Buttermilk Pancakes

I’ve made my fair share of pancakes but these guys are the.best.ever. Seriously, they are even better than Cinnamon Streusel Pancakes. Now you really know that I mean business because there aren’t many things better than streusel in my book.

I know buttermilk pancakes may seem humble and even a bit boring to most but sometimes it’s nice to just keep things simple and perfect. Like cheesecake for example, why all the crazy mix-ins? I like mine plain with a little fresh strawberry sauce…no need to be adding peanut butter, chocolate, cookie dough, pretzel madness for me. Sorry for the rant but some things are just better left alone. Anyway, back to the pancakes…

I don’t mean to go overboard here but it was like I had entered a dream world as I watched these pancakes puff up to incredible heights while cooking on the griddle. I mean, look at them!

I’ve never made or eaten such fluffy pancakes. And I will never, eva make any other version of buttermilk pancakes. Just a bit of butter and a pool of pure maple syrup atop these bad boys. Heaven.

Buttermilk Pancakes
recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, eggs and butter. Make a well in the bowl with the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Carefully fold wet and dry ingredients together being careful not to overmix the batter. It will be lumpy. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spray the griddle with non-stick cooking spray. Drop batter by 1/4 cupful’s and watch for bubbles and for the edges to set. Flip then cook for another minute or two, until golden brown. Enjoy!

Banana Biscoff Muffins

I haven’t posted a muffin recipe in almost 3 months…say what? I think that may be a new record for me. We always seem to have tons of bananas sitting around so I love using them up in banana bread and of course, muffins!

This recipe immediately grabbed my attention because of the use of biscoff spread. If you have never tried this, you must run out and get some right away. It consists of ground up cookies with other ingredients that we don’t want to talk about to make a creamy or crunchy spread that tastes absolutely amazing. I may or may not have eaten it straight out of the jar…. Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it anymore.

I changed this from a loaf to muffins because I was running short on time and didn’t have an hour to bake. Sometimes I have a hard time finding crunchy biscoff spread so you can use the creamy version but the crunchy is sooo much better in my opinion.

The banana and cinnamon-y cookie combination is simply delicious and makes for the perfect quick breakfast or snack on the go!

Banana Biscoff Muffins
recipe from Sugar Plum Blog

1 cup mashed ripe banana
3/4 cup Crunchy Biscoff
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Banana chips, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line them with paper muffin wrappers.

2. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together banana, biscoff, sugar and eggs until well combined and doubled in volume – about 3 minutes.  Beat in baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla until combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour until just combined.  Place batter into tins; top with banana chips.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until deep golden brown, well risen, and a toothpick inserted into muffins comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Cool on a wire rack before inhaling.

Maple Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

So I don’t know how this happened but I haven’t mentioned that Joel and I are going to Vegas on Friday! He has a work retreat thing and they only have to work on Friday until 3 then they have Saturday, Sunday and Monday free. Spouses were welcome to join so I jumped at the chance as I’ve never been to the city of sin. They have some activities for Friday and Saturday night (The Hardwood Suite at the Palms, Ghost Bar and FireFly) but otherwise we have the days free as well as Sunday night. I’m not into the assumed scene of Vegas but I am excited to see the sights and get to enjoy a little ridiculousness. It’s one of those places that I want to see but I think I will be happy with that one visit and not feel the need to go back again. We have lots of ideas of activities but I need you all to tell me where to eat. This is a food blog after all!

So, before taking off on our trip we wanted a good, down home meal. I love breakfast for dinner every once and awhile and this is my favorite breakfast food. Joel loves maple flavored anything so I knew this would be a major hit with him. It added a nice sweetness and changed it up just enough from the traditional gravy.

There’s not too much more I can say, I’ve never met a gravy I didn’t like.

Maple Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

1 lb. maple breakfast sausage
1 tsp. pepper
salt to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 cup half and half
1 batch KFC copycat biscuits

Brown sausage until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over sausage and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half and half. Bring to a heavy simmer until the gravy thickens. Add more salt if needed. Split hot biscuits and slather with gravy.

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

I love to have fruit in the house for healthy snacking but sometimes it can get a little boring on it’s own. When I was a kid, we ate our fair share of fruit salad. Our fruit salad consisted of our favorite fruits mixed with a little cool whip. So yummy! But this time around, I needed a dairy-free version as my in-laws were visiting and my mother-in-law doesn’t eat dairy. I remembered this recipe I came across quite awhile ago and thought it would be the perfect way to make simple sliced fruit a little more special at breakfast.

