Blueberry Muffin Tops

Ingredients

2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Optional: 1 tsp grated lemon or orange peel

Directions

1. Sift together dry ingredients, including blueberries. If using frozen berries, do not thaw beforehand.
2. In another bowl, mix milk, oil, and egg. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.
3. Spoon onto baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Notes: This is just a simple variation on these Blueberry Muffins. Really any blueberry muffin recipe could be used instead.

Sheepherder's Breakfast

Ingredients

3/4 pound bacon strips, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package (30 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
8 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup drippings in pan.
2. Stir in hash browns. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until bottom is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn potatoes. With the back of a spoon, make 8 evenly spaced wells in potato mixture. Break 1 egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, covered, on low until eggs are set and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand until cheese is melted.

Notes: I thought this was a very tasty breakfast. And it is easy and fairly quick to make.

Source: Taste of Home

Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake

Ingredients

1 16-ounce loaf of French bread or sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes with the ends discarded. 
1/2 cup cream cheese softened (optional - leave out if preferred)
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey divided 
1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced strawberries divided
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk or almond milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (optional - add if you like your French toast sweet)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour can substitute with gluten free 1-1 flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar 
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed

Optional Toppings:
maple syrup
more fresh berries
whipped cream
powdered sugar

Instructions
Make the Streusel Topping:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Set aside in the fridge.

Make the Casserole:

1. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch square baking dish or 2.5-quart casserole dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup. Arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the softened cream cheese over the bread and top with half of the berries.
3. Layer with remaining bread cubes on top.
4. In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, maple syrup (add brown sugar here if using) and vanilla.
5. Pour evenly over bread cubes. Press the bread cubes slightly down to absorb the milk/egg mixture.
6. Top evenly with remaining berries. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the berries. Cover pan with foil. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight.
7. When ready to bake, remove French toast from the fridge. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 23-26 minutes or until fluffy and golden.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with syrup and additional toppings if desired.

Notes: Another tasty French toast casserole. I believe this is at least the 7th such recipe we've got on the blog, and we've tried a few that never got posted. I would put this somewhere in the middle of the bunch for how much I liked it.

Source: Life Made Sweeter

Kaiserschmarrn

Ingredients

1 Tbsp butter

3 eggs

2 Tbsp sugar

1 pinch sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp raisins

1 pinch salt

1 pkg vanilla sugar (substitute vanilla flavoring + regular sugar)

powdered sugar

Directions

1. Rinse off raisins in hot water and let them dry. Split the eggs into whites and yolks. Mix together milk, flour, 1 pinch salt and vanilla sugar. Mix in egg yolks. Turn on stove to 350°F.
2. Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff. Stir one third of the egg whites int othe batter and fold the egg whites and the raisins into the batter.
3. Heat up 1 Tbsp butter in a coated pan. Pour in the batter and cook it at medium temperature until the underside is golden brown. Turn the Schmarrn over and cook it for about 5 minutes.
4. Take the pan off the burner and tear the Schmarrn into pieces and push them to the edge. Put 1 Tbsp butter on the free place on the pan and sprinkle on 1 Tbsp sugar and let it caramelize. Mix the Schmarrn with the caramel.
5. Tip: If possible the Schmarrn should stay together when turning over. Professionals can do it with a natural hand movement in that they scoop the Schmarrn like a thin pancake and flip it. You can half the Schmarrn or quarter it and turn it over with the help of a spatula and a fork.
6. Serve with powdered sugar on top.

Notes: Brittany's younger brother, Brian, served as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany and brought this recipe back with him. He'd made it for us a few times before we got the recipe and made it ourselves. It is a sweet and tasty breakfast.

Source: Brian Stimpson

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole

Ingredients
Crumb topping:
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Casserole:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk, I used skim milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups blueberries
maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
2. Prepare crumb topping: In a medium bowl combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter and stir until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the batter.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract (the butter might clump from the chill of the cold ingredients- that's ok). Whisk wet ingredients until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. The batter will be lumpy; do not over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the blueberries over the top. Remove the crumb topping from the fridge and crumble over the top of the blueberries and batter. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until puffed and light golden brown. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Notes: It has been a couple of months since we had this so the memories aren't sharp, but we remember liking it. I believe it reminded me somewhat of the Fruit Coffee Cake we made in the past.

