Breakfast

#BrunchWeek: Bacon and Egg Sandwiches on Cheddar Biscuits

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

We’re continuing with the third annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Terri of Love and Confections and Shaina of Take a Bite out of Boca. I’ve been told you can’t have a brunch event without an egg dish. While I could easily disagree, I can see my mom’s point. Most people love eggs and eat them daily for breakfast. I have never been in that camp.

So what to do?

The only egg dish I’ve ever liked (and have even ordered at a brunch place!) is Eggs Benedict. I tried my hand at making Eggs Benedict at home before, and we loved them! But poaching the eggs and making the hollandaise sauce requires too much active attention; I won’t be attempting it again until the little man can play on his own (or takes longer naps…) safely.

Instead I decided on a breakfast sandwich, one I could make each element of separately.

I caramelized some onions and wilted in some kale. I used my mandolin to slice some Easter egg radishes provided by Cal-Organic. I fried up some bacon and some eggs.

To make my sandwiches a step above the rest, I assembled them on top of homemade cheddar biscuits – using Cabot Cheese Seriously Sharp Cheddar.

cheddar biscuits from sew you think you can cook for #brunchweek

Using a 3″ biscuit cutter, this recipe yields 18-20 biscuits.

Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 9 tbsp butter
  • 2 1/2 C flour
  • 1 C white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 C shredded Seriously Sharp Cheddar
  • 1 1/2 C buttermilk
  • 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Steps:

  1. Cut butter into cubes and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. With the paddle attachment mix in the butter and shredded cheese. Mix until combined and texture is crumbly.
  5. Pour in buttermilk and mix until dough comes together.
  6. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until combined. Pat to 3/4″ thick. Use a 3″ biscuit cutter to cut biscuits and place on prepared baking sheets. (Note: Do not twist the cutter, doing so will pinch the edges and you won’t have that flaky biscuit.)
  7. Brush biscuits with egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  8. To make sandwiches: Cut biscuit in half. Top one half with caramelized onions, wilted kale, and a fried egg. Top the other half with a drizzle of honey, bacon, and thinly sliced radishes. Reassemble and enjoy.

*The biscuit recipe is adapted from Donya at http://asouthern-soul.blogspot.com/2013/04/cheddar-cheese-biscuits.html?*

Bacon and Egg Sandwiches on Cheddar Biscuits for #BrunchWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more brunch recipes today:

BrunchWeek 2015 Logo
BrunchWeek Beverages:
Mango Swirled Coconut Margarita from The Little Ferraro Kitchen.
Bruleed Grapefruit Mojito from Healthy Delicious.
Strawberry Orange Blossom Sparkler from Baking a Moment.

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Bacon and Egg Sandwiches on Cheddar Biscuits from Sew You Think You Can Cook.

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Lemon Blueberry Crepes from Love and Confections.
Java Jolt Overnight Oats from Take A Bite Out Of Boca.
Hagelslag-Covered Bread from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Nutella Stuffed Aebleskiver from greens & chocolate.
Baked French Toast Boats from The Spiffy Cookie.
Skinny Banana Oat Flaxseed Cookies from Hip Foodie Mom.
Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks from Making Miracles.
Cheddar Pear Proscuitto Pull-Apart Bread from It Bakes Me Happy.
Alpine Cheese Grisini from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Bacon Cheddar Hashbrown Pancake from Pink Cake Plate.
Huevos Rancheros Burgers from The Redhead Baker.

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Fresh Mint and Orange Blossom Fruit Salad from Sarcastic Cooking.
Citrus and Cilantro Carrot Slaw from A Day in the Life on the Farm

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Mini Apple Pear Pies from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine.
Strawberry Cake from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Chocolate Chip Walnut Coffee Cake from girlichef.
Raspberry Oatmeal Bars from My Catholic Kitchen.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Bob’s Red Mill, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, California Walnuts, Dixie Crystals, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic/True Juice, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Pacari Chocolate, Stonyfield Organic, Vidalia Onions, and Woot Froot for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. All opinions are my own.

