Easy Garden Bake

This is another one of my favorite brunch casseroles and it is perfect for those times you have a bunch of different vegetables and want to throw together something satisfying and balanced in no time at all. It can easily be an easy lunch or dinner with a salad, as well. 

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped zucchini (about 1 smaller)- you can always add more
• 1 large tomato, chopped- about 1 cup, or may use chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 medium - large onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup baking mix of choice
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp salt (may use a seasoned salt)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend, crushed in palm of hand (or 1/2- 3/4 tsp oregano, crushed)
• 2 eggs
• cheese of choice for topping - I like Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Mozzarella  
• green onion and parsley or cilantro for garnish

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease square baking dish- 8x8 or 9 inch pie plate (I doubled everything and put in 13x9 inch pan because I like leftovers!). 
• Sprinkle chopped vegetables and parmesan cheese evenly over baking dish. 
• Stir baking mix, milk, salt, pepper, seasoning and eggs together and pour over top of the vegetables and cheese.
• Bake uncovered about 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to wire rack and sprinkle with cheese for topping. Cool 5 minutes and then garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and sliced green onions, if desired. 

*This is also wonderful with 1 cup cooked chicken or sausage added in with vegetables when assembling the casserole.

[Adapted from Bisquick Breakfast and Brunches recipe booklet, 1999]

Scottish Raisin Bread

This bread and recipe was given to us recently from my mom and has become one of my husband's favorites. Sometime in the past few months, I discovered the idea to toast sweet bread and add a little butter (I know, I'm probably a little slow!). Well, this bread is a perfect candidate and is just the thing for a snack or with a cup of tea (insert favorite hot beverage).  When I toasted this bread, I let it go a little longer because it is so dense and I wanted it a little crispy. Was it ever good! The toasting really brings out the sweetness of the raisins and adds more flavor to the nuts and oats. You could also add some jam or other toppings, but I don't feel it needs anything else.

I have not found a recipe quite like this before and was excited to share it here. The only place I was able to find a somewhat similar recipe was over at Always In The Kitchen. As the author of that site noted, this recipe may not be Scottish- but it sounds nice, and Scotland brings to mind oats and raisins (or currants), right? My recipe has much more oats and a little more sugar (still is not very sweet)- but these recipes do not have any oil. For a stronger molasses flavor, I used about 1/2 black strap molasses. So put your spin on it and give it a try! (By the way, if you don't have a toaster oven, be very careful trying to toast sweet breads in a regular toaster without some type of a sleeve for toasting as the slice will probably fall apart and you will be burned trying to remove it.)

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/3 cups buttermilk or soured milk
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used quick oats and it was fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 1/2 cups raisins, dried currants or craisins, or a mix

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F- (25 degrees lower if using glass baking pans).
• Mix eggs with sugar in a large mixing bowl, then add in the milk and molasses.
• Sift the dry ingredients together and add into the wet mixture.
• After mixture starts to come together, add in the nuts and dried fruit.
• Divide the batter between 2 greased loaf pans.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out dry- start checking around 50 minutes if top of bread appears less moist

*My mom told me, after I originally posted this recipe, that she got it from What's Cooking At Myrtle cookbook by Levia Lerch. I increased the liquids since the bread seemed too dry. If you find it takes too long to finish baking, you can decrease the liquid to 2 cups buttermilk.

Eggnog Pancakes

These pancakes are the best! ....at least that is what my kiddos said. 'Tis the season for all things eggnog and since we needed to use some up and it was time for the weekend pancakes again, I decided to tweak one of my favorite pancake recipes to include eggnog. I added cinnamon chips, but there are a number of other things you might add in to take it to another level- like orange zest and chocolate chips. Have fun experimenting with these!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups eggnog (or liquid of choice)
• 1/4 cup oil or butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or juice of 1/2 lemon
• cinnamon baking chips