The honey lime dressing was a bit sweet but had an amazing citrus zing that was just perfect on the fruit. You could use any fruit you like or have on hand for this recipe. I think bananas would be a great addition as long as it was being eaten right away. Don’t mix in the “dressing” too soon or the strawberries will get really soggy. I made it about a half hour before serving so it had a little time to chill together but not too long to get mushy.

This is a perfectly light and refreshing side that will be perfect throughout the much anticipated spring and summer!

Honey Lime Fruit Salad
recipe from Oh You Cook

1 pint strawberries
1 pint blueberries
1  bunch (about 1 1/2 lbs.) seedless grapes
1/4 cup honey
juice from 2 limes (about 2-3 tablespoons)

1. Rinse strawberries, blueberries and grapes then gently pat dry. Hull strawberries, then cut each in half or quarters. Remove stems from grapes and blueberries, if any.

2. Gently combine all three in a large bowl or aluminum tray. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice. Pour over fruit.

Peanut Butter Cup Banana Bread + 1,000 Followers!

Yep, you read that right. You didn’t think banana bread could get any better did ya? But adding peanut butter and peanut butter cups totally does. I got this recipe from my wonderful friend Molly who made this for us while we were going through a hard time last year. Not only was it a sweet gesture but it also opened me up to a whole new world of banana bread.

As you all know, I am kind of obsessed with anything involving the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. So, throw in the banana’s and it’s pretty much a guarantee that I will love it.

This is a quick bread to throw together and I love that the recipe yields just one loaf of bread. So many make two loaves which we never eat in time and it just adds a lot of baking time since I only have one loaf pan. Sure, I could go get another pan but I just can’t really justify it.

It has the perfect amount of bananas, peanut butter and chocolate to make it a delicious after dinner dessert or an indulgent breakfast.

On a random side note, I hit over 1,000 followers this weekend! I am so thankful to each and every one of you that have enjoyed my site enough to sign up to receive emails and read my posts every week! When I started this blog I thought it would just be my way of storing recipes and sharing them with family and friends. I never imagined strangers would want to see what I was cooking every week! You guys are the best and you give me so much inspiration! Thank you so very much!

Peanut Butter Cup Banana Bread

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz bag of Reese’s Mini cups

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Grease your loaf pan with butter or shortening. (I used butter)

3. In a medium bowl whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.

4. In a large bowl stir together your bananas, peanut butter, oil, egg and sugars.

5. Pour your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter will be lumpy.

6. Fold in your Reese’s Mini cups and spread batter into prepared pan.

7. Bake for approx 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and remove from loaf pan, transferring bread to a cooling rack.

Valentine’s Egg-in-a-Hole

I found this fun idea on Pinterest when I was mindlessly wasting time looking for some holiday inspiration. What a fun and simple way to start off Valentine’s Day with all the loves in your life!

Noah has a huge Greek yogurt addiction and eats it for breakfast everyday. When I made these he totally forgot about his beloved breakfast of champions (although he requested it with his lunch so the addiction continues). They are incredibly easy to make and taste really great. Sometimes simple is just better. And they taste so much tastier than just toast and a fried egg. Trust me.

Valentine’s Egg-in-the-Hole

2 slice whole grain bread
2 egg
1 Tbsp. butter
Salt and Pepper

1. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat then melt 1/2 Tbsp. of the butter. Meanwhile, cut a heart out of the slices of bread (I used a cookie cutter). Place bread in the pan then crack the eggs into the holes. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the remaining butter to the pan then flip the bread and cook for another 2-3 minutes (depending on how done you like the yolk).

Orange Blueberry Muffins

I was in the baking mood recently and had a big container of blueberries that I needed to be used up so I went on the hunt for something sweet to whip up. Whenever I think of blueberries, muffins immediately pop into my mind. They are my favorite kind and there are so many different varieties out there.
And as you all know, Noah is an enormous fan of the muffin. If he could choose, it would always be chocolate but he’s down with blueberries too. He has been wanting one at every meal so he runs to the kitchen, grabs the big bowl of them and brings them to the table, prying the lid off to help himself. All the while he is saying “Noah want a muffin….Noah have a muffin for {insert meal time here}.” He is a bit addicted to food like his mama!