#BrunchWeek: Pear Coffee Cake and Fruit & Cheese Salad

~ lk529 ~ 12 Comments

Welcome back to the third annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Terri of Love and Confections and Shaina of Take a Bite out of Boca.

woot frootI couldn’t celebrate a week of brunch without another variation of my very popular coffee cake and when Woot Froot was announced as a #BrunchWeek sponsor I knew I’d utilize the fruit they sent. Because peaches and nectarines (what they’re most famous for) aren’t in season until next month, we received sliced pears and destemmed grapes. I decided to use the pears in my coffee cake! After many bundt baking attempts at putting foods in cakes I tossed the chopped pears in flour (and cinnamon for good measure).

I have made this coffee cake so many times and have done so using either sour cream or yogurt – we’ve even used lemon Greek yogurt once in a pinch! I saw another opportunity to use a sponsored product – Stonyfield Organic yogurt! (I buy their YoBaby yogurts for the little man, and it’s definitely his favorite food.) I used whole milk vanilla yogurt in this coffee cake and it’s absolutely delicious, a great accompaniment to the pears!

I like to top my coffee cakes with a crumble that includes oats. Conveniently enough Bob’s Red Mill provided participating bloggers with a bag of old fashioned rolled oats!

cabotNot only am I sharing my coffee cake recipe today – I’m using Cabot Cheese White Oak Cheddar in a fruit salad! The way I figured it, people often eat fruit with their cheese plate so why not combine it in a sweet and savory dressing.

Pear Coffee Cake

Ingredients for topping:

  • 3/8 C flour
  • 1/3 C Dixie Crystals Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 1/2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 C rolled oats

Ingredients for cake:

  • 2 C + 1 tbsp flour, divided use
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1 C Dixie Crystals Granulated Sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 C whole milk vanilla yogurt
  • 1 C peeled and diced pears
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Steps:

  1. Make the topping: whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using your fingers, break the butter into small pieces and combine with the topping. After combined add the oats. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8″ square cake pan with foil and grease.
  3. Make the cake: In a large bowl whisk together 2 C flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. In a the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add in the vanilla.
  5. Incorporate a third of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once combined add 1/2 C of yogurt. Add another third of the dry ingredients. Once combined add the last 1/2 C of yogurt. Add in the final third of the dry ingredients.
  6. Toss pears in remaining flour and cinnamon.
  7. Assemble the cake: Place half of the cake batter in the prepared cake pan. Evenly distribute the pears and top with remaining batter. Top the cake with the topping from step 1.
  8. Bake for 65 minutes, or until a knife comes out cleanly.
  9. Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes and remove the cake from the pan by the foil. Serve your cake with fruit & cheese salad (recipe below)!

Fruit & Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

  • 3 C chopped pears
  • 2 C sliced red grapes
  • 1 Fuji apple, diced
  • 6 oz White Oak Cheddar Cheese, cubed
  • 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 C agave nectar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, toss together fruit and cheese.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, agave, and vanilla. Season to taste with salt.
  3. Dress fruit salad with the dressing and add in the basil. Keep cold.

*The dressing recipe is modified from Michael at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/fruit-salad-with-savoury-dressings/12917/*

Pear Coffee Cake and Fruit & Cheddar Salad for #BrunchWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more brunch recipes today:

BrunchWeek 2015 Logo
BrunchWeek Beverages:
Grape Mojito from The Spiffy Cookie.

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Caramelized Onion, Kale, Bacon and Cheddar Strata from Love and Confections.
Kale and Toasted Quinoa Egg White Scramble from Take A Bite Out Of Boca.
Breakfast Enchiladas from Cooking in Stilettos
Croque Madame Breakfast Casserole from Bread Booze Bacon.
Rainbow Chard and Cheddar Cheese Frittata from My Catholic Kitchen.

