NuM NuM

As I've mentioned before, breakfast is one of my favorite meals and this portobello "benedict" reminded me of the many reasons why I enjoy it so much. Anytime I order eggs benedict I can never seem to get past the over easy egg and always find myself eating around the yolk. This "benedict" however was right up my alley with the addition of pesto and scrambled eggs - YUM MAY! Substituting the english muffin for the portobello mushroom was a brilliant idea as well and added a bit of "meatyness" to the dish. Make your breakfast a little extra special and give this a try :)


Grilled Portobello "Benedict"
Adapted from Ellie Krieger, So Easy via Apple a Day Blog

Ingredients:
cooking spray
2 portobello caps (about 4 oz. each)
1 tsp olive oil
S&P
4 slices Canadian bacon (1/8" thick)
Store-bought or homemade pesto, to taste
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1 TBSP milk or water
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbs. freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
3-4 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan sprayed with cooking spray over medium-high heat.

2. With a spoon, gently scrape out the gills from the inside of the mushroom caps, taking care not to break the caps. Brush both sides with the oil or spray with PAM olive oil and sprinkle both side with S&P. Grill the mushrooms until they are tender and their juices begin to release, about seven minutes per side or until cooked all the way through. Transfer each mushroom to a plate, top side down.

3. One the same grill or grill pan, cook the Canadian bacon slices until they are warm and grill marks have formed, about 1 minute per side. Place one to two slices of bacon on each mushroom cap. Spread pesto over the Canadian bacon.

4. While the mushrooms are grilling, whisk the eggs, egg whites, and water/milk together in a medium bowl until well combined. In a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat, scramble the eggs until cooked through. Mine took about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add basil and cheese.

5. Divide the scrambled eggs over the pesto and if so desired, sprinkle more cheese. Serve immediately.

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 egg
1 1/2 cup raspberries or cranberries
3/4 cups pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup demerera sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 (or 10) x 5 loaf pan (or 2 smaller loaf pans).

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in the bowl of your stand mixer. Turn on medium and add shortening until combined. Add orange juice, orange zest, and egg. Mix until well-blended. Stir in berries and nuts. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Spread demerera sugar evenly over the top.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Mini loaves should take 35-40 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly with plastic wrap or foil to keep it moist.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker - recipe from Saveur Magazine

Makes 16 rolls

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 1⁄4-oz. package active dry yeast
1⁄2 tsp. plus 1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup milk, at room temperature
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 3⁄4 cups flour, sifted, plus
more for kneading
3⁄4 tsp. fine salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room
temperature, plus more for the pan

FOR THE FILLING:
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1⁄4 cup finely chopped pecans
1⁄4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. fine salt
1⁄8 tsp. ground cloves
2 tbsp. maple syrup
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1⁄4 cup milk

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a hook, combine yeast, 1⁄2 tsp. of the sugar, and 1⁄4 cup water heated to 115°. Stir to combine and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute. Turn mixer off and add the flour and salt. Mix on medium speed until the dough just comes together. Turn mixer speed to high and knead dough for 4 minutes. Add the butter and continue kneading until dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place. Let the dough rise for 1 1⁄2–2 hours, until it has doubled in size.

2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Combine the sugar, dark brown sugar, pecans, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large bowl; stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. Set filling aside.

3. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a heavily floured surface. Gently knead the dough until it's no longer sticky, adding more flour as necessary, about 1 minute. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10" x 10" square. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with a rubber spatula until it's smooth and spreadable. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the dough square; then fold square into thirds as you would fold a letter to fit it into an envelope. Take the open ends of the resulting rectangle and fold into thirds again, to make a smaller dough square. Invert the dough so that the seam is face down and, using the rolling pin, gently roll into a 10" x 20" rectangle.

4. Turn the dough so the long end is facing you. Brush the dough with the melted butter. Drizzle the reserved filling over the dough, leaving a 1" border at the edge farthest away from you. Lightly press the filling into the dough. Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder. Place dough cylinder, seam side down, on a cutting board and, using a thin, sharp knife, trim off the ends; cut cylinder crosswise into 16 equal-size slices. (I find it MUCH easier to cut the rolls with dental floss) Nestle the slices, cut sides up into a buttered 9" x 13" baking dish. Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 2 hours. (Alternatively, the rolls may be refrigerated overnight to rise in the fridge.)

