{Flashback Friday} Super Awesome Cornbread

This cornbread has been a family favorite since I was a little kid.  A family friend gave the recipe to my mom when we lived in Georgia.  It was one of the first recipes I made sure to get from my mom when I moved out and was cooking on my own.  And it's been a legend ever since.  Whether you're have a big pot of chili, BBQ meat or baked potatoes, this cornbread is sure to be the perfect side!

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350.  In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and stir.  Add milk, eggs and oil.  Mix until well combined.  Dough will be fairly stiff. Pour into a square 8x8 pan (double recipe for 9x13), spread evenly in pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with butter and honey.

Source:  Melanie Johnson

Classic Banana Bread

During the baking season, from September to about March, banana bread is a must!  It makes the house smell so good and just satisfies the soul.  I have tried countless banana bread recipes and then a good friend of mine gave me this recipe several years ago.  It is perfect and I have never strayed from it since.  It's doesn't have any oil in it so you don't have to feel too guilty about eating it and the yogurt makes it so perfectly moist.  If you really like nuts, you can add an additional 1/2 cup to the batter though I prefer to just sprinkle them on top.  Now go get rid of those overly ripe bananas on your cupboard and enjoy a soul satisfying classic!

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup chopped pecans (plus an additional 1/2 cup if you want to add it to the batter)

Preheat oven to 350.  Pour flour, sugar, salt and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.  Add softened butter and mix with a hand mixer.  Add eggs and bananas and mix well with hand mixer.  Combine yogurt, vanilla and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired) into the batter.  Fold in until well mixed.  Pour batter into greased bread loaf pan.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped nuts on top.  Bake at 350 for 60 minutes.

Source:  Karilyn Shields

Food Fit For a Feast

I love holidays!  Especially holidays that involve a lot of food!  As my kids are getting older, they've become more involved in the preparation of our holiday meals.  I let each of the kids pick their favorite dish and they get to be in charge of making it.  (The younger ones usually pick something super easy, like pudding.  They like to be part of the fun.)  I give them help when it's needed but they're getting to be pretty good chefs, if I do say so myself.  Not only do I appreciate the extra help in the kitchen, but I love having them in there, chatting and hanging out with me as we prepare a feast fit for a king.  Well, one that we're excited to eat anyway!  Easter is such a special holiday with a weekend full of food!  From brunch to a big ham dinner, there are so many yummy foods we like to make for Easter.  Below are some of our favorite recipes that we've gathered over the years.  Click on the red title of each recipe and it will take you to the recipe.  You may notice that there's no Main Dish category.  I usually just buy a pre-cooked ham.  You know, the kind that comes with a little glaze packet.  I put it in an oven bag and follow the cooking instructions.  Nothing amazing or magical but the ham always turns out great.  Maybe someday I'll try something new, but for now this is working.  And for now, I'll continue to spend my cooking time making fun sides and desserts.  Sounds like a win, win.  And after Easter, I'll be posting some successful new recipes that I'm excited to try out this year.

Brunch Favorites:

Apple Cinnamon Almond Scones

Breakfast In A Blanket

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls and Cream Cheese Frosting

Blueberry Lemon n' Cream Pancakes

Breakfast Pizza with Hash Brown Crust

{Bakery Style} Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Favorite Side Dishes:

Cheesy Potatoes {with no cream of anything}

Fluffy Crescent Dinner Rolls

Real Southern Cream Corn

Herb & Cheese Potato Fans

Garlic Parmesan Oven Roasted Green Beans

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Buttery Sweet Cooked Carrots

{Not Your Grandma's} Green Bean Casserole

Save Room For Dessert:

Italian Cream Cake

Lemon Cream Cupcakes

Dessert Kabobs

Real Southern Peach Cobbler

Individual Frozen Key Lime Pie

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Chocolate Orange Truffles

Blueberry Crumble Cream Pie

Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bar

{Bakery Style} Lemon Blueberry Muffins

I've made a lot of muffins in my day.  They're such a great snack, perfect for a grab and go breakfast and a great addition to any brunch.  When I saw this recipe with the "Bakery Style" claim, I thought it was just a cute addition to the title.  I didn't expect it to actually be more than a regular homemade muffin, which is never a problem.  I was hooked with the "lemon blueberry" part and mixed them up for an afterschool snack.  I was impressed when I bit into them and was like, "Wow, they do taste like they came from a bakery!"  I don't know if it's the awesome crumble topping, lemon glaze or just plain awesome recipe.  Probably a combination of the three.  They are fabulous though and will definitely be put on repeat!

