Pumpkin Danish

This year is absolutely flying. I found myself shocked that it's October. The school year is in full swing, and we have a ton of apple and pumpkin treats to bake. I am trying to catch up because I love fall. It's always marked for me by the return of football and cool mornings. One thing I could do without is the loss of daylight, but I guess I can be too picky. This pumpkin danish is the perfect treat for a fall morning. I found this recipe on Lauren's Latest.

for the danish, you will need:
*1 tube crescent rolls
*
6 oz. softened cream cheese

*1/2 cup pumpkin
 puree
*1/2 cup granulated sugar

*1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
*
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
*
1 teaspoon vanilla

*2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

for the glaze, you will need:
*
2/3 cup powdered sugar

*4 tablespoons heavy cream or 1 tablespoon milk

*splash vanilla

1. 
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a baking sheet with a silipat or foil lining.

2. Combine cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, spices, flour and vanilla in a small bowl.

3. 
Unroll crescents keeping them shaped as rectangles (not individual triangles) and they them width wise on the baing sheet. (This should cover almost the entire length of a half sheet pan) Press to seal any holes. Cut 1/2 inch diagonal strips up each side of the dough. Next, carefully spread cream cheese filling down the center of the dough so that it is about 2-3 inches wide. Fold 1/2 inch dough pieces you cut so they are up and over filling, alternating sides will give you the braided pattern. (Remove any excess dough)

4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until filling is set and dough is golden in color. Cool on the baking sheet. Once danish has cooled, remove and add icing as listed below.

5. In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream/milk. You may need to add more cream/milk to get the desired consistency. Drizzle icing over danish. Cut into pieces and serve.

Peanut Butter Frosted Whole Wheat Banana Donuts

I've previously mentioned my recipe hoarding tendencies. Pinterest might just be encouraging that habit at the moment. This recipe, however, was made back when I first saw it posted on Prevention RD. I love banana bread, Dave loves when I break out the donut pan, so I knew we'd have a winner. I decided to change the frosting on these to highlight the amazing combination of peanut butter and banana. These are a perfect treat for a weekend morning.

For the donuts, you will need:
*6 tablespoons sugar

*1 egg
*
1/2 cup over-ripe banana, mashed (about 1 1/2-2 small bananas)
*
3 tablespoons canola oil 

*1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*1 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon baking powder

*3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

For the peanut butter frosting, you will need:
*3 tablespoons peanut butter
*2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
*about 1/4 cup powdered sugar
*splash of milk

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Spray doughnut pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is light and pale. Stir in the banana, oil, vanilla, and yogurt.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Add to the egg mixture; stir together until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling wells 1/2 way, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

3. Make the frosting topping by combining all ingredients and mixing well. You can add more powdered sugar or milk to help reach desired consistency. Spread on cooled donuts using a flat spatula.

Red Velvet Donuts

Are you still looking for a special treat to make your Valentine?

How about red velvet donuts?

I think these are the perfect Valentine to give to yourself this year!
All you need are donut pans to bake these in.
Happy Valentine's Day!

I found the donut recipe on Taste and Tell. These donuts were a bit dry so next time I will probably shorten the cooking time to see if that helps. For the glaze I relied on Alton. Since I did not have any whole milk, I substituted skim and halved the recipe. It tasted great but definitely thinned the glaze for coating.

For the donuts, you will need:
*2 1/4 cups flour
*1 tablespoon baking powder
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*3/4 cup sugar
*1 egg
*2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
*2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
*1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar)
*1 tablespoon red food coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease your donut pan.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

3. In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg. Stir in the melted butter and melted chocolate. Once combined, add in the vanilla extract, buttermilk, and red food coloring.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet red mixture. Mix just until combined. The dough should be stiff.

5. Fill the donut pan with the batter until each cavity is about 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes. (I would stick closer to 12 to start)

6. Remove donut pans from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the donuts and place on a cooling rack.

For the glaze, you will need:
*1/8 cup milk
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla exract
*1 cup powdered sugar

1. Combine milk and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until warm. Stir the powdered sugar gradually into the pan. Whisk slowly, until well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat and set over a bowl of warm water (I found success keeping it over a warm burner) Dip doughnuts into the glaze, 1 at a time, and set on a rack placed over a half sheet pan to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Mushroom Pancetta Quiche

Quiche is so simple to make. I love it as a brunch or dinner option. It keeps in the fridge for a few days, so it is perfect for a prepared lunch too. Quiche is extremely versatile making it a wonderful way to use up leftover produce at the end of the week. I used the same recipe I've based quiches on for the past few years. This flavor combination was certainly blog worthy. It even forced my mushroom hating husband to enjoy a few slices!