5. Heat oven to 375°. Uncover the rolls. (If refrigerated, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.) Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the rolls comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

6. Make the icing: While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth.

7. Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes. Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle all over the rolls. Serve immediately.

I love it when you make something and you instantly know you have a "tried and true" recipe that will end your search for all others to come. This my friends, is that recipe! I knew it had potential when I saw the title "Prize Winning Banana Bread" - and that it was! I took my first bite and said, "mmm...it's good." Then after my brain actually registered what I was eating, I squealed with joy, "ooooh, that's really good!" I gave a piece to Lobster and he reaffirmed my thoughts. Since I made the bread for Lobster's grandpa, I of course had to try a piece for quality control purposes :)

This is an excellent recipe and produces a wonderfully moist bread. As an added bonus, the divine smell that exudes from the oven isn't too shabby either. I've been disappointed with other recipes in the past, but this is definitely a winner! I realize the Internet is already flooded with hundreds of banana bread recipes, but I felt this was worthy enough to share since I'm certain you'll go bananas over this banana bread - no pun intended :P


Prize Winning Banana Bread
Recipe from Group Recipes
Makes one loaf

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (I use 3 medium well-ripened bananas)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

How to make it:
• Mix together butter, oil, sugars and eggs.
• Add mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla, stirring together well.
• Mix in flour, baking soda and salt, stirring until it is well blended.
• Pour into 1 greased large loaf pan or 2 smaller loaf pans (I cut the recipe in half and cooked it in a smaller loaf pan)
• Sprinkle additional brown sugar generously over top of batter, using your hand to gently pat some of it into the batter, which is purely optional!
• Bake at 325 degrees: large loaf pan for about 1 hour, smaller loaves for about 40-45 minutes.
• Allow bread to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges, tap the pan on the counter several times to release the bread from the bottom of the pan, then invert pan over a wire rack and let the bread fall onto the rack to finish cooling completely.

Variations and Suggestions: Add any of the following – miniature chocolate chips, toffee bits, shredded coconut, chopped pecans or macadamia nuts.
• Try toasting your banana bread – spread hot toasted bread with butter and even add a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar and some slices of banana, or top with a combination of honey and peanut butter, or spread hot toasted bread with some Nutella…the possibilities are endless!
• Use slices of banana bread to make your French toast. Just dust the finished product with some powdered sugar, or a little powdered sugar glaze, or spread on some Nutella, and maple syrup is good on it, too…you’ve gotta try it!

Wow, two granola recipes in one week? Well, the first batch was so wonderful I found myself craving more. But this time I thought I'd try something a little less festive since my last granola recipe called for pumpkin. It also might have to do with the fact that I don't enjoy making the same thing twice unless it's filed under NuM NuM, so of course I had to search the Internet for another recipe. This one was slightly different and tasted like a traditional granola. Although I must admit I did enjoy my last batch more - maybe because it reminded me of a pumpkin pie and who wouldn't want that for breakfast - but this was delicious as well. So if you're lookin' to switch up your morning routine from bacon and eggs, granola would be a great start.


Mix-n-Match Applesauce Granola
Recipe from Baking Bites
8 servings

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups puffed rice cereal (I used all oats)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup plain sweetened applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
up to 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
up to 1 cup dried fruit
nut suggestions: almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, etc
dried fruit suggestions: cranberries, raisins, apricots, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet (or two smaller sheets) with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine oats, puffed rice cereal, and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, applesauce (do not use chunky applesauce), maple syrup and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients along with chopped nuts and stir to combine. Spread on prepared baking sheet(s) in an even layer.
Bake for 30 minutes in center of oven, then turn over the granola carefully using a large wide spatula, and bake for additional 10-15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, the center might not be fully dried if your granola layer is thick, so if necessary remove the edges of the cooked granola to a cooling rack and let the rest cook for another 10-15 minutes until done.
Cool on pan or on a wire rack.
Break granola up as desired and stir in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container. If you put it in the fridge it will last longer.

