Sausage and Sweet Potato Frittata

Since I was able to get away with serving a frittata recently for dinner, I decided to try another version made with Italian sausage, chopped red onion and grated sweet potato.  As simple as this sounds, it was delicious.  The slight spice from the Italian sausage blended nicely with sauteed onion and sweet potato.  Since I do not have a broiler in the motor home, I have adapted any frittata recipes so that I flip them using a plate to help with the process in order to cook them on both sides. 

Sausage and Sweet Potato Frittata
makes 4 servings

8 ounces mild or hot Italian Sausage (remove casing if necessary)
1 small or 1/2 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
5 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt coconut oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat.  Crumble in the sausage meat and brown, stirring to break up meat as it cooks.  Once sausage meat is almost brown, add the shredded sweet potato and chopped red onions and allow to cook until the sweet potatoes and tender and the onions are starting to caramelize.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs together in a bowl.  Once meat and vegetables are browned and tender, spread everything evenly in the pan.  Pour the egg mixture in and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes until bubbly and the edges appear to be done.

Put a plate over the top of the pan and carefully flip contents onto plate.  Slide mixture back into the pan and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, peeking at the underside to make sure it looks done.  Alternatively, transfer the pan to the oven and cook under the broiler on low until the frittata is cooked through.

Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Slightly adapted from Everyday Paleo

Our rating:

1/2

Potato, Spinach and Kale Frittata

I can rarely get away with making any kind of an egg dish for dinner, however I do sneak in a frittata every once in a while.  For some reason Gerry does not view eggs as dinner food.  Since this frittata was full of potato slices, spinach and kale this worked for dinner with a nice side salad. 

Potato, Spinach and Kale Frittata
Makes 4-6 servings

6 whole eggs, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten to foamy, soft peaks
1 leek, finely sliced, soaked, drained and dried
2 small red potatoes, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into thin half moon slices
1 heaping cup kale, roughly chopped
1 heaping cup spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 cup prosciutto, cut into small dice

In a 10-inch skillet, pour the olive oil.  Over medium heat, poach the leeks for about 2 minutes until they start to become soft.  Add the potato slices and poach, over low heat, for an additional 10 minutes.  Add the prosciutto bits and cook over medium heat to crisp up the prosciutto stirring frequently.

In the meantime, beat the eggs in one bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.  Beat the egg whites in another bowl, until soft, foamy peaks form.

Move the vegetables from the oil in the pan into the whole egg mixture.  Incorporate the kale and spinach as well.  Then fold in the beaten egg whites and mix well.

Remove most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons.  Over low heat, pour the egg mixture into the pan.  Cook for about 5 minutes, pushing the sides in with a wooden spoon or spatula,  in order to create rounded sides.  Place a plate or flat cover over the frittata and flip it over onto the plate.  Then slide it back into the skillet.  Cook for another 5 minutes or so until eggs are set.

Can be served warm or cold.

Slightly adapted from The Saffron Girl

Our rating:

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

I love crab cakes and I love Eggs Benedict so the thought of combining both of them had me hooked.  I made some simple crab cakes which I baked in the oven and placed them on a bed of sauteed spinach.  The crab cakes were then topped with a perfectly poached egg and finally smothered with Hollandaise sauce.  YUM!

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict
Makes 4 Crab Cakes

For the crab cakes:
12 ounces fresh lump crab meat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
A few drops (or more) of your favorite hot sauce

Spinach
Ghee, Coconut oil or olive oil

For the Hollandaise Sauce:
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or other fat of your choice)
2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper

For the poached eggs:
4 eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar

For the crab cakes:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, crumble in the crab meat, picking through to pick out any shells ad break apart into small pieces.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well.

Make small cakes by using a ring mold or by simply forming them into small patties firmly with your fingers.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the tops start to turn a light golden brown.

While the crab cakes are cooking, saute some spinach in some ghee or coconut oil and set aside.

