Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Muffins
4 cups blueberries
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup milk
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 cup flour

Crumb Topping
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease well.

For muffins, toss rinsed blue berries in 1/2 cup flour until coated. Set aside. Pour together lemon juice and milk, then set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla until well mixed. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in lemon-soured milk. Batter will be thick at this point. Fold in blueberries until berries are even throughout batter. Divide equally into around 30 muffin tin.

For crumb topping, stir all ingredients together until crumbly. Spoon crumb topping on top of uncooked muffins.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until golden on top.

Recipe by Meredith

If you like this, you may also like my Blueberry Muffin Breakfast Cake!

Meredith's Breakfast Egg Casserole

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

9 eggs

1/2 cup milk

3oz cream cheese, softened

16oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (you may substitute pepper-jack if you want it a little spicy)

2 cups cottage cheese

Optional mix-ins

1-2 small cans of diced green chiles

1lb cooked and crumbled pork sausage

1lb cooked and crumbled bacon

Mix butter, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together.  Beat in eggs, milk, and cream cheese.  You may want to use a food emulsifier (boat motor) at this point to blend ingredients into an even mixture.  Stir in shredded cheese and cottage cheese.  If you are adding the optional mix-ins, do so at this point.  Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Recipe by Meredith

Grandma Rowley's Banana Bread

This is a simple and classic banana bread that you can't go wrong with! 

Best eaten warm with butter!

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter or oil
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Beat sugars, butter/oil, eggs, and bananas together. Add dry ingredients. Pour into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over top to mostly cover. Bake at 325 for approximately 60 minutes.  Makes one regular-sized loaf.

* May substitute 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup oil for the oil, to cut down on fat and to make bread more moist.
* Optional stir ins:  pecans, chocolate chips, or blueberries.

Recipe from Karen

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Bacon and cinnamon rolls.  Need I say more?

It's practically heaven on a plate.  The perfect combination of salty and sweet. 

The first time I made them, one of my sons ate FIVE.  No joke.

Dough:
1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 (3.5oz) box instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk, warm
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp salt
7 cups flour

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp flour
2 lbs bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled

Icing:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 butter, softened
dash of salt
3 to 4 Tbsp maple syrup
powdered sugar to desired consistency/sweetness

- Combine warm water, yeast, and syrup. Set aside. Put flour, dry pudding mix, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in yeast mixture, melted butter, warm milk, and eggs. Mix with dough hook for a couple of minutes on medium, to medium-low speed, until all ingredients are kneaded together and soft dough is formed.

- Form dough into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover bowl with damp cloth. Place in warm place to rise until dough is doubled in size. Approximately 1 hour.

- In the meantime, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.

- After dough has risen, turn out onto floured surface. Cut dough in half.
- Roll out one half of the dough to form a large rectangle. Approximately 12 inches by 8 inches. Roll to approximately 1/4" in thickness.  The thinner you roll the dough, the more spiral-y the cinnamon rolls will be.  I tend to love the more spiral-y!
- Brush with half of melted butter.  Sprinkle half of butter/cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of dough.
- Sprinkle half of the crumbled bacon bits on top of the cinnamon/sugar.

- Roll dough, jelly-roll style, starting from the longer side of the rectangle.
- Repeat with other half of dough and butter/cinnamon/sugar mixture.
- Using unflavored dental floss or thread, cut logs into 3/4" to 1" slices. Each log will yield 12 slices. Place 12 rolls in each 9x13 baking dish, on top of glaze (if you made it)

- Let rise, until rolls are doubled in size. Approximately 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes, careful to not overcook!

For icing, mix all ingredients together. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!

Makes TWO DOZEN cinnamon rolls.

Recipe by Meredith

Blueberry Muffin Breakfast Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar plus 2 Tbsp
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour, plus 1/4 cup set aside
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh blueberries
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a liquid measuring cup, put in 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice, then add milk to total 1/2 cup liquid and let sit.  In small bowl toss blueberries with reserved 1/4 cup of flour, until blueberries are coated.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add vanilla and egg and mix well.  Toss together dry ingredients, then add to mixing bowl.  Mix together.  Pour in soured milk and mix.  Stir in coated blueberries.  Pour batter into a greased 9x9 baking dish (or similar size).  Top with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, sprinkled on top.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from HERE.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
5 cups water (or milk & water mix)
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp all spice
dash of nutmeg and ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins or craisins

Bring oats, flaxseed, carrots, and water to a boil on stovetop.  Simmer until desired consistency. (Add more water if you want it more soupy.)  Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve warm.  Makes 4-6 servings (depending on how large of a serving you want.)

