Amaranth Porridge

It is summer. It is hot. So, I have been making hot porridge. Where is the logic? Well, my family have been trying these dishes without complaining. I guess when someone is cooking you breakfast with fresh fruit is always a plus. So, I made this porridge with amaranth. I have never cooked with amaranth but I really like the grain. It is smooth and fine. The recipe called for soaking the grain for 24 hours then straining it through a fine mesh strainer before cooking. I have cooked this recipe twice and both times I've soaked it. I hadn't research the grain but had just followed the instructions provided in the recipe. I'm unsure if the soaking is necessary. Other recipes do not state to soak the grain including the package of Bob's Red Mill. The appearance of the grain doesn't appear to change with the soaking and will not plump up. So, I guess it will be your choice to soak or not to soak. I will say that I love amaranth. It still has a slight crunch to it after cooking. Of course I added toasted almonds for even more of a crunch. Again, I really loved this recipe since I've made it a couple of times. Even if it is hot outside, you should try some amaranth porridge today.

Amaranth Porridge with raspberries
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
2/3 cup amaranth
1 1/2 cup milk 
Toppings: milk, toasted almonds, raspberries, etc.

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and honey over medium heat.
2. Add the cinnamon and stir. Cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the amaranth with the sea salt. Stir to coat. 
4. Add the milk and stir. Bring to a simmer. 
5. Reduce heat to low and cover. Stir often. 
6. Cook for at least 20 minutes or until the majority of the milk has been absorbed. The amaranth should be thick and creamy consistency with the grain being tender.
7. Serve with additional milk and desired toppings.

Recipe adapted from The Green Life.

One year ago................................I made Khobz bread.
Two years ago..............................I made Skillet Lasagna.
Three years ago............................I made Cherry Cheese Danish.
Four years ago..............................I made Chocolate Nutella Cookies.

Did you already know..............
-Amaranth grain was the grain of the Aztecs.
-The Spanish Conquistadors banned amaranth since the Aztecs used the grain in the religious ceremonies. 
-Amaranth grain is gluten free.

Breakfast Bake

Hello Everyone! I haven't meant to be gone so long. I haven't been cooking much. Since I have blogged last, a lot has happened. My oldest daughter came to visit. Also, we went to Maine for a visit. My Dad wasn't feeling the best and was admitted to the hospital. We visited him often. I took my Mom to New Hampshire to visit family. My husband has been diagnosed with diabetes. I have been trying to change our eating habits. I will admit that I have made this dish several times. The family love it. My husband told me that he is going to make it. I'm not saying this dish is the best dish to make for a diabetic. I did double the vegetables. I reduced the potatoes. Also, I used the Jiffy baking mix since it had lower carbohydrates than Bisquick. I figure even if I blog a recipe a week until I get back into cooking more than I can share what I have made and liked.

Breakfast Bake
2 packages (12 oz.) breakfast sausage
2 medium bell pepper, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Bisquick baking mix
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp pepper
4 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spray a baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
3. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, bell peppers, and onions until the sausage is fully cooked. 
4. Stir in the hash browns and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.
5. Spread the mixture into the baking dish.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the baking mix, milk, black pepper, and eggs until well blended.  
7. Pour the baking mixture into the baking dish.
8. Bake the mixture uncovered for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
10. Bake for a couple of minutes longer until the cheese is melted.
11. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

One year ago............................I made Easter Cake.
Two years ago..........................I made Egg Cupcakes. 
Three years ago........................I made Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Four years ago..........................I made Chocolate and PB Ribbon Dessert.

Did you already know.................
-Type 1 Diabetes: the body has lack of insulin production.
-Type 2 Diabetes: the body ineffectively use of insulin properly. 
-90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 Diabetes.

