Breakfast

Overnight french toast
For Thanksgiving last year, my sister Sopha gave me this great recipe! she told me how amazingly good and easy it was to make. I made it for my in-laws and fell in love with it since! Now we're having it for Easter breakfast! I hope this will be a tradition that will stay in my family!

1/2 c butter, melted (1 stick)
12- slices texas toast or any leftover bread
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs
1 1/2 c milk


melt butter and pour in a 9x 13. mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts if you are using them. whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla together. layer bottom of pan with half the bread pieces. sprinkle half brown sugar mix over the bread. layer second half of bread. pour egg mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly. sprinkle remaing brown sugar on top. cover and refrigerate overnight. in the morning, remove from the refrigerator and cover with a new piece of foil. preheat oven to 350 degreees and bake the casserole for 30 minutes. then uncover and bake 25 more minutes. french toast bake should be brown and set. you'll know when it's cooked through when its slightly puffed. i like to remove mine from the oven and pour some maple syrup on top and place back in the oven to caramelize for about 5-7 minutes. you can turn the oven to broil, but watch the casserole carefully so it doesn't burn.


Overnight sausage and egg casserole

6-8 slices white bread*
about 1/4 C softened butter (just for buttering the bread slices)
4 C grated colby jack cheese (the pre-packed grated cheese doesn't melt right with this recipe)
12 oz pork sausage, browned and drained if necessary
1 4 oz can green chiles
6 eggs
2 C milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Start by removing the crusts from your bread and lightly buttering one side. Place bread butter side down in a 9×13 baking dish. You just want the bottom of the pan covered with no big gaps.

Grate your cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the bread. Spread the browned sausage on top of that, and top with the green chiles.

In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk eggs. Add milk and then seasonings and whisk to combine well. Slowly stir the egg mixture while you pour it evenly on top of the assembled casserole. You’ll want to keep stirring or else the spices will all gather in one spot and drop onto one single piece of casserole.

Cover well and place in the refridgerator overnight.

In the morning preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pop the casserole in there and bake (uncovered) for 50-60 minutes. You’ll want the center to be set and the outside edges to be golden brown.

*It’s important to let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it or it will just fall apart. As it cools it will settle- don’t worry, that’s normal! Cut into squares and serve warm.


German Pancakes
~Daniel's family introduced me to this when I first met them. It's one of daniel's favorite breakfast to make!

Beat together until smooth:
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
6-7 eggs

Melt in 9x12" pan:
1/2-1 stick butter...

...while preheating oven to 425-450˚. Watch carefully so butter does not burn. Pour batter into pan and cook for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Place pan in the middle of oven and not too close to the top since the batter will rise up high in the pan during baking.

Optional: You can sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar, also adding maple syrup before serving.

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffin

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel
1 large egg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. canola oil
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar

Streusel Topping
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spoon the flour into measuring cups and level ith with a knife and combine it in a large bowl with the baking powder, salt, sugar, and citrus peel. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining flour and sugar and then toss the blueberries in this mixture until they are well-coated. Gently fold the blueberry mixture into the batter. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.

To make the streusel topping, combine the 1/4 c. sugar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter and bake for 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Pancake Mix

1 1/2 c. flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. white sugar
1 1/4 c. milk
1 egg
3 tbs. melted butter
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour a scoop of batter (I use an ice cream scoop so they all turn out to be the same size). When the pancake starts to bubble and the sides are slightly cooked, flip that pancake! Before you flip it, you can put some chopped pecans or chocolate chips! (find syrup recipe under sauces/syrup)


Belgian Waffle Mix

For the base mix:

3 c. flour
2 tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container until ready to use!

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. of the waffle base mix. 4 tbs. melted butter(cooled), 2 eggs, 1/2 c. buttermilk. Preheat the waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Makes 4 waffles. If you want chocolate chip waffles, blueberry waffles, etc. just add 1/4 c. of that.

Tip: I like to make my waffles differently...instead of topping it with fresh fruit, syrup and whipped cream, I top it with 2 poached eggs, half of smoked mozzarella and articoke sausage (cubed)-you can also substitute it with cooked bacon, a lay-del of country gravy and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese on top. THAT my friend, I call "crazy waffles"!

Crepe Batter

1/2 c. cold water
1 c. milk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
3 tbs. melted butter

On a small pan on low-med heat, lightly spray with cooking spray. Combine all the ingredients for the batter. Pour the batter on pan (make it as if your making pancakes), just remember to swirl it around so the crepes are thin. Makes about 12-15 crepes. To fill the inside of the crepes, use your favorite types of fruit and whipped cream. Fold em up and drizzle some syrup on top! (for syrup recipe, look under sauces/syrup)


Creamed eggs on toast

1 1/2 c. milk
3 tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. butter
4 boiled eggs (sliced)
3 slices of deli ham (cut that in cubes)
4 slices of toast

In medium saucepan on low-med heat, combine the milk, flour, and salt, and whisk so the milk won't curdle. You want to whisk the whole time while its on the heat. Once the white sauce begins to boil add the butter. keeeeeeep whisking! Once the sauce has a thick-like consistency, fold in the eggs and ham. Take it off the heat and serve on buttered toast! If you want a little kick on your creamed eggs, i like to spread a little sweet relish on top before taking a bite! :)



Cinnamon Rolls

3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. margarine/butter
3 3/4 c. flour
1 pkg. instant yeast
1 egg
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
1-1 1/2 c. brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

In a bowl, combine instant yeast with 1/4 c. warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes until it starts to foam. In a medium saucepan, heat milk until it starts to bubble. Add marg/butter to heated milk until melted. Let cool.

In a large bowl (prefer kitchen-aid), combine: 2 1/4 c. flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add egg, foaming yeast, and 1/4 c. water. Add milk and butter mixture to the flour mixture. Add remaining flour 3/4 c. at a time (2X). Once dough starts to pull off from the sides, flour a clean surface and knead dough for 5 minutes. Place dough in a large bowl and cover with a cloth for 10 minutes.

Roll dough out to where it is at least 1/4-1/2 inch thick or 12x9. Spread soften butter on rolled out dough (I use my hands :)). Generously layer brown sugar over butter. Sprinkle ground cinnamon and pecans all over. Begin to roll dough. (I roll and tug it first, then roll the rest half way through.

Cut 12 even pieces. (i use floss). Place in a well greased 9x12in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes. Bake uncovered @375 for 20 minutes (additional 5 minutes if in coastal or humidity) or until golden brown.

For the cream cheese frosting:

3 tbs. softened butter
4 tbs. softened cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbs. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

-Combine butter and cream cheese until well incorporated. Add powdered sugar until it reaches a thick-like consistancy (you'll know when it stands or holds on the whisk). Add the sour cream and vanilla. Spread it on top of the baked cinnamon rolls while still fresh out of the oven...it will melt right into the cracks...YUM!