Ingredients

Crumb Topping:
5 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup oatmeal
¼ teaspoon salt

Muffins:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh blueberries

Glaze:
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
lemon zest, to garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners  Make the crumb topping by combining the melted butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and salt. Stir with a fork until crumbs form. Set aside.  In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix butter for 1 minute until soft and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and beat just until incorporated. Add buttermilk, vanilla and lemon zest and mix on low until combined.  Add flour mixture and stir, by hand, until flour disappears. Do not over mix or muffins will be tough. Gently stir in blueberries.  Divide mixture evenly in the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with the crumb topping.  Bake at 350˚F for 22 to 25 minutes or until light golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack. While muffins are cooling, make lemon glaze.  Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium size bowl. Stir with a fork or whisk until smooth.  Drizzle muffins lightly with the lemon glaze and enjoy!

Source:  The Cafe Sucre Farine

Homemade French Bread and Garlic Butter Spread

It's hard to beat a fresh loaf of crusty, chewy french bread.  It perfectly compliments almost any meal.  But here's my french bread problem.  I do my grocery shopping once a week.  When I buy french bread, it has to be eaten that night or the next or it starts to get stale.  And the rest of the week we are french breadless.  What a dilemma!  And then one day I was like, "Why not make some?!"  The search was on.  When I found this recipe for homemade french bread, I had high hopes that my french bread troubles were about to come to an end.  I wasn't sure if it would really be french bread or just a loaf of homemade bread shaped like french bread.  Since this recipe is making the blog, you can guess how it turned out.  Fabulous!  The crust is crusty but not too thick and the inside is nice and chewy.  This recipe makes a lot.  You can make four medium sized loaves that are as long as the width of a large cookie sheet or two loaves that are the length of the cookie sheet.  Does that make sense?  I like having extras to run over to a neighbor or drop off for a friend.  And it's usually not long before I get a phone call asking for the recipe.  And as a bonus, there's this incredible Garlic Butter Spread to boot.  It's so buttery and creamy and seasoned perfectly.  I like to keep a container of it in the fridge because it's perfect for bagels too,  Now we can enjoy french bread and this amazing Garlic Spread any day of the week!

French Bread

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 TBS instant yeast
1 1/2 TBS sugar
1 1/2 TBS oil
2 1/4 tsp salt
6 cups flour
1 egg white, beaten (to brush on dough before baking)

I like to use my bread maker for the initial mixing, though you can do it by hand, of course.  Pour warm water, instant yeast, sugar, oil, salt, and 3 C of flour into bread mixer. Mix until flour is incorporated, then add remaining 3 C flour gradually.  I let the dough mix for about half an hour on the dough setting.  This next step is very important in achieving the right texture for your finished loaf, so don't skip it.  Remove dough from bread mixer and place on flat, floured surface, like a countertop.  Every ten minutes for the next hour knead two or three times. Cover with a dishtowel in between kneadings.  Form into 4 loaves. Brush with beaten egg white. Slash 3 diagonal lines into tops. Raise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Garlic Butter Spread

1/2 C butter
8 oz package cream cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t basil
1/8 t each dill, marjoram, thyme, and pepper

Set out butter and cream cheese until room temperature.  Mix together making it smooth and creamy.  Add in seasonings, mix until well combined.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Source:  It's Always Autumn

{Glazed} Orange Cinnamon Rolls

There's nothing quite like a moist, chewy cinnamon roll.  These cinnamon rolls have a fabulous pop of citrus with the added orange flavor and are so perfectly fluffy and moist.  They make a delightful dessert or a fabulous addition to any breakfast or brunch.  It doesn't really matter so much when you choose to eat this tasty treat, just eat it.  I promise you'll be glad you did!