I have been making this Pumpkin Bread for years and it is always a hit! Since the biggest eating holiday of the year is coming up, this would make a great addition to your table. I like to serve it when guests first arrive so they have something to munch on before the main event. What better way to begin a day full of eating then with a perfectly moist slice of pumpkin bread. Don't forget it's healthy too - good for the heart and tummy :)


Pumpkin Bread
Recipe from Cooking Light
2 loaves
1 slice = 198 calories

Ingredients

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 15 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Doesn't that photo just scream Fall to you! Coincidentally, that's me in the photo and as you can tell I was uber excited to play with leaves and see an orange tree. :) I love it when summer ends, days become colder, and the air turns crisp. It's a sure sign the winter months are near and sweater season is a comin'. Lobster and I went to Boston for the weekend and I was mesmerized by all the beautiful foliage there. Sadly, after spending a few days on the East Coast I had to return to the ugly green and brown trees of California. It's times like these I wish I lived in a city that has more then two seasons.

Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, I thought I'd embrace the holiday early and make something pumpkin-y. I don't know about you, but anything involving pumpkin reminds me of Fall and Turkey Day. Hence, I bring you pumpkin granola - a healthy way to start your day off right.


I consider this healthy because there's no butter or oil binding the ingredients together. Pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and applesauce work as the "glue" and add just a touch of sweetness to the granola. The pumpkin flavor was not overwhelming in the least bit and if anything, it probably could've been a bit sweeter IMO. Since there's hardly any fat in the recipe, you don't get the same crunchy texture as you would in store bought granola - this produces a moister granola with a chewier consistency, which I didn't mind. I had some this morning with milk but it would be wonderful as a yogurt topping as well. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Granola
Adapted from Baking Bites

5 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ tsp sea salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pepitas

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Add the nuts during the last 10 minutes of baking so they do not burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Stir in dried cranberries and store in an airtight container.

*To make your own pumpkin pie spice mix 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp all spice together to make 1 tbs and use as directed.

**Note-serve granola with yogurt, milk, or enjoy plain.

***Granola will keep for one week or if you store it in an air-tight container in the fridge it will keep for months

Did you know it's officially zucchini season? I've noticed the super markets are overwhelmed with them lately since I practically ran into the bin and one of the little guys nearly jumped into my cart. Soooooo...when life gives you zucchini - make some zucchini bread. I've been making this one for years and it's a fool proof recipe for a moist bread with the perfect amount of sweetness. Every time I serve this it always receives high reviews and no one can tell it's a "healthy" version - I guess till now. Give this one a try if you're tryin' to figure out what to do with all those leftover zucchs.


Zucchini Bread
2 loaves, 28 servings
1 serving = 131 calories
Recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place zucchini on several layers of paper towels, and cover with additional paper towel. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Set aside.
3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through baking powder) in a large bowl, and stir well; make a well in center of mixture. Combine zucchini, applesauce, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly between 2 (71/2 x 3-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Token's wife brought these muffins for us the other night and they were muy delicioso. It was so cute, she brought them over in a decorated basket like she was Little Red Riding Hood. The muffins had the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch and smelled so good. The recipe is from Ina Garten and has about three hundred reviews so you know these are NUM! They're a cross between cereal and granola so you can have the best of both worlds. They were great for breakfast and as a midnight snack :)


Banana Crunch Muffins
Makes 18 large muffins
Adapted from Ina Garten

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
* 2 extra-large eggs
* 3/4 cup whole milk
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
* 1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
* 1 cup small-diced walnuts
* 1 cup granola
* 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
* Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Today I made myself a healthy fruit and yogurt parfait. I couldn't tell which one I was more excited about - eating the parfait or just the idea of making something in my cute new glasses. Ain't it perrrrty?! It's like whatever you make automatically looks yummy and fancy. I have great plans for these little guys...de-constructed tiramisu, strawberries and creme, hot fudge sundaes...nummmmm! I'm getting hungry just thinking about the endless possibilities.

Today they were used to make me breakfast. I filled each layer with a little bit of Special K cereal, topped with greek yogurt, sliced strawberries and drizzled with honey. After you finish the first layer keep building until you get to the top - grab a fork and dig in.

