lemon cranberry muffins

I was cleaning out the freezer, and I noticed that I had some cranberries left over from Thanksgiving.  I hopped online and searched for cranberry muffins since it has been a while since I have made muffins.  I found this recipe for lemon cranberry muffins so I made them.  They were delicious so I am sharing them with you.  See the pattern?  LOL

 {lemon cranberry muffins}

 {those cranberries!}

lemon cranberry muffins
from food.com

makes 24 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 cup fresh cranberries, halved
1 cup milk
1 egg
1⁄4 cup oil

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Stir flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. In a separate bowl, stir the sugar and the lemon zest together, and stir into the flour mixture.
4. In a measuring cup, mix the lemon juice with the milk and let sit for a few minutes before whisking in the egg and oil.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. 
6. Stir until ingredients are moistened, then fold in the cranberries.
7. Scoop into lined muffin cups, about 2/3 full, and bake 18-20 minutes, making sure that finished muffins pass the toothpick test.
8. Enjoy!

I have to warn you that these are tart; everyone at work loved them, but they did mention that they were tart (don't expect anything too sweet from me ;o) )

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coconut bread

My favorite food blogger posted this coconut bread, and I went home and made it without question.  I have a weakness for fruit breads like banana and pumpkin.  Now I can add coconut to the list!  This bread only carries a hint of coconut which makes jellies, jams, peanut butter, Nutella, etc the perfect pairing!

 {coconut bread}

 {can you see the coconut flakes?}

 {I tried it with both peanut butter and Nutella--both delicious!  Also just toasted with some butter--excellent!}

coconut bread
from smitten kitchen

makes 1 loaf

2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
5 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted or melted and browned, if desired
Vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray for baking pan

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add sugar and coconut, and stir to mix. 
4. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture, then stir wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Add butter, and stir until just smooth — be careful not to over mix.
5. Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or coat it with a nonstick spray. 
6. Spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, anywhere from 1 to 1 1/4 hours. 
7. Cool in pan five minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack.
8. Serve in thick slices, toasted, with butter and confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, nutella, butter and honey--the possibilities are endless!

What spread would you use with this bread?

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KY Derby | bread pudding with bourbon vanilla sauce

Every Southern woman needs to have a delicious bread pudding recipe under her belt (or so I've heard) especially any woman who throws a KY Derby party!  This dessert can be made ahead of time which is one less thing you have to worry about!

 

 

 

 {bread pudding with sauce (top) and without sauce (bottom) but much better with sauce}

 {realized after I ate the bread pudding that I forgot to take a picture with the Maker's Mark bottle--oops!}

 {just wanted to share that the bread pudding should look like this before going in the oven or it won't work!}

bread pudding

makes 12 servings

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 cups milk

4 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons vanilla, divided

20 oz white bread (bakery kind not store kind), cut into 1 inch cubes and toasted until dry

1/4 cup bourbon (I used a small 50 mL bottle of Maker’s Mark)

3/4 cup cream

1 cup brown sugar

1. Melt 1 stick butter and sugar together just until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add milk.  If butter hardens, gently heat until it melts again. 
3. Allow mixture to cool so eggs don’t cook!  Beat eggs and whisk into milk mixture. 
4. Add cinnamon and 2 teaspoons vanilla. 
5. Pour custard over bread cubes in a large bowl. 
6. Preheat oven to 350. 
7. Allow bread to sit and absorb custard for 8-10 minutes or until most bread cubes are soggy.  There should still be a good amount of custard not absorbed. 
8. Pour everything into a greased 9x13 casserole dish. 
9. Bake until golden brown on top about 50-55 minutes. 
10. Make bourbon sauce: add bourbon, 1 stick butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, cream, and brown sugar to a saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute then remove from heat.  Cool and store in a pint jar. 
11. Serve bread pudding with bourbon sauce and try not to die from the deliciousness! 
12. Store bread pudding in the fridge and heat before serving.

I'm a purist--bread pudding should not have nuts or fruit in it!  How do you like your bread pudding?

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parmesan pull aparts

Another great Christmas, or any party, idea for bread is this recipe for Parmesan garlic bread (essentially).  My family has been making these for years, and they always go quickly!  They are so easy, and they can be made ahead of time then popped in the oven.