Source: Celebrating Sweets

Argentine Beef Stew in a Pumpkin

Ingredients
1 large pumpkin (10 to 12-inch diameter)
1.5 lbs stew beef , cubed (chuck works well)
1 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 ears corn on the cob, cut into 6-8 round segments
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups beef broth
vegetable oil

salt

pepper

Instructions

Prepare the pumpkin:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Meanwhile, cut the top off the pumpkin. If you are able to get a large one, you can cut it about 1/3 of the way down so that it is wide but shallow. Remove the strings and seeds. If desired use a paring knife to cut smooth the top four inches of the inner edge for presentation. Brush the cut edges with vegetable oil. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes.

For the soup:

1. Add about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a large pot over high heat. Add the beef, stirring a couple of times to ensure even browning. If there is excess liquid, it will need to boil off before the meat begins browning.
2. Reduce the heat, then add the onions and garlic. Once translucent, add the peppers and continue cooking for about five minutes. Add on the potatoes, tomatoes, corn, apricot, oregano, and bay leaves. Cover with 8 cups of broth.
3. Simmer gently until the vegetables are just tender - about 30 minutes. Season to taste. 
4. Ladle into the pumpkin in the oven and bake 30 more minutes to finish cooking . 
5. Serve hot, on a chilly day. Spoon with some of the pumpkin flesh into each bowl.

Notes: It is best to bake the pumpkin directly on whatever you will be serving it on as once it has been baked and softened it will be difficult to move to a different dish. This was interesting to make, but a bit sweeter than my family likes for a beef stew. I missed the step to "season to taste" when I made it, so I've added salt and pepper to the ingredient list (not listed at the source) as I did feel it was missing something. If we make it again we will likely skip baking it in the pumpkin.

Source: Global Table Adventure

Onion Scones

Ingredients
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1/3 cup green onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/3 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup light cream
1 egg (beaten)
butter

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients together.
2. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the yellow onion, green onions, garlic, and butter. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir this mixture.
4. Microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bowl from the microwave and let the vegetables cool for 10 minutes.
5. Combine the flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, pepper, and salt in a large bowl and stir to mix.
6. Add the sautéed onion mixture to the flour mixture along with all of the melted butter, light cream, and egg. Stir just until combined with a spoon.
7. Gently press the dough together with your hands to form a ball.
8. On an ungreased cookie sheet, press the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 wedges, like you were cutting a pie. Separate the wedges slightly.
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the scones are lightly browned.
10. Brush with more melted butter and serve immediately. 

Notes: It is nice to have a few savory options when making scones. I really enjoyed these but the kids weren't super big fans.

Source: The Spruce Eats

Butterscotch Pecan Scones

Ingredients
2/3 cup pecans
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if necessary
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off (substitute: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup butterscotch chips, best quality such as Guittard
Demerara sugar (also called raw sugar or turbinado), for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Slide the parchment off of the hot baking sheet and let the pecans cool on the countertop. When the pecans are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop them and set aside. Place the parchment back on the baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and brown sugar (use your fingers to rub the brown sugar into the mixture until no lumps remain). Add the pieces of butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Stir in the butterscotch chips and pecans. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the cream mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix until the dough comes together. It should be a bit sticky, almost like chocolate chip cookie dough. If it seems dry, add more cream little by little (no more than 2 tablespoons should be necessary).
5. Dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the sticky dough on top and dust the top of the dough with a little flour as well. Knead gently a few times until the dough comes together into a ball. (Sprinkle lightly with more flour as needed so that the dough doesn't stick.)
6. Press the dough into a circle about 1-inch high, then cut into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart, and then sprinkle each one with about 1/2 teaspoon of Demerara sugar. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The scones are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are made but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Notes: Another tasty scone recipe. As with most other scone recipes, the dough can be frozen before baking. (We often makes our scones the night before and freeze overnight before baking in the morning.) Put the dough wedges on a baking sheet, let set in the freezer, then place in a sealable freezer bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer, allowing 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven. 

Source: Once Upon a Chef

Breakfast Empanada

Ingredients

1/2 recipe empanada dough (dough recipe from source available here)
2 tablespoons butter
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
8 pieces of bacon
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
3 scallions (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 egg (for egg wash)

Directions

1. Prepare the empanada dough and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour (overnight is best).
2. Cook the bacon until crispy and drain on paper towels. Crumble the bacon roughly.
3. Whisk the eggs with the milk and season with salt and pepper.
4. Melt the butter over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Add the chopped scallions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft.
5. Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring, until well scrambled and just cooked. Stir in the cream cheese just before removing eggs from heat. The cheese does not have to be mixed in well.
6. Preheat oven to 375° F.
7. Roll out the empanada dough and cut into 8 6-inch circles of dough. Let circles rest for 5 minutes.
8. Place spoonfuls of the egg mixture in the middle of each dough circle, dividing the mixture evenly between the empanadas. Sprinkle some crumbled bacon and grated pepper jack cheese on top of the egg mixture, dividing the cheese and bacon evenly between the 8 empanadas.
9. Fold and seal the empanadas (step-by-step instructions on shaping empanadas from source available here).
10. Place empanadas on a baking sheet. Whisk an egg with a tablespoon of water, and brush empanadas carefully with the egg wash.
11. Bake empanadas for 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
12. Remove from oven and let cool. Empanadas can be wrapped well and frozen. Thaw empanadas and reheat in the oven or microwave.