INGREDIENTS
Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
2 large eggs

Filling
6 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Orange Glaze
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered' sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 TBS milk
3 teaspoons orange zest, divided

DIRECTIONS
Dough - In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, yeast and salt.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, melt butter then stir in buttermilk.  Add to the bowl of dry ingredients.  Add in eggs.  Mix well then knead dough for 7-10 minutes.  Place dough in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise.  Let dough rise for about an hour or until almost doubled in size.  While dough rises, line a 9x13-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.  After dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Turn dough out onto a floured countertop. With a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle.  Use a pastry brush to evenly spread butter over dough then use a butter knife to spread marmalade over the butter.  Sprinkle with brown sugar then cinnamon.  Starting with the long edge of the dough, roll the dough into a log.  Use plain, unwaxed dental floss to slice the rolls. (I highly recommend slicing the rolls with floss, not knives. Floss does not squish or compact the dough like knives do.)  Place cut rolls in pan.  Cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and cooked through.  While they are baking, make the orange glaze.  In a medium bowl, add the orange juice, vanilla, powdered sugar, salt, and whisk to combine.  Drizzle in the milk as needed until mixture can be whisked smooth and is to desired consistency.  You may not need all 3 tablespoons of milk.  Whisk in 2 teaspoons zest.  When rolls are done baking, evenly pour glaze over rolls then sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon zest.  Serve immediately.

Source:  Averie Cooks

Garlic Parmesan Twisted Breadsticks

Bread is such a wonderful invention!  We are big time bread lovers over here and eat it in some form with almost every meal.  Most often, I use my basic bread dough recipe and go from there - a loaf of bread, rolls or bread sticks.  Until now.  These babies right here are a game changer and have taken over as the reigning breadstick champion.  They were made to be breadsticks.  The buttery, parmesan and garlic flavor are complete perfection.  And as a bonus, they are so fast to make!  I was skeptical about the short rising time but that really is all they need.  Breadsticks just can't get any better than this!

Ingredients
For the dough:
1½ cups warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
4 - 4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt

Butter Spread:
6 Tbs butter, divided
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Directions
I prefer to use instant yeast.  If using instant yeast, add yeast in with dry ingredients and then add water to dry ingredients.  If not using instant yeast, then in a small bowl mix warm water, yeast and sugar. Set aside and let proof for 5-10 min or until foamy. In a large bowl sift flour and salt then stir in yeast mixture when ready. Mix until smooth, adding more flour if too sticky, then cover and let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Soften 4 Tbs of butter then mix in garlic salt and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Brush on dough then fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist the two halves together on each breadstick and place on a cooking sheet. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Immediately after baking, brush with remaining 2 Tb butter and sprinkle with a little more garlic salt and remaining 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese.

Source:  Who Wants Dinner

Italian Herb Focaccia Bread

I love bread.  There are very few dinners that aren't complemented by some form of bread.  3-4 times a week I mix up a batch of bread dough and make it into rolls, breadsticks or a good old fashioned loaf of bread to have with our dinner.  I'm always excited when I find a new yummy bread recipe to add into the mix.  This one right here is a winner!  The infusion of herbs, olive oil and sprinkling of cheese are spot on.  And you most definitely need to whip up some marinara sauce to dip it in.  It's a match made in heaven!

Ingredients:
1 C warm water
1/3 C olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1 ¼ tsp salt
3 C flour
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Topping:
¼ C olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced                
½ C fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp fresh rosemary

Directions:
Add yeast and sugar to warm water, set aside and let proof for 5-10 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt and Italian seasoning. Mix yeast and water mixture into the dry ingredients then add the olive oil. Knead together for about 5 minutes then add to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about an hour. When the dough is double in size, evenly press dough into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Use your fingertips to make dimples in the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 min. While the dough is rising, heat olive oil in skillet, stir in oregano, rosemary and garlic then immediately remove from the heat. Spoon olive oil mixture evenly over dough and sprinkle with parmesan and sea salt. Bake at 400 for 20 min, or until lightly browned.

