Category Archives: Breakfast

by | June 6, 2011 · 8:22 am

Rhubarb Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

This year I made my first foray into the world of CSAs. With just my husband and I to eat the goods, I had always been leery about spending money only to end up with seven gazillion pounds of tomatoes or a mountain of squash that we couldn’t eat fast enough. So instead I tested out a six week spring share with Milwaukee’s Braise RSA – minimal commitment plus nothing going on in my garden yet to compete.

Braise is run by local chef, Dave Swanson, who makes his boxes a little more special by including a recipe each week. Last week when I got a large bundle of rhubarb, this tasty muffin recipe came along with it. As a big fan of rhubarb and of streusel, this was right up my alley.

Rhubarb Muffins
Rhubarb Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
recipe from Braise RSA
2 C flour
3/4 C sugar
3 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sour cream
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 C rhubarb, diced

Streusel Topping:
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C flour

Preheat oven to 400. Line muffin tins with baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and whisk well. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Gently combine the sour cream mixture with the dry mixture with a spatula until just combined. Gently fold in the diced rhubarb. The batter will be thick. Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling to near the top.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients for topping. Use a fork or a pastry cutter to mix together until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the batter for each muffin. Bake until golden, 15-18 minutes, or 3-4 minutes longer for Texas size cups.

Cinnamon Streusel Rhubarb Muffins

CSA Thoughts:
Overall the quality of produce has been amazing and it’s been fun to try odd new items like ramps and nettles among the lettuce and asparagus. I’ve been cooking, blending and freezing away but it’s still been a little hard for me to keep up since spring veggies are fragile and go bad quickly. A summer share on top of my own overflowing garden would definitely be too much for me but would be great if you have a larger family or maybe split it with a friend. The jury is still out on if I’ll do it again…although with an extra mouth to feed arriving soon maybe the volume would be a better match!

Do you do a CSA?  Do you have tricks on how to manage the volume of produce?  Please share!

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by | May 2, 2011 · 8:14 am

Huevos Rancheros & Cinco de Mayo Ideas

In honor of Cinco de Mayo this week, I’m mixing it up from the popular taco-enchilada cycle with Huevos Rancheros.  You’ll see a variety of ways out there to make huevos rancheros but mine was inspired by a tasty brunch that I had at Milwaukee’s The Eatery on Farwell several months ago. After eating their version I kept craving it and had to recreate it. It won over the hubs and is now on regular rotation both as a quick weeknight dinner and a Sunday breakfast at our house.

Since you assemble each plate separately, it makes it easy to adjust egg preferences based on individual needs/tastes and allow each person to top the dish with the condiments of their choice. Usually I prefer poached eggs since the oozing centers mix with the cheese sauce into creamy awesomeness but since I’ve been pregnant I’ve been scrambling my portion instead. The recipe is for two but can be easily increased to serve more.

Huevos Rancheros for Two
4 tostada shells
4 eggs (poached, over-easy or scrambled)
1/2 lb ground chorizo
homemade or store bought pico de gallo
1 avocado, sliced
cheese sauce
hot sauce

Cheese Sauce
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 C shredded cheddar or mexican cheese blend
1/3+ C milk
2 Tbsp half & half
pinch of salt
* note: Cheese and liquid measures are approximate. Simply add more in little bits to reach desired consistency.

NOTE: You’ll be using multiple burners on your stove at once and as with most egg dishes, this moves fast so getting your ingredients prepped first is key.

Place two tostadas (or hard taco shells broken in two) on each plate and set aside. Slice avocado and prepare pico de gallo and set aside. In a saute pan, begin cooking chorizo over medium heat. Continue cooking chorizo while you work on other components, about 7-8 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour to create a roux. Gradually whisk in half and half and half of the milk, whisking out any chunks of flour. Stir in cheese and let melt, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Whisk in additional milk of mixture is too thick to get a smooth, semi-thick and creamy sauce or whisk in more cheese if mixture is runny. Dust lightly with salt and whisk well. Keep on low heat, stirring occasionally, until eggs are cooked.

For scrambled eggs: As your chorizo and cheese begins to cook, crack eggs into a small bowl and add a splash of milk. Whisk well. Add 1/2 Tbsp butter to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once melted and pan is hot, pour in egg mixture. Stir occasionally, scraping pan to fluff and scramble eggs until eggs are cooked and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
For poached eggs: We use this odd Depression-era egg pan of my husband’s but here is an easy picture tutorial to get it right without a special pan.

Top tostadas with chorizo and eggs. Layer on avocado and pico. Drizzle with cheese sauce and hot sauce. Serve immediately.