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Perfect French Toast from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine.
Oat Breakfast Cookies from Pink Cake Plate.
Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes with Spiced Pear Syrup from The Redhead Baker.
Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Muffins from Making Miracles.
Classic Buttermilk Pancakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.
Bacci Bread and Pear Pudding from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pear Coffee Cake and Fruit & Cheese Salad from Sew You Think You Can Cook.

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Waldorf Quinoa Chicken Salad from Cupcake & Kale Chips.

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Chilled Strawberry Soup from The Suburban Soapbox

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Orange Blossom Olive Oil Cake with Mango Citrus Glaze from Taste Cook Sip.
Walnut Meringue Banana Mess from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Bob’s Red Mill, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, California Walnuts, Dixie Crystals, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic/True Juice, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Pacari Chocolate, Stonyfield Organic, Vidalia Onions, and Woot Froot for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. All opinions are my own.

#BrunchWeek: Papas con Chorizo

~ lk529 ~ 6 Comments

Happy Cinco de Mayo everybody! And happy day two of the third annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Terri of Love and Confections and Shaina of Take a Bite out of Boca!

I’ve been meaning to venture into the breakfast world of Mexican cuisine, but always manage to forget about it. Until today! Thanks to Cinco de Mayo falling during this year’s #BrunchWeek I finally had my opportunity.

Today I bring you the simplest dish, perfect to accompany any brunch menu. Potatoes are always a perfect side at breakfast, so why not trade in those classic hash-browns for papas con chorizo! Potatoes, chorizo, and cheese. You can’t possibly go wrong! If you want to turn this dish into a main course you could add some scrambled eggs and serve breakfast burrito style.

breaking up chorizoLe Creuset is one of our #BrunchWeek sponsors and I receive their new Revolution Bi-Material Slotted Turner. Let me take a minute and tell you about this great product! The materials used in creating this spatula are of great quality and don’t scratch the surface of skillets and dishes. It’s a very sturdy product and can stand up to flipping a wide variety of foods and the angle of the handle makes using it very easy and comfortable; I not only used it for mixing and serving these potatoes but also flipped burgers without any trouble. The slotted turner could also withstand the pressure I put on it to break up the chorizo as it cooked in the skillet.

Papas con Chorizo

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb gold potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 3 links Mexican chorizo, casings removed
  • 1 C shredded Mexican blend cheese

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until almost fork tender.
  3. In a cast iron skillet (or oven-safe skillet), brown chorizo over medium-high heat, breaking up. Cook completely.
  4. Drain potatoes and add to the skillet with the chorizo. Toss, gently, to combine. Cover with cheese and put in the oven for 7-10 minutes until cheese is melted and potatoes are fully cooked.

*This recipe is adapted from David at http://leitesculinaria.com/85425/recipes-potatoes-mexican-chorizo.html*

Papas con Chorizo for #BrunchWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more brunch recipes today:

BrunchWeek 2015 Logo

BrunchWeek Beverages:
Oat-Chata from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Build Your Own Benedicts from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Ham, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Egg Muffin Cups from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Donut Holes with a Trio of Dipping Sauces from The Redhead Baker.
Trail Mix Granola from Making Miracles.
Bananas Foster Baked Oatmeal from The Suburban Soapbox.

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Vegetarian Breakfast Enchiladas from The Spiffy Cookie.

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Caramelized Onion and Sweet Potato Hash from Take A Bite Out Of Boca.
Asparagus and Heirloom Carrots Salad from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.
Roasted Grape & Bleu Cheese Bruschetta from Bread Booze Bacon.
Papas con Chorizo from Sew You Think You Can Cook.

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Whiskey Walnut Tart from Love and Confections.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Bob’s Red Mill, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, California Walnuts, Dixie Crystals, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic/True Juice, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Pacari Chocolate, Stonyfield Organic, Vidalia Onions, and Woot Froot for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. All opinions are my own.

