Serving Up {Breakfast}: Liege Waffle (Belgium)

This past summer I was in Salt Lake City and I had two different people tell me that I simply had to try an eatery called Bruges Waffles & Frites.  I was excited to try it out for the Belgian Frites (fries) because years ago I had eaten at a Frites Stand in NYC and I still remember the "perfected" fries served with an array of unique dipping sauces.

During my trip I had reason to be downtown one afternoon and so I decided to stop in and get my fry fix.  When I walked in I saw the menu on the wall featuring the Liege Waffle adorned in a number of mouthwatering ways and I new that what I really neede to try was the waffle (I did try the fries as well but they kind of paled by comparison).  I ordered my Leige waffle with vanilla bean ice cream and fresh strawberries and it was AMAZING!

My understanding of the Liege Waffle is that it is the street waffle of Belgium.  The dough is actually a yeast dough with pieces of pearl sugar added right before cooking, so the end product is a very dense, delicious waffle with little pockets of caramelized sugar throughout.  I knew as I left Bruges that afternoon that I needed to find a recipe to recreate that waffle at home.  As I searched online there were a lot of people who felt the same way that I did.  I decided to try this recipe and it turned out delicious.  My only tweak to it was to omit the cinnamon that the original recipe called for, and I was pretty generous with the vanilla (which was the pure vanilla in this case - no imitation flavor for this recipe).

A couple of helpful tips:
* You can coarsely crush sugar cubes in place of the pearl sugar, which totally worked fine, but I figure I will make these waffles enough to justify ordering the real stuff to have on hand. (here or here)
* You don't want to overcook this waffle, so play around with the setting on your waffle maker.  I found that I had to turn down the temperature on my waffle maker from what I usually use.  You want a light golden brown end product.
* This recipe makes a mess of the waffle iron - sorry!  I have read a tip online that a paste of corn starch and water is the perfect cleaning solution to remove the caramel remains.

One Year Ago: Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Crumbled Feta
Two Tears Ago: Whole Bowl
                          Bread Pudding

LIEGE "SUGAR" WAFFLE     

1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbs. granulated white sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pearl sugar

Mix the yeast, water, sugar in a bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes. Place the flour and salt in a separate large mixing bowl, making a well in the center of the flour.  Pour the yeast mixture into the well and mix until blended on medium speed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and melted butter slowly and then vanilla;  mix well after each addition to the batter.  The batter will be thick and VERY sticky.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and let the dough rest until it doubles in volume inside the bowl, about 1 hour.  Gently fold in the pearl sugar and let the dough rest for 15 more minutes. While the dough is resting, heat the waffle iron.

Spoon about a 2″ ball of dough into the center of the waffle iron. Waffles will take 3 to 5 minutes to bake (I use level 3).  Don't overbake!  Eat plain or topped with your favorite combination of ice cream and/or berries.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

I was surprised recently when I went to share this recipe with a co-worker and discovered that I had not yet posted it.  A real oversight considering this has been a favorite of ours for a very long time.  I have taken it to many potluck events and it is a hit every single time.  The smell of cinnamon that accompanies it is enough to make this recipe a "10".  But the real secret is the sour cream in the recipe that keeps this coffee cake moist and delicious.  Yum!

One Year Ago: Smashed Parmesan Potatoes
Two Years Ago: Scor Cake

CINNAMON SWIRL COFFEE CAKE     
(recipe from Taste of Home magazine)
printable version

1 cup butter, softened
2 3/4 cup sugar, divided
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
2 Tbs. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a bundt pan (or other tube pan) by greasing and flouring.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and 2 cups of sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla; mix well.  combine the flour baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.
In a small bowl, combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Spoon a third of the batter into prepared pan.  Sprinkle a third of the cinnamon sugar mixture over batter.  Repeat layers two more times.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to finish cooling.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Egg Nog Syrup

Last week I made a quick Target run the day after Halloween, not intentionally on that day, it just happened. My four-year old commented immediately about the fact that Christmas had arrived at Target.  It sure had!  Never mind that 12 hours earlier we were celebrating Halloween!  The costumes and candy and trick-or-treating may as well have been months ago.  Christmas had come to Target, as well as most other retailers I am sure.