You will need:
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*1/2 cup diced onion
*4oz. chopped pancetta
*4oz. mushrooms (you could certainly add more for a fuller filling)
*1 teaspoon minced garlic
*3/4 cup milk
*3 large eggs
*1/2 cup cheddar cheese
*salt and pepper to taste
*frozen pie crust

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet; add the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and pancetta. Sautee until onions and mushrooms are cooked. Flavor with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk the milk and cheddar cheese into the eggs.

4. Spoon the veggies into the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over top.

5. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Donuts with Maple-Cinnamon Glaze

October is officially pumpkin baking season in our household. It seems food blogs have exploded with pumpkin recipes, many of which are for donuts! I was debating which to try when I spotted this recipe from Taste and Tell. These came together easily on a Saturday morning. The only thing that we were too inpatient for was waiting to let the glaze set. Since I did not have maple extract, I used regular maple syrup in my glaze. This was perfect for eating immediately, but it didn't work so well on the donuts that sat until the next day. They tasted fine but lost their glazed look and just became sticky. I highly recommend this baked donut recipe. They are even tasty without a topping.

For the donuts, you will need:
*2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
*1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon ginger
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1 cup pumpkin puree
*2 eggs
*2 tablespoons milk
*1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze, you will need:
*1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
*1/2 teaspoon maple extract or maple syrup
*1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
*2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a doughnut pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

2.Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl.

3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with adding the milk.

4. Place the mix in a large zip-top bag. Cut off the corner and pipe into the doughnut pan. (This is always a challenge for me! Sometimes, I am better off spooning it in)

5. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the donuts rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them and cool completely on a baking rack.

6. To make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple extract, cinnamon and milk in a small bowl. Dip the cool donuts into the glaze. Return to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set.

Baked Donuts

I finally caved and bought a donut pan. I had been saving delicious baked donut recipes, so when I needed to order some things from Crate and Barrel, I added the Wilton donut pans to my order. The first recipe I tried came from Prevention RD. These were a good, lighter donut option that I served at mom's birthday brunch. They were tasty, but they didn't scream "donut" to me. I do realize this is most likely because they weren't fried! I am going to continue to try my variety of donut recipes to find a favorite.

It should be noted that I live in the land of Dunkin Donuts. There is one almost every other mile around here. Therefore, I am going with the spelling d-o-n-u-t for the blog.

You will need:
*1 cup all-purpose flour

*1/3 cup sugar

*3/4 tsp baking powder
*
3/4 tsp baking soda

*1/4 tsp salt
*
1 egg
*
1 small-single-serving container Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt
*1 tbsp vegetable oil
*
2 tsp lemon juice
*
1 tsp vanilla extract

*2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, combine egg, yogurt, canola oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until just combined.

4. Spray the donut pan with nonstick cooking spray; divide the chocolate morsels in the bottom of each of the donut tube pans. Divide batter among pans. Place the batter only about half full because these will rise.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.

Baked Oatmeal

I'm surprised that I have never blogged this recipe. We've enjoyed it a few times. It is fabulous on it's own or mixed into yogurt. The pan keeps well in the fridge, so sometimes I make it on a weekend for great breakfasts throughout the week. This oatmeal was also popular at the brunch I held for my Mom's birthday. I found this recipe posted on The Mess Pot last year. This comes together easily, and aside from the cranberries, it used staples that we already had on hand.

You will need:
*3 cups old-fashioned oats
*1 cup brown sugar
*2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 cup milk
*2 eggs
*1/2 cup melted butter
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined. Stir in dried cranberries.

3. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and bake for 40 minutes.

Overnight French Toast

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and a long weekend off from work. We had a wonderful holiday with our families, and we were lucky enough to have good friends come and stay with us for the weekend. It was a fabulous way to kick off the holiday season! I made new recipes for the holiday, but I did not get photos of any of them. I plan on repeating an appetizer soon, so I will post that recipe once I have a picture.

After spending a lot of time prepping Thanksgiving dinner, I didn't want to miss time with our weekend visitors to be in the kitchen. I had bookmarked this recipe on She Cooks and Bakes a long time ago. It seemed like the perfect thing to make before bed, and then I'd only have to heat in the morning. This recipe did not disappoint. Both the adults and children enjoyed it. I sent Dave to pick up the bread and wasn't specific enough. If I was to make this recipe again, I would get bread that was a bit wider to make a larger serving. These smaller cuts, however, were perfect for our toddler friends.

I omitted a few things from the recipe including added sugar, and it still came out really well. Here's how I made it.
You will need:
*1 loaf soft French bread (or any bread you desire)
*2 tbsp salted butter, softened
*6 eggs
*1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*1 teaspoon cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For serving:
*Maple syrup
*Powdered sugar

1. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or lightly oil.