Pumpkin Muffins

I've heard the term helicopter parents but my husband and I think we are probably more like a surveillance aircraft parents. We give the kids some distance but we can still see them. We will provide advice which some of the kids (the older ones) do not like to listen. When the kids have a problem, we are there for them but we ask them if they can handle the issue or if they need help. We will discipline the kids but we don't beat them. If they behave, they are rewarded. If they misbehave, they are either removed from the situation or they are not rewarded with their favorite technology. We don't try to control every situation. How can we? We will help with their homework but we won't do it for them. We will not clean their rooms or make their beds for them. They can do it now and they will be able to do it when they are adults. Do the kids have chores? Yes. Do the kids have manners? Yes. Do the kids have morals? Yes. Are they reminded about chores, manners, and morals? Yes. We really try to lead by example. We don't run around wild. We are not rude to others. We work hard. The nice thing is my oldest daughter has told me how she was glad I didn't do everything for her since she needs those skills as an adult. Often, I have the kids help in the kitchen. Normally, they like to help. They didn't help with these muffins besides eat them. Maybe it was a good thing they didn't help since I can only imagine the toppings they would have picked. The muffins did come out really good. I brought some to work and the ones with toppings were popular. The kids preferred the muffins with no toppings. I liked the ones with the toppings. I tried to make a pumpkin muffin which wasn't so heavy. I thought I did a pretty good job.

Pumpkin Muffins aka Jack O'Muffins
3 cups all purpose flour.
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 egg white
toppings: sunflower seeds, honey roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, praline pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray the cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
5. Add the pumpkin, the 2 large eggs, and milk to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated. Set aside.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
7. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. 
8. Gently fold the egg whites into the flour mixture. Combine until just incorporated.
9. Evenly distribute the batter into the cupcake liners.
10. Sprinkle with desired toppings. 
11. Bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris. 

Two years ago..........................I made Witch Brew.
Three years ago........................I made Fried Sausage Dumplings.
Four years ago.........................I made Pork Chops with Garlic and Herb.

Did you already know.......................
-The first surveillance aircraft used were hot air balloons.
-Surveillance aircrafts are often used by government agencies for information gathering including the military and FBI.
-Surveillance aircraft are manned while drones are unmanned surveillance aircraft.

Hot Apple Muffins

My hair tends to be greasy on top and dry at the ends. I wash it everyday and condition the ends very well. I know there are some lucky ladies which can skip a day or two but unfortunately I can't. Well, I was following my normal routine and my hair was looking bad. It was hard to comb and greasy on top.  I was even washing it longer than normal to make it look half way decent but it still looked awful. Recently, I had started using a new type of shampoo and conditioner but it had looked good for the first couple of days before this crazy look began. After several days of this happening, I figured I better take a look at the shampoo. When I looked at the shampoo bottle, I noticed the label had been placed onto the bottle a little strange. Then I realized what had happen. When my son took his shower, he must have been a little bored and took off the labels. Then he put then back onto the wrong bottles. He has done this several times in the past but the bottles are normally a different color. The new shampoo and conditioner bottles were the same color with a similar consistency of thickness in the liquid. So, I was conditioning the top of my head and really cleaning the ends of my hair. Since I was placing extra conditioner on top with little on my ends, I was achieving the look I was striding to avoid. The best part of my new look was my husband didn't say anything but he would tell me that he always thinks I look good. However, I've changed shampoos. Now, the bottle is a different color than the shampoo.

Well, I made these wonderful apple muffins. They have a great flavor and taste. My daughter ate three of them. She normally eats one muffin and calls it good. She ate three. What more can I say about these muffins besides make them today or maybe tomorrow or maybe today and tomorrow.

Hot Apple Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice.
4. Stir in the eggs and milk until just incorporated.
5. Mix in the butter and apples. 
6. Evenly distribute the mixture into the cupcake liners.
7. Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Serve immediately. 

Recipe adapted from The Apple Cookbook by Nicola Hill.

One year ago...................................I made Jambalaya.
Three years ago...............................I made Butterscotch Fondue.

Did you already know.........................
-The word shampoo is derived from India.
-Straight hair needs to be washed more than curly hair. 
-Since not washing your hair will not cause you any harm, the washing of the hair is a social issue.

Southwest Breakfast Wrap

Since I was making breakfast sandwiches, my son wanted a breakfast wrap. Every time my husband would go buy his cup of coffee, my son would ask his Dad for a breakfast wrap. So, I figured I should try making them. It would be a lot cheaper and healthier. I had some leftover Southwest Eggs from the breakfast sandwiches so I just used them. I like them. They aren't a big sandwich but filling. My son is so happy. I placed extra in the freezer so he can heat them up before school. Good job, Mom, good job!

