Praline-Pecan French Toast

I always get excited when the first Fall editions of my magazines appear in the mailbox.  They're always full on tasty recipes and gorgeous fall decorations.  When my Southern Living arrived in the mail 2 weeks ago, I dogeared several recipes to try once the weather cooled down.  Little did a know that a couple days of cooler weather were just around the corner.  Hooray!!

So last Friday night, while The Hubs watched football, I pulled out my Southern Living and decided to try one of the fall recipes before the 100 degree heat showed back up.  

I couldn't resist the Praline-Pecan French Toast.  It's one of those breakfast dishes that you can whip up the night before and then bake in the morning.  It would be perfect if you're having company stay over.  Especially since it smells heavenly while in the oven.  

*Note: I only made a 1/2 recipe since only The Hubs and I would be enjoying this french toast.  However, I've given the full recipe measurements below.

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) French bread loaf
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

 

Preparation

1. Cut 10 (1-inch-thick) slices of bread. Reserve remaining bread for another use.

2. Stir together brown sugar and next 2 ingredients; pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

3. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. 

4. Arrange bread slices over pecans.

5. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and chill 8 hours.

6. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake bread 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. 

7.  Invert baking dish onto a serving tray, letting the brown sugar mixture pour over the french toast.  Serve immediately.

*Sorry for the poor photography.  It was really dark in my kitchen at 11pm while I was prepping this.

Cinnamon Pancakes

Sometimes, when I'm lazy & out of food at the house, I make pancakes for dinner. They're easy & I always have the ingredients on hand. I'll spice them up by adding blueberries, pumpkin, cinnamon, etc.

Earlier in the week, I found a recipe for Cinnamon Pancakes on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site & decided to give them a try. We have a keeper! They were SO GOOD!

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 Tbsp white sugar
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 4 tsp baking powder
* 1 Tbsp cinnamon
* 2 whole eggs, beaten
* 1 cup milk
* 2 Tbsp corn syrup
* 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup butter, melted



Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder & cinnamon with a whisk. Make sure it is all well combined.


2. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, corn syrup & vanilla.


3. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture.


Stir in the melted butter. The batter will be really smooth.


4. Heat a lightly greased griddle over medium/low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake.


5. Brown on both sides.


6. Serve warm with maple syrup (or a cinnamon roll type icing - yum!).

Migas

When The Hubs & I went to the lake house a couple of weekends ago, I was trying to figure out what to make for breakfast. If its just the two of us there, we typically do pancakes, cinnamon rolls or something equally simple. (If we have guests, breakfast turns into a real homemade smorgasbord). I decided to do something a little different and make Migas.

Migas (which translates to "crumbs") has a variety of versions - from Spanish to Portuguese to TexMex. The Spanish & Portuguese versions typically use left over bread and are used as a side dish, while the TexMex version calls for tortilla strips and eggs and is served at breakfast. I obviously made the TexMex version.


Ingredients:

Note: Feel free to use whatever ingredients & mix-ins that you like or have on hand.

* 4 slices of bacon, chopped
* 2/3 of a bell pepper, diced
* 1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped
* 2/3 cup sliced mushrooms
* 4 small corn tortillas, cut into small strips
* 4 to 6 eggs
* shredded cheese
* fresh cilantro, chopped
* salsa


Directions:

1. Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Drain fat and wipe skillet clean.


2. Over medium-high heat, saute the pepper, onion & mushrooms until soft. Transfer to a plate & set aside.


3. Wipe the skillet clean again and return to the stove top. Once it is hot, add the tortilla strips & cook, stirring often, until tortillas are crisp.


4. Crack eggs into a bowl & scramble with a fork. Pour the eggs into the pan over the tortillas. Cook until almost set.


5. Just before the eggs are cooked through, add the veggies & bacon back to the pan and combine.


6. Serve topped with cilantro, cheese & salsa.


My Tid-Bits:

* If you want to sleep in a little longer in the morning, chop up all of the veggies & bacon the night before. If you have everything pre-chopped, this will only take you about 15 minutes to throw together.

* You can make these meatless my omitting the bacon OR make them more flavorful by using chorizo or breakfast sausage.

* Programming Note: I have SO MANY more recipes to share with you all. The photos are sitting on my camera waiting to be uploaded. I just haven't had the time to sit down at the computer & do it. I'm hoping I'll have a little more time next week.

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Pumpkin Ale Bread

I've already mentioned a time or two (or ten) how much I love Fall and all that it entails.....pumpkins, apples, football, cooler weather, cute sweaters, etc. Want to know why else I love fall?? Fall beers. It may sound a bit odd, but I love Octoberfest beers & Pumpkin Ales. My personal faves are Saint Arnolds & Sam Adams, but they're all good.

