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Showing posts with label Breads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breads. Show all posts

Slow Cooker Stuffing {or Dressing ... or whatever you call it!}

Stuffing in the slow cooker? You bet! This Slow Cooker Stuffing is moist, flavorful, and easy.



My favorite part of our Thanksgiving meal is, by far, the stuffing ... Or dressing, as some call it. And I'm a cook-it-inside-the-bird kinda girl. My Mom has always stuffed our Thanksgiving turkey full of delicious stuffing. And I've always happily gobbled it up {no pun intended} as soon as its hit the table ... and sometimes usually even before its hit the table, picking at clumps of it as Mom spoons it out onto the serving platter. I can't get enough of the stuff.

But I have a confession to make. I have actually never cooked a whole turkey myself. A small turkey breast, yes. But a whole turkey? Nope.

And you want to know the trouble with cooking just a turkey breast? ... There's nowhere to stuff the stuffing! Oh, what's a stuffing-girl to do? Well, I now have the answer ...

Continue Reading >>
Stuffing in the slow cooker? You bet! This Slow Cooker Stuffing is moist, flavorful, and easy.



My favorite part of our Thanksgiving meal is, by far, the stuffing ... Or dressing, as some call it. And I'm a cook-it-inside-the-bird kinda girl. My Mom has always stuffed our Thanksgiving turkey full of delicious stuffing. And I've always happily gobbled it up {no pun intended} as soon as its hit the table ... and sometimes usually even before its hit the table, picking at clumps of it as Mom spoons it out onto the serving platter. I can't get enough of the stuff.

But I have a confession to make. I have actually never cooked a whole turkey myself. A small turkey breast, yes. But a whole turkey? Nope.

And you want to know the trouble with cooking just a turkey breast? ... There's nowhere to stuff the stuffing! Oh, what's a stuffing-girl to do? Well, I now have the answer ...

Continue Reading >>
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Pumpkin Biscuits {with Pecan-Honey Butter}

Welcome Fall with scrumptious Pumpkin Biscuits, smeared with delicious Pecan-Honey Butter.

Happy Fall, everyone!! Yes, the gorgeous days of Fall are here. Along with all the fabulous flavors that inspire us this time of year. And I must say ... right along with so many others ... I love fall flavors. Especially pumpkin. And it seems I'm not alone in that.

Continue Reading >>
Welcome Fall with scrumptious Pumpkin Biscuits, smeared with delicious Pecan-Honey Butter.

Happy Fall, everyone!! Yes, the gorgeous days of Fall are here. Along with all the fabulous flavors that inspire us this time of year. And I must say ... right along with so many others ... I love fall flavors. Especially pumpkin. And it seems I'm not alone in that.

Continue Reading >>
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Glazed Poppy Seed Tea Bread {& Announcing cherryBLOX!}

Enjoy deliciously moist and flavorful Poppy Seed Quick Bread with Fresh Citrus Glaze. Your tummy will be glad you did!

I'm super excited to share today's post with you ... for two fun reasons. First, because this super moist and super flavorful Poppy Seed Tea Bread is one of my absolute favorite quick breads. And second, because I get to announce a fabulous new partnership between The Kitchen is My Playground and cherryBLOX!

Continue Reading >>
Enjoy deliciously moist and flavorful Poppy Seed Quick Bread with Fresh Citrus Glaze. Your tummy will be glad you did!

I'm super excited to share today's post with you ... for two fun reasons. First, because this super moist and super flavorful Poppy Seed Tea Bread is one of my absolute favorite quick breads. And second, because I get to announce a fabulous new partnership between The Kitchen is My Playground and cherryBLOX!

Continue Reading >>
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50 Pizza Treats That Aren't Pizza! {Playground Round-Up}


I absolutely adore pizza ... In fact, I think it's my favorite food. But pizza's certainly not limited to tomato sauce and cheese on a crust, as shown by these 50 Pizza Treats that Aren't Pizza. Check 'em out, and enjoy pizza that's not pizza!

Continue Reading >>

I absolutely adore pizza ... In fact, I think it's my favorite food. But pizza's certainly not limited to tomato sauce and cheese on a crust, as shown by these 50 Pizza Treats that Aren't Pizza. Check 'em out, and enjoy pizza that's not pizza!

Continue Reading >>
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No-Knead Dinner Rolls - SRC


I am not capable of a low-carb diet.  
There, I said it.

I can avoid processed foods with no problem, but you'd better believe I am more than happy to make and bake from-scratch carbohydrate delights.  And I don't think they're the enemy.  I just think all things should be eaten in moderation.

These dinner rolls were so yummy, my family found it hard to eat them in moderation. I made them for Resurrection Sunday dinner, for which we had 5 adult family members joining us.  I only made a half batch (24) because I thought that would be plenty, with all the other food we were consuming.  Although we did have 3 left over, I think if I had made all 48 rolls, lots more would have been eaten.  And there were great disputes over who got to eat those 3 rolls the next day.

I enjoyed perusing Betcha Can't Eat Just One  as my assigned blog for the Secret Recipe Club this month.  Katie  has some incredible baked goods and seriously MAD cake decorating skills.  I was so tempted by her Neopolitan Whoopie Pies and  I am totally making these Peanut Butter Cups as soon as I can come up with an excuse for them.

But in the end, these dinner rolls made the cut for being my highlighted recipe from her blog.  I am so glad I made them!  I've been wanting to make my own crescent rolls for ages and for whatever reason, never got around to it.  The fact that these require no kneading and no electric mixer was a huge draw - I don't mind kneading or anything, but just that extra time and effort can be a deterrent in making my own bread sometimes.  I did cut down a little on the butter in the dough, and used half white whole wheat flour, although you can certainly use only all-purpose if you prefer.

The rolls are tender and just faintly sweet.  I'll try making them with honey also.....I love bread with honey.
They're a perfect accompaniment to just about any entree and I'm sure a basket of them would disappear in no time.

My kids are begging me to make these rolls again soon.....and I'm looking forward to it!

No-Knead Dinner Rolls
adapted slightly from Betcha Can't Eat Just One
Makes 48 rolls - can be easily cut in half for 24 rolls (still use 1 egg)

1-1/2 cups milk
5 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup sugar + 1 Tbsp.
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
1 egg
9-10 cups flour (I used half all-purpose, half white whole wheat)
1/4 - 1/2 cup butter (I went on the lighter side here, but I'm sure the whole amount would be delicious!)