Notes: We used store-bought empanada shells. I wouldn't mind trying the empanada dough recipe from the Spruce Eats, though, as in my opinion the store-bought shells weren't quite what I was looking for in an empanada (nothing comes close to what I experienced during the 2 years I lived in Paraguay). Regardless, the filling was delicious and I really enjoyed this empanadas.

Source: The Spruce Eats

Blackberry Biscuit Bread

Ingredients

1 cup of seedless blackberry jam 
8 oz. of cream cheese
2 container of Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
4 eggs
2 cups of half & half
2 teaspoons of cinnamon sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

Directions

1. Put 1 cup of seedless blackberry jam in a pot and melt it on low (stirring occasionally).
2. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Take 1 container of biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces (quarters).
4. Place the biscuit pieces on the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Using your hands, separate the cream cheese into pieces and scatter it around with the biscuit quarters.
6. Slowly pour the melted blackberry jam over the biscuit pieces and cream cheese.
7. In the mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, cinnamon sugar, and vanilla.
8. Pour that mixture over the blackberry jam in the baking dish.
9. Take your second container of Pillsbury biscuits and cut those biscuits into quarters as well.
10. Scatter those biscuit pieces over the egg mixture.
11. Finally, top it all off by dusting everything with the brown sugar.
12. Bake covered at 350° for 30 minutes.
13. Uncover and bake at 350° for another 30 minutes.
14. Serve warm. Makes about 8 servings.

Notes: This was another delicious (and sweet) breakfast. We enjoyed the blackberry and cream cheese flavors, but given the choice we'd probably go with regular bread or French bread over Pillsbury biscuits when it comes to these types of breakfast casseroles.

Source: Smart School House

Fruit Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced, peeled apricots or peaches; chopped, peeled apples; or blueberries or raspberries (we used blueberries)

1/4 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. butter

1 beaten egg

1/2 c. buttermilk or sour milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

Directions

1. For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine fruit and water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer (do not simmer raspberries), covered, about 5 minutes or until fruit is tender. Combine the 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir into fruit. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more; set filling aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, the 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spread half of the batter into an ungreased 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Spread filling over batter. Drop remaining batter in small mounds onto filling.
4. In a small bowl stir together the 1/4 cup flour and the 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in the 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over coffee cake. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Notes: Delicious! Need to have this again soon.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition

Blueberry Muffins (America's Test Kitchen)

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray

3 cups plus 1 Tbsp flour, measured separately

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

2 large eggs

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
2. In large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In medium bowl, whisk yogurt and eggs until smooth.
3. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and use rubber spatula to stir gently until just combined and no dry flour is visible. Gently stir in melted butter.
4. In small bowl, toss blueberries with remaining 1 Tbsp flour. Gently stir blueberries into batter. Do not overmix.
5. Use 1/3-cup dry measuring cup to divide batter evenly among muffin cups (use rubber spatula to scrape batter from cups if needed).
6. Place muffin tin in oven and bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Use oven mitts to remove muffin tin from oven. Place muffin tin on cooling rack and let muffins cool in tin for 15 minutes.
8. Using your fingertips, gently wiggle muffins to loosen from muffin tin and transfer to cooling rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: This comes from a recipe book Brittany got for the kids when we were in lockdown during the pandemic. My kids have made these muffins a couple of times, and they are certainly tasty. We have found, however, that although the recipe indicates this yields 12 muffins, it makes more batter than we can fit in 12 muffin cups. The muffins overflow quite a bit when directions are followed exactly.

