Breakfast Archives - Crafty Cooking Mama

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes | #FoodBloggerLove

February 12, 2018 by Amanda 5 Comments

Soft, fluffy & tender – these Oven Baked Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes will sweeten your breakfast up! Simple to mix up, bake and clean up – these may become your new favorite pancake!

I’m so excited to participate in the annual #FoodBloggerLove event for the second time! This is such a fun event for bloggers! We secretly get assigned another blogger with the goal of sharing a little love. This year again, I’ve been introduced to a blogger I haven’t met yet…yay! I’ve gotten to learn a little about this blogger and I also get to share their recipes & story with my readers. Total win for all!

This year #FoodBloggerLove has introduced me to another awesome food blogger – Kate from Kate’s Recipe Box.

Hi Kate ♥

A girl after my own heart, Kate loves all things sweet and is a major chocoholic.

Kate has two young kiddos that love helping in the kitchen so she’s working on a “Kids In The Kitchen” series. I enjoyed reading her “Kids in the Kitchen – Easy Guacamole” post. It’s such a great concept! Keep your kids excited about helping in the kitchen with small, kid friendly parts of food preparation. It’s such a positive & encouraging experience – they have fun getting their hands into everything, they love to help and they gain such a sense of accomplishment knowing that they were part of making dinner.

Now only if I had more patience to incorporate my 4 year old in the kitchen a bit more! Luckily, I have an 11 year old who is on her way to being the next top baker ♥

I had fun reading thru Kate’s recipes and absolutely love all her food & family pics! I had such a hard time picking just one recipe to share! I know I can’t wait to try her Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake, Chicken Mole Enchiladas,….there are soooo many goodies!

Check out Kate’s Recipe Box – Best of the Blog – 2017! You’ll learn her reader’s favorite recipes and her very own favorites of this past year!

I decided to try Kate’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes. For a few reasons. First – they looked delicious. Second – my family loves pancakes. Oh, and of course – peanut butter and chocolate – for breakfast. Anyday, everyday – please!

These pancakes were totally effortless to mix up and bake. They were soft, tender, fluffy and had the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor. They were amazing – almost like eating dessert for breakfast.

Another great thing about oven baked sheet pancakes is that – voila – all your pancakes are done & ready to serve together. No frying in batches, no fussing over a griddle and no burning your first batch on the griddle….(raises hand…embarrassingly…everytime).

You can cut these pancakes up quickly with a pizza cutter…or have fun cutting them into cute or fancy shapes with cookie cutters. We loved them served with chocolate syrup & whipped cream…yum!

Hope you enjoy this recipe and check out a few more of Katie’s recipes! Visit her blog at Kate’s Recipe Box! You can also follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter!

Scroll down to check out the #FoodBloggerLove link-up for all the other great recipes being shared today!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes | #FoodBloggerLove

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

Soft, fluffy & tender - these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes will sweeten your breakfast up! Simple to mix up, bake and clean up! Recipe by Kate's Recipe Box

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk
⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ - ¾ cup chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a half-sheet baking sheet with parchment paper, using enough that it hangs over the edges slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a larger bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla until it is well combined and the peanut butter is completely incorporated.
Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened.
Pour/scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out to fill the pan.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake 12-15 minutes, until puffy and cooked through.
Remove from the pan using the sides of the parchment to lift. Cut into squares (a pizza cutter works great) and serve with butter, chocolate or maple syrup, if desired.

An InLinkz Link-up

Whole Wheat Cottage Cheese Pancakes

July 24, 2017 by Amanda 4 Comments

Stop, don’t go! These pancakes are totally delicious – you’d never suspect they are a healthier pancake made with cottage cheese & whole wheat flour!

Seems I’ve been on a pancake kick lately. It’s been one after another – and, hey, there might just be a few more.

Recently I’ve been working on recipes for a diabetic in my family. Pancakes were definitely something they missed, so I set out to make some good low-carb pancakes.

I made these Flax Pancakes and they were a HUGE hit from all that have tried them. I must say, they’re pretty darn impressive for being just about carb-free.

I make a few savory style pancakes with cottage cheese and decided to try them out as a more sweet breakfast pancake.

Success! The pancake lovers were in love ♥

No one guessed that cottage cheese was one of the main ingredients. Although you may see traces of cottage cheese in the pancakes – you’ll taste no curds – they seem to magically melt into the pancake : )

Oh, and no one would guess that there was no all-purpose flour nor any sugar.

So that leads us into the discussion of alternative & artificial sweeteners. I’ve never cared for artificial sweeteners and firmly believed they had no place in any kitchen but a diabetics. I swore up & down that raw honey was the best alternative sweetener. Actually, I still believe honey is best – just not for a diabetic.