Southwest Breakfast Wrap
4 large flour tortilla
6 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup spinach, sliced thin
1/8 cup red bell pepper, sliced small
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded
6 slices of bacon/Canadian bacon

Directions:

1. Using a large biscuit cutter or a large glass, cut out 4 circles from each flour tortilla. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
3. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, eggs, and milk. 
5. Evenly pour a little of the egg white mixture into each muffin tin.
6. Add a little spinach and red bell peppers to each egg mixture.
7. Cook the eggs for 5 minutes.
8. Rotate the eggs and cook for another 5 minutes or until the egg is cooked through. 
9. Remove the eggs from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
10. Lay one of the flour circles on a plate. 
11. Sprinkle a little of the cheese over the tortilla.
12. On one side, place 1/2 slice of the Canadian bacon. 
13. Cut one of the baked eggs in half.
14. Place 1/2 of the baked eggs on top of the Canadian bacon. 
15. Return the breakfast wrap to the oven for one minute.
16. Remove from the oven and fold in half. The melted cheese should hold the wrap closed.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago............................I made Cherry Cheese Danish.
Two years ago..........................I made Mascarpone.

Did you already know..................
-Each day, Dunkin' Donuts serves over 3 million customers. 
-There are over 10,000 stores worldwide.
-Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands.

Breakfast Southwestern Egg Sandwich

I like a quick breakfast on weekdays. I love cereal but I want something I can grab and go. I have made breakfast sandwiches before but I just scrambled the eggs. For something quick, it is pretty messy plus if I'm dressed up then I really don't need it on me. I can only imagine what I would look like showing up to an important meeting corrected in egg. I would share but I'm not sure anyone (besides my husband) would take me up on it. When I saw baked eggs, I realized it was the way to go. I could freeze any extra and have them on other days. I like my eggs mostly egg whites so I made them this way. The kids never know the difference.

Breakfast Southwestern Egg Sandwiches
6 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup spinach, sliced thin
1/8 cup red bell pepper, sliced small
12 slices of pepper jack cheese
12 English muffins (I used whole grain.)
12 slices of Canadian bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, eggs, and milk. 
4. Evenly pour a little of the egg white mixture into each muffin tin.
5. Add a little spinach and red bell peppers to each egg mixture.
6. Cook the eggs for 5 minutes.
7. Rotate the eggs and cook for another 5 minutes or until the egg is cooked through.
8. While the eggs are cooking, lightly toast the English muffins.
9. Top the bottom section of the English muffin with a slice of Canadian bacon.
10. Toast the English muffin until the Canadian bacon is warm.
11. Remove the English muffin and add a slice of cheese on top of the Canadian bacon.
12. Carefully remove one of the baked egg sections from the muffin tin and top the English muffin.
13. Close the English muffin with the other section to form a sandwich.

Recipe adapted from Jeff Mauro.

One year ago...........................I made Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes.
Two years ago.........................I made Savory Lobster Cheesecake.

Did you already know.............
-In 1971, Herb Peterson invented the Egg McMuffin.
-Herb Peterson modified the Jack-in-the-Box's Eggs Benedict Sandwich.
-Breakfast makes up about 15% of McDonald's sales.

Peach Scones

I like peaches but I am very particular about them. I like them fresh off the tree. I will occasionally buy the ones in the stores since they look so good but a lot of times they are misleading. They are hard so I've tried a number of tricks to get them ripen. I've tried just being patient. I've tried putting them in the paper bag trick. They always seem bruised when they finally reach the ultimate ripeness. I will admit I have a young son in the house who thinks his profession is to juggle especially fruit. I haven't caught him yet with peaches but one never knows. He is stealthy too especially when he thinks he needs to sharpen his ninja skills. These peaches are freshly picked. My children thought they were great.

Peach Scones about 15 to 18 scones
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar plus more for topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peaches, diced


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, process the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon for 30 seconds. 
4. Add the butter to the food processor. Pulse for about 20 times.
5. Add the peaches. Do not pulse.
6. Slowly, add the milk while pulsing the food processor. Continue to pulse until the dough begins to stick together about 20 pulses.
7. Place about 1/4 cup of dough onto the baking sheet. Leave about 3 inches space between each scone.
8. Sprinkle the top of the scones with a little sugar.
9. Bake the scones for about 14 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Serve warm or eat within a few days. 

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago...............................I made Shortbread Cookies.

You are going to share, right?

Did you already know.................
-Peaches originated from China.
-White flesh peaches are lower acidic than the peach flesh peaches.
-There are two main types of peaches. Clingstone peaches have the flesh stick to the stone. Freestone peaches have the stone separate easily from the flesh. 

Cherry Cheese Danish

Oh, I love fresh cherries. I especially love when they are in season and are reasonably priced. We have been eating them like maybe tomorrow they won't be available anymore. Well, I figured I could depart from eating a couple of them just until I used them in a dish of some kind. I figured a breakfast danish would be perfect. I will admit sometimes I feel bad that I'm not one of those mothers that make their children a great breakfast before school. A lot of times we are running down the street to catch the bus while eating breakfast. My oldest daughter is good and will sometimes make up some eggs for her younger siblings. So, I decided to make this recipe for breakfast on a school day. They were really happy but we did miss the bus. I didn't mind since I think the danish was worth the little extra time to savory it. My oldest daughter told me it was wonderful. 

Cherry Cheese Danish
1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
4 Tbsp flour
6 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/8 tsp almond extract)
1/3 to 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
2 (9 inch) sheets of puff pastry, thawed
1 egg for egg wash
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. On a small baking sheet, arrange the almonds in a single layer and toast the almonds for about 7 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, egg yolk, flour, sugar and vanilla extract. 
4. Fold in the chopped cherries.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
6. Roll out the puff pastry sheets. Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 sections.
7. In the center of each puff pastry, spoon about 1 Tbsp of filling.
8. Fold the puff pastry diagonally in half. Seal well.
9. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg.
10. Brush the top of each puff pastry with the whisked egg.
11. Top each puff pastry with the toasted almonds slices.
12. Bake the danishes for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Allow the danishes to cool for about 10 minutes.
14. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. 

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris. 
Tip: If your cherries are very juicy, use less cherries or your filling will be a little more wet. It will still taste great.

One year ago.........................I made Homemade Mascarpone.

Did you already know...........
-The Sweet Cherry originated from Asia.
-In 1600s, English colonist brought sweet cherries to America.
-Michigan is the leading
-The Bing Cherry is a sweet cherry.

Migas in a Taco Bowl

My family love eggs. I love them since they are a cheap, fast breakfast, brunch, or supper. When I added tortilla chips to the eggs, the kids thought this was the best thing ever. I thought they would even think it was more cool if they were served in Taco Bowls. I made my Taco Bowls from corn tortillas since they tied with the corn tortilla chips. They are really easy to make. I used these directions but there are even YouTube vidoes.

Migas in a Taco Bowl
4 large eggs
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp skim milk
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 tsp butter

1 cup tortilla chips, crushed (I used blue corn tortilla chips)
1 cup Monterey Jack with Jalapeno Cheese
4 Taco Bowls
Optional garnish toppings:  guacamole, sour cream, cheese, salsa, salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, and skim milk. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the whisked egg mixture to the skillet. Stir well. Turn the heat to medium low. 
5. Add the butter and cook until the eggs are fluffy. 
6. Add the crushed tortilla chips and fold in the cheese.
7. Serve the egg mixture into the center of the taco bowls.
8. Top with desired garnish.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago..........................I made Chicken Salad Roll Ups.

Did you already know............
-The Spanish word Migas translates into crumbs.
-Migas ordered in Spain or Portugal is a dish made with stale bread, olive oil, sausage, or pork.
-The Tex Mex version is just scrambled eggs with tortilla chips.

Yogurt Pancakes

My niece spent the night this past weekend. So, I made the children pancakes the next morning. Now, my son is not a big pancake person. He would rather have eggs. He ate five pancakes and wanted more. My youngest daughter loves pancakes and she had at least five pancakes. My niece ate five pancakes and she wanted more. I'm just lucky my husband was able to have two pancakes. I was able to have two pancakes too. They even wanted my pancakes but I was able to distract them.

Yogurt Pancakes
1/2 cup all purpose flour 
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 eggs, whisked slightly
butter for the skillet
vegetable oil for the skillet

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until just mixed.
2. Add the yogurt and eggs. Mix until just combined.
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
4. Add about 1 tsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp butter to the skillet. 
5. Add 1/4 cup of batter to the skillet and cook until top is bubbly.
6. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
7. Add additional vegetable oil and butter to the skillet when needed. 
8. Continue cooking the remaining batter in batches.
9. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago......................I made Margaritas.