Although I do have a bit "hum bug" attitude about the hyper-marketing that surrounds Christmas, I have to admit that I did make a bee line for the refrigerator section.  I figured if Christmas decor was out, then so should be the Christmas food.  And sure enough....there was a full case of Egg Nog!

Last year I tweaked my homemade syrup recipe by substituting buttermilk for egg nog and the result was divine!  Since you can only purchase egg nog for the next couple of months, do yourself a favor and make some of this syrup for those that you love.  They will thank you.  They may also drink the syrup, but that is just another form of their love being expressed :)

One Year Ago:  Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

EGG NOG SYRUP     

(recipe adapted from Grandpa Holbrook)

printable version

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup egg nog

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar and egg nog and heat until a light boil is reached, ensuring the butter has melted and the sugar has completely dissolved.  

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and baking soda and stir until well combined. 

Serve over waffles, pancakes or french toast.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Bran Flax Muffins

In the world of recipe searches, I am sure "bran flax muffins" ranks nowhere near all the sugar laden treats that are posted every 2.5 seconds.  But maybe after all those sugar laden treats you should consider indulging in these as a truly delicious, guilt-free breakfast option.  They are packed with flax seed and oat bran and apples and carrots and are crazy moist (even better the next day) without an ounce of oil in the mix.

May I suggest whipping up a batch and throwing them in your freezer for those hectic mornings when a ready-made option would save the day.  That is what I do when I make these muffins and just yesterday they surfaced as breakfast for half the gang, they surfaced for my lunch and at least two kids ate them as an after school snack.  Okay, so they may never make your freezer, but you have got to feel good about what is being eaten!

One Year Ago: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

BRAN FLAX MUFFINS      
(recipe from Bob's Red Mill)
printable version

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup oat bran
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
2 apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup raisins or craisins (optional)
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts (if desired). Combine milk, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
This recipe makes approx. 15 medium-sized muffins

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Orange Sweet Rolls

I love cinnamon rolls and have a bit of an obsession with pinning every recipe for cinnamon rolls that comes up on pinterest.  I will never make them all, or at least I never ought to make them all if I want to be able to fit into my jeans...  I mention this only because for as much as I like cinnamon rolls, I can't for the life of me remember why I fiddled with a recipe for cinnamon rolls and turned them into orange sweet rolls.  It was probably the influence of Rhodes bake-n-serve rolls going orange, but the twist to the traditional cinnamon roll is definitely a tasty one.

Even if you have a favorite cinnamon roll recipe that you swear by, try switching out the cinnamon for some orange zest and enjoy the bright fresh flavor.  It is a great way to start the day.

One Year Ago: Caramel Clusters

ORANGE SWEET ROLLS     

printable version

2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp. yeast

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup dry milk

5 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. orange zest

fresh orange juice

Combine warm water and yeast and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, adding the flour gradually, stirring well after each addition until a sticky, but kneadable dough is formed.  Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead well.  Place dough in a clean bowl and allow to rise until triple in size (about 1 hour). 

Prepare topping by combining softened butter, sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to create the desired consistency.

Roll out dough into a 24x18 inch rectangle.  Spread the orange butter topping over the dough.  Roll up dough width wise.  Slice dough into 1 1/2 inch slices.  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.  Cover and allow to rise until double in size.

Bake at 350 degres for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.  

My favorite frosting for these rolls is a basic cream cheese frosting with the addition of orange zest and the use of fresh orange juice to reach the desired consistency.  