Looking for other dishes with a Latin vibe?  Check out our:
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Southwestern BBQ Ranch Salad
Mexican Street Corn
All-Star Chorizo Burritos
Slow Cooked Pork Tacos with Jicama Slaw
Corn Salsa
Mojito Cupcakes
Sangria
Watermelon Margaritas and more Margaritas
The Perfect Mojito

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by | April 27, 2011 · 8:25 am

Miss Amy Muffins

This recipe was passed down to me from my good friend’s mom.  I have the best memories of making these growing up in their kitchen and eating them immediately after rolling them in sugar.  I am sure we would eat more than we would put on the plate.

Miss Amy Muffins are a mildly sweet muffin that is rolled in melted butter and then in sugar.  They almost taste like a mini churro and are amazing.  This recipe makes about 2 dozen mini muffins, and I bet they won’t last more than 1 day in your house!

Miss Amy Muffins
1/3 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1  1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick melted butter, in a separate bowl

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugar then beat in the egg.  Sift the dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to the butter mixture.  Finally, add the vanilla.

Grease a 24 cup mini muffin tin and evenly fill with the batter.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

While the muffins bake, mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  In a saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter.

Remove the muffins from the oven and remove from the tin once they are cool enough to handle, but still warm.  Roll each muffin in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar.

These are delicious warm or cold, but are heavenly if you eat them right out of the oven.

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by | April 1, 2011 · 7:46 am

The Art of Toddler Food: Breakfast Time

Baby food days are in the past. I now face a pint-sized man who creates a challenge much larger than himself. Meal time.

I’ve been working eagerly to develop meals and snacks our whole family can eat, while staying in the parameters of what Lincoln is able to chew with the few teeth he has. It can’t be too spicy, too crunchy, to hard, to messy or too bold.

For years, my go-to breakfast has been Quaker instant oatmeal. It was always easy to bring to work and eat at my desk. But as Lincoln started to transition from baby food to the real thing, he wanted to eat my oatmeal with me. I realized after days of hunger pangs by 9 a.m. that the half bowl of oatmeal I was eating would no longer cut it. I didn’t want to waste a whole packet on Lincoln, so I started making my own. And I tell you this: I will never go back!

After a few days of practice, I finally had my recipe for banana bread oatmeal. Making homemade oatmeal takes much less time than I previously thought. This recipe is quick, easy and healthy. We both gobble it up!

Banana Bread Oatmeal
makes 2 servings

1 1/4 C milk (whole, 2% or skim)
2 TBSP light brown sugar
1 whole banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1 C old-fashioned oats
1/4 C chopped walnuts (adults only)

In a small sauce pan, mix together milk, brown sugar, vanilla and mashed bananas. Heat through to a low boil. Reduce to medium heat. Stir in oats, continuing until oats soften. If using regular old-fashioned oats, heat for approximately 3 minutes. If using quick oats, one minute will do. Remove from heat and serve. Top adult servings with chopped walnuts.

I’ve tried many variations on this recipe that are equally as tasty, depending on your mood:

Add one tablespoon peanut butter
Substitute vanilla with almond extract
Substitute one tablespoon of brown sugar with a drizzle of maple syrup
Substitute banana with 1/2 C natural applesauce

Whether this is for you, your toddler, or both, I think you’ll find it a nice way to start the day!

What do you feed your tiny tot for breakfast?

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by | March 23, 2011 · 11:20 am

A Bun in the Oven

My mom used to always make monkey bread for special occasions and since I can’t resist a good pun, it seemed fitting to pull out this caramel sticky bun recipe to announce my own little “bun in the oven”! The hubs and I are expecting our first baby in August and we couldn’t be more excited.

But back to the monkey bread…if you have any affection for sticky rolls, you must try this. With just a little pre-planning (it needs to sit overnight) it’s a delicious and impressive pull-apart breakfast “bun” that only takes minutes of your time to prep.
monkey bread

Monkey Bread
1 pkg frozen white dinner rolls (2 dozen)
1 pkg non-instant butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 C chopped pecans
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Lightly butter a bundt pan. Sprinkle pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan. Sprinkle pudding mix on top. Place frozen dinner rolls evenly into the pan. In a large glass measuring cup or small bowl, microwave butter and brown sugar until melted. Whisk in cinnamon and vanilla until mixture is smooth, then pour over dinner rolls.

caramel breakfast rolls

Wrap pan with plastic wrap and set on the counter overnight to allow rolls to rise. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

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by | February 4, 2011 · 7:52 am

Rising to the Challenge: Bacon Artichoke Souffle

I recently teamed up with my friend Erin from Hot Dinner Happy Home to tackle the much-feared souffle. And today, we share our experience with you.

Erin: Wimp.  Yellow-belly.  Coward.  Fraidy-cat.