For the Hollandaise Sauce:
In a double boiler or medium metal mixing bowl, gently whisk the egg yolks.
continue whisking the yolks while adding the hot water, oil/fat, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to the bowl.  Place the double boiler or metal bowl over boiling water (not in the boiling water if using a bowl) just set the bowl over the simmering water so the steam hits the bottom of the bowl, not the water.  Whisk constantly until the sauce begins to thicken (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).

Poach the eggs:
 Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer, add the tablespoon of vinegar.  Break each egg into a liquid measuring cup or a custard cup.  Gently slip the egg into the water by holding the custard close to the water and just tipping the cup so the egg gently tumbles into the water.  Poach at a bare simmer for 4 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and gently dry with a folded paper towel.

To plate:
Start with a spoonful of the cooked spinach, top with a crab cake, top with a poached egg, and finally spoon some of the sauce on top.


From Everyday Paleo

Our rating:

1/2

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

I know I just posted a baked oatmeal recipe a couple of weeks ago, but I have really been enjoying these for breakfast.  This one had a layer of sweetened sauteed apple slices in the bottom of the casserole dish and the oatmeal layer baked on top.  This version combined both some steel-cut oats and old fashioned oatmeal for different textures.  It also had some brown sugar in both the apples and the oatmeal as well as maple syrup in the oatmeal mixture.  I found this to be a little too sweet so I have adjusted the recipe below slightly to cut back on the sweetness just a bit.

This recipe does take a bit of time (over an hour), so it is a good one for weekend cooking.

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Makes 8 servings

For the apples:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large apples, peeled and sliced (your favorite variety)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar

For the oatmeal:
1 cup steel cut oats
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups hot water
3 cups old fashioned oats
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins (preferably organic)
1/2 cup milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the steel cut oats in a large bowl with the butter.  Pour the hot water over the oats and cover the bowl.  Let stand for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile cook the apples - melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in the apple slices, cinnamon, and sugar.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

After the steel cut oats have finished soaking, stir in the old fashioned oats, brown sugar, salt  cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir in the dried fruit.  In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, apple sauce, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Stir the liquid mixture into the oat mixture.

Spread the cooked apples over the bottom of a lightly greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish.  Pour the oatmeal mixture on top of the apples.  Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.


Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats

Our rating:

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit

We have been able to add oatmeal back into our meal plans, so it was a nice treat to have this baked oatmeal.  I did cheat a little with the addition of an egg and some maple syrup and we thoroughly enjoyed every bite.  This does take about 5 or 10 minutes of prep time and 35 to 40 minutes of baking which may make it a weekend meal for a lot of people.  The nice thing is there are leftovers so you can enjoy it for several days.  I just add a little more coconut milk when heating it up.


Baked Oatmeal with Fruit
Makes 4-6 servings

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup milk (I used coconut milk)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (I used ghee)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 cup blueberries, divided

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.  Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Our rating:

A Lovely Bridal Shower

I hosted a shower for a beautiful young lady on Saturday.  It's wonderful when you watch your children and their friends grow up and mature into young adults that you're proud of.  I had the chance to celebrate one of my daughter's best friends which was a lot of fun.

This is a picture of the Bride to Be, Heather on the left and my daughter, Elizabeth on the right.

It was a brunch type of affair with mimosas, sweet tea, and coffee as the beverage choices.

Here is the menu which includes a lot of items that I have previously posted on my blog:

Quiche Lorraine
Mushroom and Shallot Quiche (recipe below)
Cornmeal Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart
Mixed Salad with Strawberries, Mango and Edamame
BLT Pasta Salad
Barbecued Meatballs
Finger Sandwiches which included:
Ham Salad on small Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Pimento Cheese on White Bread
Chicken Salad on Wheat Bread
Homemade Boursin Cheese with Veggies and Crackers
Mini Blueberry Muffins
Strawberry Scones
Fresh Fruit Platter
Chocolate Caramel Truffle Torte
Cake Pops (from a bakery)

I could not have accomplished all this without the help and support of my daughters who were fabulous to work with.  We spent many hours side by side in the kitchen which was really enjoyable.  I love having the occasion to roll up my sleeves, come up with a master plan and schedule and carry it through.  Thank you, Heather for giving me the opportunity!

