Waffles

This is one of the easiest waffle recipes I've ever found. Most recipes call for an overnight refrigeration, but really who has time for that? I don't think about breakfast until I wake up and certainly have little to no self-control if I were to make batter the night before. ;) This recipe is quick, easy, and uses ingredients everyone should have in their kitchen, if say, one would be stuck inside under emergency precautions due to a blizzard. It's definitely sure to warm up your bellies on a cold, wintry morning.

Waffles
Adapted from: Joy of Baking
Yields: 6-7 waffles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preheat waffle maker. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl mix the egg, milk, vanilla, and butter. Add egg mixture to dry mixture and mix just until uniform throughout.

Spray waffle iron with cooking spray if needed. Pour enough batter into iron to cover 1-2 mm above iron and level out with fork. Close the lid and cook according to waffle iron specifications. I cooked until the light on my machine indicated they were done cooking, about 3-4 minutes.

Bacon, Egg, and Toast Cups, revisited

This is a recipe I've made and posted in the past, but I wanted to revisit it. It deserves a much needed revamped picture and is so delicious and easy that it needs to be known. I love these little cups because they have all of your breakfast necessities in one: dairy, protein, and bacon. (All of the important food groups.) Haha. But seriously, they are so delicious you will want to make more than 6 if you plan on sharing. They tend to go fast and are very addicting!

Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally The Noshery

6 pieces of bread

6 bacon slices

4-5 eggs (beaten if you like scrambled eggs)

shredded cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile, cook bacon on medium-high heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side to slightly cook (you still want them to be flexible). Place bacon on plate with paper towels to cool. While the bacon is cooling, cut out a 3-inch round out of the bread slices.

Take the bacon pieces and wrap them around the edges of the bread. Then, place the round bread pieces in each of 6 greased muffin cups so that it forms a little bowl. Note: The bread WILL stay in the muffin cups since it's not toasted yet. I was somewhat skeptical of that. Next, pour the egg into it until it almost fills up and sprinkle with cheese on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg is done (will not be liquid anymore).

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately!

Oven-Baked French Toast

My family was tired of the traditional pancakes (from scratch, I might add) that I usually make for weekend breakfast. We just needed something different, so over to Pinterest I went. I found this amazing recipe for baked french toast that is quick, easy, and uses regular bread. 

Yes, regular bread.

French toast usually requires Italian bread or some other kind you usually don't have lying around. This recipe is great because it uses your every day sliced sandwich bread you already have! I was skeptical as to how these would turn out but they were amazing and my 2-year-old loved them! They were soft yet firm enough to be considered "finger food" which, let's face it, is a toddler's favorite kind of food. Best part is they take about 6 minutes to cook (and probably only 5-10 minutes to prep). 

Easy peasy jungle breezy! (Wow. Too much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.)

Oven-Baked French Toast
Yields: 20 small slices; serves 4
Adapted from: A Beautiful Mess

Ingredients

4-5 slices of bread
3-4 eggs
2 Tablespoons cream (or half & half, or milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Cinnamon & sugar mix (your preference)

Directions

Preheat broiler on low setting and place top rack about 3-4 inches from top of oven.

Mix the egg, cream, vanilla, and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon to a shallow baking dish. Mix well. Slice bread into 4 equal slices, lengthwise and quickly coat on both sides with the egg mixture. Allow excess to drip (being careful to not allow the bread to tear) and place on a prepared baking sheet. I use a Silpat mat but you can grease your baking sheet if you don't have one. NOTE: DO NOT USE PARCHMENT PAPER.

When all slices are lined on the baking sheet, sprinkle some cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Place under the broiler (low setting) for 2-3 minutes or until the egg is cooked and sugar is starting to caramelize. 

Remove pan from oven and flip sticks onto other side and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar topping. They will stick well to the Silpat mat so be careful when flipping. Broil an additional 2-3 minutes and serve warm.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

For the past few summers (and since starting this blog), I've always wanted to go strawberry picking. This was my first summer doing so and I absolutely loved it! My 11-month-old had a blast (eating too many, probably) and we are all enjoying having all of the strawberries around! These muffins were the first recipe I tried with our strawberries from Spencer's Farm. It was an older recipe from Annie's website but nonetheless I knew it wouldn't disappoint.

Normally I have a pretty big sweet tooth so these muffins, at first bite, were a little on the dry side. I think next time I might add a tiny bit of cinnamon sugar to the top before baking. Or I'm sure more strawberries couldn't hurt. Nobody ever complained about too many strawberries. None of my friends anyways. ;) These are a great breakfast and my son really enjoyed them as well!