#BrunchWeek: Vanilla Orange Scones

~ lk529 ~ 8 Comments

Welcome to the first day of the third annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Terri of Love and Confections and Shaina of Take a Bite out of Boca! To kick off the week I decided to try my hand at something that’s been on my culinary bucket list for quite some time – scones! For some reason I always had the impression that scones are difficult to make. No idea where I got that – not only was this an easy recipe, but it was quick, too! I was able to get my scones into the oven just as my little man was waking up from his short nap. (phew!)

Today’s recipe is adapted from my friend Tara’s blog, Tara’s Multicultural Table. Because we no longer live within 30 minute of each other (try 7.5 hours now) I have to make her pastries myself instead of being delivered delicious sweets.

Nielsen-MasseyHer recipe for Vanilla Orange Scones definitely called my name when Nielsen-Massey was announced as one of our #BrunchWeek sponsors. We were given a choice of extracts (almond, lemon, orange, chocolate, coffee, or peppermint; rose water or orange blossom water) in addition to their vanilla bean paste! My grandmother’s recipes utilize a lot of almond and lemon extracts, so I already had some in my pantry. I even had peppermint leftover from the holidays. I wasn’t sure how to use coffee or chocolate (although I’m greatly intrigued) but I knew I’d find plenty of uses for orange extract!

pacariTara made a beautiful vanilla bean glaze for her scones, but I saw an opportunity to use another product from a generous sponsor. Pacari sent a great selection of their chocolate products: dark chocolate covered golden berries, banana, and cacao nibs; cherry, passion fruit, and lemon verbena chocolate bars; and a sample of their raw 70% cacao. I used the latter to create a glaze that complimented these scones beautifully. I coated the tops of 5 of them, drizzled the chocolate over another 5, and the last two received a half-dip into the chocolate!

Vanilla Orange Scones

Ingredients for the scones:

  • 2 C flour
  • 1/3 C Dixie Crystals granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 C milk
  • 1 tsp orange extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Ingredients for the glaze:

  • 1/2 C 70% cacao chips
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp light corn syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Steps for the scones:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with a dough blade and pulse to combine. Add in the cubed butter and pulse until a crumb-like texture is achieved.  (Alternately you can do this by hand, with knives, or a dough cutter.)
  3. In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolk, milk, orange extract, and vanilla bean paste.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse until combined.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk 3/4″ thick. Cut the dough into 6 wedges, giving you a total of a dozen scones.
  6. Place scones on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow scones to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Allow scones to cool completely before glazing.

Steps for the glaze:

  1. Melt chocolate, butter, and corn syrup over a double boiler.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  3. Glaze cooled scones.

*The scone recipe is adapted from Tara at http://www.tarasmulticulturaltable.com/vanilla-orange-scones/ and the glaze is adapted from Ginger at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/satiny-chocolate-glaze/*

Vanilla Orange Scones for #BrunchWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more brunch recipes today:

BrunchWeek 2015 Logo
BrunchWeek Beverages:
Blueberry Sangria from Love and Confections
Spring-Infused Lemon Drop from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Bloody Margarita from The Suburban Soapbox

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard, Mushroom and Alpine Cheddar Croissant Strata from Taste Cook Sip.
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict from The Redhead Baker.
Fried Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms from Hip Foodie Mom.
Chimichurri Breakfast Sandwich from Healthy Delicious.
Asparagus, Brie and Smoked Salmon Omelet from girlichef.
Braised Leeks with Poached Eggs from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Savory Pancetta and Cheddar Waffles from The Little Ferraro Kitchen.
Avocado Toast Bar from Sarcastic Cooking.
Mocha Nut Granola from greens & chocolate.
Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants with Bourbon Sauce from {i love} my disorganized life.
Berry Cacao Nib Scone Cakes from The Spiffy Cookie
Spiced Pear Oatmeal from Making Miracles.
Overnight Cinnamon Bread French Toast from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.
Nutty Chocolatey Oatmeal Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Vanilla Orange Scones from Sew You Think You Can Cook.
Sour Cream and Dark Chocolate Oat Bread from Bread Booze Bacon.
Cherry Vanilla Almond Granola from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins from My Catholic Kitchen.
Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast with Spiced Pineapple Syrup from Cooking in Stilettos.
Maple Cinnamon Scones from Pink Cake Plate

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Breakfast Wraps from Big Bear’s Wife.
Brunch Charcuterie Cheese Board from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine.