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine milk, oil and vanilla extract. Stir in the sugar. 
• In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix together egg and lemon juice.
• Add the dry ingredients and egg mixture to the liquids and stir only until largest lumps are mixed in.
• Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes- you may start cooking right away but the pancakes made from the batter that has set is a little fluffier.
• Preheat griddle to medium-high and use butter or coconut oil to oil the surface. Pour out approximately 1/4-1/3 cup for each pancake and sprinkle the baking chips over each pancake as quickly as possible so the pancake cooks up and around the chips.
• When each one is starting to bubble and the bottom edge is golden brown, flip it over and cook for an additional couple minutes or until golden brown.
• Butter each pancake while still warm and serve with syrup or your choice of toppings.
• If you are making a large batch, you can keep them warm by placing them on a wire rack inside of a baking pan and put in the oven at the oven's lowest setting until serving.

Party Mini-Quiches

I made these mini-quiches recently for a garden party. These are really a quick version of quiches since they do not have a pastry crust. Instead they are made with a baking mix that gives them more of a muffin consistency. However, these are still light and not too dry. If you want to make them even more egg-like in consistency, try using more egg and less baking mix. This recipe is also wonderful for all different vegetable and meat variations. Since I didn't have bacon when I made these, I made them vegetarian, but they would have been even better with a little crispy bacon. The great thing about making them in mini-muffin pans is that they are great for tea parties or other occasions when you do not want to worry about utensils.

Makes approximately 24-36 depending on muffin size and number of add-ins
Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 2/3 cup baking mix
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 Tbsp half and half (may use light cream or whole milk)
• 1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2- 3/4 tsp dried oregano (crushed in palm)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a pizza blend)
• 1 medium pickled sweet red pepper, finely chopped
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
• 2-3 small mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped

Directions:

• Beat eggs in large bowl.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Grease mini-muffin tin- if it is not non stick, then you should use the baking spray with flour.
• Fill muffin tins using small cookie scoop and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool in the pan. 

Buttermilk Pancake Mix

I love buttermilk pancakes but do not always have buttermilk on hand to use. Sometimes I make soured milk to use, but it takes a little time and forethought. On the SACO Buttermilk Powder container, there is a recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes that we use and really enjoy. I have adapted it and made it into a bulk mix that can be made up and save some time when you are making pancakes. I was able to find buttermilk powder in a 10 pound package much cheaper at one of the local country stores, and I store the extra in the freezer. If you have any stores near you that sell bulk foods, they are probably able to order the buttermilk powder for you at a much cheaper price than the name brands available online or in the stores.

*Note: the label in the picture has been changed since I took the picture and should not be followed for this recipe since I adjusted ingredients in the meantime.

Bulk Recipe Ingredients:

• 10 cups all purpose flour (or up to 5 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour; may also use 4 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups cake flour and 3 cups whole wheat flour)
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 2 1/2 cups powdered buttermilk powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp salt

Bulk Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine/sift together the ingredients, being sure to mix everything together very well.
• Store in a cool place in a well-sealed gallon container.

Below are the instructions that you can print out on a large label and affix to the side of your container. This way you always have the instructions when you are ready to make pancakes. You may need to copy/paste and adjust according to the size of your labels.

ac ac ac ac ac

                            Buttermilk Pancake Mix

To Make Pancakes:    Makes about 10 pancakes (4 inch) 

• 1 1/2 cups pancake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 - 1 cup water (depending on how thick you like your pancakes)
• 2-4 Tbsp oil or melted butter

Directions:

• Measure 1 1/2 cups of pancake mix into a medium mixing bowl. 
• In a smaller bowl, mix together egg, vanilla, water and oil.
• Add liquids into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened/combined, being careful to not over-mix.
• Heat skillet or griddle on medium high heat. 
• Drop 2-3 Tbsp of batter into greased skillet/griddle and cook until bubbles appear around the top of the pancakes. 
• Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until other side is golden brown.

Optional add-ins:  1/4 cup applesauce or grated apples or other finely chopped fruit, 1/4 cup coconut or chopped nuts. If using chocolate or other flavored baking chips or berries, toss first in a couple Tbsp of flour to keep them from falling to the bottom of the bowl. 