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Blackberry Syrup

I am quite spoiled here in the Pacific Northwest when it comes to summer berries.  Fresh fruit stands are plentiful, as are farms that allow you to pick your own berries in picturesque settings.  I love it!  Blackberries are considered almost a weed up here - they grow wild on the sides of the roads and in empty fields.  Because blackberries are EVERYWHERE here, you would not believe how inexpensive they are.  Two summers ago I purchased 100 pounds of berries, picked and delivered to my home, for only $1.50/pound.  We froze most of them and have enjoyed them in jams and in smoothies and in this syrup.  For this recipe you could use any berry, raspberry or blueberry specifically, but with our freezer full (or at least it used to be full) of blackberries, we use blackberries and the result is delicious!

One Year Ago: Egg Pie (German Pancakes)

BLACKBERRY SYRUP     
(recipe from Food Network)
printable version

1 pint fresh blackberries (I have used frozen too)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. cornstarch

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.  Add the blackberries and mix with a wooden spoon, crushing some berries on the side of the saucepan.  Let mixture come to a boil and remove from heat.
Combine lemon juice and cornstarch and whisk until combined.  Add cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and return the pan to medium heat, stirring until thickened.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Bite Sized Versions

Summer is here and school is out...we are enjoying the lazy starts to our days as much as I thought that we would be.  I think I didn't serve breakfast yesterday until 10 a.m. which is probably the latest so far...and half of us were still in our pajamas when breakfast was served!  What can I say?  We are enjoying it while we can because in July we begin all sorts of summer camps and morning swim lessons and we may as well be back in school for all the early morning commitments we have!

With all the time I've had in the mornings, I have enjoyed making our favorite breakfast meals but have mixed a couple of them up to give them new life.  You wouldn't think that serving "mini" versions of meals that my kids eat all the time would really make that big of an impact on the kids, but it has!

I baked my recipe for BAKED OATMEAL into muffin-sized servings and the kids went crazy for it.  Again, nothing was altered except the baking dish but it was enough to be new and exciting for the young'uns.

Baked in the muffin tins, I still put mine into a bowl, broke it apart and splashed a little coconut or rice milk over it.  But my husband ate his as a muffin -which makes a terrific "on the go" option and is a completely flour-free breakfast option should you be looking for such a thing.

Find my Baked Oatmeal recipe here and note that I reduced my baking time to 30 minutes when using the muffin tins.

With the success of the Baked Oatmeal, I had to try our EGG PIE (German Pancake) recipe in a similar manner.  Again - a total hit!

Find my recipe for Egg Pie here and note that I divided the batter between 24 muffin tins - you don't want to fill them more than 1/4 full or they won't puff and be airy and light.  I also decreased my baking time to 15 minutes when using the muffin tins.

One Year Ago: Cool Berry Soup

                        Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Serving Up {Breakfast}: French Toast Casserole

This upcoming weekend is General Conference for the LDS church, which means that we don't attend our normal church meetings and we are able to view messages from our church leaders that are broadcast over the television or internet (here).  We have conference two times a year and they are my very favorite Sundays.  To hear wonderful spiritual messages while wearing my pajamas - it just doesn't get any better than that :)  With a Sunday morning session of conference and another Sunday afternoon session, many people have a yummy brunch between sessions.  I know that is the plan at our home.

If you are looking to plan a brunch menu for Conference Sunday or for Easter Sunday the following week, or you are just looking for an unbelievably delicious French Toast recipe...look no further!  I was introduced to this recipe recently at a baby shower and I totally went back for seconds!  Oh my!  This recipe involves cubing bread, sprinkling it with a cinnamon mixture and then soaking it in an egg mixture.  But to take it to the next level there is an added layer of cream cheese and when it is all done baking you pour a delicious buttermilk syrup over the entire thing and allow it to soak in before serving.  It is so crazy good!

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE     
(recipe from Mallorie H.)
printable version

12 cups cubed bread (about one loaf of French or Italian bread)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix eggs, milk and melted butter in a bowl and set aside.
In a another bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Layer half of the cubed bread in a greased 13x9 baking dish.
Evenly distribute the cream cheese over the bread cubes.
Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the bread.
Layer the remaining bread and top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over all - allow the bread to soak in the egg mixture for a minimum of 20-30 minutes (can prepare the night before and allow to soak overnight).
Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Syrup:
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. baking soda

While the french toast is baking, make the syrup.
In a large saucepan combine the butter, sugar and buttermilk until the mixture boils and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and baking soda. It will expand and get very foamy.

