It’s a new wonderful week in Charlotte!! I am not sad I missed the 111 degree temperatures in Wichita yesterday! Yikes! Sarah and I had made a Wal-Mart run on Friday night to get all the food and drink for her party on Saturday. I eye-spied an Egg N Muffin microwave pan. After having gotten breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks or Subway the last few mornings, it wasn’t a hard sell for Sarah to buy this gem. At only $3, it pays for itself quickly!!
You simply crack an egg into the pan. Then stir a bit with a fork and microwave for a minute.
Toast your English muffin. Top it with your cooked egg that is now the perfect circular size. Add with some shredded cheddar cheese and some salt & pepper. Sarah topped our breakfast with some prosciutto.
Yum! Have a great morning!!
So, I made cinnamon rolls on Sunday night. No biggie.
Syke! It was a H-U-G-E biggie. By the way, did you like how I just brought “syke” back? And since we’re on the topic, is it “syke” or “sike”???
While we ponder the depth of that, back to the cinnamon rolls of awesomeness. It was a biggie for me, because I was scared to death of this little ol’ thing.
I’d never made any bread that required yeast. The closest I’ve come is beer bread. Beer bread…yum. This yeast stuff though….you look online and it’s horror stories of bad yeast packets and what when wrong stories. Yikes!
I finally conquered my fear for my friend, Amy, though. When I started my food blog in May, Amy mentioned how much she loves cinnamon rolls. She said that she and her co-workers would love some cinnamon rolls to go with their morning coffee…hint hint hint. I put her off and said, “Well, maybe I’ll make them for your birthday.” Guess who had a birthday this weekend?
Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Makes six 8.5 inch aluminum pans worth of cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls:
4 cups whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 package active dry yeast
8 cups + 1 cup separate all-purpose unbleached flour
1 heaping tsp baking powder
1 scant tsp baking soda
1 heaping tbl salt
1.5 cups melted butter
2 cups sugar
copious amounts of cinnamon
For the maple frosting:
1 bag powder sugar
2 tsp maple extract flavoring
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brewed coffee–I used Caribou blend
1/8 tsp salt
To make the cinnamon rolls:
Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pot on the stovetop. Heat the mixture just before the boiling point. (I turned off the heat just as I saw the first bubble in the liquid.) Leave the liquid on the burner with the heat off and let it cool for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, the liquid will still be warm, but NOT hot. This warm temperature is what you want for the yeast. Sprinkle in 2 packages of the yeast. Let the yeast sit for a minute to get all happy and hoppy. After that, add 8 cups of flour. Stir together. Cover and let rise for an hour. (I covered the pot with two dry dish towels.)
(After an hour (no peeking before then!), your dough will have risen! Success!! I was seriously nervous I would lift the dish towels to see no change in the dough! Crisis averted!)
Now, add 1 more cup of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together.
Now, place the pot in the refrigerator for at least an hour. (I only did an hour, but could have kept it in longer to easier to work with dough.) You can even leave it in overnight too. If your dough starts to get too big in the pot in the refrigerator, just pop it down with your fist.
Let’s get rolling! Sprinkle your counter and rolling pin generously with flour. Take HALF the dough and form a rectangle. Then roll the dough out, keeping a rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 of your melted butter over the dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter Sprinkle cinnamon over the sugar. (I went a-crazyyyy with the butter & cinnamon! I love ooey gooey cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are not diet food, folks! Go wild!!)
Now, start to roll the dough in a nice line toward you. Try to keep the roll tight. Pinch at the seam to seal it.
Coat your six pans with melted butter. (I used 1 tbl melted butter per pan.) Cut your rolls approximately 3/4 to 1 inch think. (I used a pizza cutter to cut my rolls) Lay rolls in butter pans. Let the rolls rise for 20 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutues until light golden brown.
Repeat the process with the other 1/2 of the dough.
To make the maple frosting:
Mix together all listed ingredients. Stir on low in mixer until smooth. Frosting will be thick but pourable. Once again, go wild and pour frosting on the cinnamon rolls as soon as you take them out of the oven!
This frosting is great on the rolls!! Don’t be afraid of the coffee element. Delicious!
Happy Birthday, Amy!
Good morning!!!! It’s a beautiful morning outside. Haley and I went for a 45 minute walk at around 7 am. You have to get out early to avoid the heat! During my walk, I decided it was about time I brought out my waffle maker.
Success! Well, after a first batch failure, they were a success. 
I spread a little Nutella and marshmallow creme on them. Yum!
Now I’m ready to tackle the day. I just need to pry myself away from watching Sleepless in Seattle. Love that movie!! I love the soundtrack even more.
Happy Friday!!!
What in the world is that?? Yeah, that’s what I wondered too. I recently came across Santa Claus melons. I’d never heard of such a thing. Well, as a budding food blogger, it was pretty much my duty to try it. Right? Right.
Scoop out the seeds similar to that of a cantaloupe. (Cantaloupe is a hard word to spell, by the way. I always leave out the “u”.)
The verdict….it tasted like a cross between honeydew melon and cucumber. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. Although, I learned that ripe Santa Claus melons are yellow. Oops, this was definitely not ripe!
Well, what to have with the melon??
Buffalo Chicken Egg White Scramble
Recipe slightly adapted from Foodie Fresh
Ingredients:
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 egg whites
1/2 cup Rotisserie chicken
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
5 white button mushrooms, chopped
2 tbl crumbled blue cheese
1 tbl Texas Pete hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a pan on medium heat and add olive oil. Add egg whites. Top with spinach and mushrooms. Scrape egg whites from bottom of pan occassionaly to avoid sticking. Toss spinach and mushrooms as they cook. Once egg whites are just cooked, add the chicken and blue cheese. Allow cheese to melt a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add hot sauce and devour! Serves one.