Other suggestions could be:
- strawberries with sour cream mixed with brown sugar
- angel food cake topped with strawberry or blueberry sleury
- holding vessel for cobbler with ice cream

Don't you hate it when you buy an ingredient for just one dish and you don't know what to do with the leftovers? I had some buttermilk left over and thankfully found this recipe. As I skimmed over the list of ingredients I had everything I needed to make these muffins. Buttermilk, check. Apples, check. Must be a sign! Must be meant to be! These muffins were light, fluffy, super moist, and had just the right amount of sweetness. With every bite you get a warm, sweet cinnamony apple which reminds you of an apple pie. You can enjoy them for breakfast or do what I did and eat them for dessert with ice cream - so versatile they are. As an added bonus it really doesn't matter what kind of apple you use since these muffins spend such little time in the oven. Enjoy!

NOTE: As usual I forgot to read the directions and dumped the entire 1/2 cup of brown sugar into the mixture and missed out on the streusel topping. Oh well, just another reason to make them again. Hmmm...I still have more buttermilk and apples in the fridge ^_^


Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
Yield: About 18 muffins.
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature*
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk or yogurt
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups and set aside.
Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.Mix in the buttermilk gently until just blended. Mixture will be lumpy and runny (If you over-mix, the buttermilk will cause the mixture to curdle.) Turn mixer switch to stir and slowly add in the dry ingredients. Fold in the apple chunks.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

*UPDATE: I swapped out half the butter for unsweetened apple sauce (the entire container) and did not miss any of the extra fat. This time I also made the streusel topping but still liked the original version better with all the brown sugar in the mix.
**I only had a 12 cup muffin tin so I baked the rest in a loaf pan at 375F for 15-18 minutes.
**Mine took only an additional 5 minutes after turning the heat down to 400F

I was going on a hike with my sister today so I thought I'd make us an energizing meal. I figured since we were "working out" we needed to fuel our bodies. In case you were wondering, yes cheese does give you more endurance :) and we can always use a little more calcium in our diet.

I thought these biscuits were pretty good. I was hoping for my "happy dance" reaction after I took my first bite but they were just "good." Although that didn't stop me from eating 1 1/2 of them :D They were not dense at all and tasted nice and light. This is a good starter recipe to tweek and make your own. Next time - and there will be a next time - I would and add some diced green chiles and use a stronger cheese, perhaps parmesan or gruyere.

Note: I was inspired to make some McDonald McMuffins so we made these into biscuit sammies and ate them with eggs and slow roasted tomatoes. Here's a good tip to make your eggs have the signature round look of a McD's mcmuffin. Make a frittata and cut the egg into round circles using a biscuit cutter.

Cheddar, Bacon, and Fresh Chive Biscuits – 308 calories
makes 6 large biscuits
Recipe by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen

Ingredients
• 3 thick cut bacon slices
• 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbs cups bread flour
• 3/4 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
• 2 1/2 tbs chopped fresh chives
• 3/4 cup + 3 tbs chilled buttermilk

Preparation
• Position rack just above center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop coarsely.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter cubes. Blend until coarse meal forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Add cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and chopped bacon; toss to blend. Gradually add buttermilk, stirring to moisten evenly (batter will feel sticky).
• Using lightly floured hands, drop generous 1/2 cup batter for each biscuit onto prepared baking sheet, spacing batter mounds about 2 inches apart.
• Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Brush biscuits lightly with some melted butter. Let cool 10 minutes.

**Although the recipe calls for 3 slices of thick cut bacon, I used 3 slices of regular bacon and thought it could use more "bacony" flavor. Next time I would use six slices.

My favorite meal of the day is breakfast but I rarely ever make it at home for some reason. Today my sister and mom came over for brunch so I decided to whip up a frittata sammie. Frittatas are an easy dish to entertain with since they're not fussy and can be served hot or at room temperature. They're also great because you can add whatever veggies you have in your fridge and throw them in. I had a ton of asparagus so that was the main component of this dish. The frittata turned out okay but didn't have enough flavor b/c I didn't salt it enough. That was easily fixed with some salt sprinkled on top along with some Cholula hot sauce - which always makes everything better.