Recipe by Meredith

"Crunchy" Quinoa Banana Pancakes

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup flaxseed
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Rinse uncooked quinoa thoroughly.  Add to small saucepan, add water.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low until quinoa is cooked; about 10 minutes.  Put quinoa in mixing bowl.  Mix quinoa with dry ingredients.  Add egg and mashed banana and mix well.  Slowly add milk, until desired pancake batter consistency.  Cook batter, about 1/2 cup at a time, on medium heat until bubbles form on top, flip, then cook another 30 seconds or so.  Serve hot with butter and syrup.  Makes about 8 pancakes.

Recipe by Meredith

Baked French Toast

2 loaves French bread, sliced diagonally (I used day-old Jimmy John's bread)
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Stand up bread in a greased 9x13 baking dish so that the pieces kind of lay on each other.  Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Pour egg mixture over bread.  Turn over bread slices in egg mixture so they are well coated.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Top with strawberries and powdered sugar.

Recipe by Meredith

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Cinnamon Filling/Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon


Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.  Mix all ingredients for glaze, then pour over cake while it is still warm.

Recipe found HERE.

Baked Oatmeal

2 apples, cored and rough chopped
1 cup fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups quick cooking oats
4 cups skim milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a casserole or large oven proof dish.  Bake at 350 for 45 min.

Recipe modified from original found HERE.

Oatmeal Apple Butter Pancakes

2 1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
2 eggs
1/2 cup apple butter
1 cup milk

Mix all ingredients.  Cook on medium to medium-high griddle for a couple minutes on each side.

Recipe by Meredith

Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole

frozen hash browns
1 lb pork sausage, cooked and drained
1lb bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
9 to 10 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

Whisk eggs, milk, and sour cream together until blended.  Set aside.  In a large, well-greased crockpot, lay down a 1 to 1 1/2 inch layer of hashbrowns, followed by half of bacon and sausage, half of the chopped onion, and 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat with another layer of hashbrowns, bacon, sausage, onions, and cheese.  Pour egg mixture on top.  Sprinkle with more cheese, if desired.  Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.

Recipe by Meredith

Pumpkin Pancakes

picture of pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients plus pumpkin.  Then mix all ingredients together.  Add extra milk to desired pancake batter consistency (not too runny).  Pour onto hot griddle; might need to spread batter out into a circle, as it is a little thick.  Cook until browned on both sides and cooked through.  Serve hot.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll pancakes - use pumpkin pancake batter plus cinnamon roll filling from Cinnamon Roll Pancake recipe.  Top with cream cheese frosting and pecans.

Recipe tweaked by Meredith from one found HERE.

Corned Beef and Sweet Potato Hash

8 oz. corned beef
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
1 medium yellow onion
4 Tbsp butter
1 jalapeño pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
freshly cracked pepper and unrefined salt, to taste

Finely chop the sweet potatoes, onion, and corned beef in small, fairly consistent pieces (I did about 1/4-1/2"). Heat the 2 Tbsp of fat in the pan over medium-low heat, add the onions and jalapeño, and saute until onions become translucent. Then add the potatoes and the corned beef. Saute for for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Then add remaining 2 Tbsp of fat, turn up the heat, stir, and fry until potatoes become slightly crisp and golden. Remove from heat, add fresh thyme leaves, and season to taste with freshly cracked pepper and unrefined salt.

Recipe found online HERE.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Your favorite pancake batter for fluffy pancakes.  (I used good ole Bisquick, per their recipe)
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Cream cheese frosting

Mix pancake batter, set aside.  Mix together butter, sugar, and cinnamon then pour into a squirt bottle (like a ketchup bottle) or into a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.  Pour pancake batter onto greased medium heat skillet.  After it has set for a minute, swirl on the cinnamon mixture.  When bubbles start to surface, flip pancake and cook another minute or so.  ***The goo will cook into the pancake and leave "crevasses", so I squirted more of the filling into those crevasses once I removed the pancake from the heat.***  Drizzle frosting over pancakes (I used canned cake icing...popped it in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, and then drizzled that over the pancakes).  No butter or syrup needed!!!!

Original recipe found HERE.

Sweet Cinnamon Scones

• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• ⅓ cups Sugar
• 5 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 sticks (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter
• ¾ cups Heavy Cream
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Cinnamon Chips
• Topping
• ½ cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1-½ teaspoon Heavy Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and baking powder. Cut butter into pieces, then cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cinnamon chips.

Mix together cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour into flour/butter mixture, stirring gently with a fork to combine.