Now that I find myself cooking for a diabetic I’ve been experimenting with every artificial & alternative sweetener under the sun. I just can’t get thru them all – and every time I go to the store I find a new one.

All that blabbing leads to this – use whatever sweetener you’d like. I’ve been working with SweetLeaf Sugar Leaf sweetener, so that’s what I used here. So far this has been one of my preferred low cal/carb sweeteners. It doesn’t have much of a funky taste and a little goes a long way. I actually use less than what the bag recommends.

If you have no dietary restrictions than go ahead and use good old granulated sugar. I’d suggest 1 -2 tablespoon depending on taste.

Pancakes for everyone! Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by ♥

-Amanda-

5.0 from 1 reviews

Whole Wheat Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Stop, don't go! These pancakes are totally delicious - you'd never suspect they were a healthier pancake made with cottage cheese & whole wheat flour!

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 1 - 2 servings

Ingredients

2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup whole milk/4% cottage cheese
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon SweetLeaf Sugar Leaf sweetener (or preferred artificial sweetener or 1-2 tablespoons sugar)
butter, about 1 tablespoon

Instructions

Beat eggs.
Whisk in cottage cheese and remaining ingredients.
Add butter to griddle or frying pan and heat to medium heat.
Pour out pancakes in about ¼ cup portions - I use a ladle.
Cook for 3 minutes or until set and golden brown, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve and enjoy. I serve with butter and an assortment of syrups & jams. Sugar free syrup, real maple syrup, chocolate syrup....
Makes about 4 pancakes - 1 generous serving or 2 light servings.

Healthy Whole Wheat Cottage Cheese Pancakes - Sugar Free & No All-Purpose Flour | www.craftycookingmama.com

Blueberry & Lemon Olive Oil Pancakes

June 8, 2017 by Amanda 5 Comments

Turn an ordinary breakfast into something a bit more extraordinary by switching up an ingredient or two. These Blueberry & Lemon Olive Oil Pancakes mix it up just enough.

I was provided with a free product to sample. I was not financially compensated for this post. All thoughts & opinions are always my own.

I was recently sent a few olive oils to taste from Pomora. I fell in absolute love.

The two extra virgin olive oils, one from Sicily & one from Campania are so full of flavor and have such beautiful, unique, distinctive flavors. I would love to speak of all the culinary wonders I will create with these oils – but – right now I can’t bare to do anymore with them than dip bread in it and drizzle it over meats and cheeses. These oils really are that wonderful…

The lemon olive oil is so interesting and I just keep finding uses for it.

Drizzled over asparagus and veggies, yes. Drizzled over a simple seafood pasta dish, yes. Drizzled over a salad, yes. It added such brightness to every dish.

I kept thinking it had to be used in a sweet dish. I thought of a lovely Olive Oil Cake I make, but didn’t want to part with a cup worth of the oil 🙂

I often find myself taking simple recipes and changing one or two main ingredients. Pancakes are a great example. When you think of the flavor of pancakes you think vanilla, butter and maple syrup.

I used a simple pancake recipe, skipped the butter and vanilla and subbed it with the lemon olive oil. It livened up ordinary pancakes, adding a unexpected but welcoming change to pancakes. I served raw honey alongside these pancakes for drizzling.

The sweet and savory uses for this oil are endless. I’m looking forward to making a simple custard or panna cotta and drizzling it with lemon olive oil.

Pomora has created an “Adopt An Olive Tree” program where you receive four shipments a year from your tree. These oils come from gold-medal winning, independent family growers. The flavor of the olive oil will vary each shipment – the tastes are wondrously unique to each season.

You can read extensively about where your olive oil comes from. Learn about Carmelo and his oil from Sicily and Antonio and his olive oil from Campania. It’s really an interesting read – check it out!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Amanda-

Learn more about Pomora – who they are, what they stand for and their passion for olive oil.

Read the experts guide on how to taste olive oil

5.0 from 1 reviews

Blueberry & Lemon Olive Oil Pancakes

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

Turn an ordinary breakfast into something a bit more extraordinary by switching up an ingredient or two. These Blueberry & Lemon Olive Oil Pancakes mix it up just enough.