My favorite part of the dish was the slow roasted tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes this way releases their natural juices and even the most un-ripe tomato will be sweet and juicy. NUM! They are a great addition to any sammie, burger, and in between slices of melted ooey gooey grilled cheese sammies.

Frittata and tomato sandwich – 3 servings
Adapted from Michael Chiarello

• 1 pound asparagus
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 7 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fontina or provolone cheese , grated
• 8 slices country-style bread
• Red pepper flakes, to taste, optional
• Oven roasted tomatoes

Directions
Preheat broiler.
Cut and discard tough ends of asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil, S&P. Put asparagus on a sheet pan and broil for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into 1/2 inch bite size pieces. Stir the asparagus and basil into the beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a 10-inch flameproof nonstick skillet over moderate high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. When skillet is hot, add the egg mixture. Let the eggs cook without stirring until they begin to set, then lift the edges with a spatula and let the uncooked eggs run underneath. Continue cooking until the eggs are mostly cooked but still a little runny on top. Place the skillet under the broiler just until the surface of the frittata no longer moist, about one to two minutes, then sprinkle the cheese on top and broil again until the cheese melts. Slide the frittata onto a serving plate and let cool to room temperature.
Set the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Brush the bread slices on both sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, place on baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and crisp.
Cut the frittata into slices, place on warm slice of toast, place tomatoes on top of frittata, season with salt and pepper and chili flakes to taste, and cover with another piece of toast. Serve


Oven roasted tomatoes
Vine ripened tomatoes or Plum tomatoes
Dash of salt and pepper
Dash of sugar
Olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 270F. Cut tomatoes in half and de-seed. Sprinkle with S&P, sugar and olive oil. Roast for two hours until tomatoes collapse. To store, keep in refrigerator in an air-tight container. Mine were done after two hours but if you keep them in there too long they will turn black, so check on them after about 1 1/2 hours.

UPDATE: Brush olive oil on bottom of baking sheet. Cut tomatoes in half and de-seed and flavor with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Place cut side down and roast at 200F for six hours. These make great additions to sammies or make into a sauce by adding slivered basil, capers, balsamic vinegar and garlic. OR use these in your next caprese salad.

This was my first time making pancakes from scratch and they were NUM! When I was younger my sister and I made pancakes a few times but they were from a box mix and were not nerely as good as THESE. The addition of buttermilk made these pillowy puffs of dough nice, moist and flah-fee! I topped these suckers off with a blueberry sleury, maple syrup, and it was the perfect start to the weekend.

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
recipe from Radishes and Rhubarb
Makes 6, 6-inch pancakes

1 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cups well shaken buttermilk
1 large eggs
1/8 cup vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl. Add all wet ingredients at once and stir just until combined. Do not over mix, batter will be slightly lumpy. Lightly coat skillet with oil. Heat to medium low. Drop 1/4 cup of batter onto heated skillet. Cook on first side until bubbles begin to form on surface, 2-3 minutes. Flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and centre springs back when lightly touched. Serve warm with maple syrup and blueberry sleury. Keep warm in a 200F oven while you make the rest of the pancakes.


Blueberry Sleury
Frozen blueberries
Granulated Sugar
Water

Put a couple handfuls of frozen blueberries in a saucepan and add a tablespoon of water. Cook until blueberries begin to break down and soften (4-5 minutes). They will begin to release a bit of liquid. Add more water if sleury looks too dry and sugar to taste.

I had an abundance of almonds in my pantry and recently saw an ad for Trader Joe's Salted Roasted Almond Butter and thought, "Hey, I can make that!" It was super easy to make and much better then buying a canned version from the store. By making the almond butter at home, you get to control the ingredients and tweek it however you like. Since I HEART all things sweet and salty, I added some koarse kosher salt and honey to sweeten it up a bit. It was NUM!

Almond Butter - 2 cups

2 cups raw whole almonds or peanuts
Peanut Oil
Koarse Kosher Salt
Honey

Roast the nuts in a 350F pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes. Taste them, make sure they taste roasted and not raw or burnt. Let the almonds cool for a bit. It's best to ground the almonds while they are still warm. Grind almonds in a food processor until all the almonds are finely ground. This should take about 3-5 minutes. While the machine is running, add peanut oil until smooth and the consistency you like. Add salt into feeding tube while machine is running. This will incorporate the salt throughout the almond butter. Add honey to taste. Make sure to taste as you add your seasonings.

