Baked Oatmeal

One of our favorite healthy breakfasts around here is baked oatmeal. There are many variations possible with this recipe, but our favorite is banana with chocolate chips. I prefer to use the banana as a substitute for sugar. It makes the oatmeal sweet enough to skip the sugar in the recipe. If you'd like to see the original recipe, you can do so here. The recipe below is the version we enjoy at our house.

Liquid Ingredients:
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs, beaten
1c. milk
2 bananas, mashed

Dry Ingredients:
3 c. quick oats
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/4-1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat liquid ingredients together.

Combine dry ingredients.

Add to liquid ingredients and stir.

Pour into muffin or mini-muffin tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Healthy Oatmeal Pancakes

In recent days, I have been feeling concerned and a little guilty about the breakfasts we eat around here. I long ago cut out poptarts and cereal to avoid processed foods. I started making homemade breakfasts such as baked oatmeal, french toast, waffles and pancakes. But now, I am concerned that we have way too much bread/flour in our meals.

I found a recipe for pancakes that are sugar and flour free on a friend's blog. I made a few adaptions and even substituted Rice Dream for the milk. So, these pancakes are sugar, flour and milk free. As a compromise with my kiddos, I put in a few semi-sweet chocolate chips. To my relief, they approved of the pancakes and gobbled them up.

Ingredients:
1 c. oatmeal flour *
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 egg
3/4 c. Rice Dream (or milk)
2 T. canola oil
1/4c. semi-sweet chocolate chips


Make oatmeal flour by grinding old fashioned or quick oats in your food processor until it is a fine powder.

* I put a handful of whole almonds in the processor with the oats and made an oat/almond flour.

Mix dry ingredient in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix egg, Rice Dream and oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

(You may have to adjust the amount of flour or milk you use to get the batter the consistency you prefer.)

In a heated skillet, pour 1/4 c. batter. Cook until puffed and cooked around the edges then turn. Cook until golden brown.

Serve with a little maple syrup.

Decidedly Decadent: Baked Banana French Toast

Everybody reads Bakerella, right? If you don't, you MUST go visit her very soon. Her blog is one of my favorite. I am sure to like any recipe she posts.

Recently, she posted a Baked French Toast recipe that intrigued me. And when I made it, I realized that it is just plain DECADENT. My family loved it, and I gobbled it up. But, I won't be making it very often....it is just TOOOOO good.

Here is the recipe (I did make a few modifications based on the ingredients I had on hand in my kitchen and the amount of time I had before serving breakfast):

1 small loaf french bread

4 eggs

3/4 c. heavy cream (I omitted this and used 1 1/4 c. milk)

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1 T cinnamon

1 t vanilla

1 large banana

6 T brown sugar

1 T butter

Powdered sugar

Maple syrup

Coat six 4 oz. ramekins with non-stick spray. (I used the Demarle Round Tray)

Cut french bread into 18 slices. 

Whisk together eggs, cream, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.

Place sliced bread in bowl to coat.

Place three slices of bread into each dish. 

Cut banana into 12 or more slices. Coat slices with mixture and then dip coated bananas in 2 tablespoons brown sugar and stuff in between bread.

Transfer dishes to a baking sheet. 

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. (I skipped this step,n because I had some hungry people in my house.)

When ready to bake, mix together remaining 4 T brown sugar and 1 T butter and sprinkle over bread.

Bake at350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy warm with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

"Watermelon" Waffles

While reading some fun blogs recently, I came across an idea for watermelon waffles!

Since our family loves waffles.....

and since it is summertime....

and since school is not in session....

and since this teacher mom actually has time to have fun in the kitchen,

...I made these for the kiddos. 

I am glad there are creative people in the world who blog about their ideas so that I can make fun foods that my kids think are cool! Head on over to Random Thoughts of A Supermom for the recipe!

Honey Crunch

3 cups Quaker Corn Bran or Oatmeal Bran cereal

1 cup Quaker oats (quick or old-fashioned)

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup raisins, optional

Heat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, combine cereal, oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt.

In small saucepan, combine butter, honey, and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and ingredients are well blended. Pour over cereal mixture; mix until thoroughly coated.

Spread evenly into 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Immediately spread mixture onto waxed paper covered cooling rack. Stir in raisins, if desired. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container in cool, dry place.

Makes about 7 cups.

Note: I used 1/2 c. walnut halves, 1/2 c. chopped pecans. I also added 1/4 c. roasted soy nuts.

Cappuccino Muffins

Follow this link to a tasty recipe for some get-your-morning-started-right muffins.

I recommend doubling the recipe, as the dozen muffins it makes didn't last long enough in my house! (The amount of frosting created by the recipe is enough to ice 24 muffins)

(photo by Nan Doud)

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins

8 oz. cream cheese
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. pecans, roughly chopped
3 T. butter, melted
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1 1/4 c. solid-packed pumpkin
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/2 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat muffin tins with oil and set aside.

Mix in small bowl and set aside:
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
3 T. sugar

Toss in medium bowl and set aside:
5 T. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. pecans
3 T. butter
1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine the remaining sugar, cinnamon and flour with the salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

Lightly beat 2 eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Pour into the well of the flour mixture. Mix with a fork just until moistened.

Evenly divide half the batter among the muffin cups. Place 2 teaspoonfuls of cream cheese filling in the center of each cup and fill with the remaining batter.

Sprinkle some of the pecan mixture over the top of each muffin and bake until golden and a tester, inserted into the muffin center, comes out clean - 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

(recipe from Country Living magazine, September 2004)

Banana Walnut Cake

During a recent visit to my parent's home, I had the privilege of eating in the home of Greg and Barbara Vance. After a wonderful meal in her warm and comfortable home, she served this remarkably moist banana cake. I liked it so much, I think it will be my new banana bread recipe. I can't wait to serve it to my family for breakfast.