These were bright, moist and yummy. I liked the idea of the sugar topping but I think a streusel topping with some grated orange peel mixed in would be amazing. I kind of have a thing for streusel.

Orange Blueberry Muffins
recipe from Taste of Home Cupcakes, Muffins and More

1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries*
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, combine the oats and orange juice. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Combine the oil, eggs and oat mixture; stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Fold in blueberries and orange peel.

2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.

*If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before adding to batter.

Waffles {of Insane Greatness}

What are your New Year’s resolutions this year? Besides the typical eat healthier and continue to exercise regularly, my big resolution is to make something I have never attempted each month. Whether it’s something from my Top 100 or something we think of randomly, I want to step out of my comfort zone and learn some new techniques. I also plan on experimenting more with creating my own recipes.

On a random side note, I also made this totally awesome calendar which I want to keep up with so there’s another resolution.

Although I have made waffles before, it has been few and far between and they were never all that great. But these waffles? These were the best waffles I have ever eaten. For real. But the name kind of gave it away, didn’t it? They were crispy on the outside while light and fluffy on the inside….breakfast perfection. I whipped them up yesterday morning for Joel, Noah and my parents and it was the perfect way to start off 2013. You seriously have to make them because I seriously considered making another batch this morning and I’m not even a big breakfast person.

We topped ours off with butter and syrup but I think they would be totally divine with strawberries and whipped cream. Oh man, now I really really want to make another batch…..must remember the eat healthier resolution….

Anyway, do you have any suggestions for new/interesting/crazy food to make for January?

Waffles of Insane Greatness
recipe from Food Network
yields 4-5 waffles

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk (I recommend buttermilk)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and syrup, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat a waffle iron. Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray then follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

Gingerbread Granola {Christmas Tray 2012}

As you can tell, I kind of have a thing for granola (and I have passed it on to Noah). We got addicted to all of Trader Joe’s granola but since we had never had a TJ’s in town (until now, mwhahaha) I always liked to make it homemade to snack on. We like it plain, vanilla flavored and especially this holiday gingerbread granola.

I made so many cookies and candies this year that I thought it would be nice to include something really different. Breakfast was the perfect solution and granola automatically popped into my head. And what says Christmas more than gingerbread?

The maple syrup, molasses and ginger all combine to create the perfect gingerbread taste. The crystallized ginger added a nice chewiness to the crunchy texture of the oats and nuts. A totally yummy treat for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Gingerbread Granola
recipe from Disney Family

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup blanched, slivered almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup molasses
1/3 cup oil
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Mix oats and almonds together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, maple syrup, molasses and oil.

3. Pour sugar and oil mixture over the oats and stir well, making sure everything is evenly coated.

4. Pour into a greased 13×9 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

5. Let cool completely, stir in crystallized ginger and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Vanilla Bean Granola

Happy Thanksgiving a day early! I hope that you are all ready for your Thanksgiving festivities and are able to spend this wonderful holiday with family and friends. I am so thankful for all the wonderful people in my life, especially those boys of mine. Here they are on Thanksgiving last year.

Here’s a sweet and simple breakfast idea for tomorrow morning. Or, for all you crazies out there, a quick breakfast to eat on the go while you wait in line at 3:00 in the morning on Friday. Now don’t get me wrong, I love me some Black Friday shopping but I need my beauty sleep. Me not getting enough sleep is not a pretty picture for anyone involved….you will get the grumpy, angry eyebrows. Trust me, when sleep deprived I do not use them sparingly.

Vanilla Bean Granola
recipe from Rachel Cooks

3 cups thick cut rolled oats
1 cup raw almonds, chopped
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground flax-seed
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
the pulp of two vanilla beans

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment or Silpat. In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, coconut, salt, brown sugar, wheat germ and ground flax. 2. In separate small microwavable bowl, stir together canola oil  and vanilla. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power. Add in vanilla bean pulp and whisk with a fork to separate beans. 3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until everything is well coated. 4. Spread granola in an even layer over the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, and then bake for 15-20 minutes longer until golden brown. 5. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally to break up chunks. 6. Store in airtight container. Makes approximately 5 cups.