!  I love blueberries in them with warm buttermilk syrup drizzled over the top.   AND whipped cream!  So heavenly!

Leisha gave me a flip waffle iron for Christmas.  L-O-V-E, love it!  It's my new favorite thing!  Now Costco sells a double one! Double the goodness!  Since then, I have tried various recipes.  This one is my favorite for a plain waffle.   And yeast waffles are the absolute best!  It works well when adding chocolate chips, blueberries, pecans, or whatever.  There are endless possibilities with waffles.  If you like coconut,  add some and toast some to sprinkle over a waffle drizzled in buttermilk syrup or a coconut syrup!  AND don't forget the whipped cream!   They always need to be topped off with whipped cream!  Your taste buds will sing!

Cade Wyman, our nephew.



I always ask the grandkids if they want an "awful waffle"!  It has become a tradition to have waffles whenever they stay with me.   I'm dreaming of owning an "Awful Waffle Truck" one day!  I love to visualize me traveling around spreading "awful waffle" goodness everywhere I go.   And this will be my basic recipe:

4 1/2 t. dry yeast

2 c. warm milk

4 eggs separated

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. melted butter

Sprinkle yeast over warm milk, stir to dissolve. Beat egg yolks. and add to yeast mixture with vanilla. Sift together flour, salt and sugar, add to liquid ingredients. Stir in melted butter and combine thoroughly. Beat the egg whites until stiff, carefully fold into batter. Let mixture stand in a warm place about 45 minutes or until it doubles in bulk. Use 1/2 cup mix per waffle. Makes 8 to 9 waffles.