Source:  Who Wants Dinner

{Copycat} Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

What's the best thing about Red Lobster.  Well, okay maybe their seafood is pretty darn good but who doesn't totally love their biscuits?!  I think I could eat those things with every meal for the rest of my life and die a happy woman.  This fabulous recipe brings that delectable morsel to your very own dinner table.  Truth be told, I think it's even better then the original.  And they're so easy to make!  20 minutes and you've got yourself a hot batch of cheesy, seasoned biscuits just waiting for you to sink your teeth into them.  Win, win and win!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

For the Topping
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper,set aside.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper.  In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Gently fold in cheese.  Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop the dough evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Makes 12 biscuits.  Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.  For the topping, whisk together butter, parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter mixture.  Serve immediately.

Source:  Damn Delicious

Raspberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

We're in the smack dab middle of winter and I don't know about you, but I've been needing something to keep me going.  These muffins are just the something I was looking for.  The citrus burst mixed with these beautiful, juicy berries, topped with a light sweet glaze are just the ray of sunshine I need to start my day, even if it is still gray and cloudy outside.  I found the original recipe on Love Grows Wild and made some modifications.  The resulting muffins are amazing and judging by how quickly they disappeared, I'd say the kids most definitely agree.  Hang in there, my friends.  Sunshine, green grass and warm summer nights will return. Until then, mix up a batch of these and dream of warmer days to come!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS poppyseeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest
3 cups raspberries
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 TBS fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and poppyseeds in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until moistened. Fold in raspberries. Fill 24 muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins and allow to harden slightly, about 5 minutes.

{Skinny} Orange Muffins

Muffins are such a glorious food.  A sweet little, hand sized morsel.  Pair it with some fruit and milk and you've got breakfast.  And it takes no time to throw them together for the perfect afternoon snack.  And you can go so many different directions with them.  Just look on pinterest and you'll find muffin recipes out to wazoo.  These orange muffins are a gem.  Just ask my kids who make them disappear in record time, every time.  They have a little citrus punch that will brighten up any cold winter day.  The greek yogurt substitution makes it so moist and cuts down on the calories so you can enjoy this cute little muffin, guilt free!  The glaze is fabulous and adds even more orange zip.  Of course, you can leave the glaze off to make it a little "skinnier".

Ingredients:
1⅔ cup flour
⅔ cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup coconut oil
⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt
⅓ cup milk
1 egg
1 TBS orange zest
Optional Glaze:
2 TBS fresh orange juice
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS orange zest

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin tin with baking cups or spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.  Whisk together coconut oil, Greek yogurt, milk, egg and one tablespoon of orange zest together in a medium bowl.  Stir in flour mixture just until moistened.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.  Bake for 16-20 minutes or until just golden brown. Cool in pan for several minutes before removing.
Optional Glaze:
Combine orange juice, powdered sugar, and glaze in small bowl. Mix until smooth.
Drizzle over muffins a few minutes after removing from pan.

Source:  Mom On Time Out

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks

I used to love, I mean LOVE those frozen french toast sticks.  The ones covered in a layer of cinnamon sugar, just waiting to be dunked in a puddle of syrup.  Yeah, those.  It's been years since I've eaten them them and honestly I've lost my taste for them over the years but when I came across this recipe I had a feeling a new love affair was about to start.  I couldn't wait for breakfast, so I decided to make them for after school snack.  The recipe suggests you use store bought Texas toast but I didn't have any on hand so decided to make a loaf of homemade bread instead.  You know homemade is always better.  My kids thought they had won the after school snack jackpot when they walked in and saw this plate of cinnamon sugar goodness sitting on the cupboard with a big bowl of this amazing Kneader's Cinnamon Syrup sitting next to it.  Okay, so really I guess they did hit the jackpot.  They turned out every bit of amazing that I had imagined.  I was like, "frozen french toast sticks, what?!"  I can never go back.  My french toast stick life has been changed forever.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

butter, for griddle or pan

8 slices Texas toast or thick sliced homemade bread sliced into 1-inch wide strips

syrup for dipping, this Kneader's Cinnamon Syrup is my favorite

Coating:

1 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat electric griddle or non-stick skillet.  Mix 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in bowl, set aside for coating.  In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisk until combined.  Butter the griddle or skillet.  Dip one slice of bread at a time into the egg mixture, flipping over once to coat the other side.  Place on hot griddle.  Cook on each side until golden brown.  Remove from griddle and coat in cinnamon sugar mixture.  Repeat with all slices of bread until coating mixture is gone.  Add more butter to griddle or skillet as needed.  Serve immediately with maple syrup or your favorite topping. French toast sticks are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months and can be gently reheated in the microwave or toaster.  