I have linked those recipes that are already posted on my blog and will add the rest over the next couple of days.  For some reason, I don't have a picture of the Chocolate Caramel Truffle Torte, so I won't post that recipe until I have a chance to make it again.

Mushroom and Shallot Quiche
Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound mushrooms, trimmed, wiped clean, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (I used cremini)
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 9 to 9 1/2-inch tart shell, partially baked and cooled
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
2 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely grated Gruyere

Melt the butter in a large skillet, preferably one that's nonstick.  Toss in the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, season again with salt and pepper, turn the heat up to high, and cook, stirring, until they are softened and browned, 5 to 8 minutes.  The mushrooms will first sop up all the liquid in the pan, then they'll exude it, then it will disappear.  Sprinkle the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of the thyme and cook for 30 seconds more, then turn the mushrooms into a bowl to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put the crust on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of thyme over the bottom of the crust.  Spoon over the mushrooms, avoiding any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl.  Lightly beat the cream and eggs together just until well blended, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the mushrooms.  Top the custard evenly with the sliced scallions and grated cheese.

Carefully slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the custard is uniformly puffed (wait for the center to puff), lightly golden and set.  Transfer the quiche to a rack and cool the quiche until it's only just warm or until it reaches room temperature before serving.

From Around my French Table

My rating:

 

Pumpkin Muffins

For the second day of Pumpkin week, I decided to turn to breakfast for inspiration.  These pumpkin muffins are from an Ellie Krieger recipe so not only are they delicious, but good for you as well.  A muffin and a little yogurt make the perfect quick breakfast for me and I love it when I know the muffin is as healthy as the yogurt.  It's a great way to start the day.

Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 1 dozen

Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. 

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined.  Add the other egg and whisk well.  Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla.  Whisk in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk.  Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin or sunflower seeds, if using.  Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold.  Cool completely on the rack.

Slightly adapted from Ellie Krieger

Our rating:

Overnight Oatmeal in a Jar

I have seen several variations of this type of overnight oatmeal and so I tried it last week and it was really pretty good.  I decided to make another version this week and this one worked out much better.  We all know how good oatmeal is for us with helping to lower cholesterol but I have a tough time facing a steaming bowl of oatmeal in the heat of summer.  This is a fabulous way to get your oatmeal in the summer.  You simply place the oatmeal in a Mason jar or some other container with a tight lid, add some milk, yogurt, chia seeds and some fruit.  Last week, I tried blueberries and bananas and this week I added mango and almond extract.  The possibilities are endless as far as fruit and flavoring additions.

My vegan menu for the day:
Breakfast - Overnight Oatmeal in a Jar
Lunch - Baked Stuffed Sweet Potato
Dinner - Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce and meat-substitute crumbles, Salad

Overnight Oatmeal in a Jar
Makes 1 serving

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk (I used soymilk)
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt (I used coconut milk based yogurt)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon honey (or substitute any preferred sweetener)
1/4 cup diced mango (approximately half of a small mango)

In a half pint jar or container, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, almond extract and honey.  Put lid on jar and shake until well combined.  Add mangoes and stir with fork until mixed throughout.  Return lid to jar and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.  Eat chilled.

Slightly adapted from The Yummy Life.com

My rating:

+

Strawberry Scones

After picking some perfectly ripe strawberries, I decided to make these scones since they came highly recommended by my daughter, Valerie. I have to admit that I have never made scones before and I found these to be easy to make and delicious to eat. I love the convenience of this recipe as well. You simply make the scones, cut them into wedges, flash freeze them and then bake what you want the morning you want to eat them. It took a total of 25 minutes this morning to enjoy a freshly baked scone full of fresh strawberries. I can't wait to explore more scone recipes now.


Strawberry Scones

1 large egg
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 heaping cup diced fresh strawberries

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and orange zest until blended; set aside. In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse briefly to blend. Add the butter pieces to the bowl with the dry ingredients and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour, until the largest butter pieces are the size of small peas. (If you don't have a food processor, you can just as easily mix up the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives or forks.) Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the strawberries to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a fork or spatula until a sticky dough has formed. Knead just a few times to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough is cohesive.

Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and pat into a disc about 7-8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar. Slice the disc into 8 wedges.

To bake the scones, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the shaped scones on the prepared baking sheet and bake until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

To freeze, transfer the baking sheet with the shaped scones to the freezer and let them chill until they are firm, 30-60 minutes. Wrap the scones individually and store in a freezer-safe bag until ready to bake. Bake as originally indicated, adding a few minutes to the baking time (about 20 minutes for me).

Adapted from Annie's Eats

My rating:

Eggs Benedict

We celebrated Jason's birthday on Saturday even though his actual birthday is not until the 13th of this month. We chose to do it this weekend since Stephanie and David had come in town again for a wedding on Friday. Even though it was a little early, I think it worked out great before the craziness of the holidays.

As is our custom, Jason sent me his menu for the day ahead of time so I could prepare for it and I was really happy to find a family favorite for breakfast - Eggs Benedict. That is how we started our day.

He decided he wanted Ethiopian food for lunch and we always go to a fabulous restaurant in Addison which is what we did. His dinner choice was individual Beef Wellingtons with oven roasted red potatoes, carrots, onions and asparagus. He typically alternates between two desserts: Chocolate Caramel Truffle Torte or fried Ice Cream. He chose Fried Ice Cream this year with some hot chocolate sauce and caramel sauce.

I think his choices were excellent! We had a lot of fun with the board games he chose to play throughout the day and of course we ate lots of yummy food.



Eggs Benedict (6 servings)

Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)
3 English Muffins
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon butter
6 thin slices Canadian Bacon
6 eggs, poached

Hollandaise Sauce
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup firm stick butter

Fill a large skillet with a couple inches of water (enough to be able to cover the eggs when poaching) and warm over gentle heat while preparing the Hollandaise.

For the Hollandaise - in the top of a double boiler, stir egg yolks and lemon juice vigorously. Add 1/4 cup of the butter. Heat over water that is just barely simmering, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until butter is melted.

Add remaining butter and continue stirring vigorously until butter is melted and sauce is thickened. (Be sure butter melts slowly so eggs have time to cook and thicken sauce without curdling.) Once sauce is done, remove double boiler from heat, but leave sauce over the warm water to keep warm.

Split English muffins and toast. Spread each muffin half with butter, keep warm on a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon in butter until golden brown on both sides. Place one slice of Canadian over each toasted, buttered English muffin half.

Prepare poached eggs by heating the water in the skillet to a boil and then reduce the heat so the water just simmers. Add a splash of vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup or saucer. Carefully slip egg into water. Cook about 4 minutes or until whites and yolks are done to your preference (I like whites firm, but yolks still runny). Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry gently with paper towels.

Place a poached egg on each muffin half over the bacon and spoon the warm sauce over the eggs.


Our rating:

My Birthday Celebration

We celebrated my birthday with the family on Saturday and had a great day. I got to pick all my meals and I actually cooked quite a bit of it on Friday which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderful day spent with those that I love the most, doing the activities of my choice. We played a few rounds of Bingo after lunch which Emma enjoys playing with us and then Jason helped me update the look of my blog a little. Hope you all like the new look. I took my grandchildren to the park while dinner prep was being finished up and we had a great time playing on the swings and the slides. We ended the evening playing Outburst because I love word games. We all decided I needed to buy a newer version since the one I have came out in 1988 and the kids had no idea what some of the questions were about.

My gifts were definitely food related this year, which is perfect for me. I got an ice cream maker, so be watching for my first post about homemade ice cream. I also got a Foodsaver machine (vacuum seals food for refrigeration or freezing, which should be perfect for all my extra loaves of bread).

Here is the menu for the day with everything homemade of course.

Breakfast
Fruit Platter with fresh pineapple and strawberries
Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Barefoot Contessa Parties Cookbook)

Lunch
Corn Chowder (Tyler Florence)
Sourdough Bread, Honey Oatmeal Bread, Rye Bread
Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars (Annie's Eats)

Dinner
Salmon Mousse with an assortment of Crackers (Mousse from Annie's Eats, crackers store-bought)
Braised Short Ribs (Cuisine at Home, October 2011 Issue)
Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Pioneer Woman Cooks)
Oven Roasted Carrots (Barefoot Contessa)
Creme Anglaise with Paline Crunch (Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking)


Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties
Sour Cream coffee Cake (Serves 8-10)
















12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Streusel
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts if desired.

If using a tube pan, spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. If using a bundt pan, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the streusel mixture in bottom of pan, then spoon in half of the batter. Sprinkle on remainder of streusel and top with remaining cake batter. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel-side-up onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or a spoon.


My rating for this Coffee Cake:

Elizabeth's Birthday Celebration

As a family, we celebrated Elizabeth's birthday on Saturday. The tradition of having the birthday honoree pick all their favorite meals and activities for the day continues. Elizabeth kept her choices pretty simple which was great for me by trying some new homemade items in keeping with my recent motto of "why buy what I can make".

Breakfast was a selection of fresh fruits - watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, grapes and raspberries with homemade muffins. I made blueberry muffins and Val made banana crumb muffins and both were delicious.

Lunch was a Chef's salad which she has picked for a few years in a row now for lunch. A bed of nice crisp Romaine lettuce, some sliced turkey breast, sliced ham, slivers of American cheese, cubes of Cheddar cheese, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and wedges of hard-boiled eggs. There was a choice of two homemade dressings - The Best Salad Dressing in the World (literally the name of the recipe we found online by googling the best salad dressing in the world) and homemade Ranch. There were also 3 store-bought dressings. There was a choice of homemade honey oatmeal bread and homemade sourdough bread. I made some red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for dessert for lunch. Elizabeth loves red velvet cake (might be the choice for their wedding cake) and I had been wanting to try a recipe for them so it was the perfect time to give it a shot. They were delicious!

Dinner was a "make your own pizza bar". I made another batch of pizza dough on Friday and stuck them in the freezer so Saturday morning all I had to do was pop the frozen dough in the refrigerator to thaw. By dinnertime they were ready to be rolled out. I took the dough that would normally make a medium size pizza and divided it in four to make individual size pizzas. Once I had the dough rolled out on a piece of parchment paper each person came in and topped their pizza. The toppings included a choice of jarred pizza sauce, the homemade sauce I had made earlier (which is way too spicy), cooked ground beef, slices of pepperoni, caramelized onions, sauteed green and red peppers, sauteed mushrooms, black olives, shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Each pizza went in the oven for 8 minutes. It was a lot of fun and everyone got exactly the perfect pizza for them. Her dessert choice was Peanut Butter Pie which is somewhat of a family favorite.

With my new motto, here is a list of what I made for this special day:
Blueberry Muffins
Sourdough Bread (from previous batch where I had stuck one loaf in the freezer)
Honey Oatmeal Bread
Mayonnaise
Ranch Dressing (using some of the mayonnaise)
The Best Salad Dressing in the World
Red Velvet Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Frosting
Pizza Crust
Pizza Sauce
Peanut Butter Pie.

I have been posting a recipe a day lately and now I am faced with the decision of which recipe to post and I think it will be for my blueberry muffins which I have been making for years.

Blueberry Muffins
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup milk
2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix all ingredients except blueberries until smooth. Add berries. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes.

These muffins come out perfect every time, the trick is not to overbeat the batter since it has baking powder in it.