2. Cut 12 slices of bread about 1 inch think. Lightly butter one side of each piece of bread. Arrange bread buttered sides up in one layer in prepared dish.

3. In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt until combined. Pour over bread and cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the toast is cooked the way you like it. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Breakfast Cups

I am not a big breakfast person. In fact, I do not really like breakfast that is hot. Odd, I know. Dave loves weekend breakfast, and I am trying to find more recipes that I enjoy. I am slowly getting a craving for bacon or eggs every once in awhile, so I am not eating cereal or yogurt 365 days a year anymore. Baby steps, but it is working! These breakfast cups are another recipe from Annie's Eats. We enjoyed these on a sunny Saturday morning. I have had this recipe saved for a little while, and I didn't realize just how easy these are to make. If you have some extra time on a week day morning, (which I never do!) you could probably make these for breakfast.

You can alter the recipe to make as many cups as you want. I made us 4, so the ingredients indicate what I used for that amount.

You will need:
*4 slices of bacon
*4lices of bread
*shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
*4 eggs
*salt and pepper
*butter (for pan)

1) Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2) Grease 4 wells of a muffin pan with butter.

3) In a frying pan, cook bacon until partially cooked but not completely crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

4) Cut out rounds of bread with a the top of a drinking glass. Press the bread rounds into the greased muffin wells.

5) Curl a piece of bacon around each piece of bread, placing it between the bread and the muffin tin to help keep it in position. Sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese in the center of each piece of bread.

6) Crack an egg, remove about half of the white, and drop the remaining white and yolk over a piece of bread, being careful not to break the yolks. Repeat for all of your toast cups.

7) Bake until eggs are cooked through to your liking and bacon is crispy. Timing should be about 6-10 minutes. *I overcooked mine a bit because Dave will not eat runny yolks.

8) Run a knife around the edge of each muffin well and pop the egg cups out. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

I made these pancakes for breakfast last weekend. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but these were the first non-Bisquick pancakes I have ever made. You can also tell this by the varying sizes of my pancakes, as evidenced in the picture above. We are not huge breakfast eaters, but we are trying to get in more satisfying meals on the weekends. These pancakes were tasty and a fresh start to the day. We liked the lemon zest to them. I found this recipe on Lime in the Coconut, who got it from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Breakfast and Brunch.

You will need:
*1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon of salt
*1 1/2 cups buttermilk
*2 large eggs, separated
*1/4 cup sugar
*3/4 cup ricotta cheese
*1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
*butter for pan/griddle

1) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolks, sugar, ricotta and lemon zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

2) In a separate bowl the bowl of a mixer (or use a whisk), beat the whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the ricotta mixture just until blended.

3) Place a large griddle or fry pan with low sides over medium heat until hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle and then evaporate. (I used our Cuisinart Griddler)Brush the pan/griddle with a 1/2 teaspoon melted butter.

4) For each pancake, ladle about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until small bubbles appear, the edges start to look dry and the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 minutes.

5) Carefully turn the pancakes and cook until lightly browned on the second side, about 2 minutes longer.

6) Repeat with the remaining batter and butter to make about 16 pancakes, each about 4 in in diameter. (Mine were larger so I made about 12 pancakes).
Serve with syrup and any sliced fruit you desire.

Banana Bread

One of my fondest memories of the holidays is having banana bread for breakfast. My mother made it every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have tried a variety of recipes, and this is the most recent. It is from the Food Network website. This was tasty with our morning coffee. I am still on the search to find my "favorite" recipe, but I do recommend trying this.

You will need:
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 large eggs
* 3 ripe bananas
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

2) Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3) In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4) Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

5) Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

My first quiche!

This is another great recipe from Stephanie Cooks (who adapated it from My Wooden Spoons). It was my first time making a quiche and we loved it! I am excited to try changing up this recipe with some different vegetables and cheeses in the future. The one change that I made was using skim milk. It still worked out great! I may also add a little more milk or egg next time to fill my crust a bit higher. I highly recommend this recipe and many others on Stephanie's blog!

You will need:
1 small zucchini, diced into small piece
6 thin stalks asparagus ( woody ends removed ) diced into small pieces
1 small onion
3 clove fresh garlic
3/4 cup milk (I used skim)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
pepper to taste
salt to taste
frozen pie crust
1 tbs olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375.
1- In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onion, zucchini, and asparagus. Saute for a few minutes. Add the garlic. Continue sauteing for a few more minutes.
2- Once the veggies are cooked add the salt and pepper, set aside to cool slightly.
3- In another bowl beat the eggs. Add the milk and cheddar cheese.
4- Spoon the veggies into the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over top.
5- Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

I think this could be enjoyed as a brunch item or for a lighter dinner option. We enjoyed eating it for brunch on Saturday with our morning coffee.