Source:  Averie Cooks

Blueberry Banana Crumb Bread

Just looking at this picture has got me drooling all over again.  I've got to go make more!  Banana bread is a favorite at our house and adding in blueberries is just pure genius!  Top it off with a crumb topping and you've got something magical.  You can make this into a regular sized loaf, small loaf or muffin.  It's so versatile!  Let's pause and talk about this "crumb topping" though.  I don't really have much luck in the crumb department.  I just seem to skip that part and go straight to topping.  I have tried many times now, following the recipe to T, but my crumb just always melts into a caramel like topping.  Don't get me wrong, it tastes wonderful still.  I think my kids may prefer it this way in fact.  It doesn't look quite as pretty as the "crumbs" though and I sure would like to know what I'm doing wrong.  Any suggestions would be helpful.  In the meantime, go try this recipe and make some mouths happy!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
3 medim mashed ripe bananas
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Crumb topping:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoon butter, softened

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat one large loaf pan or 4 small loaf pans with cooking spray. (I doubled the recipe and made one regular sized loaf, 24 muffins and one mini loaf.)  Whisk buttermilk, brown sugar, butter and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in mashed bananas. In a separate bowl, sift together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan(s). Mix crumb topping ingredients together then sprinkle on top. Bake about 60-65 minutes for a large loaf, 30 minutes for the smaller loaves and about 20 minutes for the muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool before slicing.

*Source:  Who Want's Dinner

Apple Cinnamon Almond Scones

My sister recently introduced me to the wonderful world of scones with this fabulous recipe.  And I just can't get enough!  The other day I had some apples that needed to be used before they got too ripe and my mind immediately turned to scones.  I was on the hunt, and after a little looking, found this recipe.  It is amazing and was definitely a hit with the fam.  In between bites I kept hearing, "This is SO good!", "Wow, this is amazing!", "When can you make it again?!", "I love this!".  Whether you're looking for something to make for a Sunday brunch, after school snack or to take to your neighbors, look no further.  This right here is your golden ticket.  It's very easy to throw together, looks beautiful and so full of yum that you'll definitely be coming back for more!  And on a cold winter day, it goes perfectly with a big cup of Hot Chocolate or Creamy Caramel Cider!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons shortening, chilled
2 apple - peeled, cored, and chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
Topping:
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:  
1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Line stone or baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Use two forks or a pastry blender to cut in the shortening with the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the chopped apples.
3.  Whisk 1 egg, yogurt, milk, and almond extract together in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture just until blended. Dough will be kind of dry and crumbly.  Use hands to knead until dough is evenly mixed and sticking together.
4. Place dough on prepared baking sheet and pat into a 7 inch diameter circle about 1 1/2 inch thick. Score dough into 8 wedges.
5.  To make the scone topping, whisk the milk and 1 egg together in a small bowl. Brush tops of scones with the egg mixture. Sprinkle each scone with cinnamon, sugar and almonds.
6.  Bake in preheated oven until top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Source:  AllRecipes.com

Cheesy Italian Pull Apart Bread

Have you ever had a recipe that you absolutely loved but then it slowly gets worked out of your regular meals and then forgotten?  Well that's what happened to this gem.  Years ago I found this recipe, but for the life of me I can't remember where it came from.  Sorry to whomever deserves credit for this one!  I made it one time when I was visiting my parents.  Many of my siblings were there too.  To say it was a hit would be an understatement.  It instantly achieved legendary status.  Just say the words "Cheesy Bread" (as we affectionately call it) and they will all start to drool and then their eyes will glaze over as they are taken back to a time when they were feasting on this little piece of heaven.  This stuff is to die for!  You can serve it as a side dish with most anything.  Or, pair it with some marinara sauce for the perfect appetizer.  The other day, something sparked the memory of this dish and I knew I had to make it.  I don't have the original recipe anymore so I've re-created my own version and, not to brag, but I think I've nailed it.  My kids were quite young when I used to make it so they didn't remember it.  It only took one bite for them to all fall in love with it.  I've made it twice now in the past four days and the entire thing has been inhaled each time.  This resurrected recipe is now a legend among the next generation, never to be forgotten again!