**This tastes fabulous over frozen bananas.

These cinnamon rolls are INSANELY DELICIOUS!!!! All those hours of searching for the best recipes on the Internet surely does pay off when you get to put yummy goodness in your belly. These are finger-lickin', mouth watering, lip smackin' GOOOOOOD!!! These are better then the cinnabons you eat at the malls b/c you get to enjoy these fresh out of the oven. They are so yummy and warm and the glaze you pour over the top is just heavenly.


These cinnamon rolls will now become a tradition in our home. These are sooooo good and rich that they can only be consumed once a year. Therefore, we will be enjoying them every Christmas and savoring every bite...guilt free!

While making this recipe I am still having difficulty learning how to roll out my dough. I follow the recipe exactly but for some reason I cannot get the dough to roll out to the correct size. So frustrating!! Therefore I was only able to make 8 rolls instead of 12. Well, it was really more like 6 because the two on the end had less of a dough to cinnamon sugar ratio so I doubt they will get eaten. Anyway, I hope you try this recipe and enjoy them as much as we did. (Haha, update: I was rolling the cinnamon rolls from the short side of the dough rather than the long side. Therefore I was unable to get the proper amount :)


Fastest Cinnamon Buns
by Kathy Kingsley
Yields: 12 buns

For an extra-sweet touch, reserve some of the glaze to pass at the table, so people can drizzle a little more on top

For the dough:
3/4 cup cottage cheese (4% milk fat) or 1% fat or part skim ricotta
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

For the filling:
3/4 oz. (1-1/2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup (4 oz.) chopped pecans

For the glaze:
2-1/2 oz. (scant 2/3 cup) confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 Tbs. cold whole or low-fat milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Make the dough:
In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (I pulsed mine about 6 times - don’t overprocess) The dough will be soft and moist.
Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle.

Make the filling:
Brush the dough with some melted butter, (I just used butter spray) leaving a 1/2-inch border unbuttered around the edges. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered area of the dough and pat gently into the surface. Sprinkle the nuts over the sugar mixture.
Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open.

With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill the pan and touch slightly, but don’t worry if there are small gaps.

Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. (Mine only took 20 minutes) Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring. Transfer the rolls to a serving plate.

Make the glaze:
In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tbs. milk, and vanilla to make a smooth glaze. It should have a thick but pourable consistency, so add up to 1 Tbs. more milk if necessary. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.

**Here is another version to the recipe, although I haven't tried it yet.

Apple-Butter Cinnamon Buns: Instead of using the cinnamon-pecan filling in the main recipe, mix 3/4 cup apple butter, 1-1/2 Tbs. melted butter, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Omit the melted butter from the main recipe and spread the dough rectangle with the apple mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup (3 oz.) finely chopped walnuts, if desired. Roll, cut, bake, and ice as directed. Because this filling is wetter, the buns may need to bake for 30 minutes.

Ooooh, I just made a delicious breakfast for myself. Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I've made eggs. This was sort of a "kitchen sink" attempt at making them b/c I just threw everything I had in the fridge into them. Since I was just cooking for myself, I didn't make much of a dent with the leftovers we have in our refrigerator, but it was GOOD. I first sprayed pam and a little bit of "I can't believe it's not butter" into the skillet, diced up a tiny bit of shallot, threw in one finely diced mushroom along with two grape tomatoes (seasoned with S&P) and then three egg whites. (seasoned a tiny bit more with just salt) When the eggs were about 3/4 of the way done, I stirred in a little bit of fresh thyme until fragrant and then dotted the top with laughing cow's "french onion" cheese and scrambled the eggs some more until they looked done. Then voila, my masterpiece was finished. It was the perfect consistency-not too dry or runny. Next time though I will take the seeds out of the tomatoes to ensure the eggs will not be runny. I then finished off the meal with a fuyu persimmon. It was a yummy, quick, balanced, and healthy breakfast. Such a big change from the normal cereal I have for breakfast. I was a happy girl :) It's amazing what brings a smile to my face

Using the higher amount of sugar will produce a moister and, of course, sweeter bread.
Adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard.