Buttermilk Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Buttermilk Rhubarb Coffee Cake, a nice balance of tart and sweet.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb (1/4-inch pieces)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp (large pinch) baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk

Topping
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (325F for a glass baking dish). Place the chopped rhubarb in a bowl, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Let stand while preparing the batter. Grease an 8-inch baking pan.
2. Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, and cream together until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a second bowl, stir together the dry ingredients until uniformly blended.
4. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir thoroughly, but minimally – until combined. Don’t overmix.
5. Fold in the rhubarb, and transfer the batter to the pan. The batter will be somewhat stiff, and might seem to resist being spread into the pan. Be patient, and give the spreading process a few minutes of your time and attention. If it doesn’t look completely uniform in the pan, that’s OK.
6. Use the same bowl (no need to clean it) to mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon topping, and sprinkle this on top of the batter.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is a Mollie Katzen recipe and I really love this recipe. This coffee cake has such a wonderful flavor, It doesn’t taste overly sweet and it was nicely balanced with the tartness of the Rhubarb. The coffee cake had a great texture and was perfectly moist. The fam loved this breakfast treat and Sug’s (the hubby) asked for me to definitely make it again. So glad I gave this recipe a go and I will make it again fo’ sure!

*Camala*

Peaches and Cream French Toast Casserole

Peaches and Cream French Toast Casserole, a delectable baked casserole.

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained
1 loaf (1 pound) day-old French bread, cubed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
12 eggs
1/2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 cups half and half
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved; pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
2. Arrange peaches in dish. Place half of the bread cubes over peaches. Layer with cream cheese cubes and remaining bread.
3. Place the eggs, pumpkin pie spice, half and half and vanilla in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour over top of ingredients in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

I got this recipe from Taste of Home. I knew I had to make it because of the… why do you think I had to make it? The cream cheese, I swear I am addicted to the stuff=} This french toast casserole was absolutely wonderful, not overly sweet and I loved getting a special, pillowy pocket of cream cheese in random bites, YUM! This recipe is super easy, great for making for guests or for a brunch, all the prep is done the night before and then you just bake it in the morning. This is a keeper recipe and I will make this many times again in the future, thanks TOH!

*Camala*

Sticky Apple Butter Biscuits

Sticky Apple Butter Biscuits, A wonderful Breakfast or Brunch treat!

These really make a wonderful breakfast treat and are a way to get a sticky bun taste without the yeast, hard work and time. Give these Sticky Apple Butter Biscuits a try, they are delicious!

Visit us at our NEW Food Blog CCRecipe.com for this Sticky Apple Butter Biscuit Recipe

*Camala*

Avocado Bread

Avocado Bread, a Sweet, Dense and Moist bread.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp all-spice
1 avocado, mashed (I use Haas avocados)
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp orange zest

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Generously grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and all-spice in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend thoroughly.
3. Remove the avocado from the skin and remove pit, place avocado in a separate bowl, and mash the avocado. Beat together the egg and avocado. Stir in the buttermilk and orange zest.
4. Add to the dry ingredients and blend well. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This is a great sweet breakfast bread, it is very similar to banana bread. It has a wonderful flavor and you would never know it was made with an avocado. I thought the addition of the orange zest would add a fresh flavor to the bread and it does and I also love seeing the little orange color pop in the bread. I know the thought of eating avocado bread sounds weird but it is a moist and delicious quick bread. Give it a try!

*Camala*

Buttermilk Pancakes

Check out what makes these the lightest and fluffiest Buttermilk Pancakes.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Directions:

1. Beat the egg yolks until pale and smooth. Beat in the buttermilk and then the baking soda and mix well.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing as you add; make sure the batter is smooth.
3. Add in the melted butter and vanilla, mix well.
4. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer in another bowl until stiff.
5. Fold egg whites into the batter until no white remains. Let batter stand about 20 minutes before making pancakes.
6. Make sure your griddle is really hot. Add some drops of water to the griddle/skillet and if the water sizzles the griddle/skillet should be hot enough.
7. Ladle batter onto griddle; turn when bubbles form across the cakes and allow to lightly brown on the second side. Serve with warm organic maple syrup.

These Buttermilk Pancakes are so light and fluffy, I think that folding in the egg whites is what makes the difference. Sure it is an added step and you might not want to fool with it but if you want to see a difference with your Buttermilk Pancakes give this recipe a try, I just love these pancakes. You can add whatever you want to this pancake batter for a different variety, like chocolate chips, apples, bananas, blueberries, whatever you want!

*Camala*

Spinach and Potato Frittata

I love frittatas.  For some reason they always seem lighter (and prettier) than an omelet–don’t they?  This one has the hash browns already “built-in”  I’m sure you can play with the ingredients, adding whatever cheese or vegetable you want, just like an omelet.  I picked spinach, but I’m sure broccoli, asparagus, or even zucchini would work.

Ingredients
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 medium Idaho potatoes
3 green onions
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or any other cheese)
3/4   of 6oz pkg. spinach washed and dried with paper towel
salt and pepper to tasted
2-3 tablespoons olive oil for pan

Start by peeling the potatoes and cutting them up into small cubes.  Dice up the onions.  Place olive oil and potatoes in oven proof pan and cook turning every few minutes until tender and golden brown.