Author: Amanda

Serves: 2-4 servings

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cup milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon Pomora Lemon Olive Oil
½ cup blueberries
raw honey for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl - whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs & olive oil.
Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
Fold in blueberries.
Pour pancakes, I use about ¼ cup ladle, onto a greased or non-stick griddle over medium-high heat. Cook until each side is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Serve immediately. Drizzle with honey if preferred. Enjoy ♥

Blueberry & Lemon Olive Oil Pancakes made with Pomora Olive Oil | www.craftycookingmama.com

Flax Pancakes | Low Carb & Diabetic Friendly

April 13, 2017 by Amanda 19 Comments

Light, fluffy and tender Low Carb Flax Pancakes that are ridiculously simple to make. Awesome breakfast for Carb Counters & Diabetics – but great for anyone who enjoys a healthy breakfast!

Pancakes. People love them. Pancake options, combinations and toppings are endless. The humble pancake has been reinvented a million different ways and people still find joy in getting creative with them.

With a diabetic in the family I had to rethink my pancake recipes. I worked on some whole wheat pancakes and coconut flour pancakes, both delicious and will be shared in the future.

But I knew I could do better. The flavor and textures were great – but I knew I could get lower with the carbohydrate numbers. I knew the solution as well – the almighty ground flaxseed meal.

I love ground flax. It’s an ingredient I use often – it tastes great, is filling, packs some serious nutrition and it’s cheap! I add it to yogurt, smoothies, to many of my baked goodies and I love making breakfast foods with it – I make a mean flax porridge and endless flax mug muffin combinations. I knew with a little coaxing it would take on pancake form perfectly.

I found a few recipes online to try and start with – like always, it’s a lot of trial and error. When I finally found something that worked I just about fell in love. Simple, to the point, and tasted like a pancake you would want to eat any given morning.

You’ll definitely know that it’s not your regular all-purpose flour pancake, but man-oh-man, it sure is surprisingly close. Light, fluffy and tender – with a drizzle of syrup some might not even notice the difference. My family was in disbelief. My daughter loves them and says they remind her of “French Toast Pancakes”. Seriously, people without any dietary restrictions can appreciate this pancake as much as those who have to count carbs. Flax pancakes for all!

Try it. Get your healthy on. You’ll love it, at least with this recipe you will 😉

Thanks for stopping by ♥

-Amanda-

Recipe adapted (just a tad) from Unbreaded – check them out for lots of low-carb goodness.

4.5 from 2 reviews

Flax Pancakes | Low Carb & Diabetic Friendly

Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

10 mins

Light, fluffy and tender Low Carb Flax Pancakes that are quick & simple to make. Awesome breakfast for Carb Counters & Diabetics - but perfect for anyone who enjoys a healthy breakfast!

Author: Amanda

Serves: 4 pancakes

Ingredients

3 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1 tablespoon stevia in the raw (or preferred low cal sweetener)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
butter, about 1 tablespoon

Instructions

In a small bowl combine flaxseed meal, stevia, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract.
Add butter to griddle or frying pan and heat to medium heat. I set my griddle at about 250°F.
Pour out pancakes in about ¼ cup portions - I use a ladle. You should get 4 - 5 pancakes.
Cook for 3-5 minutes or until set and golden brown, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve and enjoy. I serve with butter and an assortment of syrups & jams. Sugar free syrup, real maple syrup, chocolate syrup....
NOTE This recipe makes about 4 pancakes - 1 hearty serving. Recipe can easily be tripled or doubled. These pancakes are great made ahead and reheated.

Low Carb & Diabetic Friendly Flax Pancakes | Fluffy, light, soft & tender - delicious | www.craftycookingmama.com

Hard Boiled Quail Eggs

March 8, 2017 by Amanda 12 Comments

All about Quail Eggs. How to hard boil quail eggs, peel & crack quail eggs and other quail egg stuff you need to know.

It’s a ~~not so~~ funny thing.

I have chickens. My hens are loved and well cared for, free ranged & eat the best of the best. They’re happy, spoiled little chickies, living the good life.

In return, they graciously give us fresh eggs. Seriously, some of the best eggs ever. Beautiful marigold yolks tell the tale of the quality of the chickens diets.

Then as luck would have it, I find myself suffering from an egg allergy. Scratch that, it’s an egg intolerance. An egg allergy causes a serious allergic reaction from just trace amounts. So far (knock on wood) I can eat a slice of cake that has an egg or two in the batter, but I can’t eat a scrambled egg.

I tried changing the chickens food & diets. No luck. I tried eggs from other free range farms. No luck. I tried gluten-free, gmo free eggs from another farm. Nope. I tried various store bought eggs. No dice.

I was convinced that duck eggs would be the answer. Then quail eggs. Then guinea hens eggs. I was sadly mistaken. It was one sad failure after another.

Moving along. The “pity-party” is over. I’m seeing another specialist in the near future that can hopefully help me with some of these depressing food allergies.

Let’s talk quail eggs.