Start by scalding the milk with 5 Tbsp. butter and 1/3 cup sugar. You can do this for 2 minutes in the microwave or use a pot on the stove.  Cut the butter into pieces for easier melting, but don't worry if it doesn't melt completely.

Stir 1-2 cups of flour into the hot milk mixture to cool it down a bit.  Once you know it's not really hot, stir in the egg and salt.  KEEP track of how much flour you're adding!!!

In a large bowl, combine the warm water with the yeast and remaining Tbsp. sugar.  Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and stir it all together with a wooden spoon.  Add the remaining flour and mix until all the flour has been moistened. The dough will be fairly sticky.

Cover with a moist dish towel or greased plastic wrap and set in a warm place (I prefer my oven with the light on) to rise for 1 hour or until doubled.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or grease them very well.

Gently deflate the dough and remove from the bowl onto a lightly floured work area.  Divide into 4 equal sections.

Roll each section into a circle, about the size of a large dinner plate. Smear each circle of dough with softened butter - I used about 1 Tbsp. but you can use more if you want.

Using a bench scraper or a pizza cutter, divide the dough into 4 wedges.  Cut each wedge into 3 sections.

Roll up each section from the wide edge of the triangle.  Place fairly close together on the baking sheet with the tail of the triangle on tucked under the bottom. Place 24 rolls on each pan.

Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 15-20 minutes or until  golden brown.

Once removed from oven, run a stick of butter over the tops of the rolls for a delicious buttery glaze!

I am not capable of a low-carb diet.  
There, I said it.

I can avoid processed foods with no problem, but you'd better believe I am more than happy to make and bake from-scratch carbohydrate delights.  And I don't think they're the enemy.  I just think all things should be eaten in moderation.

These dinner rolls were so yummy, my family found it hard to eat them in moderation. I made them for Resurrection Sunday dinner, for which we had 5 adult family members joining us.  I only made a half batch (24) because I thought that would be plenty, with all the other food we were consuming.  Although we did have 3 left over, I think if I had made all 48 rolls, lots more would have been eaten.  And there were great disputes over who got to eat those 3 rolls the next day.

I enjoyed perusing Betcha Can't Eat Just One  as my assigned blog for the Secret Recipe Club this month.  Katie  has some incredible baked goods and seriously MAD cake decorating skills.  I was so tempted by her Neopolitan Whoopie Pies and  I am totally making these Peanut Butter Cups as soon as I can come up with an excuse for them.

But in the end, these dinner rolls made the cut for being my highlighted recipe from her blog.  I am so glad I made them!  I've been wanting to make my own crescent rolls for ages and for whatever reason, never got around to it.  The fact that these require no kneading and no electric mixer was a huge draw - I don't mind kneading or anything, but just that extra time and effort can be a deterrent in making my own bread sometimes.  I did cut down a little on the butter in the dough, and used half white whole wheat flour, although you can certainly use only all-purpose if you prefer.

The rolls are tender and just faintly sweet.  I'll try making them with honey also.....I love bread with honey.
They're a perfect accompaniment to just about any entree and I'm sure a basket of them would disappear in no time.

My kids are begging me to make these rolls again soon.....and I'm looking forward to it!

No-Knead Dinner Rolls
adapted slightly from Betcha Can't Eat Just One
Makes 48 rolls - can be easily cut in half for 24 rolls (still use 1 egg)

1-1/2 cups milk
5 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup sugar + 1 Tbsp.
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
1 egg
9-10 cups flour (I used half all-purpose, half white whole wheat)
1/4 - 1/2 cup butter (I went on the lighter side here, but I'm sure the whole amount would be delicious!)

Start by scalding the milk with 5 Tbsp. butter and 1/3 cup sugar. You can do this for 2 minutes in the microwave or use a pot on the stove.  Cut the butter into pieces for easier melting, but don't worry if it doesn't melt completely.

Stir 1-2 cups of flour into the hot milk mixture to cool it down a bit.  Once you know it's not really hot, stir in the egg and salt.  KEEP track of how much flour you're adding!!!

In a large bowl, combine the warm water with the yeast and remaining Tbsp. sugar.  Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and stir it all together with a wooden spoon.  Add the remaining flour and mix until all the flour has been moistened. The dough will be fairly sticky.

Cover with a moist dish towel or greased plastic wrap and set in a warm place (I prefer my oven with the light on) to rise for 1 hour or until doubled.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or grease them very well.

Gently deflate the dough and remove from the bowl onto a lightly floured work area.  Divide into 4 equal sections.

Roll each section into a circle, about the size of a large dinner plate. Smear each circle of dough with softened butter - I used about 1 Tbsp. but you can use more if you want.

Using a bench scraper or a pizza cutter, divide the dough into 4 wedges.  Cut each wedge into 3 sections.

Roll up each section from the wide edge of the triangle.  Place fairly close together on the baking sheet with the tail of the triangle on tucked under the bottom. Place 24 rolls on each pan.

Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 15-20 minutes or until  golden brown.

Once removed from oven, run a stick of butter over the tops of the rolls for a delicious buttery glaze!
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Maple-Peanut Breakfast Cookies

Happy day after Easter and April Fool's Day and Spring Break day {at least for me}, all in the same day everyone! Mark and I just got back from spending Easter weekend 'home' with our families. We had a very nice and relaxing weekend ... Mark got to spend time doing two of the things he loves best - working with our bees and working with his tractor. I got to do two of the things I love best - be Mark's assistant beekeeper and hang out cooking with my Mom. Good times.

And one of the kitchen treats I was spoiled with this weekend by my Mom were these scrumptious Maple-Peanut Breakfast Cookies. Cookies for breakfast?? ...

Continue Reading >>
Happy day after Easter and April Fool's Day and Spring Break day {at least for me}, all in the same day everyone! Mark and I just got back from spending Easter weekend 'home' with our families. We had a very nice and relaxing weekend ... Mark got to spend time doing two of the things he loves best - working with our bees and working with his tractor. I got to do two of the things I love best - be Mark's assistant beekeeper and hang out cooking with my Mom. Good times.