This recipe can be altered to fit your preferences! I’m not a fan of egg beaters, so I went with egg whites. I added mushrooms, but leave out if they aren’t your thing. Add more or less of the cheese and hot sauce.
Have a great day!!
Happy Thursday!!
What did you have for breakfast??
I had forgotten how much I like VitaTops. Muffin-y goodness without the guilt.
Deep Chocolate VitaTop Muffin, skiff of PB, a few tbls of Greek yogurt with lots of cinnamon, 1/2 tbl Chia seeds, and 1/2 banana. Perfection.
You know what else is perfection? This little girl watching me make breakfast.
Do you have The Hub TV channel?? It has a lot of retro cartoons on it. Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony, Fraggle Rock, Pound Puppies, etc. I’ve been known to turn on Fraggle Rock in the mornings. Sometimes you just need a break from Matt Lauer, ya know?
The Hub always has episodes from my beloved Jem & the Holograms cartoon. Is the theme song running through your head now?? I recently watched an episode.
It did NOT stand the test of time. First of all, the episode was about one of the band members getting KIDNAPPED because the Misfits were trying to make her late for a concert. Second of all, she gets free and a random cowboy on a motorcycle offers her a ride and she accepts! Third, on their stranger danger motorcycle ride there were no helmets being worn!
So, to recap I grew up loving a cartoon about kidnapping, riding with strangers, and not wearing helmets.
Whew..I’m lucky to be alive!
Oh, and I also don’t eat Cookie Crisp for breakfast while watching cartoons any more.
It’s oatmeal many a days. Stick to your ribs & keeps you full for hours oatmeal.
My favorite way: oatmeal with almond milk and tons-o-cinnamon, sliced banana, sprinkle of Chia seeds, a few tbl of Grape Nuts for some crunch, and a skiff of PB&Co Bee’s Knees PB.
What was your favorite cartoon to watch growing up??
Look what I got from the lovely Sarah!! CD’s and a wafflemaker!!
I see more wafflewiches in my future!!
What do you do with 2 waffles and 2 fried eggs? Make a wafflewich, of course!
If you love sandwiches and if you love breakfast foods, than the wafflewich is for you, my friend! I used Van’s Lite Waffles. The whole sandwich was only 280 calories.
In retrospect, one egg would have been plenty on this wafflewich. My mind and stomach are often in disagreement on these portion control issues!
Today was a perfect Saturday morning. Good weather. Good conversation. A delicious brunch. And shopping at the Farmers’ Market.
Amy and I met up for brunch at Egg Cetera. I’ve been meaning to try this restaurant for some time and am SO glad I finally did.
The service was very good. And the coffee was good. I usually find myself needing to add cream & sugar to restaurant coffee, but black worked! I almost ordered this yogurt parfait. But after having strawberry coffee cake yesterday, my body was craving something more hearty.
I asked the waitress what she recommended and she immediately said Eggs Benedict. I’ve never tried Eggs Benedict before. Mostly because I’m not a huge fun of Canadian bacon. But I decided to live on the wild side.
It was insanely delicious! I’m so sad I’ve missed out on years worth of Eggs Benedict. And do you see those country potatoes?? Oh, Egg Cetera did them right. Most restaurants just have those little square country potatoes. These were big chunks of potatoes cooked with onions too. Nomnomnomnom!!
Amy got the Greek To Me omelet. She really liked hers too. I took her word for it. Me & olives aren’t friends.
After we were full and caffeinated, we headed to the Farmers’ Market. It was pretty jumpin’ today! We did a lap around to check things out. Amy settled on some ribs, lamb, and asparagus. I snagged some flowers, salsa, German sausage, and lettuce mix.
My loot
Have you been to the Farmers’ Market yet this season?
Does anyone have a strawberry plant? If so, can I come over and pick a strawberry for Pick Strawberries Day? I’ll trade you a piece of Strawberry Coffee Cake.
Strawberry Coffee Cake
Recipe from Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
For the topping: 3 tbl cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 tbl sugar
For strawberry mixture: 1 heaping cup sliced strawberries (feel free to add more!)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbl cornstarch
2 tsp water
For the coffee cake batter: 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 ounces sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
few drops of almond extract
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 11 3/4 x 9 3/8 inch baking dish. Tap off excess flour.
To make the topping, combine butter, flour, and sugar in a bowl. Use your fingers to break up the butter and combine with fingertips until crumbly. Set aside.
To make the strawberry mixture, combine sliced strawberries, sugar, water, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat for about 7 minutes. Stir constantly until sauce is thickened. Strawberries should be soft. Set aside to cool.
To make the coffee cake batter, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg. Add vanilla and almond extract and combine.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients together & mix. Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to creamed butter and combine. Add 1/2 of the sour cream to creamed butter and combine. Repeat by adding another 1/3 of dry ingredients, combine and add second 1/2 of sour cream and combine. Finally, add last 1/3 of dry ingredients to creamed butter and beat just until combined.
(Got it? 1/3 dry ingredients to creamed butter & combine, 1/2 sour cream & combine, 1/3 dry & combine, 1/2 sour cream & combine, 1/3 dry & combine. We’re alternating! Easy peasy.)
Spoon 2/3 of the batter into pan and spread evenly. Spread cooled strawberry mixture over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter onto the strawberries and spread. (It’s okay if it doesn’t spread evenly. We’ll cover it with the streusel topping!) Top with streusel topping and bake in upper third of the oven. Bake for about 50 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
The streusel is my favorite part!
I suggest making this strawberry coffee cake tomorrow morning for breakfast. Wake up early and surprise a loved one!