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

Yields: 12-14 muffins

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large, ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a muffin tray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and banana's. Add the melted butter and mix to combine.

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in the strawberries and toss to coat them well. (This prevents the strawberries from sinking during the baking process.)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, just until combined. Do not over-mix.

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full of batter and bake for 20-25 minutes,  until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool slightly and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Biscuits & Gravy

Growing up I was told my mother made the best biscuits and gravy, but I wouldn't know because I was too afraid to try them. Gravy for breakfast always made me cringe and I wasn't a huge fan of sausage either so it made sense that I never tried it. I'm saddened now about all the great food I've missed out on, including this!

I got this recipe from my husband's best friend's mother (still following? me either). She apparently makes biscuits and gravy so good there's never any leftovers. I got some tips from her about what ingredients to use and not use and this amazing breakfast is what I came up with. I would suggest making Bisquick Biscuits, unless you have a great, fluffy breakfast biscuit recipe. The ones I made from here (without the chives) were flat and not very tasty, although they were very flaky so it made for some good biscuits for these, in my opinion.

Biscuits & Gravy

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch original

Yields: 4 servings

1 pkg buttermilk biscuits (Bisquick)

1 lb pork sausage

1/2 cup 2% or whole milk

1-2 cups all-purpose flour

salt and pepper, to taste
 
Bake the biscuits according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Once cooked through, add the 1/2 cup of milk to the pan and mix briefly. Add the flour in 1/4-cup increments, mixing constantly, until the gravy is your preferred consistency. We used about 1 1/2 cups. Add salt and pepper as desired and serve immediately with biscuits.

Baby food - Steel cut oatmeal

It's that time. Puree time. Messy floors, fingers and faces. Who knew time would fly so quickly?! I'm thoroughly enjoying motherhood (as you can tell since I've almost abandoned this blog, sorry). This was the first puree food my son had that wasn't rice cereal. Once we start introducing fruits, not until next year, I will start adding more flavors in the form of puree fruits, too!

I didn't grind up the steel cut oats before making this recipe so I had to puree them quite a bit when I was done cooking them. My son is just starting to eat puree foods so it was a bit too chunky of a texture for him, but a friend told me to simply grind up the oats in a coffee grinder until they are a powder. Hopefully when I do that next time, it will take less time to make.

Baby food - Steel cut oatmeal

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch original

Yields: 3/4-1 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup steel cut oats, ground into a powder

1 cup water

Boil water stove top in a small saucepan and add the ground oats, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until softened, about 15-20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add water and puree as needed for your baby's texture preferences. Be sure to test the temperature of the oatmeal before serving to your baby! When making stove top, I had to place it in the fridge for 20 minutes+ before it cooled enough.

If you want to make this in bigger batches, feel free to do so and you can simply freeze in ice cube trays and when frozen, dump into a labeled freezer bag. This way, the food is in perfectly sized portions for your little one and nothing goes to waste!

Butterscotch Scones

It's starting to feel more like fall and you all know what that brings; cooler weather and pumpkin, well, everything! I am so excited this year to be spending Camden's first Halloween as a family. I remember last Halloween I had just found out that I was pregnant with him and here he is a year later, cute as ever! I'm not getting him a costume since he will only be 3 months old, but he does have a "My First Halloween" onesie for the day time and a cute sleeper for the evening. I swear this kid is so stylish. Anyways, in the fall I usually like to bake everything pumpkin and butterscotch. It's the time for chili's and stews. I LOVE this time of year!!!

This recipe is just the same as my chocolate chip scones, but they taste even better with butterscotch! I have also tried white chocolate which are to-die-for good as well. These definitely will get you and your family into the fall mood and won't disappoint! I would venture to say that 90% of the time, we have a bag of these in the freezer. Yup, they're that good!

Chocolate Chip Scones
Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Hershey's
Makes: 6 scones

1½ cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup butterscotch chips (6 oz)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter, melted
additional sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with grease or a silicone mat. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir to mix well. Add in the chocolate chips and fully incorporate them into the mixture. Add the heavy cream to the mixture and mix until dough forms and the dry ingredients are just incorporated. I did this by hand instead of my stand mixer and it turned out phenomenal.

Knead dough very briefly with well floured hands on a clean surface. Scoop rounds onto baking sheet or roll a circle out of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into triangles (like you are cutting a pizza) and place dough pieces on the baking sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake 18-22 minutes, until edges are slightly browned and center is cooked (using toothpick method).

Note about freezing: Only bake the scones you wish to eat right away. The best way to enjoy these scones throughout the week is to freeze them. Once you have shaped the dough pieces, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the freezer in a ziploc bag.

The morning you wish to have a scone for breakfast, preheat the oven to 375°F and cook on the baking sheet and silicone mat for 20-23 minutes. No need to brush the butter and sugar on top. The frozen ones actually tasted better than the fresh so doing this will ensure a warm, fresh breakfast.

Banana pancakes

Pancakes are my absolute favorite breakfast to have on the weekends! I love them with fruit and sometimes a little syrup (okay, I drown them in syrup). When I ran out of the boxed pancake mix, I thought to myself that I could surely find a recipe that I have all the ingredients for. I went to my favorite blogger’s website and of course, she delivered! I might even try a waffle recipe whenever we replace our old waffle maker that broke.

These pancakes weren’t to-die-for, but were just as delicious and the same amount of effort as the boxed stuff you buy at the store. I love that they are fresh, homemade, and I know exactly what went into them. My husband approved! I usually cook pancakes on the stove, but my uncle got us an unregistered gift for our wedding (this one was actually something I liked); a griddle. I LOVE our griddle! It’s so easy to entertain in the morning and make breakfast all on one big plate instead of making one pancake at a time. I can make 6 pancakes or 4 pancakes and lots of bacon or sausage all at once. I love that because soggy pancakes are gross!

I also wanted to make note that I always keep browned bananas in my freezer, usually for banana bread. If you do this, instead of just throwing them away, you can simply warm them in the microwave for 30-second increments in order to soften them right up! Snip the tip of the peel off and squeeze out the mushy banana. No need to use a fresh one (that would probably make a great snack for later).

Banana Pancakes
Adapted from: Annie’s Eats, originally Williams-Sonoma
Yields: 8 pancakes

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 small ripe banana, mashed
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
Bananas & strawberries, sliced for serving
Maple syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the mashed banana, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the melted butter and banana mixture to the first bowl with the dry ingredients and mix gently with a rubber spatula. Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat (325˚ F) and lightly grease with butter or cooking spray. Drop the batter in 1/3 cup portions onto the heated surface. Cook until bubbles start to form on the surface and then flip. The bottom should be golden-brown. Continue to cook until the other side is golden-brown. Serve immediately and top with fruit and/or syrup as desired.

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

French toast is amazing. This french toast is to-die-for amazing. I have never had french toast with anything other than powdered sugar and syrup. Neither my husband or I needed the syrup for these because they were so tasteful on their own! I usually don't like french toast because I know it's not all that healthy for you and the syrup really makes it soggy. Well, here is a wonderful solution for those that have missed out on the amazing taste of french toast. I served this with some strawberries on the side, which were an amazing complement.

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Williams-Sonoma

Yields: 4 servings

For the filling:

1 cup largely chopped strawberries
2 Tbsp white sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

For the toast:
4 thick slices of bread (challah or soft Italian)
1 large egg
¾ cup milk
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
unsalted butter
Syrup, powdered sugar and fresh strawberries for serving

To make the filling, combine the sliced strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside to macerate for about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese until well blended.

Meanwhile, to prepare the toast, carefully slice a pocket into the center of each slice of bread (parallel with the cut sides) almost all the way through. The easiest way to do this is when cutting the bread off of the loaf, cut a thin slice almost all the way down (for the pocket) and then move over and cut the slice of bread off.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. In a pie plate, whisk the egg and milk together. Add the melted butter and vanilla, whisking to combine. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Fill the pocket of each slice of bread with some of the filling mixture; don’t afraid to stuff until your heart’s content! Two at a time, place the filled slices of bread into the pie plate mixture, soaking for 30-40 seconds on each side. Set aside on a plate and repeat with remaining bread slices.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the heated skillet and allow to melt and coat the pan. Add the filled slices of bread to the skillet in a single layer. Cook until light golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining slices of bread and serve immediately.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

By far this was the sweetest food item that I’ve ever made, to date. Usually sweet is not a bad thing either with me or my husband. This time, however, it was a bad thing. This Danish was absolutely fantastic, except that it had way too much icing on top. Next time (I’ve reflected the change in the directions below to save some of you from several dentist trips), I will not do the glaze but just the drizzle and use only a half recipe at that. I guarantee it will taste a hundred times better that way. The way it was, we couldn’t even finish eating them and normally I love pastries. The filling though was the best part, by far, of this entire recipe. It tasted absolutely amazing! This is a recipe that is time consuming, but it’s so very much worth it in the end.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish
Adapted from: Annie’s Eats, originally Baking Illustrated
Serves: 6-8

For the dough:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, extra for rolling
1 ½ tsp instant yeast
¼ cup sugar
¾ tsp salt
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg, slightly beaten

For the butter square:
12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

For the cream cheese filling:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ tsp lemon zest, fine
2 Tbsp sugar

For the apple filling:
1 Tbsp butter
2 medium apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch grated nutmeg

For the drzzle:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk, plus more if needed

To make the dough, combine 1 ¼ cups of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Place the milk and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the dough hook. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and continue to knead until a smooth dough ball forms, about 8 minutes. Check to make sure the dough is sticky but doesn’t stick to the bowl. If needed, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the butter square, combine the flour and butter on a clean work surface. Mix together with a bench scraper (or similar tool) until uniform. Wrap the combined butter mixture loosely into plastic wrap and form into a 5-inch square. Place in the fridge until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Place the dough onto a well-floured work surface and roll into a 9-inch square. Remove the plastic wrap and place the butter square diagonally on top of the dough, with each of the four corners of the butter square pointing towards the corners of the dough. Fold all four corners of the dough into the middle and pinch together all the seams. Take a rolling pin and tap the dough horizontally from the center out to make the butter soft and more malleable. Gently roll the dough into an 11-inch square, re-flouring the surface as needed.

Fold the dough into thirds, vertically like a brochure or business letter. Repeat the folding but in the other direction so you end up with a square again. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll dough out into an 11-inch square and repeat the folding process and wrap and refrigerate. Keep in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours.

To make the cream cheese filling, combine the cream cheese, lemon zest and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well until blended together and smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
To make the apple filling, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Combine and add the apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Cook until most liquid has evaporated and apples are tender, about 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool before using.

Roll the refrigerated dough into a 14-inch square on well-floured parchment paper. Spread the cream cheese filling down the middle third of the dough. Lay the apple mixture on top of the cream cheese filling. Using a pizza cutter, slice the outer thirds of the dough into ¾-inch strips diagonally downward. When looking at the dough, the strips should be pointing down and to the left and right sides. Then, carefully fold the strips, alternating sides, across the middle third of the Danish. This will make a braided pattern.

Transfer braid and parchment paper to a baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Bake 22-26 minutes, rotating halfway, until the braid is golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.

To make drizzle, combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time as needed to make it a drizzly consistency. Drizzle the Danish with the drizzle mixture, only using as much as you see fit. I think half would work perfectly.

Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal is something I never really liked as a child but like many of my dislikes, I have grown to like it as an adult. I still cannot eat plain, tasteless oatmeal though. This is a great way to get your fiber and other nutrients in in the morning with wonderful taste. I made this for a pitch-in and I got some good comments on it. It wasn’t the sweetest oatmeal in the world, but I think the extra apples really helped to pull it together. This would be a fantastic breakfast for Christmas morning with the family since there is very little prep and you can just leave it in the oven while you open gifts!

Baked Oatmeal
Adapted from: Proceed with Caution
Serves: 8-10

2-3 apples, cored and chopped
1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups quick cooking oats
4 ¼ cups milk
1 egg
½ cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3.4 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish and be sure to mix will. Mixture will be very thin but as it bakes, it will thicken. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

If you are strapped for time in the morning, you can make this dish the night before and store it in the fridge until you bake it in the morning.

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

If you've ever been to a cafe or Starbucks, you have probably seen their biscotti. Do they make them fresh every day? Maybe. You probably won't get a straight answer. If you were to ask me to choose between taking the time to bake my own biscotti or buying it at a cafe, I would choose to bake it any time! After baking this biscotti, I will never ever buy them at a cafe again! The ones you buy are so rock-hard you feel kind of like you might need to get your dentist on speed dial. Yes, I'm talking chipping-teeth hard. These have the perfect amount of crispiness complemented by a wonderful chewiness, too. They go great with hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot coco) or even a big glass of milk; dessert anyone? Did I mention that this was the first thing I've ever made to be eaten so quickly?! :)

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Joy the Baker

Yields: 20-24 cookies

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar (granulated, white)

6 Tbsp butter, at room temperature

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

For topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper). In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk slightly and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together (paddle attachment) on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula if necessary. Blend in the egg and yolk, beating well after each. Add the vanilla until well incorporated. Moving the mixer to low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients until a dough forms.

