Sweet potato Waffles

Molly like Erin loves a big hearty breakfast. Over the years we have found that waffles work well. Make a mix for the week, then in the am heat the waffle iron, pour batter in and wait for a hot crispy waffle.  We have done regular and usually every fall we have a spell of pumpkin waffles but this year we found a sweet potato one that is a winner. The recipe also says that you can make ahead and reheat in the toaster. 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1 cup all purpose flour 

2 TBSP sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 eggs

1 1/2 - 1 1/3 c milk 

1 cup mashed orange sweet potatoes

4 TBSPS butter, melted 

1) In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

2) In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, sweet potato and butter. 

3) Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mis until just combined. 

4) To make waffles:  Heat a waffle iron and brush with high-heat oil. Ladle the batter into waffle iron, being careful not to overfill. Cook until golden brown. 

5) To make pancakes- add a little extra mils to thin the batter. Heat a large cast iron pan or griddle over medium - low heat. Add a small amount of high-heat oil just to coat. Spoon batter into the pan. cook until bubbles begin to form in the center of the pancakes. Flip the pancakes and cook until brown.  While trying to find a waffle Maeve might enjoy, I found a peanut butter one that was also very good. 

Cheese danish

I may have missed this somewhere on this site, but I’m looking for Sue Morrow’s cheese danish recipe. Does anyone have it?

Brunch

Darci made this on Easter and shared the recipe. It was so good. I loved the crunch.

Crunchy Oven French Toast

(Can make ahead of time and freeze up to two weeks)

3 eggs

1 cup half and half

2 TBSP sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups cornflake cereal, crushed

8 3/4" thick diagonally cut slices french bread (I used sourdough)

Grease 15x10x1 inch baking pan. In shallow bowl, combine eggs, half and half, sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix well. Place crushed cereal in shallow bowl. Dip bread in egg mixture, then in crumbs. Place in single layer in greased pan, cover. Freeze at least 1-2 hours, until firm .

Heat oven to 425. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.

I think she said you could make it, freeze it then bake individual pieces as needed.

Sarah's Cinnamin Rolls

Therese and I made these last week and they were so yummy:)
Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
courtesy Sandra Lee

1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed in refrigerator
Flour, for dusting surface
Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 stick butter, softened
Icing:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to form a 15 by 7-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Spread 2/3 cup softened butter over dough and then evenly sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Starting at the long edge, roll up dough as for a jelly roll. Cut roll into 16 slices and then set aside in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Divide rolls among 2 lightly buttered round baking pans. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top. While the rolls are baking, combine the icing ingredients with an electric mixer until fluffy. Frost the warm rolls with the icing. Serve warm.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes

On a long holiday weekend what is better than homemade pancakes. Here is a link to Oatmeal Blueberry ones that are very good. They take extra planning, start the night before but well worth the effort, and not difficult. Erin made them for us.

Punch recipe for kids

One of my sisters or sister in law made a Punch for Mom and Dad's 45th Anniversary party! I remember it being a huge hit with the kids. Who has the recipe? Therese wants punch at her Masquarade Ball TONIGHT!

Summer BBQs

Is everyone ready for unofficial beginning of summer? I love the season of grilling, salads, dining al fresco, and of course, nice cool beverages. My favorite bevarages are Katie's Sangria, and the following recipe that she shared with me for Beergaritas. With one group of our friends, this became a fast favorite! We haven't tried it frozen yet, but if it gets really hot this weekend, we just might have to!

Beergaritas

1 - 12 oz. can Frozen Limeade Concentrate
6 to 12 oz. Tequila
3 - 12 oz Mexican Style Beers (Corona, etc.)
Ice
Lime Slices for Garnish

In a pitcher, stir together the limeade and tequila until well-combined. Add the beers. Pour into individual glasses over ice; garnish with lime slices. To make frozen beergarita, reduce the total amount of beers to two, and combine the limeade concentrate and tequila in a blender with ice

181 calories, 26 grams carbs., trace fiber, trace protein, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium**

What are you making this weekend?

How well are you treating the Moms in your life?

We will be going to my sister in law's to celebrate Mother's Day and my brother in law's Bday tomorrow morning. My s-i-l is making a Potato and Chorizzo Torta, a Tomato and cheese Pie, French Toast and Fruit Salad. I will be bring an Apricot-Peach-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake (original calls for Raspberry, http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/prairiepath_il_recipe2.html) and Pumpkin Bread (both are always a hit:). Then we'll head over to my folk's house to join my sister and her family in celebrating with my mom. Dad is in charge of the entree, so it'll most likely be beef and potatoes. Regina is taking care of appetizers and the non-chocolate dessert (for Dad and I). I'm excited as she always comes up with yummy delights:) I'm bring a side, a salad and a chocolate dessert. The side turned into Seasoned Salmon fillets cooked in wine (it's what I felt like:) and dessert is Samoa Kiss Brownies. http://www.girlscoutsww.org/cookies/recipes Even I'm looking forward to trying them, and I can't wait to hear Mom and Reg's opinion! Happy Mother's Day to you all! Enjoy your day and your families!