Ingredients:
*Bread Dough
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 of a 0.6 oz package of dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
1/2 TBS parsley
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

*I use a batch of my homemade bread dough which is the best way to go, but if you'd rather, you can use frozen store bought dough.  You will need equivalent of one loaf or 12 rolls.

Directions:
Grease glass baking dish.  (I use a 12 x 6.5 oval dish.  I think a 9 x 9 pan would be an equivalent size.) Form dough into walnut sized balls.  My little chefs love to help with this!  Can you tell which balls my three year old made in the picture below?  You will end up with about 36 balls of dough.  Place them in the greased baking dish.  They will fill the pan, touching each other but not pressed together tightly.

Mix the oil, italian seasoning dressing mix and garlic salt.  Drizzle evenly over dough balls.  Top with colby jack cheese.  Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan cheese.  Cover with a dish towel and let it raise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Homemade Pizza 101

I love family traditions!  Holidays, birthday and even the little traditions that occur weekly or even daily.  Some of them are carried on from the families my husband and I grew up in and others we've started brand new just for our family.  Many of them are planned and intentionally carried out, others just kind of happen and evolve into a beloved tradition.  Our weekly "Pizza Movie Party" night is one of those unplanned traditions that we all love.  Sometimes it's Friday night, sometimes it Saturday night, but very few weeks go by without a family pizza movie party.  Sometimes we substitute the movie for games but the pizza part is a must.  We'd probably have to take out a second mortgage to fund our pizza tradition if we bought good pizza for this crowd every week and I don't think I could stomach a weekly feasting on the cheap stuff.  What's a mom to do?  Learn to make the good stuff at home!  I had a friend in Iowa that was in the same boat.  They had five kids and she made it her personal quest to find the perfect pizza crust recipe for their family pizza nights.  Because every good pizza has to start with a good crust.  I don't usually follow the instructions to a T.  Preparing it the night before probably does make it that much better.  I don't usually plan ahead enough to make it the night before and I think it tastes great still if I make it that evening.  This recipe makes enough dough for two pizzas.  As far as toppings go, we usually top one pizza with just cheese or cheese and peperoni and then I like to have fun with the second one.  I've come up with some topping combinations that are real winners and will be sharing them every Friday, so keep checking back.  Another fun thing we like to do is to divide the dough into 8 pieces and make personal pizzas for everyone.  Then everybody gets to top their own little pizza to their liking.  I love our weekly family pizza tradition and hope that my kids will think of them with fond memories when they make pizza with their families someday.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup warm water
1 TBS yeast
 2 TBS sugar
2 TBSP olive oil (plus extra to brush on the edge of the crust)
1 1/2 tsp table salt
4 cups flour
pizza sauce
cheese
pizza toppings of choice

Directions:
I just throw everything into my bread mixer, put it on the dough setting and let it take over. Of course, you can mix and knead it by hand though. I always just make the dough as I'm getting ready to make dinner, but the official recipe says this: After kneading the dough, place in a bowl that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Yes, this step really does make a difference. The crust I tried making the same day was good, but the overnight one was chewy and had a much better texture. Two hours before you make your pizza, take the bowl out, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Divide your dough into 2 balls, cover lightly with plastic wrap, let rise on counter. When you're ready to make your pizza, place your pizza stone (best choice) or rimless pizza pan into the oven and preheat to 500. Make sure you preheat your pan with the oven! Hand stretch (best method) or roll out your dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Top with sauce, cheese and toppings.   You can brush the crust with olive oil and lightly sprinkle the crust with things like parmesan cheese and garlic salt if you think it would compliment your chosen toppings. When your pizza is ready to bake, carefully pull the hot stone or pan out of the oven, slide the parchment paper with the pizza onto the pan. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush crust with olive oil.