 {parmesan pull aparts}

 {The bottom of the biscuits that have absorbed the buttery goodness and had a crunchy, cheesy bottom}

Parmesan Pull Aparts

Makes 12 servings

2 cans of jumbo buttermilk biscuits (8 each)
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Pour butter in a 9x13 casserole baking dish.
3. Sprinkle cheese and garlic powder on top of butter.
4. Using a knife or scissors, cut each biscuit into quarters.
5. Drop biscuit quarters on top of butter mixture, making sure at least some of each biscuit touches the butter.
6. Bake until golden on top, about 15-20 minutes.
7. Serve!

Does your family have a favorite bread recipe?

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Banana Bread

I had a hankering for banana bread last week.  One of my favorite snacks/breakfasts is bananas and peanut butter (no mayo!).  I'm not a big sandwich fan; I just slather the banana with peanut butter and go about my way.  This is a family recipe; I don't add walnuts (not a big fan in my banana bread), but you are more than welcome to!

 {Banana Bread}

 {I freeze my bananas before making banana bread so they do turn black.  However, they are much easier to mush after they've thawed from being frozen}

 {You mix all the wet ingredients together, and the batter looks like this--it's okay!  It will come together when you add the flour!}

 {Add flour and the batter comes together!}

 {Banana Bread with peanut butter (my favorite way to eat it!)}

One year ago:  Roasted Garlic

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease the bottom of the loaf pan. 
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs until blended. 
4. Add bananas and water until combined. 
5. Stir in remaining ingredients until moistened. 
6. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes (knife inserted come out clean).

Another favorite breakfast with peanut butter is Pumpkin Bread which I make in the fall!  Do you have any favorite breakfast breads?

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Cajun Garlic Bread

Naturally, when you make Cajun seasoning you have to use it.  I've discovered a local Cajun restaurant (coming soon!) that has awesome food and excellent garlic bread.  They call if Cajun Garlic Bread, and it is so delicious that I asked how to make it.  It's so easy!  Just Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, butter and bread!!!

{Cajun Garlic Bread}

{Cutting the baguette}

{Buttered bread ready to toast}

{Creamed corn (tomorrow!), steamed broccoli, Cajun Garlic Bread, and seared steak}

Cajun Garlic Bread

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 slices bread, your choice

1. Mix Cajun seasoning, butter and garlic powder in a small bowl.
2. Microwave until butter is melted.
3. Spread Cajun garlic butter on bread.
4. Toast bread until desired crispness is reached.
5. Serve.

Let's be honest--anything with "garlic" is awesome to me!  The hubby loves this garlic bread because of the spice!  What's your favorite type of garlic bread?

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Thanksgiving: Old Fashioned Cornbread

Can you guys believe that  next week is Thanksgiving and the official start of the holiday season?!  I know!!!  This year has positively flown by, and if I have now panicked you because you didn't realize it was Thanksgiving next week, have no fear!  I've got plenty of recipes between last year and this year to create the perfect traditional Thanksgiving!

First up is a traditional cornbread recipe!  This recipe is an old family recipe from my great-grandma, Susan.  I have heard stories from my grandpa that she was an excellent cook!  I love old family recipes--it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing that my ancestors made food exactly like I am doing (maybe not exactly--pretty close though!).  Plus, they are easy to make with simple ingredients!

 

{I love eating this cornbread with butter and honey--delicious!}

 

{Place corn oil in the skillet and heat it all up}

 

{Mixing the wet ingredients}

 

{Adding the dry ingredients}

 

{The batter should rise a bit.  See the difference between the previous picture and this one?}

 

{CAREFULLY pour the hot oil into the batter}

 

{Add the batter back to the hot cast iron skillet}

 

{Bake until a deep golden brown}

 

{Flip onto a plate and serve!}

One year ago:  Thanksgiving: Smashed Potatoes

Old Fashioned Cornbread

Makes 8-16 servings (depending on how thin you slice it)

1/2 cup corn oil
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature
14 oz canned creamed corn
1 1/2 cups cornmeal, medium ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons baking powder

1. Place corn oil in a large (about 12 inch diameter) cast iron skillet and place in the oven.
2. Preheat oven to 450 WITH casket iron skillet and corn oil in it.
3. Mix all the wet ingredients together until well combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well combined.
5. Let batter sit for 15 minutes; the batter should rise and bubble slightly in that time frame.
6. Once batter has sat, take the skillet out of the oven and pour 2/3 of the corn oil into the batter.  Please be careful as the skillet will be VERY HOT!
7. Mix the oil into the batter and pour everything back into the skillet.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top gets a deep golden brown color.
9. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then slide onto a plate.
10. Serve.