Sour-Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Anyone have the recipe handy? I can't find mine and am having a coffee/playdate tomorrow morning.

Update: Eileen shared the recipe with me, so I am adding here on the front page so it is nice and easy to find. A family favorite!

Chocolate Chip coffee cake
!/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs 
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp Vanilia
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp cinnamon

Cream together butter,sugar,eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Combine 2 mixes. 
Spoon 1/2 batter into pan. Top with 1/2 chip mixture. Cover with rest of batter. Top with rest of chip mixture.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Mom always does her in a fluted pan but I have trouble getting it to cook through in that pan so I do a 9x13. So you may need to adjust baking time.

Brunch, continued

Yesterday I included my Sweet French Toast Strata, but I actually prefer a savory breakfast myself, so I'd serve Bloody Marys or Ruby Red Mimosas, Strawberry-Spinach Salad, and this Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Strata.

Prosciutto and goat cheese strata

18 white bread slices, firm, such as English muffin bread, crusts removed
6 ozs prosciutto, thinly sliced
8 ozs Goat cheese, crumbled
4 ozs Provolone cheese, grated, about 1½ c
¼ c green onion, chopped
1 T dried basil
5 large eggs
2 c milk
1 T Dijon mustard
½ t salt
3 T butter, melted

Line bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish completely with 1 layer of bread, cutting some slices to fit. Arrange half of prosciutto evenly over bread. Sprinkle half of goat cheese and half of provolone over. Sprinkle with half of green onions and half of basil. Top with second layer of bread. Layer remaining prosciutto, goat cheese, provolone, green onions, and basil atop bread. Cut remaining bread into ¼-inch cubes. Sprinkle over top.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, and salt in bowl. Season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over strata; press down on bread with spatula. Drizzle melted butter over strata. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover strata and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake until center is set, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Cut into large squares and serve.

Brunch, the perfect meal

This week the Dunican clan is reconnoitering in Sleepy Hollow, NY, to celebrate Mom & Dad’s 45th wedding anniversary. On the menu for Sunday is brunch, and we like brunch BIG (in part to satisfy our numbers — 14 adults and 17 kids ages 15 to 1; and in part to satify our disparate appetites — picky and not, choco-files and never-ever chocolate-eaters, the sweet breakfast and the savory breakfast). Here’s the menu my sisters and father came up with:

Sweet French Toast Strata
Spiral ham
Baked eggs in ham cups
Hard rolls (that you can only get in greater NYC)
Pastries
Quiche
Cheese plate and rolls
Fruit Salad
Shrimp, Mango, and Apple salad
Blueberry cake or muffins
Sour Cream chocolate chip coffee cake
Anniversary strawberry shortcake
Chocolate mousse cups
Mimosas
OJ
Bloody Marys
V8
Coffee
Tea

For the perfect brunch, I personally think stratas are the perfect brunch food. You prepare them the night before, then just pop them in the oven the day of. Stratas can be sweet or savory. Round out the sweet strata with savory selections hickory smoked bacon and a Caesar salad; or serve the savory strata with sweet maple-cured bacon and Spinach-Strawberry salad.

Here are the two recipes my dad requested of me for this weekend’s celebration.

Sweet French toast strata

2 small loaves raisin bread
1 dozen eggs
1 quart milk
8 oz cream cheese
1 T vanilla extract
1 T cinnamon

Grease 13×9×2-inch glass baking dish. Cube one loaf of bread in the bottom of the baking dish. Slice cream cheese over the bread cubes. Cube the other loaf of bread over the top. Mix together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350°. Uncover strata and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake until center is set, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Cut into large squares and serve.

Baked Eggs in Ham Cups

12 slices Black Forest ham
12 large eggs
½ c shredded Asiago cheese
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Fit 1 slice of ham into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray (ends will stick up and hang over edges of cups). Divide Asiago cheese among cups, then crack 1 egg into each. Bake in middle of oven until whites are cooked but yokes are still runny, about 15 minutes. Season eggs with salt and pepper and remove (with ham) from muffin cups carefully, using two spoons or small spatulas to a platter.