Posts Tagged ‘brunch ideas’
National Sticky Bun Day is February 21st
February 21, 2010 | 
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National Sticky Bun Day is February 21st. Here's my Chef Maven's recipe suggestions to Ina Garten's recipe for Sticky Buns:
* To filling, add raisins, currents, or various dried fruits. I would up the cinnamon and add a bit of of freshly ground clove and nutmeg. Other ideas could be adding a bit of sweetened coconut (1/3 cup) to the rolled out dough when adding your filling.
* Do not like pecans? Try chopped walnuts, sliced and blanched almonds or even freshly toasted and chopped hazelnuts.
* Want to be super decadent? Add a little bit of semi-sweet chocolate chips sprinkled throughout the filling layer for that of so good chocolate taste! Learn more about the recipe here....
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Leahs Cheesy Fresh Tomato And Spinach Pie With Bacon Recipe
I made this up yesterday since I wanted to use up some ingredients in my freezer and had fresh tomatoes from the garden. Pie was savory and moist without being mushy and the parmesan and mozzarella cheese with crispy bacon add that extra umph we all crave. This is a pretty dish that would do well at pot lucks, for vegetarians (without the bacon of course) and at parties served as an appetizer cold, hot or in between. Cooking time includes cooking bacon.
Ingredients:
- Be lazy – Use 1 pre-made pie crust unbaked – if frozen, allow to come to room temperature
- 2 large beefsteak tomatoes or four plum tomatoes – could also use grape or cherry, simply slice in half.
- 1/2 packaged Box of frozen spinach thawed and completely drained of its juices
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup milk 2 percent or whole
- 4 jumbo eggs (or 5 medium/large eggs)
- Pie pan
- Working oven preheated at 350 degrees
- 1/3 cup flour – all purpose
- 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons shopped minced onions (for color and optional)
- red chili flakes (optional)
- Clean tea towel to help squeeze out water from thawed spinach
Directions:
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees
- Place and unroll unbaked pie pastry into pie pan.
- Slice bacon and cook up in skillet while performing other tasks.
- Once spinach is thawed (I used my microwave for 1-2 minutes on medium strength) place half of the boxed thawed spinach into a clean tea towel and grab corners to create a bundle.
- Over sink start squeezing – and squeeze some more, loads of water will come out – you really want to get all the water out, and after opening back up your dish towel, the spinach will easily pop out of your dish towel.
- Fork pie pastry all over on bottom with holes to prevent buckling
- Sprinkle at least 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese on bottom of pie pan on top of pie pastry.
- Sprinkle three tablespoons of the flour on top of the parmesan cheese – this will prevent your pie from being too drippy of tomato juices
- Slice if using beefsteak tomatoes or plums into 1/4 inch slices and arrange in circles over lapping slightly in pie pastry. Sprinkle a little salt all over the tomatoes.
- Sprinkle about half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the tomatoes.
- In bowl, crack your eggs and add mayonnaise, whisk till completely combined and thick.
- Add freshly cracked pepper, tomato paste, 1/2 of the remaining parmesan cheese, remaining flour, optional shakes of chili flakes and half of the nutmeg to egg mixture.
- Stir again then add spinach – stir till combined.
- Pour egg mixture over tomatoes.
- Once bacon is done, drain any extra fat and place on top of egg mixture and add additional shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
- With hand or back of spoon, slightly press cheeses and bacon into egg mixture to get them wet.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining nutmeg.
- Add optional diced green onions.
- Place pie pan carefully into preheated oven and allow to bake for 40 minutes.
- When checking for doneness, insert knife – which will come out a little wet, but not gloppy.
- Let Pie/tart set up for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- This can be served hot, cold or warm – it was super delicious cold late last night when I was struck with a little hunger after watching Craig Furgenson!
- Yes I KNOW!!! lol
Click on photos to see a larger image.
Have fun with this one and use tomatoes from your own garden (or a friends) or from the farmers market nearby – the extra taste of fresh tomato will really come through!
Posted in brunch ideas, lunch ideas, party dishes, vegetarian | 
Tags: brunch ideas, craig furgenson, lunch ideas, pie, tomato tart | 
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Orange Tea Muffins Recipe
The Orange Juice added to this muffin recipe along with orange zest brings forth a bright flavor, yet these muffins are super fluffy, and light for breakfast and brunch, easy to freeze and keep well, take out a few when you need them. My Grandma Nelle would make these often enough. – a family fave.