And one of the kitchen treats I was spoiled with this weekend by my Mom were these scrumptious Maple-Peanut Breakfast Cookies. Cookies for breakfast?? ...

Continue Reading >>
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Chocolate Chip Pull Apart Bread - SRC


This month I had the pleasure of being assigned to The Tasty Cheapskate for the Secret Recipe Club, where Jeanie highlights frugal recipes, eating well, and uses lots of butter.  I know we'd be great friends!
And she even has 4 kiddos, around the same age as mine.  She's got a great sense of humor and is very entertaining to read....and man, does she have some fantastic recipes.

I had such a hard time picking one to make for today.....with choices like Brownies with Browned Butter Frosting (I am SO making those....soon.), No-Rise Cinnamon Rolls with Blueberry Filling , Double Chocolate Breakfast Cookies (yes, yes, yes!) and Diana's Apple Cake of Awesomeness (which I actually made, and it was delicious!).

I ended up settling on this pull-apart bread - because I have been wanting to try different versions of  pull-apart bread for months and hadn't gotten around to it.

So it's basically a sweet and tender yeast dough, rolled flat and brushed with butter, coated with cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkled with chocolate chips. You cut it into strips, stack them on top of each other, cut the stack into sections, and stick them in a loaf pan.  Once it's baked, you slather it with a lovely cream cheese frosting and try to keep from eating the whole loaf before dinner.

I only have two things that I will change the next time I make this....

First, I'll add a little salt to the dough, maybe half a teaspoon.  I think all yeast doughs need a little bit of salt.  I'm changing the recipe to reflect that preference.

Second, I won't sprinkle the chocolate chips on until I'm stacking the strips of dough....because they all just kept falling off when I moved the strips.

Thanks, Jeanie, for such a scrumptious bread, and I love your blog and great collection of recipes!

Chocolate Chip Pull-Apart Bread (adapted slightly from The Tasty Cheapskate)

Bread:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. yeast
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
2-3/4 cups flour (plus a little more if necessary)
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
1/4 cup butter, softened or melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
2/3 cup chocolate chips, chopped

Frosting:
1/2 package cream cheese (4 oz), softened
2-1/2 T. butter, softened
1/2 T. sour cream (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 T. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

To make the dough, heat milk, butter, and water together in microwave or on the stove until the butter melts. Cool (if necessary) to about 110°.
Mix in sugar and yeast.  Add beaten eggs and vanilla and stir well.
Stir in 1 cup flour.  Then add the second cup.  Knead in an electric mixer with the dough hook or turn out to a floured surface and knead by hand.  Add additional flour as necessary to make a slightly firm dough.

Put in a greased bowl, cover with greased wax paper or a wet towel, and let it rise until doubled, about an hour.

Once it's risen, punch it down, then put on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about 12x20".
Spread softened or melted butter all over the dough.
Combine the sugars and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top.

Cut the dough into 6 even strips.  Sprinkle some chocolate chunks on the bottom strip, then top with another strip.  Sprinkle that strip with chocolate and top with another strip.  Continue until you have one nice stack.
Cut the stack into 6 equal chunks.
Place the chunks in a greased 8x5" bread pan with the cut sides up.
 Let rise for 20-40 minutes.  Place pan on a cookie sheet in case it overflows (mine did...maybe my pan was too small!) and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and no longer gooey.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Loosen the sides and turn it onto a plate (right side up) to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream.  Add vanilla.  Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.  Spread over bread while it's still warm.




This month I had the pleasure of being assigned to The Tasty Cheapskate for the Secret Recipe Club, where Jeanie highlights frugal recipes, eating well, and uses lots of butter.  I know we'd be great friends!
And she even has 4 kiddos, around the same age as mine.  She's got a great sense of humor and is very entertaining to read....and man, does she have some fantastic recipes.

I had such a hard time picking one to make for today.....with choices like Brownies with Browned Butter Frosting (I am SO making those....soon.), No-Rise Cinnamon Rolls with Blueberry Filling , Double Chocolate Breakfast Cookies (yes, yes, yes!) and Diana's Apple Cake of Awesomeness (which I actually made, and it was delicious!).

I ended up settling on this pull-apart bread - because I have been wanting to try different versions of  pull-apart bread for months and hadn't gotten around to it.

So it's basically a sweet and tender yeast dough, rolled flat and brushed with butter, coated with cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkled with chocolate chips. You cut it into strips, stack them on top of each other, cut the stack into sections, and stick them in a loaf pan.  Once it's baked, you slather it with a lovely cream cheese frosting and try to keep from eating the whole loaf before dinner.

I only have two things that I will change the next time I make this....

First, I'll add a little salt to the dough, maybe half a teaspoon.  I think all yeast doughs need a little bit of salt.  I'm changing the recipe to reflect that preference.

Second, I won't sprinkle the chocolate chips on until I'm stacking the strips of dough....because they all just kept falling off when I moved the strips.

Thanks, Jeanie, for such a scrumptious bread, and I love your blog and great collection of recipes!

Chocolate Chip Pull-Apart Bread (adapted slightly from The Tasty Cheapskate)

Bread:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. yeast
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
2-3/4 cups flour (plus a little more if necessary)
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
1/4 cup butter, softened or melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
2/3 cup chocolate chips, chopped

Frosting:
1/2 package cream cheese (4 oz), softened
2-1/2 T. butter, softened
1/2 T. sour cream (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 T. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

To make the dough, heat milk, butter, and water together in microwave or on the stove until the butter melts. Cool (if necessary) to about 110°.
Mix in sugar and yeast.  Add beaten eggs and vanilla and stir well.
Stir in 1 cup flour.  Then add the second cup.  Knead in an electric mixer with the dough hook or turn out to a floured surface and knead by hand.  Add additional flour as necessary to make a slightly firm dough.

Put in a greased bowl, cover with greased wax paper or a wet towel, and let it rise until doubled, about an hour.

Once it's risen, punch it down, then put on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about 12x20".
Spread softened or melted butter all over the dough.
Combine the sugars and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top.

Cut the dough into 6 even strips.  Sprinkle some chocolate chunks on the bottom strip, then top with another strip.  Sprinkle that strip with chocolate and top with another strip.  Continue until you have one nice stack.
Cut the stack into 6 equal chunks.
Place the chunks in a greased 8x5" bread pan with the cut sides up.
 Let rise for 20-40 minutes.  Place pan on a cookie sheet in case it overflows (mine did...maybe my pan was too small!) and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and no longer gooey.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Loosen the sides and turn it onto a plate (right side up) to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream.  Add vanilla.  Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.  Spread over bread while it's still warm.