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Whipped Yogurt and Ricotta with Figs and Honey from Take A Bite Out of Boca.
Gluten Free Swiss Chard and Mushroom Galette from It Bakes Me Happy.

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Mini Creamsicle Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze from It’s Yummi.
Lemon Bars from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Chocolate Walnut Macarons with Salted Caramel from Baking a Moment.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Bob’s Red Mill, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, California Walnuts, Dixie Crystals, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic/True Juice, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Pacari Chocolate, Stonyfield Organic, Vidalia Onions, and Woot Froot for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. All opinions are my own.

CIC: Cardamom and Parsnips

~ lk529 ~ 10 Comments

CIC-header

Happy Crazy Ingredient Challenge day! I wasn’t sure I was going to make it this month again. Strange things were happening behind the scenes in the Facebook world where the group votes on ingredients and we keep track of the events. If you’d like to join our fun monthly challenge contact Dawn from Spatulas on Parade at spatulasonparade[at]gmail[dot]com!

I was looking through my planner last week and realized I hadn’t written down the winning ingredients for April’s CIC event. Off to the Facebook page I went desperately searching for the answer. I found it. Parsnips and Cardamom.

I’d only ever had parsnips once before – roasted with carrots, potatoes, and a whole chicken – I recalled liking them. Cardamom was a spice I didn’t have in my collection. I’ve always thought I had it and then every single time realized it was coriander in my pantry instead and would always substitute with a combination of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Thanks to a Kroger gift card I got for Christmas, which I only use for fun ingredients which I’d normally find substitutes, I coughed up the $9 for a bottle of cardamom. And that was the sale price!

I wanted to do a play on carrot cake with today’s ingredients. I decided to go with oatmeal. I whipped together a very quick baked oatmeal recipe, added shredded parsnips, dried blueberries, and of course, cardamom. It can be served warm in a bowl with some milk or eaten as a flour-less oatmeal cookie bar!

Parsnip and Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C quick oats
  • 1/2 C dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 C shredded parsnips (peel the parsnips first)
  • 2 tbsp dried blueberries
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9″ cake pan.
  2. In a large bowl combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, parsnips, and blueberries.
  3. In another bowl whisk together egg and milk. Add in the cooled butter.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and press into the prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until set.
  5. Allow oatmeal to cool slightly before cutting into bars. Eat as is or warmed with milk.

*This recipe is adapted from Taste of Home at http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/baked-oatmeal*

Parsnip and Blueberry Baked Oatmeal | Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in this month’s Crazy Ingredient Challenge click on the link below.

#SundaySupper: Easter/Passover Leftovers

~ lk529 ~ 27 Comments

Happy Easter everybody! I hope today you are feeling blessed, surrounded by family and/or friends.

Today’s #SundaySupper is here to help you with the leftovers you’ll have after tonight’s holiday feast so scroll past my recipe to find many more uses for those leftovers. Thanks to Liz of of That Skinny Chick Can Bake for hosting such a great event.

Growing up we would always have a dish traditional to my mom’s family. We would have a dish called Swienconka (pronounced shven-shun-ka). Swienconka is Polish and translates to “blessed food.” My mom’s grandfather was a butcher and he would bring home the leftover meats for this dish – veal, smoked butt, two kinds of Polish sausage, and ham. These meats would be cooked and mixed with hard boiled eggs. The mixture would then marinate in vinegar and fresh and jarred horseradish. This cold meat salad is an acquired taste. My mom still makes it, although in much smaller quantities! I have never made the dish myself, one day I’ll keep on the tradition but it’s not a cheap concoction and my husband doesn’t really like horseradish, so for now it’s off the menu.