When the french toast is done baking, remove from the oven and immediately pour the syrup over the top of the casserole. Let it sit for about ½ hour before serving.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Gorgonzola

I have been enjoying egg sandwiches quite regularly as of late - some for breakfast, others for dinner, last night it was eggs and avocado at 9:45 p.m. in hopes of getting the tummy to stop grumbling.  I get the most beautiful free range eggs from a local farmer and the yolks are literally ORANGE.  Gorgeous!  With eggs kind of on my mind, I saw this recipe posted at Smitten Kitchen and I knew that I had to make it!  And I did make it - the very next night (and again the next day)!  I mean, you use the bacon fat to make a dressing for the greens!  Are you kidding me?  All salads would benefit from a couple of tablespoons of good ole' bacon grease, but that is just my personal opinion...

I wrote the recipe as I made it which included a couple of tweaks - not necessarily because it needed tweaks, but because I made it with what I had on hand.  So the frisee became spinach and the blue cheese became gorgonzola.  While I can't speak for the sandwich with the original ingredient list, I can speak of the sandwich made with the substitutions and I can't imagine anything better.  Yum!

FRIED EGG SANDWICH with BACON AND GORGONZOLA
(recipe from Smitten Kitchen)
printable version

2 ciabatta rolls

1 ½ cups favorite mixed greens
2 slices bacon, thick cut
1 Tbs. minced shallot
1 ½ Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

2 Tbs. butter
2 eggs
Salt and Pepper

Place mixed greens in a small bowl. Cut bacon crosswise into ½ inch pieces. Heat skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving half of the bacon grease. Add shallot to bacon fat and cook for one minute, stirring. Add red wine vinegar, stirring for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and whisk in Dijon mustard. Pour hot dressing over mixed greens, add cooked bacon and toss with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Split rolls in half and toast. Divide salad between each roll. Top each salad with 2 Tbs. crumbled gorgonzola.

Reheat skillet over medium heat. Add butter and coat the pan. Crack each egg ino the pan, season with salt and pepper and cover the skillet with a small lid. Cook for one minute for a perfect sunny-side-up egg, although flipping the egg for 30 seconds more will keep the yolk from comepletely running off your sandwich. Remove the eggs from the pan and place on top of the gorgonzola. Replace top bun.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Spinach Artichoke Egg Croissant

I try really hard to always site my source for recipes, whether it be a friend, another blog or the back of the chocolate chip package!  While I would like to properly site this recipe, I can't recall the exact source but I will tell you how it evolved.  I was reading a book and the character created an egg sandwich by spreading spinach artichoke dip over a toasted croissant, topped it with a poached egg and drizzled the entire thing with Hollandaise sauce.  So I guess my true source of this recipe was a character in a book, or more accurately, the author of the book, but I can't recall what book it was.  Regardless, you can bet that I jumped at the chance to recreat it and am really glad that I did.  I have served this as a quick breakfast for the hubby, as a dinner for the family and as the main dish for a holiday luncheon with twelve church ladies in attendance.  It just works!

Served beside some yummy breakfast potatoes (may I suggest these), this is a really satisfying meal.

  

Warning: make sure you have a fork and an extra napkin or two because as delicious as it is, it is equally messy.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE EGG CROISSANT     

printable version

1 large croissant

3-4 Tbs. Spinach Artichoke Dip (Costco sells a yummy version)

3-4 Tbs. Hollandaise Sauce

1-2 large eggs

salt & pepper

Cover the bottom of a small skillet with water about 1-2 inches and bring to a simmer (you don't want the water to be boiling).  Add 1 Tbs. vinegar to the water.  Crack the egg into a small dish and, from the dish, pour the egg into the simmering water.  Cover and allow to simmer for approximately 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg from the water.  If you want two eggs on your croissant, then repeat the process with another egg.

