Strawberries & Cream Bread

This is one of my favorite breads to make & it's a slice of this makes one perfect, super delicious breakfast. Try it toasted with a smidgen of butter or cream cheese on top if you really want to do it up.  

Strawberries & Cream Breadprintable version at bottom of postmakes 1 loaf

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups bread flour (all purpose can also be used)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. With an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar, & cream cheese. Mix the eggs in one at a time, & then stir in vanilla.  
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. Combine the flour mixture with the wet mixture; add buttermilk & stir just until combined.  Do not overmix!  Gently fold in strawberries.  The mixture will be thick.  
Bake for 45-55 minutes.






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Citrus Cream Cheese Pull Apart Rolls

My husband has loved orange rolls ever since I first met him. But, he rarely has them because I've just never really been a fan.  Every once in a while, when I have a coupon or there is a good sale going on, I'll pick up a can of the refrigerated kind in the can.
And, to think of it - maybe that's why I never cared for them.  I'm not a huge fan of pre-made stuff like that, so it's really not a surprise.  When this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment of Barbara Bakes came along, my husband was glancing at the screen as I was scrolling past her citrus rolls and spoke up - I want those!!  

They were quite convenient for me to make too - I was able to whip them up right after he pointed them out because I already had the ingredients on hand. I have a stockpile of Rhode's frozen dinner roll dough from a double coupon event at Harris Teeter (I got them for free - woohoo!) & I have been looking for new ways to use them up.  I adapted it a little bit to fit our tastes & what I had on hand as well.  Not having to run out to the grocery store is always a plus! Like instead of low-fat cream cheese, I used the full-fat I already have on hand.  Plus, I just like the taste of full fat better.  I know, I'm bad.  In addition, I opted to skip the dried fruit on the top. 

I wasn't even going to try one, and made these entirely for my husband & children to gobble up.  But, with all the compliments I was hearing - I had to try one.  Surely they couldn't be that great.  Oh dear - they were!

These orange rolls are oh-so-good.  Plus, they are quite simple & cost efficient to prepare.  This recipe makes 2 cake pans (or small casserole dishes - or heck, one large pan) full, and they reheat beautifully too!  

Citrus Cream Cheese Pull Apart Rolls

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(makes 36 small rolls)adapted from Barbara Bakes
Ingredients:

• 18 frozen dinner rolls dough - such as Rhodes
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
• the juice & zest from one medium orange
• the juice & zest from one med-large lemon
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

Instructions:
Thaw dough at room temperature for 45 mins to 1 hour.  Cut rolls in half.  Place all the halves, cut side down, in the bottom of each of 2 9-inch cake pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray or Baker's Secret.  Brush the melted butter evenly over the rolls, cover, & let rise for 30 minutes in a draft-free area.

Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cream cheese, orange juice, & egg in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended.  Pour the cream cheese mixture over the rolls.  Combine 3/4 cup of granulated sugar & the orange & lemon zest in a bowl.  Muddle with a fork until the sugar takes on the color of the zest.  Sprinkle evenly over the rolls.  Cover, and let rise until doubled in size - between 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature & humidity in your kitchen.  
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.  Remove; cover with foil, and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until center of rolls is done.  Remove from the oven, and let cool for 15 minutes.  Combine the lemon juice & powdered sugar with a whisk, and drizzle evenly over the citrus rolls.
Overnight Method-
After pouring the cream cheese mixture over rolls, cover & refrigerate for up to 12 hours.  Gently remove the wrap & sprinkle with the sugar/zest mixture.  Let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until dough has doubled in size. Proceed with recipe as directed.

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Swedish Low Acidity Coffee & A Fika Lesson!

Borrow a Swedish cultural tradition and do something for you!  Slow down, spend some time on yourself, and with a hot cup of coffee – throw yourself a fika! 
Fika essentially means “coffee break,” but in Sweden it’s not just grabbing coffee on the go.  There Swedes take breaks, true breaks twice a day, where they actually slow down, sit and savor a rich cup of coffee (like Swedish-heritage Gevalia, which is my favorite!), a sweet snack and even the company of family or friends. 
A Fika can be 15 minutes or as much as an hour - and it can really be that 'pick me up' that a lot of us need in the middle of the day.  That little break that gives us the drive to finish up our day on a positive note.  The Swedes also serve their coffee alongside something sweet - how about a maple cinnamon roll or a homemade danish?  Just make sure you save a spot for me at the table.  :)

Love coffee, but can't do it because of acidity?  