I recently read a blog post about a baker in Boston who used Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale to make a delicious pumpkin bread. I instantly knew I had to make it and OH MY HEAVENS am I glad I did!!

If you don't try any other recipes that I share, you should try this one. DELICIOUS!!

Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale Bread

Bread Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup Harvests Pumpkin Ale puree (see below)
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp baking power
* 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
* Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)

Pumpkin Ale Puree Ingredients:
* 1-15-oz. can pumpkin puree
* 2/3 granulated sugar
* 1 bottle Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale (or any Pumpkin Ale)
* 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350°.

2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for Pumpkin Ale Puree.

Mix well & set aside.

3. Combine the sugar and oil in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer with paddle attachment at medium speed.

Slowly add the egg.

4. Stop the mixer and add 1 cup of Pumpkin Ale puree. NOTE: Only add 1 cup of the puree, NOT all of it. Turn mixer to low-medium speed and leave it running for 4-5 minutes.

5. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.

6. Stop the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute at low speed or until all the ingredients are mixed together.

7. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. You can either use butter & flour or the wonderfully magic Baker's Joy spray.

8. Pour the mixture into the pan, leaving room at top of pan for bread to rise.

9. Bake for 60 minutes. Check bread by sticking the center with a knife (when knife comes out clean, remove from oven). If needed, bake for another five to eight minutes or until knife comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 - 15 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


10. Once the bread has fully cooled, finish with light dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.

My Tid-Bits:

* I've made plenty of pumpkin bread recipes over the years, but this one was truly exceptional. The Pumpkin Ale just gives it a bit of a different flavor that is just yummy!

* I took the bread with us to the lake house this weekend. I sliced into it after dinner & 30 minutes later, it looked like this:

Everyone could not get enough. It was SO GOOD! You must try it!

* This Pumpkin Ale Bread would be great to give as a gift or serve at a brunch or Thanksgiving dinner.

* The original recipe uses Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale, but my grocery didn't have it, so I subbed in a different Pumpkin Ale. This time of year, you should be able to find at least one brand at any liquor store. World Market carries Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, which is exceptionally good! (Just ask The Hubs. I bought a bottle specifically for this recipe & he accidentally drank it. Oops! I was able to find a different kind at Spec's).

* This recipe also calls for canola oil, but I was all out, so I used vegetable oil instead & it turned out fin.

* The recipe for the Pumpkin Ale Puree makes about 3.5 cups, but the bread recipe only calls for 1 cup of puree. I didn't know what to do with the other 2.5 cups, so I threw it away. Now I know better. Next time I'll just make more bread!

* Isn't my pumpkin loaf pan cute? My friend Jenn gave it to me as a "Thank You" gift last year. It's from Williams-Sonoma and they still have them here.

HAPPY FALL!

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Apple Praline Bread

I'm always on the hunt for new recipes involving pumpkins & apples. I LOVE using apples & pumpkin in the fall. It just feels right.

Last year, I found this recipe for Apple Praline Bread in Southern Living and HAD to make it. OH MY HEAVENS! It is dangerously tasty.

Photo: SouthernLiving.com

I couldn't wait to make it again this year, but it had to be for some occasion or else The Hubs & I would eat the entire loaf all by ourselves. Well this weekend I had just the occasion! My bestie & our moms were coming to my house for a little mother/daughter weekend while our husbands were away on a "man trip." I served the Apple Praline Bread along with some things we picked up at the local Farmer's Market for brunch this morning.



Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
* 1 (8-oz.) container light sour cream
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

2. Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

3. Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

5. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

My Tid-Bits:

* To keep from making a huge mess, be sure to place a piece of foil under the wire rack before you start pouring on the praline sauce.

* Also, I only used about 1/2 of the praline sauce. It was plenty.

* See those pancakes in the brunch picture. They're delicious! I'll share the recipes for those sometime soon.

Monday Morsel from Mom (7th Edition)

Growing up, I always looked forward to Saturday mornings for two reasons:

1. Saturday morning TV (cartoons and eventually Saved By the Bell) and
2. BREAKFAST!!!

Every Saturday morning my mom made a full, delicious breakfast - waffles, pancakes, french toast, muffins, eggs, bacon, etc. I still can't figure out how she gets her scrambled eggs so perfect & fluffy.

I spent many a Saturday perched on the couch with my plate on my lap (yes, we were allowed to eat in the living room) watching the drama unfold at Bayside High.

