Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

This may be courtesy of Southern Living. For me, its courtesy of my mom. Best served soon after baking.

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 Tbl sugar
1/3 cup butter, cut up
½ cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp poppy seeds

Icing:
1 ½ Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 425.
Combine first five ingredients; cut in butter with pastry blender until crumbly.
Add lemon rind and poppy seeds.
Add buttermilk and egg; stirring until just moistened.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 5 times.
Divide dough in half; roll or pat each portion into a 6” circle.
Cut each circle into 8 wedges and place 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Combine lemon juice and powdered sugar, and drizzle over warm scones.

Brie and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) round Brie*
1 pound ground hot pork sausage
6 white sandwich bread slices
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
7 large eggs, divided
3 cups whipping cream, divided
2 cups fat-free milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Garnishes: chopped green onions, shaved Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Trim rind from Brie, and discard; cut cheese into cubes, and set aside.
Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well.
Cut crusts from bread slices, and place crusts evenly in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Layer evenly with bread slices, sausage, Brie, and Parmesan cheese.
Whisk together 5 eggs, 2 cups whipping cream, and next 4 ingredients; pour evenly over cheeses. Cover and chill mixture for 8 hours.
Whisk together remaining 2 eggs and remaining 1 cup whipping cream; pour evenly over chilled mixture.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until casserole is set. Garnish, if desired.
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese may be substituted.
Southern Living. myrecipes.com

Pumpkin Waffles

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1. Set up the waffle iron on a countertop or table within easy reach of the cook. Plug in the iron to preheat it. (Remind your child never to touch the surface of the iron; she should touch only the handle and always cook with adult supervision.) 2. In a medium-size mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and pumpkin. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and stir just until combined. 3. Coat the preheated waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour the waffle batter onto the center of each section of the iron. (You will need 1/4 to 3/4 cup of batter for each waffle.) 4. Cook the waffles for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they are crispy and light brown. (Read the manufacturer's directions for details about how long you should cook the waffles in your particular waffle iron.) Serve immediately with maple syrup and butter. Serves 4.

Pumpkin Crunch Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup raisins, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin

Brown sugarIn a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.Stir in the raisins nuts, or chocolate chips. In another bowl, mix together, milk, oil, egg, and pumpkin. Stir well.Pour the liquid ingredients onto the dry ingredients and gently stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Do not overmix.Generously grease muffin cups and fill 2/3 full with batter.Heavily sprinkle the top of each muffin with approximately 1 tablespoon brown sugar.Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup pumpkin
2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup chopped nuts
Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened 1 tsp. vanilla

Beat eggs until think and yellow. Add pumpkin and lemon juice. Fold in flour, sugar, baking powder, and all spice. Spoon into jelly roll pan.
Sprinkle with nuts(optional). Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Invert onto a towel
sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll in towel as for a jelly roll. Beat
cream cheese with remaining ingredients. Unroll cake and spread cream
cheese mixture, and then reroll. Freeze roll. Thaw when ready to serve.

Monkey Bread

4 cans buttermilk biscuits
3 tsp cinnamon
1 ¾ cup sugar
¾ cup butter
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

Cut each biscuit into fourths. Combine 1 ½ tsp cinnamon and ¾ cup sugar in bag. Add biscuits, shake to coat. Arrange biscuits in greased Bundt pan. Mix butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, 1 cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour over biscuits. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Turn out on plate to cool. Best served warm.

Stuffed French Toast

This is so easy and sooo good!

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
8 slices wheat bread, crust removed
3 Tbs. blueberry (or your favorite) preserves or jam
8-10 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 Tbs. vanilla
butter

In a small bowl, stir cream cheese and ricotta until smooth. Divide cheese among 4 pieces of bread and spread to edges. Spoon jam in middle of each slice on top of cheese. Top with other slice of bread and slice in half diagonally.

In a 9x13 pan, beat eggs with whipping cream and vanilla. Soak "sandwiches" in egg mixture, turning once.

Heat butter in large pan or griddle over medium heat (I put an electric skillet on about 300). Saute French toast until brown on each side, turning once.

Serve with warm maple syrup and fresh fruit.

This easily serves 4-6 people.

Brown Sugar Pecan Coffee Cake

Prep: 15 min., Bake: 30 min.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans

1.Stir together flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 forks until crumbly. Press 2 3/4 cups crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.
2. Stir together sour cream, egg, and baking soda; add to remaining crumb mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Pour sour cream mixture over crumb crust in pan; sprinkle evenly with cinnamon mixture and pecans.
3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Makes 12 servings
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2006

Sausage Rolls

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
5 Tbs. shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 lb. sausage

Stir together flour, salt and baking powder in large bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Stir in milk. Half the dough and roll out each half to about 1/4 inch thick. Half the sausage (uncooked) and spread out on each half of the dough. Roll the dough/sausage into a roll (log shape). Wrap in wax paper (or saran wrap) and foil; chill. Slice and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes until desired "brown-ness".

A couple of things: they slice better if they are cold; I usually freeze one roll for later; if you don't want to make the dough, you can use a pie crust

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This is really easy to make ahead - it's best to prepare the night before and serve the next morning.

10 slices white bread
9 eggs
1 c. grated cheddar cheese (or more to taste)
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. sausage (I use the medium or spicy)
Milk

Cube bread with crust on and place in greased 9x13 pan. Layer browned sausage on the bread. Beat eggs and pour on top of sausage. Put cheese on top. Pour milk over top to cover the casserole (don't worry - this sounds gross but the bread soaks it up over night).

Bake 40 minutes at 375. I usually bake a little longer.

Breakfast Cookies

These "cookies" are easy to make and nutritious, and are perfect to have on hand for a quick breakfast or snack!

3 mashed bananas
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 cups quick-cooking oats*
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp sugar

Mix all ingredients and let sit for five minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

*I used two packets of apple-cinnamon flavored oatmeal plus one cup of regular instant oatmeal.
**You can also add chopped nuts for protein.

Best Blueberry Muffins

Will need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 steps, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 steps, whisking just to combine.

3. Add berries to dry ingredients and gently toss to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds (small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick). Do not overmix.

4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Serve as is or use the sugar-topped variation.

Sugar-topped variation:
While muffins are cooling, mix 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt butter in small saucepan. After baked muffins have cooled five minutes, working one at a time, dip tops of muffins in melted butter and then cinnamon-sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack; serve.