Yummy Granola

I got this recipe from a friend a couple years ago and I have made some changes to it. Anyone who tried this granola loves it!

5 c. oatmeal

1/2 c. wheat germ

1/2 lb. coconut

1 c. raw sunflower seeds

1/3 c. flax seeds or sesame seeds

1/2 c. almonds (sliced)

1/2 c. pecan pieces

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. honey

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix in a large bowl. Spread out on a large cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes stir and cook 10 more minutes. 

If you prefer your granola to be crunchier, use two cookie sheets. 

Also, I have made this without the wheat germ. I have also substituted red wheat flour that I personally ground for the wheat germ. Both times it turned out. 

Note: The great thing about the recipe is that you can switch this up. If you prefer pumpkin seeds, you can add those or use them instead of sunflower seeds. The only thing you need to be careful about is making sure you have enough of the liquids if you add dry ingredients rather than substituting. If you want your granola to be chunky, add more honey. Enjoy!

Breakfast Croissants

One tradition that Nick brought with him from his family to our family is making and eating egg and bacon croissants for breakfast the morning of General Conference.  I had actually never had a croissant sandwich before I met Nick but they are super good!  Scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon on a light flaky bun... who wouldn't love it?!?!  What makes it super good is the really thick bacon and cooking the eggs in some of the bacon grease.

INGREDIENTS

4 croissant rolls, sliced in half

4 oz pepper jack cheese, sliced

8 slices of bacon

10 eggs

4 Tbsp milk

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place bacon slices in a pan and cook over medium-high heat on both sides until browned and done.  Remove from pan onto a paper towel lined plate.  Drain off most of the grease leaving just enough so the pan is coated.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture into pan and scramble over medium-high heat until done.

Assemble the sandwiches by layering with cheese, bacon, and eggs.  Serve and enjoy!

–Melanie

Lemon Blueberry Scones

Nick and I wanted some dessert the other night but didn't want to run to the store.  Some how we thought to make blueberry scones with the frozen blueberries we get from Costco (I highly recommend them!  We eat them just plain for a healthy snack, in smoothies, oatmeal, cereal, these scones...).  I tried to find a recipe on Pinterest but all the pictures made the scones look really dry so I just used the recipe I did for my Raspberry White Chocolate Scones since I knew it made a light and flaky pastry.  Nick really enjoyed these!  In his words, "These are so freakin good!"  I love that Nick appreciates my cooking!

I am not big on pastries with lemon which is why there is not too much lemon in my glaze.  I thought it had the perfect amount but you can always add more lemon juice and lemon zest if you're a lemon lover.

INGREDIENTS
Scones:
1/2 c milk
1/2 c sour cream
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter
1 1/2 c frozen or fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp melted butter
2 tsp sugar (to sprinkle on top)

Lemon Glaze:
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/4 powdered sugar
3 Tbsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375.

Mix milk and sour cream in a small bowl and refrigerate.  In a medium bowl mix flours, 1/2 c sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Dice butter and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until it is the size of small peas.  Remove milk mixture from fridge and add to flour mixture by folding in with a spatula until just combined.

Flour counter and empty dough out.  Sprinkle dough and hands with flour and knead 6-8 times adding flour as needed.  Roll dough into a 12x12 inch square.  Fold dough into thirds like a letter and then roll into a 12x12 square again (flour surface as needed).  Sprinkle dough with blueberries.  Roll dough into a tight log.  Lay seam-side down and press into a 12x4 inch rectangle.  With a sharp floured knife, cut log into four equal squares and then cut each square diagonally to make 2 triangles.  Transfer to a baking sheet and brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 18-22 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

While scones are cooking make the glaze by combining butter, powdered sugar, and lemon juice with an electric mixer until smooth.  Place glaze in a plastic bag.

When the scones come out of the oven transfer to a wire rack.  Cut off the corner tip of the bag with glaze and then drizzle on the tops of the scones.
–Melanie

Raspberry Coffee Cake

This recipe is from a neighbor back in St. Louis.  When I made it I replaced half of the flour with whole wheat flour.  I have this memory from more than 10 years ago of my sister Rebecca and I eating this straight from the pan in the kitchen. It's that good... and even better if you use raspberry peach jam!  I am sure it would taste good with strawberry jam too!  So moist and perfectly sweet!