While egg is cooking, slice the croissant in half.  Place in toaster oven to toast lightly.

Heat spinach artichoke dip until the cheese is melted.  Remove croissant from the toaster and spread the dip on the bottom half.  Place poached egg on top of the artichoke dip and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the Hollandaise sauce over the egg and replace the top half of the croissant.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Chocolate Gravy for biscuits

This is a recipe from my teenage years.  I grew up with two brothers with awesome metabolisms that could eat ANYTHING and that is pretty much what they did.  I on the other hand...

Breakfast is one of those funny meals when you really stop to think about it.  We serve cinnamon rolls and coffee cake and donuts and crepes and then top it all off with juice.  It's like a morning dessert bar!  This recipe falls right in line with that train of thought.  Bake up some buttery, flaky biscuits and then drench them in chocolate gravy.  Delicious?  Yes!  Power meal?  No!  That is why I make sure to serve it with a side of eggs - oh, and of course some fruit that we use to wipe up any remaining gravy that may have been left on the plate once the biscuits were gone.

CHOCOLATE GRAVY (for biscuits)     Pin It
(recipe from Linda W.)
printable version

2 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch salt
1 can (12-ounce) evaporated milk
1 1/2  cup water (I fill the milk can with water)
3 cups milk
1-2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cocoa and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together until well smooth and well combined.

Combine evaporated milk, water and milk and pour over the dry ingredients. Heat over medium heat and stir occasionally with a spoon (do not use a whisk as it adds too much air), ensuring the mixture doesn’t burn on the bottom. Heat until mixture boils.
Once mixture boils, remove from heat and add butter and vanilla and stir well.

Serve over fresh, warm biscuits.
Also delicious to as a for dip strawberries or bananas.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Our family has muffins nearly every Sunday.  Couple our muffin frequency with my love of anything cinnamon and frosted and it should come as no surprise that we have tried Cinnamon Roll Muffins.  In fact, we have tried a number of Cinnamon Roll Muffin recipes.  There is one recipe in particular that seems to pop up frequently on blogs and/or pinterest (like here) that we tried, and while it did taste like cinnamon rolls, it requires the process of rolling out the dough, spreading a topping over the dough and then rolling the dough into a log.....etc.  Well, if I wanted to go through all of that I would just make the real deal cinnamon rolls and skip muffins altogether.

This recipe is not as pretty and it doesn't look like cute little miniature cinnamon rolls, but it has got the taste down!  It helps that the recipe calls for yeast, which I think adds a sweetness that makes the finished product taste more authentic.  But there is no kneading, no rolling pins, no floury mess to clean up.  You fill the muffin tins (I used paper lines, but would suggest just greasing the muffin tins and skipping the paper lines for this recipe), you sprinkle the topping mixture, you swirl the topping mixture and you bake.  Then you enjoy the smell of cinnamon goodness and giggle an evil laugh knowing your cinnamon roll fix only took 10 minutes from start to oven!  It doesn't get any better than that!

CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS     Pin It
(recipe from Amandeleine)
printable version

Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. yeast
2/3 cup warm milk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Filling/Topping
2 Tbs. butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp.cinnamon

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 oz. softened cream cheese
1-2 Tbs. milk or cream

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.  Dissolve the yeast in a measuring cup filled with the warmed milk, then stir milk mixture, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg into the flour mixture. Mix well, until very smooth. Let rest for 15 minutes.

While the dough rests, mix together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl using a fork until all the butter has been incorporated into the sugar and mixture is crumbly.

Divide the batter between 12 greased muffin cups. Sprinkle the topping over the dough mixture and press the  swirl slightly with a knife.

Place the muffin pan into a cold oven, then set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes, until bread is lightly browned at the edges and the center of the bread springs back when lightly pressed. Some of the sugar mixture on top may still be bubbling.

Cool for at least 30 minutes before whisking the powdered sugar, milk and cream cheese together to form an icing and drizzling it onto the bread.  Serve immediately.