Add onions and spinach and toss until spinach is wilted.
Reduce heat.  Whisk together the milk and eggs and pour over spinach and potatoes.  Slowly cook, lifting up edges around pan so more of the liquid gets cooked.  Even sometimes cutting a small slit in the middle so more egg mixture can drain to pan to help cooking process.  You can cover the pan to speed up cooking–but be sure to keep the temperature on low.  After about 10 minutes and eggs are pretty cooked  sprinkle with cheese and place under a broiler for about another 3-4 minutes–until cheese in melted and bubbly.  Remove from oven, carefully since handle may be very hot.
Slice into wedges and serve.

*Christine*

Broiled Grapefruit

Broiled Grapefruit, a quick, refreshing way to enjoy this awesome citrus fruit.

Ingredients:
2 grapefruits
2 Tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Position an oven rack about 4 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler on high.
2. With a serrated knife, cut the grapefruit in even halves. Using a small paring knife or a grapefruit knife, cut each section away from the surrounding membrane. Remove the seeds and cut out the tough white center. Leave the grapefruit in the rind. Set the grapefruit halves in a shallow broiler-safe pan (such as an enameled baking dish or a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet). If necessary, trim a thin slice off their bottoms so they sit level.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the honey and the vanilla extract. Drizzle the honey mixture over the grapefruit halves. At this point, if you desire, you could dust each grapefruit half with any of these desired spices; cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom or ginger. For an added sweetness you could also sprinkle with brown sugar.
4. Broil until bubbling and lightly browned in spots, 4 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it cooks, you could also rotate the pan as the grapefruit browns. They will be done when the edges begin to bubble and turn brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

You could also garnish your grapefruits before you serve them with any of the following; Plain or Greek Yogurt dusted with cinnamon, Mint sprigs, Strawberries or Cherries.

This is not only a great breakfast but can also be served as a light dessert. Have fun with the many ways this fruit can be served warm, many people who claim to not like grapefruit love to eat it this way, I love grapefruit and the taste of it , I often eat it plain and cold. Since I love grapefruit plain, I broil my grapefruit with the least amount of sugar, that is why I only drizzled mine with raw honey and vanilla. My favorite grapefruits to eat personally are Texas Red’s, they are so delicious!

*Camala*

Breakfast Week

We thought it would be fun if we did a breakfast week, that is seven days of breakfast food recipes. Recipes we have made up ourselves or have tested and tried, and continue to make ourselves because we think they are great=}

Breakfast is the first meal of the day and it is easy to get into a rut with this meal and just eat the same things. For people breakfast often includes a carbohydrate such as cereal, fruit and/or vegetable, protein, sometimes a dairy product, and a drink. Nutritional experts have referred to breakfast as the most important meal of the day.

Many people believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, but that just isn’t true; the body expects to be refueled a few times each day, starting with breakfast. This is based on studies of the large numbers of people who skip breakfast, to adverse effect on their concentration, metabolism and weight.  Actually, eating breakfast is good for weight loss. In fact, studies show that people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.  Studies also show that children who eat breakfast do better in school. We also think adults will feel better and perform better at work as well, if they don’t skip breakfast. It is not a good idea to skip breakfast.

Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day.  Notice how much better you feel through the morning and the rest of the day when you don’t skip breakfast. So, let’s all not skip breakfast this week and enjoy the recipes featured the next seven days.

Featured Recipes:

Orange Cream Cheese Muffins
Broiled Grapefruit
Homemade Granola
Fresh Pineapple Oatmeal
Spinach and Potato Frittata
Buttermilk Pancakes
Yogurt and Fresh Berry Parfait

C and C Dish
Christine and Camala

Eggs Baked in Tomato Sauce

Eggs baked in the oven with Tomato Sauce and Cheese.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
6 whole unbeaten eggs (or 12 egg whites)
1/2 cup monterey  jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Grease an 8×8 baking dish with olive oil. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Pour half of the tomato sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper evenly over the tomato sauce.
4. Carefully place the eggs on the tomato sauce so they are covering the sauce.
5. Pour the other half of the sauce over the eggs. Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce.
6. Bake at 350F for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the egg whites are cooked thoroughly.

I got this recipe out of a cookbook called Miserly Meals, I decided to try this recipe because it is not something I would normally want to try. I am trying to stretch a little and try some more things. Now I really don’t have anything particularly bad to say that’s why I included the recipe on this blog, however it is not something I really liked. I am sure I would like to maybe experiment with this recipe more by adding things and maybe it will taste better to my palate. I don’t like runny eggs and even though I cooked this for 25 minutes some of the whites where still runny. This meal can be made for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I think it is good to serve with a nice crusty bread.

*Camala*

Crustless Broccoli and Potato Quiche

Crustless Broccoli and Potato Quiche…Good for anytime of day!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion
1 cup potato, diced
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 inch pie plate.
2. Put olive oil in a skillet and heat at medium heat. Add onions and saute 3 minutes. Add diced potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and saute for 2 minutes; remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, beat eggs and milk, add salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg to egg mixture and mix well.
4. Add egg mixture to broccoli mixture in skillet, then add cheese and combine well.
5. Pour into pie plate and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

I used a white cheddar in this quiche, typically quiches tend to have Swiss cheese in them, I like using cheddar, I personally like the taste better and the kids seem to like the taste better as well.  The broccoli adds a nice crisp texture to the soft eggs and potatoes. This quiche is super easy and is great for any mealtime, I typically tend to make this for dinner though:)

*Camala*