I was going to start raising quail this year. My family loves quail eggs and I have a super-picky little eater who requests “tiny eggs” so I always keep a few dozen around.

Besides being bite-sized and absolutely adorable, there are a few other differences.

I have always preferred them over chicken eggs. They have a higher yolk to white ratio which gives you a much richer egg. The flavor of chicken eggs & quail eggs are very similar – but – I find that boiled quail eggs do not need to be salted.

Quail eggs are a bit more nutritious. I won’t bore you with the details but you can read the breakdown of nutrition info on both eggs here.

The other interesting thing is that quail eggs can be eaten raw.

I have vocally expressed my opinion against eating raw chicken eggs a few times before. It’s a BIG no due to the risk of salmonella. I constantly hear it’s okay to use fresh, organic chicken eggs from small, local farms raw. Sorry, it’s not. I have fresh and organic eggs every single day – so fresh, they’re warm. Guess what – I’m not consuming any of those eggs raw.

So back to the quail eggs. They’re safe to eat raw – so using them in mayo, aioli, pastas, mashed potatoes, desserts, protein shakes, booze – whatever – it’s all good.

A lot of folks recommend eating the shell for added health benefits. I’ve always passed on that one.

Quail eggs are a bit tricky to crack, but I’ve found a small sharp knife does the trick. I crack it with the knife & then cut it open. I crack a few at a time in a bowl if I’m frying or scrambling them. There are a few gadgets that are supposed to make the task simple, but the knife method works well enough for me.

Peeling boiled quail eggs is tricky if you don’t cook them the right way. (Recipe follows) When peeling, gently crack the bottom of the egg. I find it easiest to peel from the bottom, taking care to get under the membrane. My daughter finds it easiest to roll the egg between her hands, gently cracking the entire shell, and then peeling.

Quail eggs fry up quickly & look absolutely adorable – so sunny-side-up quail eggs are a must. Here is a recipe for Bacon Wrapped Asparagus topped with Quail Eggs. Simple & delicious and just a bit fancy 🙂

If you wanted to bake with quail eggs – you would substitute 3-4 quail eggs for each large chicken egg.

I have one more piece on eggs to share yet and will probably publish it in the next few weeks. I’ll be comparing quail, guinea, chicken & duck eggs – it’s a glimmer of egg happiness in these sad egg-free times for me. Lol.

Thanks so much for stopping by ♥

-Amanda-

4.7 from 3 reviews

Hard Boiled Quail Eggs

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

All about Quail Eggs. How to hard boil quail eggs, peel & crack quail eggs and other quail egg stuff you need to know.

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: eggs

Serves: dozen

Ingredients

12 quail eggs (or whatever amount you need)

Instructions

Fill an appropriate sized saucepan with enough water to cover eggs by one inch. Do not add eggs yet.
Bring water to a full boil. Gently add eggs - I lower them in with a slotted spoon.
Maintain a light boil and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Carefully drain hot water and fill saucepan with ice cold water.
I find hard-boiled quail eggs are best served warm. Peel & serve or refrigerate until ready to use.

Peach & Blueberry Quinoa Salad #FoodBloggerLove

February 13, 2017 by Amanda 12 Comments

A healthy, light & delicious Peach & Blueberry Quinoa Salad. Makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert. Recipe adapted, with love, from The Gluten-Free Foodsmith ♥

I’m so excited to participate in the #FoodBloggerLove event this year! This is a fun event where we all get to meet other bloggers that we might not have met before over the foodie circuit. Not only do I get to know a little about the blogger, I also get to share their recipes & story with my readers. Win for all!

This event introduced me to Tina Marie at the Gluten-Free Foodsmith. Tina’s mission is to recreate all her favorite recipes, old and new, into gluten-free recipes that her, her family and all foodies can enjoy. You’ll find many of her recipes are health conscience, she enjoys using organic ingredients & loves chocolate 🙂

The thing to remember about gluten-free recipes is they are easily converted if you have no dietary restrictions. These recipes are for all to enjoy!

I read thru years of her recipes – they’re all SO wonderful! I had such a hard time picking just one recipe to share! I know I can’t wait to try her Cranberry Champagne Cake & Chocolate Confetti Quinoa Cookies ♥

I decided to try Tina’s Warm Plum & Blueberry Quinoa Salad. It automatically popped out at me since I’ve been working with quinoa in desserts so much lately.