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Mocha {or Just Coffee} Granola



Before we get into this yummy Mocha Granola, I'd like to put first things first and say ... happy new year, everybody! I hope that 2013 brings you a year full of health and happiness.

And now, can I just tell you how much of this granola I make every week? A triple batch. That's about 15 cups. 15 cups! That's a lot of granola. Why do I make so much, you ask? ...
Continue Reading >>


Before we get into this yummy Mocha Granola, I'd like to put first things first and say ... happy new year, everybody! I hope that 2013 brings you a year full of health and happiness.

And now, can I just tell you how much of this granola I make every week? A triple batch. That's about 15 cups. 15 cups! That's a lot of granola. Why do I make so much, you ask? ...
Continue Reading >>
reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Gingerbread Waffles


"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again, with candy canes and silver lanes a-glow."

Oh, yes! ... It's almost Christmas! My baking is done. The presents are all wrapped (finally!). My last-minute grocery purchases are complete. And now ... it's time to simply enjoy the fun and festivities with friends and family. And in our family, nothing says Christmas day like these Christmas morning Gingerbread Pancakes.

There is, however, a family debate about how to best enjoy them.

Continue Reading >>

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again, with candy canes and silver lanes a-glow."

Oh, yes! ... It's almost Christmas! My baking is done. The presents are all wrapped (finally!). My last-minute grocery purchases are complete. And now ... it's time to simply enjoy the fun and festivities with friends and family. And in our family, nothing says Christmas day like these Christmas morning Gingerbread Pancakes.

There is, however, a family debate about how to best enjoy them.

Continue Reading >>
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Blueberry Gingerbread Streusel Muffins



Mmmmmmmm ... gingerbread. It's one of my absolute favorite Christmas traditions. I make gingerbread cookies every year. And though we don't do it every year, our family has lots of fun with gingerbread houses, too.

So when I had the opportunity to participate in the 'Twist Up Tradition with Blueberries!' recipe challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, I knew exactly what tradition I wanted to 'twist up' ...

Continue Reading >>


Mmmmmmmm ... gingerbread. It's one of my absolute favorite Christmas traditions. I make gingerbread cookies every year. And though we don't do it every year, our family has lots of fun with gingerbread houses, too.

So when I had the opportunity to participate in the 'Twist Up Tradition with Blueberries!' recipe challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, I knew exactly what tradition I wanted to 'twist up' ...

Continue Reading >>
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Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing {& Thanksgiving Fun Facts from Mrs. Cubbison's}




It's beginning to look a lot like ... Thanksgiving! You thought it was going to say Christmas, didn't you?? Well, not quite yet. We've got this fabulous little holiday called Thanksgiving to get to first.

I looooovvvvvve me some Thanksgiving! Are you surprised?
Continue Reading >>



It's beginning to look a lot like ... Thanksgiving! You thought it was going to say Christmas, didn't you?? Well, not quite yet. We've got this fabulous little holiday called Thanksgiving to get to first.

I looooovvvvvve me some Thanksgiving! Are you surprised?
Continue Reading >>
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Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins ... 2 fall flavors are perfect together!


It has been an absolutely beautiful fall week in North Carolina! Well, I guess I shouldn't speak for the entire state ... it is a rather large state ... so, let me rephrase to ... it's been an absolutely beautiful fall week in my part of North Carolina! And the leaves have really starting coming down in our back yard the past two days. I swear, like overnight they all just fell. Yesterday, a back yard of bright green grass ... today, a blanket of orange-and-yellow-and-brown oak leaves. Fall has fallen!

Which has led me to baking with fall flavors. ...

Continue Reading >>

It has been an absolutely beautiful fall week in North Carolina! Well, I guess I shouldn't speak for the entire state ... it is a rather large state ... so, let me rephrase to ... it's been an absolutely beautiful fall week in my part of North Carolina! And the leaves have really starting coming down in our back yard the past two days. I swear, like overnight they all just fell. Yesterday, a back yard of bright green grass ... today, a blanket of orange-and-yellow-and-brown oak leaves. Fall has fallen!

Which has led me to baking with fall flavors. ...

Continue Reading >>
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Nutella Waffles {& two blog milestones!}




It's been a big couple of weeks here at The Kitchen is My Playground, with this little slice of blogland reaching two pretty cool milestones. At least I think they're pretty cool!

So what are these cool milestones, you ask? Well, please allow me to share ...
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It's been a big couple of weeks here at The Kitchen is My Playground, with this little slice of blogland reaching two pretty cool milestones. At least I think they're pretty cool!

So what are these cool milestones, you ask? Well, please allow me to share ...
Continue Reading >>
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Chai Granola



Would you like a cup of chai?  Not chai tea, though ... Chai granola!

We've been on quite a granola kick at our house lately.  (Cases in point ... Granola {Oven & Microwave Methods} and Honey-Vanilla Granola.)  Mark now eats a big bowl of my homemade granola every morning for breakfast, and another after dinner as his evening snack.  This means that making him a humongous batch every Sunday has become one of my newest hobbies.  Even with this extra large batch, he's usually out of granola by Friday!

He's got me developing new flavors, too.  Which is so much fun.  As you probably already know if you stop by The Kitchen is My Playground pretty often, I absolutely love to play around with new flavor combinations, tinkering with this and that in a recipe as I go.

Well, one of my new flavors ... and my totally-without-a-doubt-absolute-favorite so far ... is this Chai Granola.  I love, love, love me some chai.  And this creation does not disappoint.  The fabulous chai flavor combination of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom definitely comes through.  (You'll have to stay tuned for Mark's favorite ... I'll be posting that one soon.)

I tinkered with the spices in this recipe several times before I was satisfied.  I like my chai pretty strong ... so tinker to your liking if the spice amounts aren't quite right for you.  I also considered several kinds of dried fruit for this.  And what did I choose as the best option for my favorite chai granola, you ask?  Well ... dates!  Chopped dates are an amazing compliment to the chai flavors, really making for a rich and flavorful breakfast (or snack) treat.