Shared with the following:
Mop It Up Monday 51

In Search of the Best Biscuits...and Buttermilk Biscuit variation

I have been trying different biscuit recipes for a while- always searching for the best taste and the fluffiest texture. So this quest has turned into a 2 day baking challenge trying different versions and techniques. I read numerous cookbooks (old and new) and looked at videos online-- I also tried buttermilk versus using regular milk. There are two different types of recipes, one that uses self-rising flour and ones that keep the flour and other ingredients separate. Some even recommend cake flour for the best rise. I, however, used all-purpose flour for my different biscuit recipes. The first baking powder and buttermilk biscuits I made, I didn't brush the tops with butter prior to baking-- but when I tasted the last butter-brushed batch, I was convinced that it is truly necessary for the best taste.

Also, the last batch I made, I put the biscuits in the pan so they were all touching each other. This seemed to give more uniformity to the rise and they were not as lop-sided. In the future, I will put one batch of biscuits in an 8 or 9 inch pan so they can touch and have side of the pan all around to keep the outer biscuits from spreading out too much. Initially, I indented the centers of the biscuits in the first couple batches because people said that helps them rise straight, but I still had a problem with some of them being a little uneven. Another thing I experimented with was my biscuit dough more wet and sticky versus not-so-sticky. The last batch was a more wet dough and seemed to have the most tender texture inside.

My conclusion? I could not decide which I preferred more- baking powder versus buttermilk biscuits. They were equally good- especially when brushed with butter before baking. The most important things seemed to be working with a more wet dough and not mixing or kneading it very much at all.   Do you have a favorite biscuit recipe?

Biscuits Yields: 16 medium biscuits (if rolling out dough to 1/2 inch thickness), or approximately 8 extra thick (if rolling 1 inch thick)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour (or cake flour as some recommend)
• 1/2- 3/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp sugar- up to 4 Tbsp if you like a sweeter taste
• 1/2 cup shortening or butter (I used palm shortening, which is not artificially hydrogenated)
• 2/3- 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Sift dry ingredients together into a medium bowl. 
• Cut in shortening or butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs the size of peas.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour all the milk in at once.
• Stir just until dough follows the mixing utensil around the bow, adding milk as necessary to get a moist dough.
• Lightly flour your counter/cutting board and sprinkle top of dough with some flour. Roll dough ball around in the flour, giving it a couple gentle kneads until outside is not so sticky. Pat or roll out the dough. 
• (Optional- fold one third towards the middle and then the other third over the first- like an envelope. Then pat the dough out to the desired thickness.)
• Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass, being careful to press straight down and not twist until the cutter is all the way to the bottom. Alternatively, you may just cut them into equal squares with a sharp knife, but make sure your dough is squared up on the corners and sides first. 
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet with sides touching and brush with melted butter for extra flavor! 
• Bake for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

** For Buttermilk Biscuits:

do not use cream of tartar, increase baking soda to 1/2 tsp, decrease the fat to 1/3 cup and use 1 cup buttermilk instead of milk. Follow the directions otherwise as above.

flour and shortening

first batch of dough- less sticky

first batch cooling

wetter dough sprinkled with flour

Make sure you brush the top with butter!

final biscuit batch

tasting the final batch- YUM!

If you really want a shortcut- make the dough wet enough that you are unable to roll out the dough, then put into a greased glass baking dish in which you have melted 1/4 cup of butter. Lightly press flat in the pan and pour 1/2 stick of melted butter over top and score top of the biscuit dough 3-4 times in each direction. (courtesy of The Country Cook) Bake for about 20 minutes or just until golden brown. 

Apple Oatmeal Pancakes

Since my kids are crazy about pancakes and they usually expect me to make them once on the weekend, I have tried to find various ways to incorporate "healthy" foods into them. I love the texture that oats give to pancakes- it is not going to be your typical pancake. Instead, these pancakes tend to be denser and chewier, but they have a lot of flavor, as well as being very filling! I have often either grated apples or just chopped them in smaller chunks and added them to the batter, in addition to some apple pie spice. These are wonderful with some homemade cinnamon-flavored apple sauce and some maple syrup. You might also try making an apple syrup from apple juice/cider and a couple of tablespoons of honey that has been reduced down.