This lightly sweetened Quinoa Salad is light & delicious. This is a much lighter, healthier sweet than you might be used to seeing around here. It’s very reminiscent of a rice pudding, can be served cold, warm or hot and makes a great breakfast, dessert or snack. It’s a very adaptable recipe and could easily be vegan if you omit the honey (and the butter in my adaptation). You could use any milk, any oil/fat, any fruit – I think you’re going to like it…..♥

Want some more recipes from The Gluten-Free Foodsmith? Check out her Top 10 Recipes from 2016!

Gluten-Free Foodsmith Top 10 Recipes For 2016

Click here to visit The Gluten-Free Foodsmith

You can also follow The Gluten-Free Foodsmith on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter

Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Amanda-

5.0 from 2 reviews

Peach & Blueberry Quinoa Salad #FoodBloggerLove

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

A healthy, light & delicious Peach & Blueberry Quinoa Salad. Makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert. Recipe adapted, with love, from The Gluten-Free Foodsmith ♥

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: dessert, breakfast, healthy(ish)

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups cooked quinoa
2 tablespoon salted butter (or coconut oil)
1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (or your preferred milk)
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup fresh blueberries
15 oz can sliced peaches, drained & chopped (I used about ¾ of the can - use more or less to your liking)
optional - additional maple syrup for drizzling and/or whipped cream

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine cooked quinoa & butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.
Add almond milk, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon & vanilla extract. Stir well to combine and continue to cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and gently stir in blueberries & peaches.
Serve warm or cold. Drizzle with additional maple syrup if you'd like and/or top with whipped cream. Enjoy ♥
*NOTE*
I used leftover cooked quinoa I had on hand. If you need to make 2 cups cooked quinoa:
You will need ¾ cup raw quinoa, 1½ cup water & a pinch of salt.
Rinse quinoa.
Combine rinsed quinoa & water in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low & cover.
Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat & let sit, still covered for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
You could then add ingredients needed for recipe.

Cheers to Allison at The PinterTest Kitchen for putting this event on! Interested in participating in this or other #FoodBloggerLove events? Join the Facebook group for more information!

Check out all the other goodness from #FoodBloggerLove!

An InLinkz Link-up

Breakfast & Baking With Grape-Nuts®

January 4, 2017 by Amanda 6 Comments

Today I’m sharing three recipes that will show you how simple it is to add more whole grain goodness to your diet. Oh, and I have money saving coupons to share with you too! Head over to Post® cereals to grab your coupons now!

Breakfast has always been and will always be the most important meal of the day. It’s essential to eat a nutritious breakfast to get yourself geared up & going for the day. Although the hustle & bustle of the morning makes it difficult to sit down to a breakfast “fit for a king”, there are still plenty of options to get a good breakfast in. Seriously – we can do better than doughnuts, toaster pastries and fast food sandwiches.

Many people make resolutions at the start of each New Year. Eating healthier is often one of those resolutions. Achieving those goals are easy when you add a nutritious and filling breakfast to your daily routine.

I’ll share with you a key ingredient to breakfast success – Grape-Nuts® cereal. It’s a morning staple, and has been for over 100 years. Loaded with 52 grams of whole grain and plenty of fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants & protein – this is a top shelf cereal.

Of course you can sit down to a bowl of Grape-Nuts® cereal and breakfast is served. Other days, though, you may want to get a little creative with it – it’s such a versatile ingredient.

Today I’m sharing with you three recipes you can make with Grape-Nuts®.

The first recipe is super simple and takes only a few minutes and a microwave to make. Grape-Nuts® & Quick Oats is filling, delicious and nutritious. I add cinnamon, raisins, a little sugar and milk on busier days. If I want to take it up a notch, I add a bit of vanilla and a pinch of chocolate chips. You can make it anyway you would normally enjoy a bowl of oatmeal. Stir in maple syrup, fresh fruits, dried fruits, whatever you like!

Here’s a nifty little idea. If you’re so busy in the morning that you the thought of grabbing all the ingredients to make these oats makes you crazy, then you can easily meal prep this. Just measure out all the dry ingredients in sandwich baggies. Just add milk and they’re ready to go when you need them. Like homemade instant packets.

The second recipe I’m sharing may not be the lightest recipe, but it’s absolutely fun and delicious. Chocolate Chip & Bacon Grape-Nuts® cookies. It’s sweet, salty, bacon, chewy crunchy cookie goodness. It’s a great on the go, in a rush kind of breakfast. Or anytime snack or dessert.

Last, but not least, is Grape-Nuts® custard or pudding. It’s a dessert, it’s a breakfast – either or, it’s wonderful. It’s delicious served warm or chilled – I honestly can’t pick which I like more! While baking, the pudding separates into layers. The top will be a thick, creamy egg custard and the bottom turns into a soft Grape-Nuts crust. It’s a must try for all custard fans.

