Apple Fritter Pancakes

Breakfast for dinner! Does anyone out grow this? I feel like I’m getting away with something every time. These totally rock! I did switch out the nutmeg for cinnamon. Not a fan of nutmeg. We used some cinnamon flavored butter which just added to their awesomeness. Then while we are eating it hits me… if you made these into crepes and then fill them with apple pie filling and a dollop of whipped cream.
O.M.G… I can’t wait to try that.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Farmhouse Favorites.
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon sugar
Garnish: butter, powdered sugar
Directions
Combine all ingredients except garnish in a bowl; mix well. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased griddle set over medium heat. Flip pancakes when tops start to bubble. Continue to cook until both sides are golden. Serve topped with butter and powdered sugar. Makes 6 servings.

Mushroom & Sausage Mini Quiches

I was waiting all day to come home and start cooking and baking. The only thing that could have made it even more awesome was if someone would have emptied the dishwasher. Oy. Why did I have children? Once the chore of the dishwasher was complete I assembled the French Toast Casserole for tomorrow night's dinner. It smelled so good, I'll share that recipe tomorrow. Then I baked a Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake to take to work tomorrow. OMG! The smell in my kitchen was making my stomach growl.
Tonight's dinner was Mushroom & Sausage Mini Quiches. So easy to make. I received a BIG thumbs up from Christopher. He said these taste like McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches. Next time I shall have some English muffins on hand. Of course and it will be no surprise that my finicky eater wouldn't give them a try. She really doesn't know what she is missing.

Ingredients
8 oz breakfast turkey sausage links, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 tsp pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup milk
Directions
Brown sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat; drain and transfer to a bowl. To the same skillet, add oil and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms to sausage. Stir in green onions, cheese and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites and milk. Divide egg mixture evenly among 12 lightly greased muffins cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of sausage mixture into each cup. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes, or until tops are golden. Remove from cups; cool on a wire rack. Makes one dozen.

Sausage Muffins

Monday’s are mean. It was a long day and my patience was wearing thin. Bring on the quick and easy comfort food. These muffins were scrumptious. Breakfast dinner was a hit. Except, finicky eater wouldn’t try them but I guarantee if she would have taken a bite she too would have liked them. They were even yummy reheated.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1/4 cup butter
1 (5 oz) jar sharp pasteurized process cheese spread
1/4 tsp garlic powder
6 English muffins, split
Directions
In a skillet over medium heat, brown sausage; drain. Add butter, cheese and garlic powder; mix and cook until cheese melts. Spread sausage mixture on 6 English muffin halves. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Top with remaining halves of English muffins. Makes 6.

Red Velvet Pancakes

Good Sunday morning!
Most of the time I make Sunday morning breakfast. It’s the one day that we are all usually home. Makes me miss being a stay at home mom. Loved that. Now I know the recipe says pancakes but as I was whipping up the batter my mind started to wonder. Pancakes turned to waffles then I was imagining these red velvet waffles topped with homemade vanilla ice cream.
OMG!
Wouldn’t ice cream be healthier than syrup? What kind of mom gives ice cream for breakfast? An awesome mom!

Ingredients
1-1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking cocoa
4 tsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1-1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp red food coloring
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter
*Optional*  maple syrup, butter, whipped cream cheese
Directions
In a bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, food coloring and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in melted butter. Using an ice cream scoop, drop batter onto a lightly greased, hot griddle and cook until edges darken, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until done. Serve topped with syrup and butter or whipped cream cheese. Makes on dozen pancakes.

Pancakes

Our big & huge snowstorm wasn't all that after all. The girls went to bed knowing there was at least a 2 hour delay. They were excited to sleep in and Abby was disappointed when she woke up. She was hoping for no school and going sledding all day. Sorry Doodle Bug. She turned chipper when she remembered 2 hour delays mean pancakes for breakfast. And that got me thinking, how do you make your pancakes? Even though I use Bisquick I add a bunch of other ingredients. It would probably be just as quick to whip a batch from scratch.

Abby always has to have plain silver dollar pancakes. Perfect for dipping. Haillie and I like a little more excitement in our flapjacks. Today we added chopped up bananas, they were amazing.

Ingredients
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-1/4 cup milk
2 cups bisquick
2 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Directions
Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening.
Mix lemon juice and milk; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.
Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To keep warm, place in single layer on cookie sheet. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in 200°F oven up to 10 minutes.

Smoky Bacon Wraps

These are always a hit. I usually only make these artery-clogging-heart-attack-waiting-to-happen treats once a year as an appetizer at Christmas. But I was in the mood for them and I knew everyone would love them. Abby just finally started to eat bacon so she really, really enjoyed these.

Recipe from Quick Cooking (2002).
Ingredients
1 lb sliced bacon
1 package (16 oz) miniature smoked sausage links
1 cup packed brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400⁰F. Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage. Place in a foil-lined 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake, uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp and sausage is heated through.

Cheese Sausage Strata

BIG FAT DISASTER! First you have to look at the picture. Doesn't it look yummy? I thought it looked delish in the cookbook. It was the kind of recipe you can throw together ahead of time which was perfect for my day. Breakfast for dinner. Who doesn't love that? I assembled it in the morning, cleaned up the kitchen and headed outside to do yard work. When my day was done there was nothing for me to do but sit back and relax while dinner baked. The house smelled yummy and everyone was hungry until they bit into the strata. Apparently my family doesn't like egg soaked bread. Cue gage reflexes. Over all I thought it tasted good and if you like bread pudding you'll like this. I however have been banned from making any type of bread and egg recipes in the future. Ingrates!

Recipe from Quick Cooking (2002).
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs bulk pork sausage
9 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups milk
9 slices bread, cubed
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-1/2 tsp ground mustard
Directions
In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the eggs, milk, bread, cheese, bacon and mustard. Transfer to a greased shallow 3 quart baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350⁰F for 60-65 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.