Source: The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs (from America's Test Kitchen)

Bacon, Egg, and Maple Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

6 slices thick-sliced bacon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
9 slices Cheddar (about 7 ounces), one of them quartered
Eight 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche bread

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lay the bacon slices on a rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until the fat starts to render, about 10 minutes.
2. Baste the bacon on both sides with the maple syrup and continue to bake until caramelized and the edges just start to brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on the rack, about 5 minutes. When cool, cut them in half.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry until thoroughly set, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Put 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Layer each with 1 whole slice of the cheese, 3 pieces of the bacon, 1/4 slice of the cheese and 1 egg and another whole slice of cheese. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread. Thinly and evenly spread the remaining butter on both sides of the bread using about 1 1/2 tablespoons for each sandwich.
5. Place 2 sandwiches into the same skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the bread is evenly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook, uncovered, until the bread is golden brown and cheese is visibly melted, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Notes: Tasty. The maple flavor on the bacon wasn't terribly noticeable, but we used homemade syrup. Might need to try it again with some authentic maple syrup.

Source: Food Network

Shakshuka

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1/2 onion, chopped 

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

1/4 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems separated, chopped 

2 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon paprika Pinch of red pepper flakes 

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 

1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand 

4 large eggs 

Warm pita bread, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cilantro stems, garlic, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and the vegetables are coated with the spices, about 1 minute. 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Stir the tomatoes with their juices into the skillet. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 
3. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 wells in the sauce, 1 to 2 inches apart. Crack an egg into each well. Run the edge of a rubber spatula through the egg whites to break them slightly, being careful not to break the yolks (this allows the egg whites to cook faster). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are just set, 15 to 18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with the cilantro leaves. Serve with pita bread.

Notes: I had this recipe printed out for several months before trying it. I knew my kids wouldn't be excited about it and it takes long enough it wouldn't work on a school day. I'm glad I finally got around to making it because I really enjoyed it and we will be having this one again.

Source: Food Network

Wheat Hearts Cereal

Ingredients

1 cup cream of wheat

1/4 cup cream of rice

1/4 cup corn meal

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup wheat germ

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container. 
2. When cooking hot cereal, boil 1 cup water and gently and slowly stir in about 1/4 cup of cereal mix. Boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat.

Notes: Brittany's mom created this recipe after General Mills stopped selling it in stores.

Source: Stimpson family cookbook

Anytime Fluffy Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Prepare Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

1 large egg

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Vegetable oil spray

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Gather Cooking Equipment

2 bowls (1 medium, 1 small)

Whisk

Rubber spatula

12-inch nonstick skillet 

1/4 cup dry measuring cup

1-tablespoon measuring spoon

Spatula

Plate

Start Cooking

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk milk, egg, oil, and vanilla until well combined.
2. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir gently with rubber spatula until just combined (batter should remain lumpy). Let batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
3. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray and heat over medium heat until hot, about 1 minute.
4. Use 1/4-cup dry measuring cup to scoop 1/4 batter into skillet. Repeat 2 more times, leaving space between mounds of batter (you want 3 pancakes to cook up separate from one another).
5. Sprinkle each pancake with chocolate chips. Cook until bubbles on surface begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Use spatula to flip pancakes and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pancakes to plate. Repeat with remaining batter in 2 more batches. Turn off heat. Serve.

Notes: Shortly after the pandemic caused social distancing at stay-at-home orders, Brittany ordered a couple of cookbooks for the kids. It was a great move. They've been excited about cooking/baking and have made several breakfast, dinner, and treat recipes. Our 8-year-old made these (with just a little help). Recipe makes 8 pancakes.

Source: The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs (America's Test Kitchen)

Loaded Breakfast Biscuits

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter, melted (divided - 2 Tbsp to oil cast iron pan and 2 Tbsp for brushing biscuits after baking)
1 pound ground breakfast sausage
4 eggs scrambled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. In a large 12-inch cast iron skillet, crumble the sausage and saute until browned through.
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. When the sausage is browned, drain well and then add to the flour mixture. Stir to combine until sausage is fully coated.
5. Drain any abundance of oil from the pan and then add the beaten eggs into the pan and cook to a soft scramble. Add the scrambled eggs to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
6. Next, add the cheese and milk. Stir the mixture until all the flour is incorporated and a slightly sticky dough forms. With a spoon, floured hands, or an ice cream scoop, drop biscuits into the buttered skillet or sheet pan.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Brush the tops of the hot biscuits with melted butter. Serve warm.

Notes: These tasted good, but they came out more "loaded" than "biscuit" for us. The biscuit part was pretty dense. We might have taken them out before the biscuits were all the way cooked.

Source: Kitchen Dreaming

Biscuit Egg Casserole

Ingredients
1 can Grand Biscuits
1 package Jimmy Dean pre-cooked Sausage Crumbles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Line bottom of greased 9x13 inch baking dish with biscuit dough, firmly pressing to seal.
3. Sprinkle with sausage and cheese.
4. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until blended; pour over sausage and cheese.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until set. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into squares; serve warm.