Both oats and apples are full of fiber and antioxidants. You know there is a lot of truth to the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." These additions to your pancakes can take an average breakfast food that is usually not very healthy (especially if made with white flour and regular sugar and pancake syrups) and make it into something that is going to give us more energy, keep us full longer and yet taste yummy! If you really want to pump up the health benefits without really changing the taste, add in a few tablespoons of chia seeds or ground flax seed (both are high in omega-3 fatty acids and chia seeds are very high in antioxidants, yet flavor-neutral).

Makes about 20 larger pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked (I use quick oats)
• 1 cup all purpose flour (I use white whole wheat flour, could also substitute coconut flour)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4-1/2 tsp cardamom or 2 tsp apple pie spice blend (optional if adding apples)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 3 Tbsp sugar or other sweetener
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 large apple or 2 small-medium apples, chopped very small or grated (I leave the skins on)

Directions:

• Pour milk over oats, cover and let stand. 
• Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices. 
• Stir eggs, oil, vanilla into the oat/milk mixture.
• Add in the dry ingredients and wheat germ. Mix just until moistened.
• Fold in apples.
• Bake on moderately hot, lightly greased electric griddle (375 degrees) or pan fry until golden brown, turning only once when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

May serve with the following sauce if not adding in fruit:

     Orange Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp corn starch
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil

Mix sugar and corn starch in a saucepan. Stir in juices. Cook until mixture is thick and clear. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Blend in butter/oil. Serve warm over pancakes.    

Makes about 3 cups.

Shared with the following:

Sugar Cake

mixed lilacs

tulips

azalea

daffodils

helleborus

Valley Valentine Japonica

apple blossoms

 

Spring is such a beautiful time of year, and I just had to share some of the flowers in bloom at our house. Right now, I picked some lilacs and the scent is perfuming our entire house. Growing up, there were lilacs around our house, and later the house my husband and I bought had a large number of old lilac bushes of various colors throughout the entire property. I must say, they are one of my favorite flowers. We have since removed some of them to open up some areas and clean up the yard some (still very much a work in progress). Our small home orchard was also beautiful this spring in full bloom. I hope this translates into a good fruit crop.

I know that in some parts of the U.S. it is rhubarb season, but ours is not quite ready. We were finally able to harvest a nice supply last spring/early summer. In our area, there is actually a rhubarb festival that features this tart plant in many different ways. I had posted a recipe for rhubarb dessert sauce previously and thought I would share this old fashioned cake recipe that goes so well with the rhubarb sauce.

rhubarb

This is a  cake that was made for our family by a good friend when my last baby was born. She made some wonderful soups that we could heat up and eat when we needed quick meals, and she also made this cake for dessert to go with some rhubarb sauce she had made. Her mother-in-law used to make this recipe for many years, and my friend remembers her making it to take with them when they went camping. They often ate it for breakfast with applesauce, but it is also a simple cake that goes well with ice cream and just about any other type of dessert sauces or toppings.

I had to look around for a while to find the right kind of sugar to use on the top so that it would not dissolve into the cake during the baking process. You should use some type of specialty sugar that is larger granules and may be called gourmet sugar or coating sugar. I noticed this sugar has wax added, which I believe helps keep it more solid. When I made these cakes, my daughter saw I had bought some pink coating sugar and so she wanted "her" cake to have the colored sugar. The other cake was coated with the gourmet sugar that was white and larger granules. It seemed to sink into the top of the cake batter slightly more than the coating sugar, which surprised me, but it made a lovely glittery, crunchy top layer on top of the cake. If you cannot find this type of sugar, you can still use the regular granulated sugar- it will just dissolve somewhat into the top of the cake as it bakes.

 I really enjoy this cake because of the moist, tender crumb with the crunchy top. The original recipe called for it to be baked in 3 pie plates, but I decided to use two 9 inch cake pans. I just had to adjust the baking time approximately 10-15 minutes longer. My friend has also made the cakes in a couple smaller oblong cake pans with good results.


Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup shortening (I used olive oil)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1 tsp vanilla (I used about 1 1/2 or 2 tsp)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions:

• Cream shortening or oil with sugar. 
• Beat eggs and add to sugar and oil.
• Add sour milk and vanilla.
• Sift dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients in batches while mixing.
• Divide into 3 greased pie pans (I used two greased 9 inch round cake pans). 
• Sprinkle top with additional granulated sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes for pie plates or about 30-35 minutes if using cake pans (check frequently and test with toothpick in the center when it appears golden brown on top).
• Cool on rack for about 20 minutes and then may serve with toppings of choice if desired.

One cake could be wrapped in plastic and frozen to be eaten later.

Baked Peach Pancakes

This is another brunch dish that my family loves that came from a Bisquick recipe booklet. I have mentioned in the past that I now try to keep a homemade biscuit mix in my fridge all the time and use that in place of Bisquick. So I made this with my homemade mix that is part white whole wheat and part all-purpose flour and it turned out perfect. Originally, the recipe turns out a little more wet and "eggy"; so I have added about an additional 1/3 cup biscuit mix than what was called for in the original recipe. I also really liked the flavor of the peach syrup over top, but I added the recipe for the Honey-Raisin Syrup that was part of Bisquick's recipe.

Servings: 8 


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/3 cup biscuit/baking mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 medium peaches, peeled and thinly sliced (or may use 1 1/2 cups canned, drained and sliced peaches or frozen but thawed ones)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 Tbsp butter in each of 2 pie plates (9x 1 1/4 inches). Heat in oven until melted. May instead melt the butter in the pie plates in the microwave for a minute or two.
2. Beat baking mix, milk and eggs in a small bowl, using a wire whisk or fork, until smooth. Arrange half of the peach slices in each pie plate. Divide batter evenly between pie plates, pouring over the peaches. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter.
3. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve with Honey-Raisin Syrup (or I used the syrup from my canned peaches over top of the pancakes).

Honey-Raisin Syrup

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat all ingredients over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.

adapted from Bisquick Breakfasts & Brunches (No 22) copyright 1999 "Baked Peach Pancakes"

Shared with the following:
     Country Momma Cooks: Link and Greet #12
     Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Linky Party #38
     The Grant Life: Financial Friday + Fabulous Features
     The Country Cook: Weekend Potluck #11
     The Taylor House #3
     Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday 4-12-12

Savory Breakfast Casserole

In our family, we LOVE breakfast/brunch. My husband would think he was in heaven if he could have eggs and homefries every day. In my family growing up, we enjoyed sausage regularly, and there is just something that I love about meat of any type with sausage spices. I have always loved eggs, sausage and cheese and this recipe has all these elements plus some veggies. I was given a brunch recipe booklet by Bisquick early in my marriage by a good friend, and this recipe has become one of my go-to recipes that we never become tired of. It is a little easier to assemble if you prepare your vegetables, sauté the meat and have the other ingredients ready to go ahead of time. I recently tried a homemade Bisquick/baking mix and used it in this recipe and did not see any difference in flavor or texture. I believe the homemade baking mix is healthier overall since it does not use partially hydrogenated oils or large amounts of salt. For the baking mix recipe, click on the highlighted words below.

Ingredients:


1 pound sausage, cooked and drained (use bulk or links, but cut open and remove from casing)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup green onions, sliced (or use a combination of chopped white onions and green) 
1/2 red, green or yellow bell pepper, diced (or any other type of pepper)
1/2 - 1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or other cheeses (8 oz.), I used some mild cheddar
1 1/2 cups baking mix
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp salt (I used Adobo seasoned salt)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 3/4 tsp dried oregano
12 eggs
extra cheese for topping, approximately 1/2 cup


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray 13x9 rectangular baking dish. Layer sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes and cheese in dish.  Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour over cheese. Bake uncovered about 30-35 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle extra cheese over top. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.


Serves 12


adapted from Bisquick Breakfasts & Brunches (No 22) copyright 1999 "Savory Sausage and Egg Bake"
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