*Source:  Jessica Brown

Bacon Potato Chowder

There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup waiting for you at the end of a cold winter day.  When the kids see the potatoes boiling and smell the bacon cooking they get excited because they know we're making this Bacon Potato Chowder for dinner.  And everybody's happy!  Serve this thick, hearty chowder in a homemade soup bowl and you will have a crowd pleaser for sure!  I use this recipe for my bread dough.  One batch makes 4-5 soup bowls, depending on their size.  You won't mind those cold winter nights so much when you have this guy keeping you company.

Ingredients:
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3-4 red potatoes, cubed and boiled until slightly soft
1 cup sour cream
1/2 TBS dry onion
1 1/2 cup milk
1 can cream chicken soup
1/2 cup shredded cheese
8 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pot.  Stir together.  Simmer on medium heat until heated through. stirring occasionally.  Serve hot.

*Source:  Jamie Young

Cinnamon Banana Pancakes

I'm kind of proud of these babies.  Years ago I was in a banana baking mode.  I loved making a good banana bread and decided we needed some banana pancakes in our life too.  The pre-pinterest era limited my resources.  When I came up empty handed in my banana pancake search, I decided to create my own recipe.  I made many batches of banana pancakes trying to get it just right.  I finally got the perfect combination of ingredients and have been making this recipe for years now.  They disappear pretty quickly when they're made, so I'd say they're a hit.  Connor and Cannon loved to help me make these.  Sometimes I let them use their hands to smash the bananas which they think is pretty fun.  This recipe make a lot of pancakes.  I feed our family of 8 and there are usually leftovers.  I put the leftovers in a Ziploc bag and store them in the refrigerator or freezer to warm up for a quick breakfast option on another day.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 bananas smashed
2 cups milk

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Butter (so much better then a non stick cooking spray) a hot griddle and cook pancakes until golden brown.  Serve hot with syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Super Awesome Cornbread

Growing up, we had a fun neighbor family that lived across the street from us.  I babysat their kids and my little sister had big plans to marry one of their boys.  And I may or may not have crashed into their parked car when I was sixteen years old.  If that did indeed occur, they were very kind and understanding and didn't even get mad at all.  They were such great friends!  My mom got this recipe from her long before I was interested in collecting recipes.  Now that I'm all grown up and care about having a good cornbread recipe, she's passed it on to me.  This is a good hearty cornbread that's a little sweet and very moist.  Try some  whipped honey butter for a perfect way to top this cornbread.  I make it all the time and always think of our super awesome neighbors every time I do.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Sift dry ingredients then add milk, eggs and oil.  Dough will be fairly stiff. pour into a square 8x8 pan (double recipe for 9x13).  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

*Source: Melanie Johnson

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

I got this recipe from my friend Karilyn.  Anything she touches in the kitchen is amazing, so I knew it would be fabulous.  And fabulous it is!  Every year around August, I start getting excited to make this tasty treat.  This recipe calls for fresh cranberries and they are only sold for a few months every year.  I guess you could use frozen cranberries but it just wouldn't be the same.  It's worth the wait, trust me.  I stock up on cranberries when they hit the grocery store shelves and make them several times throughout the fall and winter.  I share them with neighbors, teachers and friends and they are always a hit.  The tart little burst of cranberry mixed with the sweet, spiced pumpkin and topped with a crunch of nuts makes this annual treat a winner.  I usually bake it in muffin tins but you could also bake it in a loaf pan.  One batch makes 3 dozen regular muffins or 18 jumbo muffins or 18 mini loaves or 3 regular sized bread loaves.  Take your pick and enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup oil
3 cup sugar
2 cups pumpkin (or one can pumpkin puree)
3 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups fresh cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.  Mix first four ingredients together.  Add remaining ingredients, except for cranberries.  Mix well.  Gently fold in cranberries.  Pour into pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake.  For regular muffins, bake for 25 minutes.  For jumbo muffins and mini loaves, bake for 35 minutes.  For regular sized loaves, bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

*Source:  Karilyn Shields