Notes: Conveniently we happened to have a can of Grand Biscuits that someone gave us! This was easy to make and we enjoyed it. For step 2 I had to press quite a bit on the biscuits to flatten them all out enough to get them to line the bottom. They also didn't want to seal together very well. I noticed when cutting into the casserole some of the biscuit had floated to the top, so I may not have done it correctly. (Oh, well.)

Source: Lil' Luna

Poppy Seed Muffin Tops

Ingredients
2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
3/4 C. milk
1/3 C. oil
1 tsp. almond or lemon flavoring (optional)
1 egg

Directions

1. Sift together dry ingredients
2. In another bowl, mix milk, oil, egg, and flavoring. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.
3. Spoon batter onto a baking sheet in 12 equal piles.
4. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until golden on top.

Notes: This is just a variation on muffins and can be done with pretty much any type of muffin batter. (This recipe is the same as the Poppy Seed Muffins recipe I posted previously.) The kids enjoyed these.

Source: Brittany

Ham and Cheese Savory Scones

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 stick frozen butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
3/4 cup ham diced
1/4 cup pre-cooked bacon pieces
2 tablespoons chives diced

Instructions

1. To make these Ham and Cheese Savory Scones, start by adding the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic and onion powder to a large mixing bowl and whisking to combine.
2. Grab your cold stick of frozen butter and grate your butter on a cheese grater or cut into small pieces and them move your butter back to the freezer. While your butter is chilling, chop your ham into bite sized pieces and dice your chives. Remove the butter from the freezer and add to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or a kitchen fork, work the butter into the flour mixture until you have no more large lumps of butter present.
3. Add in the buttermilk and sour cream and still to combine. Next add in the cheese, ham, bacon pieces and chives (save some of those yummy ingredients aside for topping!) and using a large spoon or spatula, stir to combine. Once mixed, transfer your scone dough to the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Once chilled, move your dough to a large floured work space or a large glass cutting board (my favorite!) Your dough should be a bit wet and sticky so flour your hands. Shape your dough into a large circle about 10-12 inches wide and about 1 inch thick.
4. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8-10 wedges and then using a spatcula or pie server, scoop up the scone wedges and transfer to a parchment lined baking pan and sprinkle with your reserved toppings. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven. When done, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Notes: This is the first savory scone recipe I've tried. I quite liked them. I didn't have any chives so had to leave those out.

Source: A Wicked Whisk

S'mores Pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups premade pancake mix
1 1/3 cups milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
48 mini-marshmallows
1/4 cup Cinnamon Graham Snacks crushed
1 cup of your favorite chocolate syrup optional

Instructions

1. Heat a non-stick griddle/pan to medium low heat.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine pancake mix, milk, sugar, egg, and chocolate chips.
3. Place 1/2 cup of the batter onto the griddle/pan.
4. Take 8 mini marshmallows and place in the middle of the batter.
5. Cover marshmallows with 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed graham snacks.
6. Cover marshmallows and graham snacks with 2-3 Tablespoons of batter. The batter should cover all of the marshmallows.
7. Cook pancakes on each side for 2-3 minutes.
8. Top each pancake with a few drizzles of chocolate syrup, a few more marshmallows, or crushed graham snacks if desired.

Notes: One of the kids asked for marshmallow pancakes and another wanted chocolate chip pancakes, so I suggested s'mores. Brittany made these. She used her buttermilk pancake recipe and added the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and graham crackers as they were cooking. These smelled great while cooking. They mostly just tasted like chocolate chip pancakes afterwards, though.

Source: Cooking with Libby

Huevos Rancheros

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about a half cup)
1 15-ounce can whole or crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted, (or 1 -2 large fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, when in season)

1 medium jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic; 1 chopped, 1 smashed
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 15 .5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
4 6 -inch corn tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Prepare the salsa: Sauté the onions in a little olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes and their juices. If using whole canned tomatoes, break them up with your fingers or a spatula as you put them in the pan. If using fresh tomatoes, chop them first, then add. Note that fresh tomatoes will take longer to cook as canned tomatoes are already cooked to begin with.
2. Add the jalapeno, chopped garlic, hot sauce, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a medium skillet over low heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Fry the salsa in the oil until it thickens slightly, 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Add the beans to the same pan along with the smashed garlic, 1/2 cup warm water and a pinch of salt; cook over low heat until warmed through, smashing slightly with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another skillet. Fry the eggs sunny-side up; season with pepper.
4. Prepare the tortillas: Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with the oil. One by one (or more if your pan is big enough) heat the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side, until they are heated through, softened, and pockets of air bubble up inside of them.
5. Place 1 warm tortilla on each plate. Divide the beans among them, then top with a fried egg, some salsa and cheese. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with the remaining salsa.