I could literally share dozens more recipes that I use Grape-Nuts® in. I love it for it’s fiber & whole grain content and often add it to muffins, cookies, breakfast bars, quick breads or stir it in my yogurt. It’s a simple way to add major nutrition to my breakfast & baked goodies.

I hope you’re inspired to add more whole grain goodness to your diet! Thanks for stopping by ♥

-Amanda-

Head over to Post® NOW to grab money saving coupons on all your favorite cereals!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Grape-Nuts® & Quick Oats Oatmeal

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Grape-Nuts® & Quick Oats Oatmeal

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 1 serving

Ingredients

¼ cup Grape-Nuts®
¼ cup quick oats
2 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon brown or turbinado sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
optional - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
optional - 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large microwave safe cereal bowl.
Microwave for 3 minutes, stopping to stir once or twice. Keep an eye on it - it may "cook over" like oatmeal or grits.
Stir, let cool for a minute or two and enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Chip & Bacon Grape-Nuts® Cookies

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

Chocolate Chip & Bacon Grape-Nuts® cookies. It's sweet, salty, bacon cookie goodness.

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Cookies

Serves: 2 dozen

Ingredients

¼ pound bacon, cooked, crisped & diced (4 thick slices)
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ whole wheat flour
⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup Grape-Nuts®
½ cup salted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup mini chocolate chips, heaping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together flours and sugar in a bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes, edges should be a light golden brown.
Let cookies rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy : )

5.0 from 1 reviews

Grape-Nuts® Custard

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour

A simple & delicious layered custard.

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Desserts

Serves: 8 - 12 servings

Ingredients

1 cup Grape-Nuts®
4 cups scalded milk
½ cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch of salt
cinnamon & nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease/spray an 8" or 9" square baking dish. You will also need a larger dish or pan to fill with water and set the baking dish into.
Combine the Grape-Nuts® and milk in a mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften up the cereal.
Whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla & salt.
Combine egg mixture with the cereal mixture.
Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle top generously with cinnamon & nutmeg.
Place baking dish into larger pan and then pour hot water into the larger pan around your custard baking dish. (Water bath/bain marie)
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove dish from larger pan and cool. This is good warm and wonderful chilled. You decide which is better.
I serve this sprinkled with additional cinnamon or cocoa powder and whipped cream.
Enjoy : )

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones

December 7, 2016 by Amanda 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SimplySatisfying #CollectiveBias

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones made with Quaker® Simply Granola Oats. A little crisp on the outside – soft, tender & crumbly in the inside. Perfection ♥

It’s officially December – the most wonderful time of the year. The holiday season is upon us and decorating, baking & wrapping are in full swing in my home.

Sometimes we’re so busy with our schedules and holiday preparations that we lose sight of the little things and the little moments during the holiday season.

Like winter break. The kiddos are home from school for over a week. It’s a great chance to spend some fun time together.

I try to make our breakfasts a little more special on days off. I have absolutely no problem admitting that we eat cold cereal during the week for breakfast. Weekday mornings are chaotic so we keep it quick & simple.

So when we’re all home, a special breakfast is a nice way to spend laid back mornings together. Even better when the kids can help out. Scones are fun (and easy) to make – kids love getting their hands dirty – mixing, shaping, patting and cutting the dough.

I combined two of our favorite breakfast foods – Quaker® Simply Granola and scones. The results are delicious breakfast perfection ♥

Quaker® Simply Granola is a delicious and satisfying way to fuel up for the day. Loaded with crunchy granola clusters, fruit and nuts – this is whole grain goodness at it’s best. We love both Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey Raisin & Almonds and Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Apples, Cranberries & Almonds that we made a batch of scones with each granola. We still can’t decide on our favorite : )

There really is something magical about a fresh, warm scone. A little crisp on the outside – but soft, tender and crumbly in the inside. Served with a cup of tea, coffee or even a sippy cup of milk – it’s wonderful.

You could go ahead and make a drizzle for these if you’d like, but we prefer our scones with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar before baking and served with butter, jams and fruit butters. The simple pleasures in life….

I hope everyone enjoys their family time together this holiday season.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Baking ♥

-Amanda-

What are your favorite holiday baking traditions?

Visit here for more inspiration and all kinds of Quaker® #SimplySatisfying recipe goodness!

Visit here to purchase Quaker® Simply Granola or learn additional product information.