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

½ c. butter softened

1 c. sugar

2 large eggs

¼ c. milk

½ tsp. vanilla

1 ¾ c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ c. raspberry jam

3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Add sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then add to cream cheese mixture.  Beat on low until blended.

Grease and flour a 13"x9" inch pan.  Spread batter into pan.  Dollop preserves on top, then swirl through batter with a knife.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar.  Cut into squares.  Makes 12-15 servings.

–Melanie

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

Sunday mornings Nick and I try to make something delicious for breakfast since we don't have church until 1.  This Sunday we enjoyed whole wheat triple berry pancakes topped with homemade butter milk syrup. SO GOOD! 

Buttermilk Syrup

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c white sugar
3/4 c buttermilk
1/2 c butter
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extra

DIRECTIONS
In a medium pot combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, and corn syrup and bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in baking soda and vanilla.  Syrup will thicken as it cools.  Serve over pancakes, waffles, or French toast.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 c buttermilk
1 c berries (fresh or frozen)

DIRECTIONS
Heat griddle or pan over medium/high heat. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add egg and buttermilk and mix until all dry ingredients are wet. Add desired amount of berries to batter and fold in.  Spoon onto greased griddle into 4 inch circles. Flip when bubbles start to form in the center of the pancake.  Cook another 1-2 minutes and then serve.

–Melanie

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

I have been bitten by the pumpkin/fall bug.  I love fall food and pumpkin is delicious!  I found this pumpkin pancake recipe on Pinterest and just had to make it for one of our big Sunday breakfasts!  The original recipe had espresso powder and coffee but I don't drink coffee so I left that out. We had our friends over to enjoy these with us and they brought delicious homemade buttermilk syrup which made the pancakes even better!

INGREDIENTS

1 c whole wheat flour

1 c white all-purpose flour

4 tsp brown sugar

4 tsp white cane sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c buttermilk

1 c pumpkin puree

DIRECTIONS

Whisk flours, sugars, powder, soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, whisk egg whites, vanilla, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree.  Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until moistened and set aside.  Heat skillet or griddle to medium heat, grease with cooking spray, and pour batter on using a 1/4 c measuring cup. Flip pancakes when bubbles appear on the surface of batter and let them cook for another minute or two until golden brown.  Serve with powdered sugar and syrup.

Yield: 16 4-inch pancakes

–Melanie

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

I like to look at cooking blogs and found this gem on thesisterscafe.com.  A few years ago my sister Meri found a place called The Raspberry Patch in Payson where you can go and pick raspberries and then pay only $2.50/pound!  So basically when I saw this recipe I vowed to go picking this summer and make it.  My friend Aura Maria and I went picking and I got about a pound.  I think we went a little too early in the season, but they were still delicious, just a little harder to find in the bushes.  I had forgotten that although the raspberries are cheep, it takes work to pick them.  You have to push the bushes around, bend over, and reach deep in the bush catching scratches on your hands and arms.  Anyway, enough about the picking, these scones are the best I've had.  Most baked scones are pretty dry but these are quite moist.  This was my first time making scones and my only complaint is that they didn't brown on the tops.  Next time I might but an egg wash on top to brown them without over cooking them.

INGREDIENTS
1 stick cold butter
1 1/2 c fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 c milk
1/2 c sour cream
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c white chocolate chips
1 Tbsp butter, melted
sugar to sprinkle on top

DIRECTIONS
Mix milk and sour cream in a medium bowl and refrigerate.  In another medium bowl mix flour, 1/2 c sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Dice butter and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until it is the size of small peas.  Remove milk mixture from fridge and add to flour mixture folding with a spatula until just combined.

Flour counter and empty dough out.  Sprinkle dough and hands with flour and knead 6-8 times adding flour as needed.  Roll dough into a 12x12 inch square.  Fold dough into thirds like a letter and then roll into a 12x12 square again (flour surface as needed).  Sprinkle dough with raspberries and white chocolate.  Roll dough into a tight log.  Lay seam-side down and press into a 12x4 inch rectangle.  With a sharp floured knife, cut log into four equal squares and then cut each square diagonally to make 2 triangles.  Transfer to a baking sheet and brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 18-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Transfer to a rack to let cool.