Notes: Definitely one of the more involved breakfast recipes I've tried. I needed Brittany's help to get things done in time for the kids to eat before school. I enjoyed this and would gladly eat it again, but I think I would prefer that someone else made it.

Source: We mixed parts of 2 different recipes to come up with what is here: Simply Recipes and the Food Network. Hopefully I've captured it correctly.

Sweet Potato Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

Ingredients
For the scones
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

For the glaze
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Adjust the rack to the middle position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or two knives, blend the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, sweet potato, and vanilla together, then add it to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together, taking care no to over mix.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently about 5 times. Shape the dough into a 7-inch round disk. Cut the dough into 8 equal sized wedges. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with cream.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool slightly and top with glaze.
5. Make the Glaze
6. Combine the butter brown sugar and cream in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes smooth. Pour the mixture over the powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Allow to cool before topping the scones.

Notes: I love sweet potatoes and so far I've really liked all the scone recipes I've tried so as soon as I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to try it. Luckily we had some sweet potatoes from the garden. The flavor turned out great but my texture was fairly dense (not light and fluffy as described at the source). I may have overmixed or undercooked. I still enjoyed them. My kids ate them and enjoyed them and still don't know they ate sweet potatoes. (I told them I was calling them Brown Sugar and Cream Scones.)

Source: Baked by an Introvert

Strawberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1⁄2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1⁄2 - 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Topping
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup cold butter
1⁄4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir to mix.
2. In a second bowl, add the egg, milk and butter; stir to mix; add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
3. Pour mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
4. Place strawberries evenly over the top of batter.
5. To make the topping: Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
6. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until consistency of coarse crumbs.
7. Stir in pecans.
8. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the strawberries.
9. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean.

Notes: I absolutely loved this and ate most of the pan myself (the kids were picky about it because it wasn't like the coffee cake they are used to). I was tired when I made it and didn't use nearly enough strawberries, though. More would have been even better. We didn't have pecans so I used walnuts. Also, I put raspberries on one corner instead of strawberries to test it out and liked that part the best.

Source: Food.com

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg

Topping (optional)

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. Add chocolate chips into dry mixture and stir until mixed.
3. In another bowl, mix milk, oil, and egg. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.
4. For topping mix sugar and brown sugar.
5. Spoon into muffin cups. Sprinkle muffins with topping.
6. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Notes: Easy and tasty. Not my favorite muffin recipe but still delicious.

Source: Brittany has had this recipe printed out forever. Not sure where she got it - probably from her Mom.

French Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter the bottoms (only) of 12 standard-size muffin cups and set the pan aside.
2. Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl and combine them with a whisk.
3. In a medium size bowl, whisk the egg until it's frothy. Blend in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture.
4. Using a wooden spoon, mix the batter just until it's evenly blended, then spoon it into the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
5. Bake the muffins on the center rack for 15 minutes. Then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack until the muffins are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes, then remove them from the cups.
6. Before the muffins lose their warmth, prepare the topping. Mix the sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the butter and transfer it to a separate small bowl. Set both bowls next to the muffins.
7. Working one muffin at a time, quickly dip the tops in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, rolling each muffin in all directions to cover the entire top. If you'd like more topping, roll them in the cinnamon sugar for a second time while they're still warm. Serve immediately. Makes 12 muffins.

Notes: We first had these way back in 2013 and they have been some of our favorite muffins ever since. We don't rotate the pan in step 5 and they still turn out fine. The last time I made these a few days ago I substituted an equal amount of melted coconut oil for the butter in the muffin batter and didn't notice any difference in overall flavor.

Source: printed off the internet from Spoonful.com in 2013. Apparently this website (which was created by Disney) was shut down in 2014 and no longer exists.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Crescent Rolls

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
4 extra-large eggs
Dash salt (or to taste)
Dash pepper (or to taste)
6 slices bacon
1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Heat the oven to 350 F.
3. Heat the tablespoon of butter in an omelet pan.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper.
5. Pour the eggs into the omelet pan and scramble until completely cooked. If they are a little underdone, that's OK since they will be cooked again in the rolls. Set aside.
6. Cook the bacon in the oven or in a pan until crispy. Drain the bacon and let it cool. Chop the bacon finely and set aside.
7. Unroll the crescent dough and separate the triangles.
8. Place a tablespoon of the egg mixture, and a sprinkle of bacon and cheese over the egg.
9. Roll up the triangle as you would a regular crescent roll.
10. Place the roll on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
11. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Let them cool slightly, serve and enjoy.