Well, don't worry - you can enjoy one too. The Swedes have a beautiful way of creating a low acid cup of coffee, and it really isn't hard. It sounds weird - yes. I know.  But if you are a coffee lover who has to stay away from it because your acid reflux kicks up - I'm here to save the day! Yes, the recipe seems odd with an egg in the ingredients - but don't worry.  It cuts the acidity dramatically, and there is no trace of an egg flavor in your finished product.

Swedish Low Acidity Coffee 

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Ingredients:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 crushed eggshell
• 1 cup ground Swedish coffee (Gevalia)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 8 cups boiling water

Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix the ground coffee with the beaten egg until the coffee grounds are well coated. Stir in the crushed eggshell, then add in the cold water.  Meanwhile, bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add the coffee mixture to the boiling water & stir for about 4 minutes, or until the foam subsides.  Remove from the heat & cover the pan.  Let stand for 7-10 minutes, until the grounds & eggshell have settled to the bottom of the pot.  Strain the coffee through a wire or cloth strainer into coffee mugs, or into a carafe to serve. Add sugar & cream to taste, if desired.



*I received a sample of Gevalia Coffee from Kraft Foods for this post.  However, all opinions are my own.

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Sausage Gravy Stuffed Buttermilk Biscuits

I am so very excited about this recipe!  I had an idea of making a portable biscuits & gravy, and I am thrilled that I was able to do it.  I have looked elsewhere, and I haven't been able to find a single recipe like this.  So, does that mean I'm the first? 


The whole recipe is made completely from scratch - no pre-made biscuits or gravy here.  So, you know it's delicious.

If you are a regular reader here, then you know that I have a bit of an addiction when it comes to my Mama's buttermilk biscuits. They are incredible, and if you haven't yet made them - you need to hurry and do so.  I guarantee they will be the best biscuits you ever had the pleasure of putting in your mouth.  I love to experiment with Mama's biscuits though - as I have done with the cheddar garlic buttermilk biscuits & the country ham stuffed biscuits.  I am thrilled to be able to add another successful recipe into the file.  


But seriously, when your foundation is my mother's unbeatable buttermilk biscuits & you stuff that with freshly made sausage gravy - how can you possibly go wrong?

Of course, to make these you will need to start off with my Mama's biscuits. The recipe is included in the formatted recipe at the bottom of this page, but you can view a more in depth look at it in the original recipe.


After making the dough, flatten it out with your hands into a rectangle.  Cut it into 8 squares using a pizza cutter. 

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray (I prefer Bakers Secret).  Lightly dust your hands with flour, and flatten each square. Press them into the muffin cups.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter & brush it on top of the biscuits.

Bake them in an oven preheated to 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes.


Meanwhile, make the sausage gravy.  Brown 1 pound of sausage in a large skillet.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate. Turn the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the reserved bacon grease.  Melt.

Whisk in the flour.  

Cook, while whisking, for 1 minute - then start whisking in the milk a little at a time.  Cook until thick.  Season with salt & plenty of pepper.


This is the same sausage gravy recipe as I normally use, but with 1 cup less milk.

Stir in the sausage.

Fill the holes of the biscuits with the sausage gravy, and return to the oven on 500 degrees for 3-5 minutes.


Now, if you're like me - you'll want to sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top.  Yum!  

This will be one breakfast that you will be proud to serve!  Try increasing the recipe, and making a large batch once a week.  Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat them in the microwave for breakfast throughout the week.  Then you can have biscuits & gravy in just a matter of minutes! And, since they're portable - you can grab them & go too!

Sausage Gravy Stuffed Buttermilk Biscuits
(makes 6-8 stuffed biscuits)

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Ingredients:


For the biscuits:

• 2 cups self rising flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• a pizza cutter

For the sausage gravy:

• 1 pound sausage
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt & pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to garnish (optional)

Instructions:


Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.  


Using your fingers, work the shortening in with the flour in a large bowl until the flour appears crumbly, about the size of little peas.  Stir in the buttermilk with a wooden spoon.  Lightly dust your counter top with flour.


Pat the dough down into a neat rectangle - no reason to do any kneading really.  Using a pizza cutter, slice the biscuits into 8 squares.  Lightly dust your hands with flour, and flatten each biscuit.  Press them into each muffin cup.  Bake at 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  


Meanwhile, make the sausage gravy.  Brown the sausage in a large skillet until done.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate.  Turn the heat to medium, and add in 1 tablespoon of butter.  Melt.  Whisk in 1/4 cup of flour, & let cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and cook until thickened.