Did you already know........
-Greek yogurt is high in protein.
-Greek yogurt is strained to remove the whey.
-Greek yogurt tends to have less sugar than regular yogurt.

Peanut butter Nutella Oatmeal

I am always surprised with the request my children make. My oldest daughter woke up and wanted oatmeal. Oatmeal? No one ever asks for oatmeal. Waffles, eggs, or pizza are the most popular request. My favorite is cereal. I'm still trying to make it for supper but no takers. Well, my two youngest children said they don't like oatmeal. My oldest likes instant only. I haven't purchased instant for years since no one ate it. I told my oldest that I only had the old fashion kind. She informed me that it was too much work. So, I decided to make her oatmeal. I saw this great recipe but I changed it up since I didn't have a lot of strawberries left. Strawberries somehow disappear in my house. After I made this oatmeal, my two youngest children loved it. My oldest daughter said that she just wanted plain. I can't please everyone but it is nice to know that I can serve oatmeal more often.

Peanut Butter Nutella Oatmeal
3 cups milk (I used skim)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups old fashion oats
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and water. Bring to a simmer an then reduce to medium-low. Stir often to make sure the milk doesn't scorch.
In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the oats to the skillet and toast for about 2 minutes.
Stir in the toasted oats into the heated milk. Allow to simmer gently until the mixture is thick. It will take about 20 minutes. 
Stir in the salt and brown sugar. Allow the oatmeal to continue to simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed and the oatmeal is creamy.
Stir in the peanut butter and Nutella.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats.

One year ago..............................I made the very cool Agent P sandwich.

Did you already know................
-Quaker Old Fashion Oats are whole oats which have been rolled to flatten them into flakes.
-Quick Quaker Oats are Old Fashion Oats which have been cut into smaller pieces.
-Steel Oats are whole oats which have been cut into thirds.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Scones

Pumpkin is one of those recipes in which you are a fan or not. I am a huge fan of pumpkin. I'm not picky either I like pumpkin bread or pumpkin pasta. My husband doesn't encourage me to make pumpkin recipes. Maybe he thinks I would go overboard? Unbeknown to him, I have a recipe that recently asked me to make a pumpkin recipe. To please my sister and my love for pumpkin, I decided I would make something for breakfast. Just because it is almost Thanksgiving, the kids expect me to feed them a couple meals before the big feast. Muffins were my first choice but I realized I hadn't made scones lately.

I decided to take one of my favorite pumpkin muffin recipes and adapt it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The dough was sticky but when it came out it tasted really good. So, I tried again the next day and added more flour but I still thought the dough seemed too sticky. However, it still tasted really good. My daughter brought some to school and shared with her classmates. They told my daughter they loved it. I even had a friend sample it and he really liked it. My husband brought three pieces to work for his lunch.

The cream cheese filling spread over the dough

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Scones
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup heavy cream

Direction:

1. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar. 
2. Place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner. 
5. In a food processor, add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Pulse 10 times.
6. Add the butter and pulse about 10 to 15 times.
7. Add the egg, pumpkin, and heavy cream. Pulse about 10 times or just combined.
8. Scoop half the batter and add to the middle of the baking sheet.
9. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough. (See photo above.)
10. Cover the cream cheese mixture with the remaining dough.
11. Bake the dough for about 20 minutes.
12. Remove from oven and cut into wedges and return to the oven. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the center of the wedge is cooked. (If a toothpick is inserted, the center will be gooey due to the cream cheese mixture.)

Recipe inspired by Annie's Eats.

A year ago................................I made Pancakes. 

Did you already know................
-Pumpkins are native to Central America.
-The colonist cooked pumpkins over hot coals with the inside filled with honey, milk, and spices.
-Pumpkins are grown all over the world beside Antarctica.

Happy Thanksgiving from Sweet Morris! 

I am thankful you took the time to stop by.

Blueberry Season

Are you blue? Have you been having some bad luck lately? Yesterday was Friday the 13th and it is over. Only good luck ahead for all of us, right? I will admit the only thing blue lately for me would be all the blueberries I have been eating. My husband can not say the same since he just had knee surgery-yes ouch!