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones. A little crisp on the outside - soft, tender & crumbly in the inside. Perfection ♥

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: baked goods

Serves: 10 scones

Ingredients

2 cups flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup salted butter, cold & cubed
1 heaping cup Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Apples, Cranberries & Almonds OR Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey Raisin & Almonds
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F
Line a baking sheet/pan with parchment paper. I use a pizza pan.
In a large mixing bowl - whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
Using a pastry blender, cut in cubed butter until texture is of coarse crumbs.
Break up any large clusters of granola. I pour it in a sealed sandwich bag and press down on it a few times with the measuring cup.
Stir granola & chocolate chips into flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg & vanilla extract.
Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture. Stir until combined - do not over mix.
Press out ball of dough directly onto parchment lined pan. Press into 8"-9" circle.
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Using a pizza cutter (or knife if you don't have a pizza cutter) slice scones into 8 slices.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until tops are just light golden brown.
Remove from oven and transfer scones, still on parchment paper, onto wire rack.
Scones are best served a little warm & with butter, jams & fruit butters. Scones are best eaten the same day as baked, but can be stored covered for a day or two.
Enjoy : )

I found Quaker® Simply Granola & all my baking supplies at my local Walmart store.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bake

August 8, 2016 by Amanda 7 Comments

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Tyson Foods, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #JDgreatdays http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Today I’m sharing some hearty, easy & delicious breakfast ideas. A Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Bake is coming up – along with some bacon love. Oh, and I have a breakfast deal to share with you too 🙂

“Eat Breakfast Like a King, Lunch Like a Prince, and Dinner Like a Pauper”.

This old quote is tried, true & sound advice. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it deserves better than doughnuts and toaster pastries. Seriously. Good mornings lead to great days.

There are staple ingredients for a hearty breakfast. Eggs, sausage, bacon & cheese. The breakfast possibilities are endless when you start with these fab four.

One of my family’s favorite breakfasts is a Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Bake. I’ve been making if for years and still make it often for breakfast – it’s filling, delicious and everyone wants seconds. Here’s some great news – it can be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave – the leftovers are just as delicious. Perfect way to get a homemade breakfast on the table on those crazy and hectic mornings.

Oh, and I must mention how simple this breakfast is to make. It takes about ten minutes of hands on attention and then everything gets thrown in the oven to bake. Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Sausage is the star ingredient in this breakfast bake. It’s seasoned to absolute perfection – your breakfast will always taste great!

Bacon. I love it, you love it, we all love it. Seriously – you can not go wrong with bacon at breakfast (or any other time of the day). Serve it with eggs, on a breakfast sandwich or with pancakes or waffles and breakfast is a total win.

Over the years my bacon making method has evolved. Many moons ago, when I was cooking just for myself, I would throw a few pieces in my beloved cast iron pan and happily fry it up. Fast forward to present day – I’ve picked up a husband and had two kiddos along the way. Frying up separate batches of bacon in my trusty old pan was no longer practical. I have a nice size griddle – but often it was being used for eggs or pancakes. Into the oven the bacon went. Seriously – baking bacon is a foolproof method. No fussing, no flipping, no splattering – just throw it in the oven and bake. It doesn’t get much easier.

I’m loving this new Jimmy Dean Hickory Smoked Bacon I found at my local Giant Foods! I get the perfect amount of delicious bacon taste & crunch in every single bite with the thicker cut slices.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – make it count & make it delicious! How about starting with this Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Bake? I hope you love it as much as we do! I’d love to hear your recipes – what is your favorite way to eat sausage or bacon with breakfast? Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

-Amanda-

“See for yourself how good mornings lead to great days when you start them off with Jimmy Dean. Right now at Giant Foods when you buy 3 Jimmy Dean products you get $5 off through 8/11. While supplies last.”

Head over to Jimmy Dean for more information, inspiration & endless recipe ideas!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bake Casserole

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

50 mins

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bake Casserole. Start your morning right with a hearty & delicious meal. A family favorite recipe & easy to make!

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Sausage Roll "Regular", 16 oz
1 cup flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoon butter, melted
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
½ teaspoon dried minced onion
pinch salt & pepper
sour cream, chives to serve (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a 13X9 baking dish.
In a skillet over med/high heat, crumble and brown sausage roll. Drain grease. Set crumbled sausage aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large (separate) mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and melted butter.
Add flour mixture into liquid mixture. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Stir in sausage, 1 cup of shredded cheese, minced onion and a pinch of salt & pepper.
Pour into greased 13X9 baking dish and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean - about 30 - 35 minutes.
Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese over top of casserole. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Let casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and top with sour cream or snipped chives if desired. Enjoy 🙂

5.0 from 2 reviews

Easy Peasy Baked Bacon

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

Make your life easier - bake your bacon!