I consider myself all of the above. I refused to ride a roller coaster until I was 13, and even then it required incredibly strong peer pressure. I cried when my husband tried to coerce me down a slightly steep ski slope. And, unfortunately, this character trait has crept into my kitchen. There are things I deliberately avoid making because, well, I’m scared. I shudder when I read “yeast” in an ingredient list. And deep-frying? Oy. Dangerous.

Stef: A natural competitor lurks within. It started as a very small child. A crib couldn’t confine me, I’d crawl out of it. I read 116 books as a second grader to ensure I won the Bubble Gum Book Report Award. Anyone can walk on their feet, so I decided I would walk on my hands. While my inner daredevil may have been tamed a bit over the years, my competitive nature will never die.

I’ve been cooking for quite some time now and occasionally step out of my comfort zone. But recently, I got the urge for a challenge. So I enlisted a friend to embark on a culinary adventure.

Erin: Yes, and I was that lucky friend! Stef was willing to drag me out of complacency to try something new. Armed with room-temperature egg whites and a powerful stand mixer, we were ready to tackle the (nearly) impossible. We, Stef and Erin, regular gals on a cooking crusade, would make a souffle.

Bacon Artichoke Souffle

unsalted butter for greasing
5 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
4 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter
3 1/2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C whole milk
6 large egg yolks
10 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, squeezed of excess water and finely chopped
4 ounces cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt

Cook bacon according to directions. Crumble and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the souffle dish by thoroughly greasing the bottom and sides with a stick of unsalted butter. Once coated, spoon in 3 TBSP grated Parmesan and coat the dish. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, make a modified blonde roux by melting 4 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter and slowly whisking in flour, until fully dissolved. Continue to whisk as it bubbles, about 20 seconds. Do not allow it to brown. Slowly whisk in milk, continuing until the  mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove pan from heat.

One at a time, whisk in egg yolks, creating a smooth mixture. Continually whisk to avoid making scrambled eggs in the still hot mixture. Next, stir in bacon, artichokes, dill, pepper, nutmeg and 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on high-speed, making sure your bowl is fully clean and dry, add room temperature egg whites and salt. Beat mixture until whites are smooth and shiny and create stiff peaks. The mixture should increase about eightfold in volume.

Delicately fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the sauce pan with a rubber spatula. Next fold the sauce pan mixture back into the egg white mixture, turning over the egg whites with the sauce until combined.

Once combined, gently spoon (do not pour!) the mixture into your souffle dish. Place in oven, close the door, and immediately decrease the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Do not disturb the souffle by opening the oven door. When complete, the top of the souffle should be browned and crusted. Take out of the oven and serve immediately, as souffles deflate once they lose steam.

Stef: Success. That souffle had nothing on us. Airy, fluffy, crispy on top and bursting with bacon-y goodness. With a kitchen victory under our belts, we indulged in our culinary delight with a glass (or two) of crisp white wine. Even the baby gobbled a healthy serving of souffle. Who knew souffle was family friendly?

Erin: In addition to being delicious, it wasn’t even that hard.  Stef, thanks for showing me that it’s worth it to step outside your comfort zone!  Now, about that packet of yeast that’s been languishing in my cupboard…

What is your biggest cooking fear or challenge? We’d love for you to share!

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by | February 2, 2011 · 8:20 am

Orange Scented French Toast with Nutella

I recently found out that February 5th is World Nutella day.  This is great news because I have a not so secret obsession with Nutella.  So, what did I do?  I spent all week cooking with my favorite chocolate hazelnut spread, of course!

This stuffed french toast recipe is so decadent, it could pass as dessert.  The Nutella center makes it sweet, so there is no need for syrup and the addition of fresh orange juice and orange zest in the batter creates a flavor combination that is to die for.

Orange Scented French Toast with Nutella

1 loaf brioche bread or a bread of similar consistency, day old is preferable.  You will need about 10 slices.
4 eggs
1 cup milk
zest of 1 medium orange
Juice of 1 medium orange
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 Tbsp sugar
dash of salt
Jar of Nutella
Vegetable Oil for cooking

Slice your bread into 1/2 inch thick slices.  I used a cookie cutter to cut out hearts in honor of Valentine’s Day, but feel free to leave the crust on if you prefer it that way.  Spread a layer of Nutella on the bread and cover with another slice of bread, creating a Nutella sandwich.  The amount of Nutella is up to you, the more you load on, the sweeter it will be!

Combine eggs, milk, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, sugar and salt in a shallow bowl and whisk.  Next, Place about 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a pan and heat to medium or medium low heat.

Dip one of your Nutella sandwiches into the batter until it is fully coated.  Be careful not to soak your bread or you might not have enough batter to get through all your french toast.