Turn onto work surface (mixture will be very crumbly and falling apart.) Gently press together on the sides as you flatten (or roll, with a rolling pin) the top. Form either into a large circle or a large rectangle. Mix together topping ingredients, stirring with a fork. Sprinkle over the top of the dough, lightly pressing.

Cut into wedges (from a circle) or triangles (from a rectangle.) Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Recipe from HERE.

Meredith's *Perfect* Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 (3.5oz) box instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk, warmed
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp salt
7+ cups flour

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp flour

Icing:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt

- Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside. Put flour, salt, and dry pudding mix in a large mixing bowl. Pour in yeast mixture, melted butter, warm milk, and eggs. Mix with dough hook for a couple of minutes on medium, to medium-low speed, until all ingredients are kneaded together and soft dough is formed. Add extra flour a couple Tablespoons at a time until you get a soft, but not sticky, dough. It should come away from the sides of the bowls but still be soft to the touch.

- Form dough into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover bowl with damp cloth. Place in warm place to rise until dough is doubled in size. Approximately 1 hour.

- In the meantime, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.

- After dough has risen, turn out onto floured surface. Cut dough in half, if you want to work with less dough at a time. (I’ve made this recipe so many times that I will roll out the entire batch of dough.)

- Roll out one half of the dough to form a large rectangle. Approximately 12 inches by 8 inches. Roll to approximately 1/4" in thickness. the thinner you roll the dough, the more of a spiral you will get in your roll, offering more cinnamony layers!

- Brush with half of melted butter.  Sprinkle half of butter/cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of dough.

- Roll dough, jelly-roll style, starting from the longer side of the rectangle.

- Using unflavored dental floss or thread, cut logs into 3/4" to 1" slices. Each log will yield 12 slices, or the entire batch will yield 24. Place 12 rolls in each greased 9x13 baking dish.

- Repeat with other half of dough and butter/cinnamon/sugar mixture.

- Let rise, until rolls are doubled in size. Approximately 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17-25 minutes (depending on oven), careful to not overcook!

For icing, mix all ingredients together. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!

Makes TWO DOZEN cinnamon rolls


Recipe by Meredith

Betty Crocker Cinnamon Rolls

4 to 4 1/3 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Combing 2 cups of the flour and yeast; set aside. Ina medium saucepan, heat and stir milk, the 1/3 cup sugar, the 1/3 cup butter, and salt just till warm and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

2. Turn dough onto a floured surgace. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double in size (about 1 hour).

3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surgace. Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Lightly greast two 9x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans.

4. Roll each portion of the dough inot a 12x8 inch rectangle. Brush the melted 3 Tbsp butter over dough. Combine the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from a long side. Seal seam. Slice each roll into 12 equal pieces. Place in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (about 30 minutes).

5. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or till golden. Cool slightly; remove from pans. Drizzle with icing. Serve warm.

Recipe copied out of Betty Crocker cookbook

Blueberry Scones

The key to this recipe is working the dough as little as possible—work quickly and knead and fold the dough only the number of times called for. The butter should be frozen solid before grating. While the recipe calls for 2 whole sticks of butter, only 10 tablespoons are actually used (see step 1). If fresh berries are unavailable, an equal amount of frozen berries (do not defrost) can be substituted. An equal amount of raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries can be used in place of the blueberries. Cut larger berries into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces before incorporating. Refrigerate or freeze leftover scones, wrapped in foil, in an airtight container. To serve, remove foil and place scones on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven. Heat until warmed through and recrisped, 8 to 10 minutes if refrigerated, 16 to 20 minutes if frozen.

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), frozen whole (see note above)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 7 1/2 ounces), picked over (see note)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus additional for work surface
1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces), plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Score and remove half of wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. Grate unwrapped ends on large holes of box grater (you should grate total of 8 tablespoons). Place grated butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 tablespoons of remaining ungrated butter and set aside. Save remaining 6 tablespoons butter for another use. Place blueberries in freezer until needed.

2. Whisk together milk and sour cream in medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; fold with spatula until just combined. With rubber spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. Dust surface of dough with flour; with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

4. Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to countertop. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into approximate 12-inch square again. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll dough, pressing to form tight log. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

To Make Ahead:
After placing the scones on the baking sheet, either refrigerate them overnight or freeze. When ready to bake, for refrigerated scones, heat oven to 425 degrees and follow directions in step 6. For frozen scones, heat oven to 375 degrees, follow directions in step 6, and extend cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Easy Bread Pudding

• 6 slices day-old bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins or Craisins (optional)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com