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 1 - 6 servings

Ingredients

desired amount of bacon (I used Jimmy Dean Hickory Smoked Bacon)
aluminum foil
cookie sheet

Instructions

Position an oven rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Place desired amount of slices of bacon on cookie sheet. Do not over crowd - if using a whole pound of bacon, use 2 cookie sheets.
Bake bacon for 12 - 18 minutes or until desired color & crispness. No need to turn.
Remove bacon and let rest on a paper towel lined plate to soak up excess fat.
Serve & enjoy 🙂

Ebelskivers | Danish Pancakes

August 3, 2016 by Amanda 9 Comments

Ebelskivers. If you don’t know them, now’s the time to get in the know. These small, round Danish pancakes can be filled with anything your heart desires – jam & chocolate chips being the usual favorites.

Whew – it feels like I haven’t written here in quite sometime. I missed it! Life happened. I spent a few weeks dealing with some health issues and then took a much needed family vacation. Healthy and relaxed – I’m back 🙂

Baking failures. Cocktail failures. Dinner Failures. I’ve had them all the past few weeks. I suppose I was trying too hard. Too eager to get back into the swing of things.

I was feeling very uninspired. I spent an afternoon running simple errands and came home exhausted. It was late and we still didn’t have lunch. My daughter suggested ebelskivers. We haven’t made them in quite some time – I was feeling inspired.

Ebelskivers. You either know them or you don’t. They’re a small, round filled Danish pancake. Think a warm, filled munchkin in pancake form.

There are as many ebelskivers recipes as pancake or waffle recipes. I’m confident that they all work – it’s just about personal preference on taste and texture. I prefer buttermilk in all pancake & waffle recipes. I also choose to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites – I feel the finished product is lighter and fluffier this way. I know many folks just use boxed pancake mix – if boxed pancake mix is your thing then go for it.

You can go ahead and fill these. Or not. Seriously though, one of the biggest joys of these little balls of pancake goodness is the filling. Sweet or savory – use anything you’d like. Household favorites are various jams and chocolate chips. Ricotta cheese with chocolate chips were my all time favorite. This time around we made one batch with fig cocoa spread, a strawberry honey jam and chocolate chips.

Flipping these little buggers is an art of it’s own. I do a three point maneuver. After the bottom of the ebelskiver is golden brown, I use chopsticks to turn it until the batter pours into the bottom of the mold. After set, about a minute or two, I turn the ebelskivers the remainder of the way and finish cooking. When done, I use a small plastic spoon to remove. Everyone has their own crafty way of flipping ebelskivers. Honestly, you have to make a few batches to figure out what works for you. It’s tricky, but not difficult.

Serve these with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and get to eating. If you’re making them unfilled, then serve with syrups, jams, chocolate sauce…

I’ll admit, ebelskivers are a bit fussy. I’m not usually one with much morning cheer, so this isn’t something I make for breakfast. I enjoy making these for brunch or an unexpected sweet snack.

There is a special pan required to make ebelskivers. You can find them online for $15 – $30- here’s the one I use from Amazon. Norpro Nonstick Stuffed Pancake Pan, Munk / Aebleskiver / Ebelskiver. Keep your eyes open though – I got lucky and found mine at a thrift store years ago for a few bucks! My daughter insists that she can make these with her cake pop maker. We haven’t tried yet – but I think she’s right.

Happy ebelskiver making! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

-Amanda-

5.0 from 2 reviews

Ebelskivers - Danish Pancakes

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

Ebelskivers. If you don't know them, now's the time to know. These small, round Danish pancakes can be filled with anything your heart desires - jam & chocolate chips being the usual favorites.

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 21 - 24 pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
vegetable oil or softened butter for greasing pan
jam or chocolate chips for filling
powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt.
Separate eggs, set whites aside.
Whisk in egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth & thoroughly mixed - some lumps will remain.
In a separate bowl, using electric mixers, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold whites into batter.
Grease each well of the mold with oil or softened butter using a pastry brush or paper towel.
Heat pan up over medium heat.
Pour batter into each well, filling about half way. I use a small ladle.
Fill with about half a teaspoon of jam or a pinch of chocolate chips.
Top with additional batter - I fill ⅛" from the top.
Cook until bottoms are golden and sides are set, about 3-4 minutes, then, using your method of choice, flip pancakes and continue to cook until bottom is golden - another 2-3 minutes. I use 2 chopsticks to maneuver and flip each ebelskiver. I also do a "3-point turn" when I flip them. Whatever works for you.
Repeat with remaining batter.
Remove each pancake and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or syrups. Enjoy.

Ebelskivers - Danish Pancake Bites - Filled with jams & chocolate chips

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