(prebaked)

–Melanie

Glazed Poppy Seed Bread

I do NOT like lemon desserts or pastries and unfortunately many bakeries ruin poppy seed for me by making it lemon poppy seed.  Eww!  This poppy seed bread has a glaze, is super moist, and contains no lemon making it AMAZING.  I don't know if it should really be called 'bread' with all the sugar though.  The original recipe has more oil and white flour but this time I replaced half the oil with reduced fat sour cream and used whole wheat for 1/3 of the flour.  I took this to a BBQ and no one thought for a second that it was "healthified".  I might try substituting more sour cream and whole wheat flour next time.

INGREDIENTS
Bread:
3 eggs
2 1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c oil
1/2 c reduced fat sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp butter flavoring
1 1/2 tsp almond flavoring
2 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seed

Glaze:
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp butter flavoring
1/2 tsp almond flavoring
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c orange juice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 2 loaf pans or one bundt pan with shortening and then coat with flour.  In a large bowl mix eggs, sugar, milk, sour cream, and oil.  Add vanilla, butter, and almond flavorings.  Add flour, salt, and baking powder and mix.  Finally, mix in poppy seeds and then pour into pan(s).  Bake for about 1 hour and let stand 3 minutes before removing from pans.  While bread is baking make glaze by mixing together all glaze ingredients.  Pour glaze over warm bread after removing from pan(s).  Let it cool completely before slicing.  Enjoy!

–Melanie

French Breakfast Puffs

When Brett and I were dating, he loved impressing me with how well he cooked. One morning on my day off, I went to his house and we made these delicious French Breakfast Puffs for breakfast! RaeJean used to make these for the kids when they were younger.  I was sold....on Brett and the food :) We don't make them too often because they aren't the most healthy of breakfast treats but they are so delicious and fluffy and they're simple to make!

Mix:
1/3 cup softened margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

In a separate bowl, mix:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg


Add the dry ingredients to the egg, sugar, margarine mixture alternately with 1/2 cup milk.

Place in well greased muffin tin and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. You can make a dozen, but we like them a little bigger, so this usually gives us 9.

Dip the baked muffins in
4 Tbsp melted butter

Then roll in the following mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Heather

Whole Wheat Bread

I have been attempting to make wheat bread for the past couple months. I absolutely love Great Harvest's Honey Whole Wheat Bread. Unfortunately, there is no Great Harvest where I live. I grind my own red wheat flour. I think the bread rises better with fresh ground wheat because the wheat is warm from the grinder. (If you grind your own wheat you should store wheat flour in the freezer to prevent it from going rancid). I use some white flour because when I have used all wheat, the bread has been too dense. Also, fresh ground wheat is very high in fiber so you may want to ease  into 100% whole wheat. This recipe is a mixture of a lot of other recipes but I think I finally got it right! This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients
2 T. yeast
2/3 c. honey
2 2/3 c. warm water
1 T. salt
2 T. olive oil
5 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. white flour

Instructions
Mix yeast, honey, and water and let it sit about 5 minutes so that the yeast can foam. Then add salt, oil, and all of the flour. I use a Kitchenaid mixer. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Let the mixer continue to mix about 5 minutes. Dough should be sticky and barely pull away from the sides. (You may need to add more flour depending on your climate). Once the dough has been thoroughly mixed or kneaded. Let the dough sit in the bowl and rise for 15 minutes. Oil up your hands and punch the dough down to get out all the air bubbles. Then form the dough into two loaves. You can flour or oil a counter and cut the dough in two. I don't want to dirty the cupboard so I divide it in the bowl and then form it into a loaf in my hand. Place each half into a greased bread pan. Let the bread rise for about 30-45 minutes. This changes depending on the heat in your home. I wait until it is the desired height above the bread pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a pan or oven safe bowl with water during the preheat. This creates humidity in the oven which is said to help your bread turn out better. Remove the bowl just before baking and place bread in oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Banana Bread

