Monkey Bread

E's mom, Elaine, wrote out by hand an entire recipe box full of food her boys loved growing up. Audrey loves Monkey Bread, so below is based on Elaine's recipe with a modern day tweak (biscuits instead of frozen bread).

3 (16.3-ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Separate the biscuit dough rounds, cut each biscuit into quarters, and place the pieces in a large zip-top bag. Add the sugar and cinnamon, seal, and shake until the biscuit pieces are evenly coated (you can do this in batches if needed).
• Lightly grease a 10-inch bundt pan and place the coated biscuit pieces in the pan.
• In a small saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to boil and the butter is completely melted. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the biscuit pieces in the pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. After cooling, place a large serving plate on top of the pan and carefully flip the pan over to invert the bread onto the plate. Remove the pan and let the bread cool for a few more minutes before serving warm.

French Toast Casserole

 I made this for Easter Brunch with the kids and they loved it. It is a lot of bread, however!

1 loaf of sourdough (or French/Italian)

8 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 T vanilla

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into pieces

1. Cut loaf into cubes and place in a greased 9x13 pan.

2. In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread.

3. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight. 

4. Mix together topping mixture then cut in butter with the topping mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle over bread once removed from refrigerator the next morning.

5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.

Cinnamon Rolls

 Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

1/3 cup warm water (100 degrees)

1 T (1 packet) rapid-rise yeast

1 T sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup warm milk

1/2 t  salt

1 egg, beaten

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t almond extract

2 1/2 T cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water with yeast and 1 T sugar. Stir and cover with a paper towel. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. Yeast will become bubbly.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together butter, sugar, milk and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Mix in egg. Add 1 cup of flour, stir well, then add second cup of flour. Mix well then add remaining 1/4 cup flour. Knead dough either with hands or a dough hook of stand mixer for 1-2 minutes or until dough pulls away from sides of bowl to form a soft ball. Add additional flour if dough is too sticky. Cover dough with a damp towel and set in a warm spot. If you don't have a warm spot, heat oven to 200 degrees and place bowl inside oven with door ajar. Allow dough to rise for 20-25 minutes.

3. While dough is rising, mix together brown sugar, butter, extracts, and cinnamon in a small bowl to make a thick filling.

4. Uncover dough and punch down. Place the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 12x16 inch rectangle.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough. You may need to use the back of a wooden spoon to press it down evenly. Starting on the long side, gently roll the dough into a log shape and slice dough gently into 1 1/2 inch cinnamon roles.  Prepare dish or baking sheet by buttering or spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rolls into dish or space them evenly on baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow rolls to rise again for 15 minutes. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly golden.

Vanilla Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/4 t almond extract

1/4 cup butter

2 T milk

Whisk together powdered sugar, extracts, butter and milk until smooth. For a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner glaze, add more milk. Spread frosting on top of warm cinnamon rolls. 

Classic Southern Biscuits

 Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 T sugar

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup whole milk

Melted butter to brush the tops of biscuits

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until blended. Add the butter and shortening. Using a fork, work the butter and shortening into the flour mixture. Pour in milk and knead biscuits 4-5 times.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a 1-inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter. Press the cutter into the dough and pull straight up. Do not twist the cutter.

4. Place biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.

Sweet Potato Waffles

 Jill, my friend who was recently diagnosed with cancer, is gluten free. In addition to the Burrito Bowls for the Meal Train, I made these for them to have for breakfast. Serve with real maple syrup. A blueberry sauce would be nice as well.

1 T flax meal plus 2.5 T water

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cup sweet potato, mashed (about 1 sweet potato)

1/2 cup almond milk

2 T tapioca starch/flour, divided

2 T agave nectar or real maple syrup

1 T baking powder

2 t vanilla extract, divided

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1. In a small bowl, add flax meal and water. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. Preheat waffle iron; lightly grease with non-stick spray.

3. In a blender or food processor, add flax mixture, oats, sweet potato, almond milk, 2 T tapioca starch, agave, baking powder, 2 t vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Blend until smooth.

4. Pour batter into the waffle iron. Cook each waffle for 8-10 minutes, until it is your desired crispiness. 

5. Serve waffles warm.

Blueberry Muffins

Marsha loves these! She says they are like candy. Audrey and I made these one day after we picked blueberries at The Ivy Place and had over two pounds of fresh glorious blueberries. So yummy!

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/2 cup milk

2 cups blueberries

Streusel topping (do not double! this makes a lot and I made that mistake once)

3 T white sugar

3 T brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

5 T melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin tin with fun liners.

2. Add butter and sugar in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. One at a time, add an egg, blending in between. Mix in vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder. Add to sugar mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating with the 1/2 cup milk. Do not over blend!