 It is blueberry season here in Maine and I have picked over 6 cups of wild blueberries lately. So, please forgive me now but I will be posting some blueberry recipes in the next coming days. I have warned you. Don't worry I will be going raspberry picking in a couple of days. Then I may surprise you one day when you are expecting another blueberry recipe and they are gone like all my blueberries.

I decided to remake the Ultimate Streusel Cake with Streusel Filling into a blueberry coffee cake. This remake was suggested by my oldest daughter and it came out pretty good. My husband really liked it and he doesn't eat fruit often.

Blueberry Coffee Cake 
Streusel Filling:
1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4cup sugar
3/4 cups almonds, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

Cake:
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1  cups sour cream 
1 cup of blueberries ( I used wild Maine blueberries)

Icing:
2 1/2 cups of powder sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional powder sugar, for dusting if desired


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the Bundt pan.
3. Combine all the ingredients of the streusel filling together. Store in the refrigerator until needed.
4. In another bowl to make the cake, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
5. In a third bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
7. Slowly, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just combine.
8. Spoon half of the batter into the Bundt pan. Top with two thirds of the streusel filling.
9. Spoon the rest of the batter into the Bundt pan covering the streusel filling.
10. Top with the remaining streusel filling.
11. Bake until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean, about an hour.
12. Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.
13. When the cake is cooled enough, remove cake from pan.
14. In a medium bowl, prepare the icing by mixing the powder sugar and milk until well combined. Drizzle over cake.
15. Dust with powder sugar.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. 

Did you already know...
-The most common knee injure is a torn meniscus.
-Each knee has 2 meniscus which is the cartilage that acts like a cushion between the shinbone and thighbone.
-By forcefully rotating or twisting the knee, the meniscus can become torn.

Cinnamon Rolls

My Dad would make cinnamon rolls once a year. He would make so many rolls we would be eating them for weeks (at least it seemed that way). He would also give a lot of the cinnamon rolls away to friends.

Since my children love cinnamon rolls, I figured it would be a nice treat to make for the holidays. I have made this recipe before. The recipe makes a lot of rolls so I recommend following in my Dad's example and sharing. The recipe does freeze well just in case you do not want to share. I made 7 pie pan of these cinnamon rolls so be prepared to make new friends. I used skim milk in the recipe since that is what we had in the house.

Cinnamon Rolls
Rolls:
4 cups of milk 
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 packages (4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
9 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

Filling:
2 cups butter, melted plus more to coat the pans
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
7 disposable foal cake/pie pans

Icing:
2 lbs. powder sugar, sifted
1/2 cups milk
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup brewed coffee, decaffinated
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. Heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large saucepan just to below a boil over medium heat.
2. Let the milk mixture cool to warm (around 110 degrees).
3. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the milk mixture and let it sit for 1 minute.
4. Add 8 cups of flour and stir to combine. 
5. Cover the mixture with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. After the hour, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of flour to the mixture. Stir to combine. (Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or prepare rolls immediately after chilling for one hour first.)
7. Punch down the dough after chilling. 
8. Remove half the dough from the pan.
9. Flour a clean baking surface and roll out the dough thinly to 30x10 inches. 
10. Pour 3/4 cups of melted butter over the surface of the dough. Spread the butter evenly over the dough. 
11. Generously sprinkle 1/4 cup ground cinnamon and 1 cup of sugar evenly over the butter.
12. Working slowly, roll the dough tightly towards the other end of the dough forming a log. 
13. After rolling to the other end, pinch the dough seams together. Flip the roll so the seam is facing the surface.
14. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch slices.
15. Coat the disposal pans with melted butter.
16. Place about 7 to 9 cinnamon rolls into the pan without overcrowding.
17. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough. Let the dough rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes before baking.
18. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
19. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 15 to 18 minutes.
20. While the rolls are baking, prepare the icing.
21. In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt.
22. Add the maple syrup and whisk until very smooth. Taste and adjust the icing to taste. 
23. Drizzle the icing over the cinnamon rolls immediately after the cinnamon rolls are removed from the oven. 
24. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool and enjoy/share. 

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook.

Did you already know............
-Cinnamon Rolls are called "kanelbulle' in Sweden.
-On Oct. 4th, it is known as National Kanelbulle Bun day in Sweden.
-In Europe, cinnamon rolls are commonly topped with nib/pearl sugar.
-In America, the cinnamon roll is commonly topped with a glaze/icing.