Ingredients:
- Preheat oven 400 degrees – These will bake for 20-25 minutes
- 2 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup shortening (4 tablespoons butter)
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure orange or lemon extract (vanilla ok if you don’t have the others)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (prefer whole vs. skim)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (with pulp is best)(go for broke as make fresh for that extra oh my factor)
- 2 tablespoons grated orange rind (avoid the pith, which is super bitter – the white stuff, only the skin of the orange)
- Hand mixer, electric mixer.
- You can do this by hand, as I have done with other muffins, but the extra fluffy factor is created in this case and recipe with using my mixmaster.
Directions:
- Grease muffin pans, this recipe will make between 12-15 muffins (the normal size muffin pans)
- Preheat that oven at 400 degrees if you haven’t done so already.
- Sift flour, measure, add baking powder, salt and sift again. Set aside.
- If you are using pre-sifted flour, then measure once, add other dry ingredients and sift once with dry ingredients all together.
- Cream shortening, adding sugar slowly, mix until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and beat, then add milk, orange juice and extract and beat one minute.
- Slowly add dry ingredients (flour, etc.) just until the ingredients come together – Do not over beat! Literally takes maybe 2 minutes on slow with an electric mixer – ok to have some lumps – they will bake out, I promise.
- Fill greased muffin pans two-thirds full, sprinkle tops with a little sugar if you wish.
- Place on middle rack in preheated oven and allow to bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Enjoy! – Image is from simcooks.com but recipe is my Grandma Nelle’s.
Posted in brunch ideas | Tags: breakfast ideas, brunch ideas, muffins, orange tea muffins, slow food recipe | No Comments »
Leah’s Cozy Cottage Eggs Recipe
Crazy for comfort food? This quick dish my grandma used to make on cold winter mornings made me feel all cozy inside. The added dried chipped beef reminds people the days of “old” and is a nice change from your usual bacon or sausage.
Ingredients:
- 1 package of dried chipped beef (you can usually find it near the bacon isle at your grocery store)
- 2 stalks scallions, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese – plain – size curd – your preference
- 6 eggs
- ****Equipment needed:
- skillet, bowl, whisk, hungry people wanting their breakfast fast!
Directions:
- Taking dried chipped beef out of its package, quickly rinse it under water. Some of them can be salty, and this takes out some of the salt that may be strong for some.
- Chop chipped beef into large pieces and add to skillet with butter along with diced scallions.
- While that’s cooking, break eggs into bowl and add cottage cheese. Mix with hand mixer or whisk till well combined.
- Cook the scallions and chipped beef until edges of dried chipped beef are curling and starting to get brown.
- Add egg mixture to skillet and over low heat, cook and stir till thick and soft.
- Serve it up with toast or english muffins and enjoy!
Posted in brunch ideas, chipped beef, egg dishes | Tags: breakfast ideas, brunch ideas, cottage eggs | No Comments »
Grandma Nelles Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe
My Granny’s version of an old favorite, served for breakfast with poached eggs like ‘eggs benedict’ gone chipped beef, or served alone on toast or biscuits…creamy, comforting and super easy and quick.
Ingredients:
- 1 package of dried chipped beef – usually found by the bacon in your grocery store. I prefer packaged versus in a jar
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 tablespoons flour (start with one tablespoon)
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1 bowl with water
- dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
- fresh cracked pepper
- warm toast or biscuits for serving
- poached eggs if you wish to serve it like ‘eggs benedict’
Directions:
- In bowl with water or under running water, rinse chipped beef to remove any excess salt during its curing process.
- Slice or pull apart with hands the chipped beef.
- Place chipped beef in skillet or pot, and add butter.
- Let chipped beef sautée and get a little crispy on its edges.
- Sprinkler flour over melted butter and chipped beef to make a roux
- Add milk slowly and with spoon stir and cook until thickened.
- If too thick for your liking, add a little more milk to thin it out.
- Serve it up over warm toast, biscuits or even a poached egg on a buttered english muffin for that eggs benedict look.
- Pour chipped beef with ‘gravy’ over eggs, biscuits, toast
- Sprinkle top with fresh cracked pepper and optional cayenne
- Serve at once, and watch the plates get licked up!
This is an affordable and quick dish to serve on those occasions you really want something comforting – albeit it’s naughty with the salt content of the chipped beef, but oh oh so good. This is also great to serve for brunches and even a quick lunch when it’s rainy and damp outside.