Spoon the sausage gravy into the biscuits, making a mound of gravy in the middle.  Return to the oven on 500 degrees for an additional 3 minutes.  Serve with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if desired.











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Breakfast Crescent Ring

Breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day.  That's what the experts tells us, and they are dead on.  It really is.  However, breakfast can get boring - and breakfast recipes aren't as easy to find as others.  
I was inspired to make this because a lot of my friends were making taco rings.  I loved the concept, and decided to apply it in breakfast casserole type of way.

This whole thing is really easy.  Follow along, you'll see.
Cook your bacon in skillet until crispy, reserving the grease for later use. Drain on paper towels.
Meanwhile, in a large round casserole dish, or on a large pizza stone - place your crescent rolls in a circle, overlapping - leaving the middle hollow like a donut, as shown.  (You can use store bought, or you can make your own)

Cook the hash browns in the reserved bacon grease for about 5 minutes. Add in the onions - cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until slightly browned. Drain on paper towels.

Using a fork, scramble the eggs.  Cook in a hot skillet until done.
Now, let's layer the ingredients in.  First the hash brown & onion mixture.

Top with the eggs & crumbled bacon.

Pull the crescent rolls over the filling & tuck inside the 'hole'.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Look how pretty it bakes up!  Now this is my kind of breakfast.

Breakfast Crescent Ring
Ingredients:

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• 2 (8oz) cans crescent rolls (or make your own)
• 1/2 pound bacon, grease reserved 
• 2 cups frozen hash browns
• 1 medium sized red onion, chopped
• 6 eggs
• 6 slices American cheese
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  
Cook bacon in pan until crisp.  Reserve grease, & drain bacon on paper towels.  Crumble when cool.  Meanwhile, in a large round casserole dish or on a large pizza pan, lay out your crescent rolls, wide ends in the center, & points overlapping, making a wreath-like shape.  (Refer to photos above) 
Cook the hash browns on medium-high heat in the bacon grease for 5 minutes.  Stir in the chopped red onion & cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.  Drain on paper towels.  
In a medium bowl, scramble the eggs with a fork.  Cook on medium heat until done.  Melt the cheese on top, stir - and set aside.
Layer the components inside the crescent roll ring as follows.  First the hash brown/onion mixture, then the cheese eggs, followed by the crumbled bacon. Wrap the outer points over the filling, and tuck the ends in the center.
Cook in the preheated oven for 17-22 minutes.

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Brown Sugar Bacon Stuffed Waffles

It's that time again...

This month's assignment took me over to Veronica's Cornucopia & the wonderful variety of recipes she has over there.  There were several that caught my eye, but in the end - it was between the brown sugar bacon waffles & 'not your grandma's' chocolate sheet cake'.  
Bacon!
Yep.  That's what did it for me.  

A while back - the Mr. and I were watching television.  I had maneuvered the remote control, so it was on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives.  They were showing some diner on there that served waffles which were stuffed with strips of bacon.  How cool is that?!
That episode came to mind when I was in the kitchen prepping the bacon. Hey, why not just leave it whole?  So, that's what I did.  Thank you, Food Network :)

Next time I make these, I think I'm going to lay a couple of pieces of bacon in there halfway - so half of it is hanging out, and you see it better.  But, this works perfectly - and it's so good!  

If you don't have a waffle maker, then I'm sure you could adapt a little with a simple pancake recipe encased in bacon too.  Now, doesn't that sound delicious?
The brown sugar is bacon & the waffle/syrup combination is so good.  The mix of the flavors is perfect, and the result is one amazing breakfast.  Or don't eat it for breakfast & stuff it with sandwich toppings.  I bet that would be good!
However you serve it - it's gonna be good.

Bacon Stuffed Waffles

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Ingredients:
For the batter:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cups vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the bacon:

• 10 slices of bacon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  
Line baking sheet with foil & spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle generously with brown sugar.  Place in the upper thrid of the oven & bake until sugar is caramelized & bacon is brown & crispy, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Immediately remove bacon slices using a pair of tongs.  Work quickly or they will stick.  Place them on a cutting board (not paper towels - they will stick!) to cool.
Set up your waffle iron on a level surface & turn on to preheat.  
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, & brown sugar.  Whisk to blend.  
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk, & vanilla extract.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients  & fold.  Stir gently until combined.  Try not to overmix the batter or the waffles will become tough.
Pour your batter into the waffle maker.  Set a few slices of bacon in the batter - either all the way in or halfway out (whichever your preference).  Cook the waffles per your waffle maker's instructions.  
Serve with butter & syrup.







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