Applesauce breakfast bread

If you're wanting a hearty, filling bread that's just a bit sweet to start your morning - this is it.

1 cup flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
1 cup oatmeal
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt or 1/3 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt/buttermilk and applesauce and mix well.

In a second bowl, mix the flour, wheat bran, oatmeal, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder,baking soda and salt.

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed (flour 'disappears').

Pour batter into non-stick loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Winter buckwheat pancakes

I set out looking for a recipe for breakfast, but kept finding vegan, gluten-free or crêpe recipes. But what I wanted was a warm, filling winter pancake using buckwheat flour. And, as an added twist, I wanted to eat them with sliced bananas and a thin spread of all-natural peanut butter. So I had to play around to come up with this recipe.

Dry
1 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp melted butter
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup milk

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just mixed and flour 'disappears'. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup, peanut butter and sliced bananas.

Carrot pancakes

These are a favorite around here! Think pancakes with a hint of carrot cake or pumpkin pie... Yeah. they're good.

1 1/2 cups flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup purée carrots

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, carrots and melted butter. Stir until just mixed and flour 'disappears'. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup.

Mom's yeast biscuits

My mom made these to be smothered in sausage gravy or butter with jam. Unbelievably good.

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon melted butter

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

Combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and buttermilk; stir just until moist. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 3-inch juice glass. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush melted margarine over biscuit tops. Bake in preheated oven at 450° for 12 minutes or until golden.

Buttermilk waffles

Reminder to me: The first waffle will always be a mess. Don't give up!

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp melted butter
2 cups buttermilk
Pam spray

Preheat waffle iron.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. In another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Close iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron. Serve while warm.

Personal topping preference: powdered sugar and fresh fruit!

Spiced carrot zucchini bread

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup purée carrots
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Combine flour and the next 5 ingredients (through cloves) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add shredded zucchini to flour mixture; toss well. Combine canola oil, buttermilk, carrot purée and eggs in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Pour batter into a loaf pan coated. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack then remove from pan.

French toast with zucchini bread

Cut one loaf of zucchini bread into 1/2 inch slices.

In a pie plate, mix:
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of cinnamon

Melt 1 tsp butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Dip zucchini bread slices in mixture to coat both sides. Place coated pieces in pan, frying until brown on both sides.

Serve with...all kinds of stuff! Powdered sugar, maple syrup, sliced fruit, sauce caramel, whipped cream, crème fraîche...

Bacon, mushroom and cheese breakfast bread

This recipe is more on the fluffy biscuit side rather than a dense breakfast casserole.

1 recipe Southern Girl's Biscuits
5 eggs, beaten
6 strips bacon, crumbled
3-4 white mushrooms, washed and quartered
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of rosemary
a bit of cubed or grated cheese, maybe Gouda or Emmental, Cheddar or Swiss

Spread biscuit dough evenly in baking dish. Top with bacon, mushrooms, rosemary, salt, then cheese. Pour eggs over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until firm and golden. As it bakes, the egg mixture will sink and the fluffy biscuit dough will rise the the top!

Cornmeal griddle cakes

This recipe came from my mom's cookbook, but as I started tmaking it I decided to tweak a bit. The cornmeal we had was a very coarse grind so I used less than the recipe called for, then added more flour to bind it. The result was a light, almost lacy, griddle cake.



3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp melted butter

Combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl just until blended. Whisk the buttermilk and melted butter into the eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk to blend. Do not overmix - a few lumps are ok.

Lightly grease a griddle with oil before making each batch of cakes. Use 1/3 cup measure to pour batter onto the hot griddle.

The griddle cakes are ready to flip when they look dry around the edges and bubbles break to form holes that don't close.

Serve with butter and syrup, honey or preserves.

Buckwheat pancakes

I had other plans for dinner tonight, but someone came home and said he was in the mood for pancakes. So we pancaked it. :)

2 eggs
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/4 cup milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, oil and buttermilk.

In another bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and sugar. Add the egg mixture and stir until the flour 'disappears'.

Place a nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles as it hits the pan, spoon 1/2 cup pancake batter into the pan. Cook until the top surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles and the edges are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until the bottom is well browned and the pancake is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.

All-bran muffins

This one even got a nod from Jonathan. But there's no photo because it is impossible to photograph a bran muffin and make it look appetizing.

2 cups All-bran cereal
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water then drained

In a large bowl, soak All-bran in milk for five minutes. Add egg and oil, mixing well. In another bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, then stir into All-bran mixture. Fold in raisins.

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350° until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.

Two-minute yellow cake

One big bowl. Two-minute prep. Three cheers.

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Beat for with electric mixer for two minutes. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool, then serve with a dollop of chocolate frosting.

Applesauce spice bread

From here...


...to here.

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup raisins (soaked first in very hot water)!

In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, oil, and eggs. beat well.

In a second bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Stir until just mixed (flour 'disappears') then stir in raisins.

Pour batter into non-stick loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Apple-raisin coffee cake

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup softened butter
1 pot yogurt (I used apple flavor)
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 apples, chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and and salt. In a bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and yogurt, beating until just combined.

Spread apples and raisins on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Pour batter over top. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle sugar on top. Let cool before serving.

Apricot cobbler

6 ripe apricots, rinsed and halved
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 recipe Southern Girl's biscuits



Toss fruit with cinnamon and sugar then pour into baking dish. Dot with butter. Drop biscuit mix onto fruit by spoonfuls. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until gold and bubbly.

Apricot muffins

What to do when you have an abundance of ripe apricots?

Make muffins!



1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup peach or apricot yogurt
12 large ripe apricots- peeled, pitted and diced

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and spices. Add vegetable oil, egg and yogurt; mix well. Fold in diced apricots.

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350° until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.

Wild blueberry muffins

1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup yogurt
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
3/4 cup wild blueberries (myrtilles sauvages at Picard)
1 tsp lemon zest
pinch cinnamon

In a large bowl mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and cinnamon ingredients. I a second bowl, beat the egg then mix in the yogurt, sugar and oil. add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the flour blends in, but not any more. (It can make the muffins tough.) Gently fold in the blueberries and lemon zest.

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350° until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.

Mulberry muffins

I came up with this recipe after we stumbled onto a mulberry grove. The cornmeal gives a good texture and the lemon really brings out the mulberry flavor.

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal (semoule de mais)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp lemon zest (this makes the muffins!)
3/4 cup fresh mulberries, rinsed

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In a second bowl, mix the egg, milk and oil well.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed. Gently fold in the berries and zest.

Spoon the batter (it will be thick) into paper-lined muffin tins. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Gâteau de semoule (semolina cake)

3/4 fine semolina
2 cups milk
3 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs,
1/4 cup sliced dried apricots
2 tsp butter

Heat the milk until little bubbles form at the edges, then add semolina in a thin stream, whisking. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly for 10 minutes, until the mixture looks like cream of wheat. Remove from the heat and add butter, eggs, sugar and apricots and whisk until well mixed.

Pour the batter into a non-stick pie pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Britt's zucchini bread

The original recipe came from Jonathan's sister when we got married. I've adapted it a bit since then, but the basic genius is hers.

1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the zucchini until evenly mixed.

In a second bowl, mix the sugar and oil well. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed. Spoon the batter (it will be thick) into paper-lined muffin tins. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.