Stay tuned into this week because I have roasted Brussel sprouts, roasted herb butter chicken, and pumpkin cupcakes planned for all of this week!  If you want to see all the other recipes I did last year (which will be linked up into the posts this week), click on the "Thanksgiving" tag below, and it will bring everything up!

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Pumpkin Bread

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year.  I love the hearty foods, the smell of cinnamon baking, the crunch of the leaves under feet, and the crispness the air gets.  It's finally feeling like fall here in Kentucky, and I am so excited!  My brother will be here tomorrow, and in preparation, I made our fall family favorite: pumpkin bread!  (I made this Friday, and I'm already down a loaf!)

 

{Pumpkin bread!  It's delicious with peanut butter (sounds strange, but I promise it's good!)}

 

{Shortening and sugar creamed together}

 

{Dry ingredients}

 

{After adding the eggs to the shortening and beating it on high for 3 minutes, it looks much prettier!}

 

{Add pumpkin and water}

 

{This is how the batter looks afterwards; yes it is separated, but that is normal}

{Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients}

 

{Pour into two loaf pans}

 

{Baked!}

One year ago:  Beef and Cabbage (I made this last night for dinner!)

Pumpkin Bread
from Betty Crocker cookbook

Makes 2 loaves

2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
15 oz canned pumpkin
2/3 cup water, room temperature
4 eggs, room temperature
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease and flour two metal loaf pans (if using stone, just grease them).
3. Cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.
4. Whisk dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
5. Add eggs and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
6. Add pumpkin and water; stir to combine.
7. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined.
8. Fold in raisins.
9. Pour into pans and bake for 60-70 minutes.

Are there any fall favorites or traditions that you do during fall?

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German Breakfast Bread

My family loves to eat.  Seriously.  We have certain foods that are made only on special occassion because if we didn't we would be very, very, very obese which is not good for longevity!  (I am always lamenting that there are sooooooooooooo many recipes and sooooooooo little time!  Especially since I got 3 cookbooks for Christmas!!!)

{German Breakfast Bread}

Unfortunately, this is one of those recipes.  This is loaded with cheese, butter, and egg yolks along with ham and onions--perfect for using that leftover Christmas ham.  That's why we only have this recipe on the occassion, but it makes it that much better when we do have it!

{Recipe in German}

{Bread awaiting the delicious topping!}

{Mixing up the topping}

{Finished topping}



German Breakfast Bread

Makes 12 slices

Ingredients

2 egg yolks

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

4 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 pound diced smoked ham

1/2 pound gouda, shredded

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 hard rolls, cut in half

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place cut bread halves on a lined baking sheet.
3. Mix remaining ingredients together until well blended seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place topping on each bread half making sure they are fairly even.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges start to brown.
6. Cool for 5 minutes then serve.

What special foods do you make every so often because they might not be the easiest/healthiest/shortest recipe?

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Christmas: Cinnamon Roll Bread

I love cinnamon rolls especially on a weekend morning.  As with everything, homemade is so. much. BETTER!  However, cinnamon rolls are a bit of work especially for busy moms and families.

{Cinnamon Roll Bread made with sourdough starter}

When  my husband told me he wasn't a fan of sourdough bread (insert big disappointment here!), I didn't want to kill the sourdough starter that I had worked so hard to cultivate.  So I turned to the internet, and behold! other recipes for sourdough including dumplings, cookies, pancakes, and cake!

So I am slowly working my way through the recipes; this particular recipe, originally called Sourdough Cinnamon Raision Bread, did not work the first time I made it, but it smelled EXACTLY like cinnamon rolls when baking!  I knew that I had to keep trying to get this recipe right!!!  (By the way, a pet peeve of mine is a recipe that doesn't work--just aggravates me!!!)

{I always try to make a tower with the dry ingredients--yes I am strange LOL}

{Adding sourdough starter}

{Mixed and ready to set for about 3 hours or overnight (if you don't have sourdough starter)}

{Dough after it has risen}

{Adding oatmeal, nuts, and raisins}

{Ready to go in the oven}

Cinnamon Roll Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

2 cups sourdough starter (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour with 1 yeast pacakge)
1 cup sugar in the raw
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins

1. Mix first seven ingredients together until well combined. Let rise until double or about 3 hours in a warm, draft-free place (if making with a yeast package, allow dough to rise overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 325.
3. Add remaining ingredients and pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Bake for 80-90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

If you don't have sourdough starter, follow the directions out to the side.  I have not personally tried the alternative method (yet!), but that's all sourdough starter really is.  You will also have to let it rise overnight to get a good rise from the yeast.

PS--Great for Christmas morning!  Just make sure to remember to make it the night before!

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