Now I try to do the same & cook breakfast every Saturday for The Hubs and whatever company we may have at our house or the lake house.

My all-time favorite thing to make for breakfast is my mom's waffles. They are just SO GOOD! I've been known to give waffle makers with this recipe attached as wedding gifts. :)

I made waffles served with strawberries & blueberries on the 4th of July for our Patriotic breakfast! Everyone really enjoyed them...some people (I won't point fingers) may have eaten more than 1 or 2.


Mama's Waffles

Ingredients:

* 2 ½ c milk
* 2 eggs
* 2/3 c oil
* 2 ½ c flour
* 4 t. baking powder
* 1 T sugar
* 1 t. salt

(Sorry I don't have an ingredient picture, but I'm pretty sure you know what all of these things are).

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs & oil. Using an hand mixer, beat until well combined.



2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar & salt.



3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the milk & egg mixture. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until light.



4. Cook according to your waffle makers instructions.



5. Top with all of your favorite: butter, syrup, berries, whip cream, peanut butter, etc.



My Tid-Bits:

* I'm also a believer that breakfast food doesn't always have to be made in the morning. Just ask The Hubs. We probably have breakfast for dinner more than he'd like.

* If you're in the market for a great waffle maker, I LOVE my Cuisinart. All I have to do is pour in 1/2 cup of batter, close the lid & wait for the light to turn green.

* If you use 1/2-ish cup of batter for each waffle, this recipe will make 10 to 12 waffles.

My New Favorite Fast Breakfast

I'm a breakfast eater. For me, eating breakfast isn't optional, its a must. If I don't have breakfast, I'm unpleasant and starving for lunch by 10:00. My typical breakfast is an English Muffin or left over (frozen) pancakes, but occasionally I get bored with those & want to try something different.

I love smoothies & think they are a great breakfast option; however I never make them because it never fails that if I buy the yogurt, berries, etc. to make them, they go bad before I have the chance to use them all or my smoothie doesn't turn out the right consistency, etc. If I want a smoothie, I usually resort to a trip to my fave, Jamba Juice!

That is until a friend told me about Yoplait Smoothies. I'm not taking about the drinkable liquidy ones you find by the yogurt. I'm talking about the one in the frozen fruit section at the grocery store. Y'all, this is good! It's basically frozen berries & chunks of frozen yogurt in a bag.

All you have to do it toss it in the blender...



Add 1 cup of milk...



And you have your smoothie!!



They come in 3 flavors: Triple Berry, Strawberry Banana & Strawberry Mango Pineapple.

And what makes them even better is that they are low in calories & fat. The entire bag + 1 cup skim milk = 220 calories & 3g fat. (They say each bag is 2 servings, but lets be honest - since when is a tiny 8 oz. smoothie going to fill you up and hold you over until lunch? I say eat the whole thing).

So next time you're at the grocery store, pick one up to try.



P.S. I just realized this entire post sounds like a cheesy infomercial, but I'm being sincere. They really are good.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Every year when September 1st rolls around, I go into full Fall mode (even though it's still hotter than Hades here in Houston). I pull out my Fall decorations, purchase mini gourds at the store to put on my coffee table and pull out all of our Aggie football gear.

I also start making all kinds of Fall goodies in the kitchen. Recipes involving apples or pumpkins are always at the top of my list. A couple of years ago, I came across a WONDERFUL Pumpkin Pancake recipe from Martha Stewart.

The Hubs & I like them so much, they are no longer reserved just for fall.

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 cups flour
* 2 Tbsp. sugar
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. ginger
* 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
* 1 pinch cloves (optional)
* 1 cup milk
* 6 Tbsp. canned pumpkin puree
* 2 Tbsp. melted butter
* 1 egg
* butter & syrup for serving



Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine first 8 ingredients - flour through cloves.



2. In another mixing bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, melted butter & egg.



3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients & mix until just combined.



4. Grease & preheat your griddle or skillet to 350 or medium-high.

5. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake.



6. Pancakes are ready to flip when they are bubbly on top.



7. Flip & cook until pancakes are cooked through (about another 3 minutes).



8. Serve with butter & maple syrup.



Yield: 14-16 pancakes

My Tid-Bits:

* These pancakes are very dense & filling! If you're making these for a crowd, allow 3 - 4 pancakes per person. This recipe can easily be doubled.

* If I have leftover pancakes, I put them in a Ziploc bag, remove the air & toss them in the freezer. They are easy to reheat for a yummy breakfast during the week.

* Warm cinnamon apples make a great side dish to go with these pancakes.

* Each pancake has about 65 calories and 2g fat. We won't count the calories in the butter & syrup.

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