1 box yellow moist
1 c. water
1/3 c canola oil
3 ex lg eggs
1 sm box instant banana cream pudding mix
2 lg or 3 sm bananas

Blend cake mix, water, oil, eggs and pudding mix on medium speed until moistened. Add bananas until blended.

Use spray flour on tube pan, pour in cake and sprinkle crushed walnuts on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 min. or until knife inserted at center comes back clean.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

These yummy muffins are a wonderful breakfast food. They also make the perfect snack for a crisp fall afternoon.

1 c. canned or cooked pumpkin

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

2 eggs

1/4 c. butter melted

2 c. all purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 t. ground ginger

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries

Beat pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs and butter.

Combine dry ingredients; stir into pumpkin mixture.

Fold in walnuts and cranberries.

Pour into greased muffin tins.

Cook at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Allow to cool. (makes 24 muffins)

Cinnamon Rolls To Die For!

I have been making Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls for more than a year now. I really think this is the best cinnamon roll recipe ever. They are fairly easy to make and have become my favorite thing to bake for other people.

Not too long ago, Pioneer Woman featured on her blog a variation of her rolls: Orange Marmalade Rolls! That was all it took to get the wheels in my brain to turning. I started thinking of other variations that might be tasty.

This past summer when the Georgia peaches were in season, I decided to try a peach variation. And most recently, I used the fall apples in an apple roll!

To make these rolls, use Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Roll recipe to make a batch of dough. After rolling out the dough, instead of using cinnamon and sugar, substitute with one of the fillings below. (When the recipe called for 1/2 c. of melted butter to be poured on the dough before the filling, I reduced that about to 2 T.)

PEACH ROLLS

In a large saucepan, combine

about 5 chopped fresh peaches
1/3 c. sugar
dash cinnamon
1 t. butter
1 c. peach nectar (can be found in cans on juice aisle)

Cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken.

Allow to cool completely before using on roll dough.

After the rolls are cooked and are still hot, generously pour the peach glaze over them.

PEACH GLAZE

2 lb. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. peach nectar
1/8 t. salt

Stir all ingredients together until smooth.


APPLE ROLLS

In large saucepan, combine

2 large cooking apples, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
and 1/4 cup butter or margarine

Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly until thick.

Stir in 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
Allow to cool completely before using on roll dough.

After the rolls are cooked and are still hot, generously pour the apple glaze over them.

APPLE GLAZE

2 lb. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. melted butter
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. salt

Stir all ingredients together until smooth.

Thanks, Pioneer Woman for the inspiration!

Breakfast Banana Split

I mentioned in a previous post the cookbook our daughter got for Christmas.

This was the first recipe she wanted to make from it. Both the kiddos worked together to make these and have asked for them over and over.

Here's how you can do it, too!

1 banana
1/2 c. of your favorite crunchy cereal, divided
1/2 c. fruit flavored yogurt
1/4 c. blueberries or strawberries, sliced
1/4 c. pineapple chunks, drained
maraschino cherries (optional)

Peel banana and cut down the middle lengthwise with a butter knife.

Place banana in a cereal bowl or a banana split dish.


Sprinkle half of the cereal over the banana, but save the other half for sprinkling on top.

Spoon yogurt over the banana and cereal.


Add the rest of the cereal and fruit on top. Add cherries, if you like.

Valentine Pancakes

Our daughter was given the Gooseberry Patch cookbook, "Kids in the Kitchen" for Christmas. We have had fun reading the cute jokes, looking at the eye-catching illustrations and preparing the yummy recipes in it.

Our daughter's favorite breakfast is pancakes, and so on this Valentine's Day she asked if we could use the pancake recipe from her new cookbook. The recipe said to put the batter in a squirt bottle and use it to draw shapes, and letters. I didn't have a squirt bottle so I used the cake decorator tool.


We also used cookie cutters to make heart shaped pancakes.


Our daughter was thrilled with the results and was very excited to surprise her Daddy with this message.


Our son giggled at the happy face on his plate when he came to the table. He was also very excited when I gave him a pancake in the shape of his first initial.


In case you need it, here is the recipe for the batter. I liked this batter..it was not as runny as the one I usually use. This made it easy to use the cake decorator. It also made a very fluffy pancake.

1 egg
1/2 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt

Whisk egg, milk, butter together in a mixing bowl.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and pour into the egg mixture. Stir just enough to wet the flour.

Pour batter into plastic squirt bottle or cake decorator tool.

Squirt batter into sprayed skillet or onto griddle over medium heat and draw shapes or letters.

Cook on one side until the bubbles stop popping. Flip and continue cooking briefly on the second side until golden.

Glorious Morning Muffins

2 c. wheat flour
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. applesauce
1 1/2 c. shredded carrots
1 1/2 c. apples, peeled and shredded
3/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. raisins
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Combine flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine carrot, apple, coconut, raisins, and pecans. Stir in beaten eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Grease and flour muffin tin and spoon batter in. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. (Store in refrigerator and warm before serving.)

Yields 18 regular size or 12 larger ones

WW – 3 points

Thanks, Judy for this awesome tasting and diet friendly muffin!

Yammy Muffins

I found this recipe today in an old cookbook. I was intrigued by its ingredients and wanted to try them out on my kiddos. I was very pleased that the kiddos loved them!

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. skim milk
1 (15 oz) can yams, drained and mashed
1 T. grated orange rind
1/3 c. orange juice
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/3 c. canola oil
1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine milk, yams, orange rind, orange juice, egg, egg white, oil, and vanilla.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon the batter into muffin pans lined with a paper cup or coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are done.

Chocolate Bottom Banana Squares

chocolate bottom banana squares