So go on, sit down with a cup of chai ... granola.  It's mmmm, mmmm good.



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Chai Granola
Source:  A Tracey original
Ingredients
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/3 c. unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. canola oil (or coconut oil, or melted butter)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped dates


Directions
1.  In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ.  Stir in cinnamon, salt, cardamom, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper. 

2.  Place honey, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl; stir to combine. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; mix together until oats are evenly coated with the honey mixture.

3.   Spread granola mixture onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes.

4.  Remove from oven and stir in chopped dates. Let cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Enjoy!



This post is linked with Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Sunday Showcase hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light.


Would you like a cup of chai?  Not chai tea, though ... Chai granola!

We've been on quite a granola kick at our house lately.  (Cases in point ... Granola {Oven & Microwave Methods} and Honey-Vanilla Granola.)  Mark now eats a big bowl of my homemade granola every morning for breakfast, and another after dinner as his evening snack.  This means that making him a humongous batch every Sunday has become one of my newest hobbies.  Even with this extra large batch, he's usually out of granola by Friday!

He's got me developing new flavors, too.  Which is so much fun.  As you probably already know if you stop by The Kitchen is My Playground pretty often, I absolutely love to play around with new flavor combinations, tinkering with this and that in a recipe as I go.

Well, one of my new flavors ... and my totally-without-a-doubt-absolute-favorite so far ... is this Chai Granola.  I love, love, love me some chai.  And this creation does not disappoint.  The fabulous chai flavor combination of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom definitely comes through.  (You'll have to stay tuned for Mark's favorite ... I'll be posting that one soon.)

I tinkered with the spices in this recipe several times before I was satisfied.  I like my chai pretty strong ... so tinker to your liking if the spice amounts aren't quite right for you.  I also considered several kinds of dried fruit for this.  And what did I choose as the best option for my favorite chai granola, you ask?  Well ... dates!  Chopped dates are an amazing compliment to the chai flavors, really making for a rich and flavorful breakfast (or snack) treat.

So go on, sit down with a cup of chai ... granola.  It's mmmm, mmmm good.



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Chai Granola
Source:  A Tracey original
Ingredients
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/3 c. unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. canola oil (or coconut oil, or melted butter)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped dates


Directions
1.  In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ.  Stir in cinnamon, salt, cardamom, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper. 

2.  Place honey, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl; stir to combine. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; mix together until oats are evenly coated with the honey mixture.

3.   Spread granola mixture onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes.

4.  Remove from oven and stir in chopped dates. Let cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Enjoy!



This post is linked with Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Sunday Showcase hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light.
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Delicious Honey-Sweetened Cornbread


Mmmmmm ... cornbread.  Such a wonderfully comforting food.  Especially when served up with a hearty bowl of chili or deliciously tummy-warming bowl of soup.  But not all cornbreads are created equal.

Since moving south from Vermont, I've learned that Northern cornbread and Southern cornbread are distinctly different animals.  Northern-style cornbreads include some form of sweetener ... just a touch to lend a mild sweetness ... and tend to be moister than Southern cornbreads.  Southern-style cornbreads tend to be drier and crumbly, and decidedly do not include any form of a sweetener.

Which style one likes better, I think, depends on what one is used to.  I, for one, prefer the slight sweetness of Northern style cornbreads, with my all-time absolute favorite being this honey-sweetened cornbread from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen (which also happens to be one of my favorite cookbooks).  The honey in this version lends the perfect subtle sweetness, while the buttermilk creates a beautifully moist result.

Serve up a hunk my Vermont way - slathered with butter or topped with a hunk of Cabot, Vermont cheddar cheese -  and you've got yourself a little slice of cornbread heaven.  Or, go Southern like my North Carolina-native husband's family and eat it just plain alongside a big glass of milk.   Either way, it's delicious!



Delicious Honey-Sweetened Cornbread
Source: Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen
Ingredients
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. honey
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. melted butter

Directions
1.  Beat together egg, buttermilk, and honey.

2.  In a separate bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Combine buttermilk mixture, dry ingredients, and melted butter; mix well.

3.  Spread batter into a buttered 8-inch square baking pan.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!


This post is linked with Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Savvy HomeMade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Mingle Monday hosted by Add a Pinch, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, A Themed Baker's Sunday hosted by Cupcake Apothecary.

Mmmmmm ... cornbread.  Such a wonderfully comforting food.  Especially when served up with a hearty bowl of chili or deliciously tummy-warming bowl of soup.  But not all cornbreads are created equal.

Since moving south from Vermont, I've learned that Northern cornbread and Southern cornbread are distinctly different animals.  Northern-style cornbreads include some form of sweetener ... just a touch to lend a mild sweetness ... and tend to be moister than Southern cornbreads.  Southern-style cornbreads tend to be drier and crumbly, and decidedly do not include any form of a sweetener.

Which style one likes better, I think, depends on what one is used to.  I, for one, prefer the slight sweetness of Northern style cornbreads, with my all-time absolute favorite being this honey-sweetened cornbread from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen (which also happens to be one of my favorite cookbooks).  The honey in this version lends the perfect subtle sweetness, while the buttermilk creates a beautifully moist result.

Serve up a hunk my Vermont way - slathered with butter or topped with a hunk of Cabot, Vermont cheddar cheese -  and you've got yourself a little slice of cornbread heaven.  Or, go Southern like my North Carolina-native husband's family and eat it just plain alongside a big glass of milk.   Either way, it's delicious!



Delicious Honey-Sweetened Cornbread
Source: Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen
Ingredients
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. honey
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. melted butter

Directions
1.  Beat together egg, buttermilk, and honey.

2.  In a separate bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Combine buttermilk mixture, dry ingredients, and melted butter; mix well.

3.  Spread batter into a buttered 8-inch square baking pan.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!


This post is linked with Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Savvy HomeMade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Mingle Monday hosted by Add a Pinch, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, A Themed Baker's Sunday hosted by Cupcake Apothecary.
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Countdown to 2012: Best Bread Recipes of 2011

I love making bread - there's just something so comforting and welcoming about the smells of bread wafting through the house, and there's no denying the health benefits and superior taste of homemade breads.

Here are my favorites from the past year - at least of the ones I got posted!