4. Add blueberries to batter and fold in.

5. Divide batter among 12 cup muffin tin (or make 24 smaller muffins between two muffin tins).

6. Mix streusel topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of muffins.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before eating.

Breakfast Enchiladas

I made this for Michelle and Jason's going away brunch at Lisa and Bob's. It was a hit and the first to go!

1 lb. spicy sausage or chorizo
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 sweet onion, diced
Taco seasoning
12 large eggs
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Shredded cheese (pepper jack or monterey jack or mixed mexican)
8-inch flour tortillas
1 cup prepared roasted salsa verde
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t oregano
Green onions, sliced
Cherry Tomatoes, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, cook the sausage until cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon reserving drippings.

3. Add onions, peppers, seasonings and cook until softened. Remove from heat and add cooked sausage. Mix well.

4. Whisk eggs with milk and garlic powder/S&P. Cook over medium in skillet until soft scrambled. Remove from heat.

5. To assemble: Sprinkle each tortilla with cheese, sausage mixture, eggs, and more cheese. Roll placing seam side down into prepared dish. Repeat placing side by side in baking dish.

6. Whisk together the salsa verde, half & half, cumin and oregano. Pour evenly over the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese.

7. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with green onions and tomatoes.

Serve with salsa, sour cream and whatever else you want.

Candied Bourbon Bacon

Delicious and easy and very messy to make. But worth it.

3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup bourbon/whisky (I used Jack Daniels the first time I made it)
2 lbs. thick cut pepper bacon

1. Heat over to 375 degrees.

2. Whisk together sugar, syrup and bourbon.

3. Cut the bacon strip in half. Add the bacon to the bourbon mixture and toss until coated.

4. Place bacon on wire rack placed on top cookie sheet and cook for 18 minutes. Flip and brush with remaining maple bourbon glaze. Cook for additional 18 minutes.

Note: Bacon will harden as it comes to room temperature.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
Zest from a large lemon
1 cup sugar, plus some for sprinkling
1 egg, room temp
1 t vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour, plus 1/4 cup separated
2 t baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cream butter, lemon zest and sugar with mixer until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

3. In separate bowl, toss blueberries with 1/4 cup flour.

4. In yet another bow, whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of flower mixture to batter and stir until combined. Add all the buttermilk and stir. Add remaining flour and stir until absorbed. Fold in the blueberries, discarding remaining flour.

5. Grease 8-in square baking pan and spread batter into the pan. Sprinkle batter with 1T sugar.

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Veggie Crustless Quiche

I am on a zucchini kick...

Olive oil

1 small yellow squash, sliced

1 large zucchini, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 t dried thyme

1 t dries oregano

Salt and pepper to taste 

3 eggs

3 egg whites

3/4 cup milk

Cheese - whatever you have around, cheddar, feta, goat cheese

Grated Parmesan

Spray a casserole dish with non stick spray and set to the side. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Season zucchini and squash with thyme and oregano, salt and pepper and add to skillet. Stir frequently for five minutes. Add minced garlic and continue stirring for another minute or two. Layer in casserole dish to cool.

In large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper together. 

Place sliced tomatoes on top of zucchini and squash in the casserole dish. Layer your choice of cheeses (I used feta and goat cheese because that is what was in my fridge) on top of veggies. Pour egg mixture over everything. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and eating. 

Crispy Pancakes

I like homemade pancakes on Sunday mornings.

1 1/2 cups self rising flour (preferably cake flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking pouder
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

1. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

2. In seperate bowl, mix evaporated milk, egg, vailla, and melted butter.

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry. Stir gently to combine. Splash in more milk if mixture is overly thick.

4. Melt butter in heated pan. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures.

Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

I made this for breakfast today... oh so filling... oh so fattening... but oh so yummy. A Christmas Day treat...

Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

Three links of Andouille Sausage
1/2 of a Sweet Onion
2 Cups of 1% milk
12 eggs
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 thick slices of fresh Italian bread
1 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1. While whole, grill in a grill pan the Andouille sausage. Once cooked, chop into small pieces.

2. In 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, soften the chopped onion. Throw that into a bowl with the cooked sausage.

3. Mix milk through red pepper flakes in a large bowl stirring with a whisk.

4. Trim crusts from bread and cut into pieces. Add bread cubes, sausage, onion, and cheeses to egg mixture. Pour into a 13-9 inch baking casserol dish coated with cooking spray. Let sit for at last 30 minutes, but up to 8 hours.

5. If letting sit in refrigerator, remove and bring to room temperature. Otherwise, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.