Notes: I don't typically have the time in the morning that this recipe requires, so I made the eggs and bacon the night before. They still turned out delicious. Next time I will need to make a double batch, as 8 of these weren't enough for us. (My 11-year old ate 3 by herself and has already requested that we have these again.)

Source: The Spruce Eats

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients
Blueberry Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones

Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 lemon, zest finely grated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough.
3. Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.
4. You can make the lemon glaze in a double boiler, or for a simpler alternative, you can zap it in the microwave. Mix the lemon juice with the confectioners' until dissolved in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water for the double-boiler method, or in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest. Either nuke the glaze for 30 seconds or continue whisking in the double boiler. Whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps, then drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute before serving.

Notes: This is the 7th scone recipe I've tried. It was good but not my favorite. I found it a bit dry and crispier than my preference. Brittany seemed to enjoy it more than others I've made however, and told me she liked the crispiness. The lemon glaze was tasty.

Source: Food Network

Apple Pie Muffins

Ingredients
Topping
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Muffins
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups diced peeled firm tart apples (such as Granny Smith)

Directions

1. Note: cinnamon could be added to the batter ( about 1 teaspoon or less). 
2. Topping: In a small bowl toss together sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside. 
3. Muffins: In a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla until smooth. 
4. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda and salt. 
5. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. 
6. Fold in apples, mixing just until combined. 
7. Spoon into greased muffin cups filling 3/4 full. 
8. Sprinkle topping over evenly. 
9. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and tops spring back.

Notes: I have a bad habit of checking the ingredient list to see if I have everything, but not checking the actual amounts of each ingredient. This recipe has way more sugar than other muffin recipes I've made. I didn't notice until I had already started making it, though, and I was too tired to think about making adjustments so I just followed the recipe. The result was tasty but very sweet - enough so that no one wanted to eat more than one (unusual with my family and muffins). If I make these again I will reduce the sugar in the muffins to 1/2 cup or eliminate it entirely since the topping is sweet. Having said all that, I am craving these right now as I type this up. 

Source: Food.com

Creamed Eggs on Toast

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter 

4 tablespoons flour 

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 

3-4 slices bread, to toast 

butter 

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium-high heat. 
2. Whisk in flour. 
3. When bubbly, whisk in milk a little at a time. 
4. Add salt. 
5. Continue to whisk til thick and bubbly. 
6. Remove from heat and add chopped eggs. 
7. Toast and butter slices of bread. 
8. Lay slices on individual plates and spoon on Creamed Eggs. 
9. Serve.

Notes: I decided I wanted to try the nutmeg even though I wasn't sure how it would work. I liked it. None of my kids did. Next time I will leave it out. I didn't have white pepper so I used black pepper (and only used half the recommended as not all my kids like pepper). I also used 5 eggs instead of 3 without increasing the sauce and thought it was a good ratio.

Source: Food.com

Breakfast Crescent Ring

Ingredients
16 frozen potato tots
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch wide pieces
6 ounces pork breakfast sausage, removed from casings and chopped
Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
2 ounces American cheese, grated
1/2 cup grated white Cheddar (about 2 ounces)
Maple syrup, ketchup, hot sauce or white gravy, for dipping, optional
2 cans 8-count crescent rolls

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the tater tots on a baking sheet and bake until just golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. 
3. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off the bacon drippings and reserve 2 tablespoons. Add 1 tablespoon of the drippings and the sausage to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Cook, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and brown in some spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.  
4. Return the skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of bacon drippings. Once hot and shimmering, add the egg mixture and cook, stirring frequently, with a rubber spatula, until soft and fluffy and almost completely cooked through but still a bit runny, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean large bowl.  
5. Coat the back of a baking sheet with cooking spray. Unroll both cans of crescent dough and separate unto 16 triangles. Put a 5-inch ramekin in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the triangles in a ring around the ramekin so the short sides of the dough are touching the ramekin, overlapping slightly, and the pointed ends are facing outward (it should look like a giant sun).  
6. Spoon the egg mixture over the short ends of the triangles closest to the ramekin. Sprinkle the sausage on top of the eggs then sprinkle the bacon over the sausage. Cover the bacon with the American and Cheddar cheese. Top with the potato tots and remove the ramekin. Take hold of the pointed end of one of the triangles and fold it up and over the filling, tucking the tip under the bottom edge of dough to secure (the dough will not cover the filling completely but should cover the tater tots). Repeat with the remaining triangles (there will be some gaps where you can see the filling).  
7. Bake until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Use a spatula to slide the ring off the baking sheet onto a platter. Serve with maple syrup, ketchup, hot sauce or white gravy if desired.