Homemade Wheat Bread


Old Fashioned Corn Bread


Be sure to check out other favorites over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen!
I love making bread - there's just something so comforting and welcoming about the smells of bread wafting through the house, and there's no denying the health benefits and superior taste of homemade breads.

Here are my favorites from the past year - at least of the ones I got posted!



Homemade Wheat Bread


Old Fashioned Corn Bread


Be sure to check out other favorites over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen!
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English Muffin Bread


In the past few months, in a further attempt to decrease our breakfast cereal consumption, I started making English muffins once a week.  I would usually make them on Thursday nights to have for breakfast with scrambled eggs on Friday, with any leftovers making their way to our Sunday morning breakfast.  I tried numerous muffin recipes and finally decided this one was our favorite.  They really are great muffins. 
However.
I found that I had to bake the muffins in two batches on my griddle, which required a lot of attention with the flipping, testing, dropping more muffins, etc.  Not hard by any means, just time consuming.
Then I saw this recipe for English muffin bread.  I was intrigued!  Could we really have the flavor of English muffins in an easy to bake bread? 
Yes, we could.
Admittedly, the texture is a bit different than the muffins because of the shape and baking difference, but there are plenty of nooks and crannies to soak up the butter and jelly, the taste is great, and I love the fact that I can just spoon the dough into the bread pans and put them in the oven (after they rise), not worrying about standing over a griddle for 30 minutes. 
The other great thing about English muffin bread (as compared to regular bread) is that you do NOT knead it, you just stir it together until mixed, cover it and let it rise.  So fast and easy! 

It really is best toasted and is wonderful as a sandwich with eggs or spread with jam or just plain butter.
The family voted unanimously that they prefer it to store bought whole wheat bread as toast with breakfast.   

Recipe:  (From Mel's Kitchen Cafe)
Yield: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:
2-3/4 cups very warm water
1-1/2 Tablespoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
5-1/2-6 cups all-purpose flour (I use at least half white whole wheat)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl or bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix. Add half of the flour. Mix. Add remaining flour. Mix. The dough will be very, very sticky. Don’t be alarmed! Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled. Stir down the dough with a wooden spoon.
Grease two loaf pans (8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch) generously with cooking spray. Divide the dough between the loaf pans. I just spoon it in there. The dough should fill the pans about halfway. Cover the loaves with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the bread rise until doubled. It will look puffy and bubbly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes until lightly golden brown on top and baked through. Remove from the oven and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack. Butter the tops while still warm.

This bread can be frozen and/or it lasts, covered or bagged, at room temperature for several days

In the past few months, in a further attempt to decrease our breakfast cereal consumption, I started making English muffins once a week.  I would usually make them on Thursday nights to have for breakfast with scrambled eggs on Friday, with any leftovers making their way to our Sunday morning breakfast.  I tried numerous muffin recipes and finally decided this one was our favorite.  They really are great muffins. 
However.
I found that I had to bake the muffins in two batches on my griddle, which required a lot of attention with the flipping, testing, dropping more muffins, etc.  Not hard by any means, just time consuming.
Then I saw this recipe for English muffin bread.  I was intrigued!  Could we really have the flavor of English muffins in an easy to bake bread? 
Yes, we could.
Admittedly, the texture is a bit different than the muffins because of the shape and baking difference, but there are plenty of nooks and crannies to soak up the butter and jelly, the taste is great, and I love the fact that I can just spoon the dough into the bread pans and put them in the oven (after they rise), not worrying about standing over a griddle for 30 minutes. 
The other great thing about English muffin bread (as compared to regular bread) is that you do NOT knead it, you just stir it together until mixed, cover it and let it rise.  So fast and easy! 

It really is best toasted and is wonderful as a sandwich with eggs or spread with jam or just plain butter.
The family voted unanimously that they prefer it to store bought whole wheat bread as toast with breakfast.   

Recipe:  (From Mel's Kitchen Cafe)
Yield: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:
2-3/4 cups very warm water
1-1/2 Tablespoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
5-1/2-6 cups all-purpose flour (I use at least half white whole wheat)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl or bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix. Add half of the flour. Mix. Add remaining flour. Mix. The dough will be very, very sticky. Don’t be alarmed! Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled. Stir down the dough with a wooden spoon.
Grease two loaf pans (8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch) generously with cooking spray. Divide the dough between the loaf pans. I just spoon it in there. The dough should fill the pans about halfway. Cover the loaves with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the bread rise until doubled. It will look puffy and bubbly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes until lightly golden brown on top and baked through. Remove from the oven and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack. Butter the tops while still warm.

This bread can be frozen and/or it lasts, covered or bagged, at room temperature for several days
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Apple Currant Bread



Oh, fond memories of childhood.  That's what this fabulous fall bread brings back to me.  My Mom used to bake all the time when I was growing up. (Hmmmm ... were you wondering where I got it from??  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right?)  And this apple currant bread was one of my absolute favorites in her line-up.

Fresh apple.  Sweet currants.  Just a hint of cinnamon.  The crunch of chopped pecans.  Isn't that the perfect blend of fall flavors?  If it's not, well then it's pretty close! 

I hadn't had this bread in years.  And had truly forgotten how much I like it.  Then, while leafing through my family's cookbook, it struck me - "Hey!  I need to make apple currant bread!"  So I did. 

Bake yourself up a loaf of this beautiful bread, slice off a big hunk, and dig in.  You'll be glad you did.



Apple Currant Bread
Source:  My Mom
Ingredients
1/3 c. butter
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 T. milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. peeled shredded apple (about 2 medium or 1 very large apple)
1 c. dried currants
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans)


Directions
1.  Cream together butter, sugar, and cinnamon.  Beat in eggs until light and fluffy.  Beat in milk and lemon juice.

2.  Stir together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture, stirring just until moistened.  Fold in shredded apple, currants, and nuts.

3.  Spoon into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  (I let mine go for the full hour and I think I slightly over-cooked it.  I suggest starting to check a bit before an hour is up.)

Enjoy!



This post is linked with Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Blessed With Grace, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum,  Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Tasty Tuesday hosted by Naptime Creations, 12 Days of Christmas Goodies hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Countdown to 2012 - Best Breads hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, A Themed Baker's Sunday hosted by Cupcake Apothecary.


