Baked Oatmeal

 

• 3 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup brown sugar, or to taste (I cut the sugar in half)

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup milk

• ½ cup melted butter 

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• ¾ cup dried cranberries, raisins, and chocolate chips as desired

• Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Beat in eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in dried cranberries.  Put in muffin tin (greased or with papers). Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

  2. 

Overnight French toast: Perfect for Christmas morning

For the French toast:

 1 loaf French bread, torn into bite-sized pieces

8 eggs

2 cups milk (I used 2 percent)

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

For the topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

For serving:

pure maple syrup

Grease a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish. Distribute the torn bread evenly in the dish. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla and bourbon (if using) until it's smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing the bread down into the mixture gently until fully coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make the topping: in a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Using a pastry blender, cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the French toast and sprinkle it evenly with all of the cinnamon crumble mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, until puffed up, browned and set in the center. Slice into squares and serve while warm with pure maple syrup. Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Maya Wilson lives in Kenai and blogs about food at alaskafromscratch.com. Have a food question or recipe request? Email maya@alaskafromscratch.com and your inquiry may appear in a future column.

Kern Family Belgian Waffle Recipe (emeril lagasse)

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups milk
• non-stick cooking spray

• Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.  In one medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In a second bowl use the wooden spoon to beat together the egg yolks and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow.  Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk to the eggs and whisk to combine.  Combine the egg-milk mixture with the flour mixture and whisk just until blended.  Do not over mix.  In third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.  Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter.  Do not overmix!  Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid.  Close and cook as per manufacturer's instructions until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Note: I actually start with melting the butter in a large bowl and then add the separated eggs into two bowls (whites in a clean one, yolks with the melted butter) . This just saves me extra bowls.

Also I make 1.5 of this recipe for our family of 7.

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Liege Waffles

This is a Liege Waffle. We were introduced to these at Bruges in Salt Lake City. I got a Belgian Waffle Maker for Christmas so tonight we gave it a try. These are NOT a traditional batter waffle. Instead, they use yeast and rise like a bread dough. Pearl sugar, which is not easy to find, adds a caramelized crunch. These are more of dessert than a breakfast. Divine!

Liege Waffle Recipe:

2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
3 eggs
1 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pearl sugar

1.Sprinkle the yeast and white sugar over warm milk in a small bowl. The milk should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 15 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
2.Whisk the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract into the yeast mixture until evenly blended; set aside. Stir together the flour and salt in a separate large bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour the egg mixture into the well, then stir in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Gently mix in the pearl sugar.
3.Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
4.Place a baseball-size ball of dough on the preheated waffle iron. Cook waffles until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. Allow waffles to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Source: All Recipes

Pecan Caramel Rolls

OVERNIGHT RECIPE
* 1 package dry yeast (about 1 T)
* 1 cup warm water
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 1 egg
* 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups flour
* 1 cup butter (more)
* 2 cup brown sugar (more)
* 4 tablespoon corn syrup (more)
* 2 T cream
* 2/3 to 1 cup pecan halves
* sprinkle of Cinnamon if you like

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast with the warm water. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 2 tablespoons margarine, egg, and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. With spoon or hand, work in enough remaining flour until the dough is easy to handle (if it becomes too sticky, dampen your hands with cold water). Place in a greased bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate for a few hours.

In a non-stick sauce pan melt butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and cream. Pour half of the caramel into greased oblong 9 by 13-inch pan or two round cake pans. Sprinkle pecans on the bottom of the pan. Place the rest of the caramel on stove on low to keep soft. On floured board, roll out the dough into about a 9 by 15-inch shape. Spread rest of the caramel over the dough and sprinkle with Cinnamon. (The last time I made this I actually had to make the caramel a few times because I wasn't able to cover all of the dough so you may want to double the amount of caramel you make). Begin rolling the dough up tightly starting with the long side. Seal the edges when the dough is rolled. Cut into 1-inch slices (I use string or floss) and place in the 9 by 13-inch prepared pan. Spray plastic wrap with non-stick spray and then cover the rolls. Place in refrigerator overnight. In the morning take it out of the refrigerator while you preheat the oven. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. For the last 5 to 10 minutes, cover with tin foil and put on the bottom rack. Remove from the oven and IMMEDIATELY turn upside down onto a platter.