Divide dough into two halves and shape each half into a 9-inch long log. They should be about 1.5 inches wide. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the logs at least 3-inches apart. In a small bowl, whisk the beaten egg briefly. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a separate small bowl and taste for preference. Add more sugar or cinnamon as desired. Baste the beaten egg on top of the two logs and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking. Bake until tops are golden brown and slightly firm. Remove the pan from the oven but maintain the temperature in it. Once the logs are cool enough to handle, slice diagonally along the loaves into 1.5-inch thick pieces (10 per log). Place the sliced biscotti onto the baking sheet again, cut side down. Sprinkle with a little more of the cinnamon sugar mixture and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Chocolate Chip Scones

My husband said, "These taste like cookies!" which is always code for yummy. I was pleasantly pleased with this scone recipe. I have had scones at deli's and Starbucks before, but they are never this amazing! My husband and his mom (who was visiting a few weeks ago) absolutely loved these scones. His mom even asked for a few to take home with her!! I now want to make them with all different kinds of chips: white chocolate, peanut butter-chocolate, butterscotch. Although I don't like chocolate, I could have eaten the entire batch of these by myself. That is how delicious they really were. Just go make them .. asap. Don't forget that glass of milk, though. These go perfect with a nice, big glass of milk.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Hershey's

Makes: 6 scones

1½ cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter, melted
additional sugar for sprinkling (optional)
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with grease or a silicone mat (highly recommend the silicone mat). In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir to mix well. Add in the chocolate chips and fully incorporate them into the mixture. Add the heavy cream to the mixture and mix until dough forms and the dry ingredients are just incorporated. I did this by hand instead of my stand mixer and it turned out phenomenal.
 
Knead dough very briefly with well floured hands on a clean surface. Scoop rounds onto baking sheet or roll a circle out of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into triangles (like you are cutting a pizza) and place dough pieces on the baking sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes, until edges are slightly browned and center is cooked (using toothpick method).
 
Note about freezing: Only bake the scones you wish to eat right away. The best way to enjoy these scones throughout the week is to freeze them. Once you have shaped the dough pieces, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
 
The morning you wish to have a scone for breakfast, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and cook on the baking sheet and silicone mat for 20-23 minutes. No need to brush the butter and sugar on top. The frozen ones actually tasted better than the fresh so doing this will ensure a warm, fresh breakfast.

Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

I want to first apologize for the awful iPhone picture, but this recipe was so good I had to post it. Unfortunately I lost my camera so it might be a little while before I post again. Until that time, just know that I have found the ultimate breakfast .. even to-go! That is just perfect for my husband who hates to stop and eat breakfast in the morning (which I, of course, know is the most important meal of the day). This recipe is very simple, requires no prep and doesn't take more than 20-25 minutes to make.

Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally The Noshery

6 pieces of bread

6 bacon slices

4-5 eggs (beaten if you like scrambled eggs)

shredded cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, cook bacon on medium-high heat for about 4-6 minutes to slightly cook (you still want them to be flexible). Place bacon on plate with paper towels to cool. While the bacon is cooling, cut out a 3-inch round out of the bread slices. I used a plastic cup and that worked perfectly.

Take the bacon pieces and wrap them around the edges of the bread. Then, place the round bread pieces in each of 6 greased muffin cups so that it forms a little bowl.Note: The bread WILL stay in the muffin cups since it's not toasted yet. I was somewhat skeptical of that. Next, sprinkle a little cheese in the bottom of the cups and pour the egg into it until it almost fills up. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the egg is done (will not be liquidy anymore). Make sure you turn the pan 180-degrees about halfway through cooking.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately!

Cran-Apple Muffins

Whenever my husband is gone out late (work or baseball game) or out on one of his fishing tournaments on the weekends, I get really bored. When I get bored, I love to bake since it usually involves lots of prep time and baking and cooling, etc. Brad is my best friend and when he is gone I sometimes don't know what to do with myself.

I wanted to bake something we could eat for breakfast. See, I am not a picky breakfast eater: cereal, oatmeal, bagels, pop-tarts, anything. My husband on the other hand really has tried to give cereal a chance but he just likes a nice, warm breakfast. Well I thought that I could bake something for the week ahead and he can just nuke them for 10 seconds and be on his way to work (he likes to wake up late .. like me). He absolutely loved .. and devoured these muffins!! I have no doubt in my mind that he will be asking for these when he gets back from fishing this weekend.

Cran-Apple Muffins

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ cup + 2 tsp milk
1 egg, large
8 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup almond slivers (or raisins)
6 Tbsp brown sugar
6 Tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin cups by placing a paper liner in them and spraying lightly with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Create a well in the middle of the dry mixture and pour in the milk, egg and butter. Mix together quickly until just incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and mix just enough that mixture is evenly distributed.

Pour ¼ cup of the mixture in each of 12 muffin cups and sprinkle with sugar on the top (optional). Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the muffin pan for about 3-5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Keep stored in airtight container at room temperature if planning on eating throughout the week.