Oh, fond memories of childhood.  That's what this fabulous fall bread brings back to me.  My Mom used to bake all the time when I was growing up. (Hmmmm ... were you wondering where I got it from??  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right?)  And this apple currant bread was one of my absolute favorites in her line-up.

Fresh apple.  Sweet currants.  Just a hint of cinnamon.  The crunch of chopped pecans.  Isn't that the perfect blend of fall flavors?  If it's not, well then it's pretty close! 

I hadn't had this bread in years.  And had truly forgotten how much I like it.  Then, while leafing through my family's cookbook, it struck me - "Hey!  I need to make apple currant bread!"  So I did. 

Bake yourself up a loaf of this beautiful bread, slice off a big hunk, and dig in.  You'll be glad you did.



Apple Currant Bread
Source:  My Mom
Ingredients
1/3 c. butter
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 T. milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. peeled shredded apple (about 2 medium or 1 very large apple)
1 c. dried currants
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans)


Directions
1.  Cream together butter, sugar, and cinnamon.  Beat in eggs until light and fluffy.  Beat in milk and lemon juice.

2.  Stir together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture, stirring just until moistened.  Fold in shredded apple, currants, and nuts.

3.  Spoon into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  (I let mine go for the full hour and I think I slightly over-cooked it.  I suggest starting to check a bit before an hour is up.)

Enjoy!



This post is linked with Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Blessed With Grace, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum,  Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Tasty Tuesday hosted by Naptime Creations, 12 Days of Christmas Goodies hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Countdown to 2012 - Best Breads hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, A Themed Baker's Sunday hosted by Cupcake Apothecary.
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Nutella French Toast with Maple Syrup, Bananas & Strawberries



This creation was a total one-day-I-got-a-wild-hair experiment that sooooo worked!!  I had seen some postings out in blogland about peanut butter and jelly french toast and about chocolate french toast.  As usually happens with me, I started to wonder ... I'm always wondering ...

My wonder was (which you've probably already guessed), if you can make french toast with things like chocolate or peanut butter and jelly, I wondered if it would work with Nutella?  Well, it did!  Oh, it more than worked - it's delicious.

I love "wonderings."  In my 1st grade classroom I call them "I wonders."  I love to hear my little 1st graders wonder.  When we do our first science experiment of the year, I just start wondering aloud about things we could test and try.  They quickly catch on, start wondering themselves, and I start testing out their "I wonders."  It's so fun. 

Our first science experiment of the year is always dealing with force - the students are learning about pushing and pulling as the two types of force.  We take various objects and see if the force from a common, personal fan is strong enough to push them.  Who would think such a simple activity would be so much fun for the students?  But they love it!  One of the objects I always use is a balloon.  I take it straight out of the package, deflated, and see if the fan can move it.  No deal.  It never takes long for one of the students to say, "I wonder what would happen if you blew up the balloon?"  Ahhh, music to my teacher ears.  They're thinking.  They're wondering.  I love it.

And so it went with this Nutella French Toast.

I started out dipping some French bread slices in an egg-and-milk mixture, just like you would for traditional French toast.  Then on to testing out my first "I wonder" ... I slathered Nutella on each piece and stuck the pieces together in a stack ... tasted it ... and it was fabulous!

"I wonder" #1 - French Toast slathered with Nutella


Then the experiment continued with another "I wonder" --- I wondered if Nutella and maple syrup are good together?  I'm a Vermont girl, so French Toast without maple syrup just seems wrong.  I had to give it a go.  So, on went the maple syrup ...

"I wonder" #2 - Nutella French Toast with maple syrup

... and Oh.  My.  Word.  Nutella and maple syrup are indeed very good together.  Like truly indescribably good. 

And then the experiment continued with another "I wonder" --- I wondered how it would be with banana and strawberry slices?  On went some bananas and strawberries ...

"I wonder" #3 - adding sliced bananas and strawberries

... and it's even better!!  Of course, when I ate it, my plate was certainly not as neat looking as the plate in this picture.  I cut up the French Toast, bananas, and strawberries and made sure everything was all swirled in with the maple syrup.  Yum.

And that's how this treat came to be.  A Nutella-y, maple syrup-y, banana, and strawberry swirled-up concoction that is oh-so-yummy for my tummy!  This will become a staple in my breakfast-for-dinner line-up.  I foresee frequent appearances.  Very frequent appearances.

Ooey-gooey Nutella



Nutella French Toast with Maple Syrup, Bananas, & Strawberries
Source:  Tracey original (I'm sure someone out there has already come up with this!  But I didn't refer to any recipes when I tried this out.)
Note:  Recipe yields 4 slices (2 servings).  Adjust quantities as desired.

Ingredients
4 (1/2"-thick) slices French bread
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. milk
1 T. butter, to coat pan
Nutella (about 1/4 c.)
Maple syrup (preferably pure Vermont maple syrup!)
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced


Directions
1.  Combine beaten eggs and milk in a wide shallow dish.  Dip a bread slice in the egg mixture; turn and dip the other side, coating well.  Repeat with remaining bread slices.

2.  Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add butter to the pan, and coat the skillet surface with the melted butter.  Place coated bread slices in the pan and cook each side until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side.

3.  Remove bread slices from the pan and place on a plate.  Spread two of the slices generously with Nutella; place the remaining two slices on top to form sandwiches.  Top with maple syrup, sliced bananas, and sliced strawberries.

Enjoy!

(NOTE:  I have also made this with regular sliced bread.  It's good that way, too.)


This post is linked with Recipe Sharing Monday hosted by Jam Hands, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Savvy Homemade A to Z, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies,  Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Must Try Monday hosted by My Favorite Finds, Sweets This Week hosted by Sugar Bananas!, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Countdown to 2012 - Best Breakfast Recipes hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.


This creation was a total one-day-I-got-a-wild-hair experiment that sooooo worked!!  I had seen some postings out in blogland about peanut butter and jelly french toast and about chocolate french toast.  As usually happens with me, I started to wonder ... I'm always wondering ...

My wonder was (which you've probably already guessed), if you can make french toast with things like chocolate or peanut butter and jelly, I wondered if it would work with Nutella?  Well, it did!  Oh, it more than worked - it's delicious.

I love "wonderings."  In my 1st grade classroom I call them "I wonders."  I love to hear my little 1st graders wonder.  When we do our first science experiment of the year, I just start wondering aloud about things we could test and try.  They quickly catch on, start wondering themselves, and I start testing out their "I wonders."  It's so fun. 