I found the basics for this recipe here and then adjusted it and tweaked it over a few times to make a gooey -sticky caramel roll. We use it for Christmas morning so I make the whole thing and then refrigerate it overnight. Then I just take it out and pop it in the oven in the morning. It's even better if you use mom's Cinnamon roll recipe and add the caramel instead of her filling, but I can't spin it like she does when I have caramel inside.

Classic Belgian Waffles

I got an awesome Belgian Waffle maker for Christmas, but I had a hard time finding a recipe that would rise to the top and still be light and fluffy. After a bit of investigation this is the one I settled on as being the best. It's a little involved (you have to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites), but it makes light crispy waffles. Don't use this in a regular waffle maker -only a Belgian one.

• 2 cups cake flour - OK this is 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 c. corn starch - give or take a few
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups milk

Preheat the waffle iron. In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until blended. Do not over mix. In smaller bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter. Do not overmix! (It's easier if you add 1/4 of the egg whites and mix it in really well. This will lighten the batter and so folding in the other 3/4 of egg whites works pretty well) Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid (I can fit about 1/2 c batter in each waffle without overflowing and still having enough to rise to the top). Close and cook about 4 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Butterscotch Bubble-Loaf

24 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 pkg. 3 oz. regular butterscotch pudding (not instant)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. melted butter
1 c. nuts (optional)

Mix all the ingredients, but the rolls, in a sauce pan. Heat until sugar has dissolved. Place the frozen rolls into a greased bundt pan. Pour liquid mixture over the rolls. Cover pan with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam. Let rolls rise until double or even w/top of pan. Put tinfoil underneath your pan in the oven because it usually drips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

This is our family's traditional Christmas morning breakfast (comes from Trent's family).

Monte Cristo Casserole (Pampered Chef)

1 cup milk
6 eggs
2 packages (12.5 ounces each) frozen French toast slices, thawed
8 ounces deli baked ham, diced
8 ounces deli roast turkey, diced
4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated (1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup strawberry ice cream topping
(frozen strawberries and jam also work)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat milk in small microwave-cooker on HIGH 3 minutes or until hot. Whisk eggs in a bowl; add hot milk to eggs, whisking until blended. Cut French toast into 3/4-inch cubes; place in large colander bowl. Pour egg mixture over French toast cubes; toss gently; set aside.
2. Dice ham and turkey. Grate cheese. Snip parsley. Combine ham, turkey, cheese and parsley in a bowl; mix. Layer half of the French toast cubes in bottom of a rectangular baker. Top with half of the meat and cheese mixture. Repeat.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Remove to cooling rack; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
4. Slice strawberries. Combine strawberries with strawberry topping in small colander bowl. Cut casserole into squares; serve. Top each serving with strawberry mixture.

We had a Christmas brunch last week. A neighbor brought this and I loved it. It reminds me of the Monte Cristo sandwiches that we had a Disneyland last May.

Orange Julius

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 c. of water
1 tray of ice cubes
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. powdered milk
1/2 t. vanilla

Blender Quiche

In a blender blend:
1 c. Bisquick
6 eggs
1 stick melted butter (I've used less and it has been fine)
2 1/2 c. milk

Butter a 9x13 pan. Line the pan with 2 c. grated cheese. You can also put ham, mushrooms, bacon, onions or anything on top of the cheese.

Pour blended ingredients over the grated cheese. Cook for 45 - 60 minutes at 350 degrees. Check with a knife to determine doneness. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

This feeds my family of 5. I've done half as much in a pyrex pie plate and it was great. That might work better for Mom & Dad.