Notes: I've been looking for savory breakfast recipes to balance out all the sweet ones that I gravitate towards. This was really good and worth making again. It takes a lot of time, however. For various reasons I ended up cooking all of my filling ingredients the night before and just assembling and baking the ring in the morning. It worked fine doing it that way. I didn't want to use American cheese after my experience with the Egg McMuffin sandwich so I substituted regular cheddar. Also, I don't know why the recipe calls for sausage links when you just remove the casings. Ground sausage would have been quicker.

Source: Food Network

Homemade Egg McMuffins

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 English muffin, split
1 slice high-quality Canadian bacon
Nonstick cooking spray
1 large egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 slice American, cheddar, Swiss, or Jack cheese

Directions

1. Spread 1 teaspoon butter on each half of the English muffin and place halves in a 10-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling muffin halves and pressing gently to get good contact with pan, until both pieces are well browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a sheet of aluminum foil, split side up.
2. Melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter in the now-empty skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add Canadian bacon and cook, turning frequently, until browned and crisp around the edges, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer bacon to lower muffin half.
3. Place the lid of a quart-sized, wide-mouthed Mason jar (both the lid and the sealing ring) upside down in the now-empty skillet. (The side the jar screws onto should be facing up.) Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray and break egg into it. Poke the egg yolk with a fork to break it and season with salt and pepper. Pour 3/4 cup water into the skillet, cover, and cook until egg is set, about 2 minutes.
4. Using a thin spatula, transfer Mason jar lid to a paper towel–lined plate. Pour excess water out of the skillet and return it to the stovetop with the heat off. Flip Mason jar lid over and gently remove it to release egg. Place egg on top of bacon and top with cheese slice. Close sandwich, wrap in aluminum foil, and return to the now-empty skillet. Let it warm up in the skillet for 2 minutes with the heat off, flipping occasionally. Unwrap and serve immediately.

Notes: I insisted on following the recipe for my first try. It didn't go super well for me. My muffin halves didn't get an even toasting and ended up burning around the edges. And my American cheese slices pretty much disintegrated when I put the sandwich into the skillet to warm up. Lesson learned: it is much easier to just toast the English muffins in the toaster and butter afterwards if the buttery flavor is desired. Also: don't use American cheese. Either that or don't warm up the sandwich with the cheese on it. Using the Mason jar lid for the eggs was one part that was clever and worked well.

Source: Serious Eats

Peach Pie Smoothie

Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
1/2 cup nonfat or 1 percent lowfat milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

Directions
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes: I believe I doubled this recipe and we had enough left over to make a few smoothie popsicles. We topped ours with some graham cracker crumbs.

Source: Food Network

Roasted Pear and Chocolate Chunk Scones

Ingredients

3 firmish pears
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated or coarse for sprinkling
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt plus additional for egg wash
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or chips)
2 large eggs, 1 for dough, 1 for glaze

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Peel and core pears. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange pear chunks on parchment and roast until they feel dry to the touch and look a little browned underneath, about 20 minutes. Slide parchment paper with pear chunks onto a cooling rack (or onto a plate in the fridge or freezer to speed this up) and cool to lukewarm. Leave oven on. Line baking sheet with another piece of parchment.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar and salt together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Toss in cooled pear chunks, bits of butter, heavy cream and 1 egg. With the paddle attachment, mix the dough on low speed until it just comes together. Don’t over mix. Add the chocolate chunks and mix for 5 seconds more.
3. On a very well floured counter, pat out dough into a 6-inch round. Cut into 6 generous wedges (or 8 smaller wedges) and transfer to baking sheet at least two inches apart. Whisk remaining egg in a small dish with 1 teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt. Brush each scone with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
4. Bake scones until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.
5. Do ahead: You can get this recipe all the way to the point where you’d bake them, and instead cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and freeze them overnight. Bake them directly from the freezer in the morning; they should only take a few minutes longer. For longer than overnight, transfer frozen, already shaped, scones to a freezer bag until needed. In both cases, brush the egg wash/sprinkle the sugar on while still frozen, before baking the scones.

Notes: I prepared these the night before and baked them in the morning (see step 5). Turns out I really like roasted pears but my kids don't. These weren't as pretty as other scones I've made but I thought they were great.

Source: Smitten Kitchen