Our first science experiment of the year is always dealing with force - the students are learning about pushing and pulling as the two types of force.  We take various objects and see if the force from a common, personal fan is strong enough to push them.  Who would think such a simple activity would be so much fun for the students?  But they love it!  One of the objects I always use is a balloon.  I take it straight out of the package, deflated, and see if the fan can move it.  No deal.  It never takes long for one of the students to say, "I wonder what would happen if you blew up the balloon?"  Ahhh, music to my teacher ears.  They're thinking.  They're wondering.  I love it.

And so it went with this Nutella French Toast.

I started out dipping some French bread slices in an egg-and-milk mixture, just like you would for traditional French toast.  Then on to testing out my first "I wonder" ... I slathered Nutella on each piece and stuck the pieces together in a stack ... tasted it ... and it was fabulous!

"I wonder" #1 - French Toast slathered with Nutella


Then the experiment continued with another "I wonder" --- I wondered if Nutella and maple syrup are good together?  I'm a Vermont girl, so French Toast without maple syrup just seems wrong.  I had to give it a go.  So, on went the maple syrup ...

"I wonder" #2 - Nutella French Toast with maple syrup

... and Oh.  My.  Word.  Nutella and maple syrup are indeed very good together.  Like truly indescribably good. 

And then the experiment continued with another "I wonder" --- I wondered how it would be with banana and strawberry slices?  On went some bananas and strawberries ...

"I wonder" #3 - adding sliced bananas and strawberries

... and it's even better!!  Of course, when I ate it, my plate was certainly not as neat looking as the plate in this picture.  I cut up the French Toast, bananas, and strawberries and made sure everything was all swirled in with the maple syrup.  Yum.

And that's how this treat came to be.  A Nutella-y, maple syrup-y, banana, and strawberry swirled-up concoction that is oh-so-yummy for my tummy!  This will become a staple in my breakfast-for-dinner line-up.  I foresee frequent appearances.  Very frequent appearances.

Ooey-gooey Nutella



Nutella French Toast with Maple Syrup, Bananas, & Strawberries
Source:  Tracey original (I'm sure someone out there has already come up with this!  But I didn't refer to any recipes when I tried this out.)
Note:  Recipe yields 4 slices (2 servings).  Adjust quantities as desired.

Ingredients
4 (1/2"-thick) slices French bread
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. milk
1 T. butter, to coat pan
Nutella (about 1/4 c.)
Maple syrup (preferably pure Vermont maple syrup!)
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced


Directions
1.  Combine beaten eggs and milk in a wide shallow dish.  Dip a bread slice in the egg mixture; turn and dip the other side, coating well.  Repeat with remaining bread slices.

2.  Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add butter to the pan, and coat the skillet surface with the melted butter.  Place coated bread slices in the pan and cook each side until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side.

3.  Remove bread slices from the pan and place on a plate.  Spread two of the slices generously with Nutella; place the remaining two slices on top to form sandwiches.  Top with maple syrup, sliced bananas, and sliced strawberries.

Enjoy!

(NOTE:  I have also made this with regular sliced bread.  It's good that way, too.)


This post is linked with Recipe Sharing Monday hosted by Jam Hands, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Savvy Homemade A to Z, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies,  Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Must Try Monday hosted by My Favorite Finds, Sweets This Week hosted by Sugar Bananas!, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Countdown to 2012 - Best Breakfast Recipes hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.
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Old Fashioned Cornbread - Seriously Good Stuff


This is definitely the best cornbread I've ever made, hands down.  I love the texture, the flavor, everything about it.  It's delicious as leftovers, it doesn't dry out and get super crumbly like most cornbreads I've made.  It was wonderful served with bean soup, a perfect accompaniment to brown beans, and just amazing on its own, either with a little butter or with some honey or molasses drizzled on top for a sweet ending to our dinner.

I had honestly never known that you could grind up popcorn to make corn bread - did you know that?
I also never knew or considered how important it is to have organic popcorn.  Apparently popcorn is one of the most heavily sprayed-with-pesticides crops there is,  and obviously we don't wash it before we pop it.  Not to mention that regular popcorn is a GMO (genetically modified organism), which carries its own set of risks.
You can probably find organic popcorn at health food stores, or order from Amazon.  I got the 5 lb bag of Great Northern Organic Yellow Gourmet Popcorn for less than $8, which I thought was a pretty good deal.

Recipe: (adapted from the Nutrimill owner's manual)

2 cups cornmeal (I grind mine from organic popcorn)
2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all purpose)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (or canola oil)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. coconut oil or bacon grease (butter can be used)

Preheat oven to 400°.  While oven is preheating, put a large (12") cast iron skillet in the oven with the 2 T. oil or bacon grease.
Mix all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl for two minutes.
Remove the very hot skillet from the oven and pour in batter.  Place back in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

This is definitely the best cornbread I've ever made, hands down.  I love the texture, the flavor, everything about it.  It's delicious as leftovers, it doesn't dry out and get super crumbly like most cornbreads I've made.  It was wonderful served with bean soup, a perfect accompaniment to brown beans, and just amazing on its own, either with a little butter or with some honey or molasses drizzled on top for a sweet ending to our dinner.

I had honestly never known that you could grind up popcorn to make corn bread - did you know that?
I also never knew or considered how important it is to have organic popcorn.  Apparently popcorn is one of the most heavily sprayed-with-pesticides crops there is,  and obviously we don't wash it before we pop it.  Not to mention that regular popcorn is a GMO (genetically modified organism), which carries its own set of risks.
You can probably find organic popcorn at health food stores, or order from Amazon.  I got the 5 lb bag of Great Northern Organic Yellow Gourmet Popcorn for less than $8, which I thought was a pretty good deal.

Recipe: (adapted from the Nutrimill owner's manual)

2 cups cornmeal (I grind mine from organic popcorn)
2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all purpose)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (or canola oil)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. coconut oil or bacon grease (butter can be used)

Preheat oven to 400°.  While oven is preheating, put a large (12") cast iron skillet in the oven with the 2 T. oil or bacon grease.
Mix all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl for two minutes.
Remove the very hot skillet from the oven and pour in batter.  Place back in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
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