When I was little my mom used to make banana bread often. You can also use the batter to make muffins which is more kid friendly. I changed the recipe a little by adding fresh ground wheat flour. You can use all white flour but I like the dense texture that the wheat flour adds to the bread. Anytime I have made this for others they always remark that it is the best banana bread they have ever tasted. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. white flour
1 2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/14 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. buttermilk (or mix 2/3 c. milk with 4 tsp. lemon juice and let sit)
2/3 c. oil
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. mashed bananas (about 2-3 bananas)
walnuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and bananas. Mix with a wire wisp. Pour batter into two cake pans. Sprinkle top with walnuts. If you mix the walnuts into the batter they often sink to the bottom. If you set them on top they sink about half way down.
bake for 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Cranberry Coffee Cake

My mom got this recipe from her hair dresser but she of course made some of her own adjustments for improvement and it is awesome!

INGREDIENTS

2 c. fresh cranberries
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 c. sugar
grated orange peel from one orange
2 eggs (well beaten)
1 1/2 sticks melted butter (lower fat option: 1/2 stick + 1/2 c sour cream)
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease round cake pan and put a circle of waxed paper in the bottom and grease that as well.  Put cranberries in pan and sprinkle with nuts, sugar and grated orange peel.  In a mixing bowl combine eggs, butter, sugar, and flour.  Pour mixture over cranberries.  Bake 35-40 minutes.  Remove cake from pan immediately onto a plate (inverted so cranberries are now on top).  If topping sticks to the pan just spread over the top of the cake.
–Melanie

Cinnamon Streusel Blueberry Muffins

I found this recipe online.  It is supposed to be like the muffins from Einstein's Bagels.  Of course, I tweaked it a bit and made it a little lower in fat.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white flour

1 cup wheat flour

1 1/2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1/3 c vegetable oil

1/3 c sour cream

2 eggs

1 c milk

2 c fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping

1/2 c white sugar

1/3 c white flour

1/4 c butter, cubed

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease or line muffin pan.  Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.  In a separate bowl mix together oil, sour cream, eggs, and milk.  Add to flour mixture.  Fold in blueberries. Fill muffing cups 2/3 full.  For crumb topping mix together sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon.  Mix with fork and sprinkle evenly over muffins before baking.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 (This is a muffie made with a muffie pan.  Basically it is like one giant top of a muffin.)
–Melanie

German Pancakes

I grew up eating this and still love it! Nick and I make it almost every Sunday!

INGREDIENTS

2tbsp butter

1 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 c milk

5 eggs

DIRECTIONS

Place butter in a 9x13 pan and put in oven at 400 degrees. Meanwhile, mix flour, salt, milk, and eggs together. Take pan out of the oven and rotate it to cover the surface of the pan with the melted butter. Pour batter in the pan and place in the oven. Turn the heat up to 425 and bake for 15-17 minutes. Cut into 8 squares and serve topped with powdered sugar and syrup.

–Melanie

Wheat Waffles

This a new waffle recipe I found and modified a bit. I don't really like to eat waffles with just syrup but I do love them the way my mom always made for us kids growing up....with strawberries and home made whipped cream. Yum! My this picture is of my waffle. My husband's would have so much whipped cream you wouldn't be able to see the berries!

Waffles:

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. white flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 c. milk

3 T sugar

Mix together and pour in heated waffle iron. Top with sliced strawberries and whipped cream when done.

Whipped Cream:

Put about a cup of whipping cream in a bowl. Mix with hand mixer and when it starts to get thick add about 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix it in and taste it to see if it has enough. Add more if need and then keep mixing until thick.

–Melanie

Blueberry Pancakes

These are amazing!

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. white flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

3 T sugar

Mix together and then mix in blueberries. Pour on hot griddle. When done top with powdered sugar and syrup. Enjoy!

–Melanie

Egg sandwich

Nick is alway in a rush to get out the door and to work but if he doesn't eat a good breakfast he gets hungry and goes and gets fast food on his break. The other week I had some leftover hamburger buns so I decided to make him some eggs and put it in the bun. I toasted the bun a little, cooked the eggs on both sides and broke the yolk so it wouldn't run all over the place when he bites into it, topped the eggs with some cheese after I flipped them, and put it all together. Nick loves it because it is delicious, filling, and easy to eat on the way to work.

–Melanie