Cook in the oiled pan until golden brown on both sides and fully cooked.  Because the french toast will be thick, you might feel that the sides didn’t cook and crisp up as nice as you would like.  If this happens, just place them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes or until nice and crispy on the outside.  This also works well for keeping the first couple warm while you finish making the rest.

Repeat dipping and cooking the french toast, adding oil to the pan each time.

Once they are complete, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

mmmmm, Nutella.

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by | January 28, 2011 · 8:11 am

Cranberry Orange Sunrise Muffins

I happen to be quite famous for my muffin baking. Every Monday night in the later years of college, I would bake muffins and bring them over to my friend’s house for muffins and Mario Kart.  I’ve tried a lot of recipes over the years, but this one tends to be a favorite. These beautiful burst cranberries make a festive plate for the winter months or for a Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed.

Cranberry Orange Sunrise Muffins

1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
2 C all-purpouse flour
1 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 C milk or heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C fresh whole cranberries
zest of one orange
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray and coat a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick spray. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Place cranberries in a small bowl. Take one tablespoon of flour mixture and coat cranberries. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Slowly add milk, until combined. Fold in cranberries and orange zest. Divide batter amongst muffin cups. (I use an ice cream scoop for even measurement). Sprinkle top with extra granulated sugar if desired.

Bake for 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown. Allow pan to cool. Remove muffins and place on wire cooling rack.

These treats are extra scrumptious when served warm and when served on a Monday night while playing Mario Kart…

*photos courtesy of Michael G. Coates, from the latest HAP photo shoot. More to come!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Thanks to everyone who entered our recent giveaway! We were blown away by all the mouth-watering cheesy recipes you mentioned. Congratulations to reader, James & Katie, for winning the Wisconsin artisan cheese basket giveaway! We hope you enjoy rooting for the Packers with your cheese platter.

We have more giveaways planned for the next few months so be sure to check back for another chance to win!
The winner was chosen at random using random.org.


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by | August 23, 2010 · 9:32 am

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes

Every year I find myself with an excessive amount of garden zucchini. Zucchini is at it’s best and most tender when it’s picked small – maybe 6-8 inches long and not too fat. However, every year I also inevitably miss a zucchini (or three) that was hidden under leaves or went crazy over a hot weekend, causing it to end up the size of a cave man’s club. Whoops!

Luckily, zucchinis of mammoth proportions are actually ideal for baking. While zucchini muffins/breads are delicious and I usually make multiple rounds of them, I like to play around with things like zucchini-fruit pie or this year’s Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes.

I served them as a side dish for dinner but these little lovelies would be excellent for breakfast, as an appetizer or at a bridal/baby shower brunch. You could also double the recipe and make them as a full-size tart for a main dish.

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartlettes

Prepping Your Zucchini
Small zucchini will work in this recipe but if you have a large one the best way to deal with it is to slice off the ends and core out the tough, seedy middle. Next, use a food processor or cheese grater to shred the zucchini. Finally, measure out the desired amount of zucchini for your recipe and place in the center of a paper towel. Carefully squeeze excess water out of the zucchini over the sink – this is key to not having soggy tartes or muffins!

Preparing ZucchiniShredded Zucchini

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes
Crust
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C shortening
1 tsp vinegar
5-10 Tbsp ice water
OR pre-made pie crust

Filling
1 1/2 C zucchini, shredded & squeezed
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 lb prosciutto
3 eggs
1 small shallot, minced
splash half & half
1 tsp dill, optional
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 12 cups of a muffin tin. Prep pie crust (see instructions here) or roll out pre-made crust. Use a round medium-large cookie cutter to cut thin circles out of the pie dough and press each circle into a muffin cup.

Core, shred and squeeze excess water from zucchini and transfer to a medium bowl. Mince shallot and add to bowl.  Crumble in goat cheese.  Slice 2/3 of your prosciutto into small pieces, and add to mixture.  Reserve remaining prosciutto.  Whisk in eggs, half and half, dill and salt & pepper.  Spoon mixture into crusts, filling the tin about half-way full or just slightly above the edge of the crust.  Tear small “squares” of remaining prosciutto and place on top of each tartelette.  Bake for 40 minutes or until filling is puffed and slightly golden.

Zucchini Tartlette

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by | May 6, 2010 · 7:55 am

HAP Featured on Milwaukee Moms

It has been an exciting week for us here on Haute Apple Pie, in addition to our Outpost Exchange cover, we’ve also been featured on MilwaukeeMoms.com for this fun Mother’s Day recipe.

Check out our rainbow pancakes recipe! Note: while this was written for kids to make for their moms, adults can have fun with it too!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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