I don’t serve a traditional Easter ham either. I might be the only American who doesn’t like ham! I’ll give it another try one day. Instead I’ve always done a pork loin of some kind. Tonight, though, I’m going way off the grid and make shrimp with risotto!

My brother came up this weekend to spend time with his nephew and per his request we had breakfast for dinner last night – rolled pancakes! This morning before he hit the road we had cinnamon rolls.

IMG_4550And of course, I had to make my grandmother’s Easter pound cake. Mom finally found her lamb mold – after buying a new one – and gave it to me. So this year I went super traditional and made the cake in the shape of a lamb. It was definitely more nerve-wracking than doing it as a bundt!

Regardless of what you serve tonight, the leftover protein can be transformed into breakfast for the week! Breakfast burritos are a family favorite at Thanksgiving – my mother-in-law makes huge batches for everyone to serve themselves throughout the week. Tortillas wrapped around scrambled eggs, meat, and cheese. She adds salsa to hers but I didn’t have any so I put taco sauce in with the eggs. These were made with leftover chicken. You could even add whatever leftover veggies you have, too!

bfast burritos prep

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

  • eggs, 1 per burrito
  • taco sauce or hot sauce, optional
  • splash of milk
  • butter
  • leftover meat, cubed or shredded, ~1/8 C per burrito
  • shredded cheese, ~1/8 C per burrito
  • soft taco sized flour tortillas

Steps:

  1. Whisk eggs with taco sauce and milk. Season with S+P.
  2. Melt a little butter in a nonstick skillet. Pour eggs into skillet. With a spatula or wooden spoon gently move eggs around and cook until desired consistency is reached. Remove from eat and set aside.
  3. Prepare burritos: place eggs in center of tortilla, add chicken, and cheese. Fold sides in on the filling and roll up from the unrolled sides. (Get my “tutorial” on how to roll a perfect burrito here.)
  4. Wrap burritos in plastic wrap. They can then be frozen for easy grab and go breakfasts.
  5. To cook: remove plastic wrap, wrap burrito in a paper towel, and microwave 1:30-2:00.

bfast burritos | sew you think you can cook

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Desserts

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Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#WeekdaySupper: Green

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

When the theme for March’s Weekday Supper posts was declared “Green” I knew that I immediately had to sign up for a slot. I’ve been reading my fair share of Dr. Seuss books to my little man and the first thing that popped in my head was “Green Eggs and Ham.”

#WeekdaySupper is a great movement by the #SundaySupper crew. Easy weeknight meals that can be done in under 30 minutes, without crazy, hard-to-find ingredients. This initiative is one we can all get behind. It’s important to gather around the table during the week, too!

We have breakfast for dinner about twice a month. Usually that means waffles or pancakes but eggs are also a great breakfast-for-dinner option. And the healthier option too. The best part is that eggs are unbelievably quick and you can be serving this literary dinner to your family in under 20 minutes.

Try them. You might like them.

There are a variety of methods for making green eggs and I opted to go in a direction without the use of food coloring. Recall my attempt at Green Velvet Cake! If you search for “green eggs and ham” on the internet you’ll find ways to make green eggs, and dishes that combine the eggs and ham into one bite (a quiche, for example). I wanted to serve green eggs and green ham. While the book shows sunny side up green eggs I’m not sure that’s even quite possible so I did go the scrambled route. I followed Martha Stewart’s recipe which involved making a nut-free pesto. I used that pesto to dredge a slice of ham steak in panko. The result – green ham!

Green Eggs and Ham

Ingredients:

  • 2 C fresh spinach/arugula blend
  • 1 C fresh basil
  • 2 C fresh Italian parsley
  • 3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
  • eggs, 2 per person
  • ham steak, 3oz per person
  • 1 C panko
  • unsalted butter, for frying

Steps:

  1. In the bowl of a food processor combine spinach/arugula, basil, parsley, and Parmesan. Pulse until fine. Add the olive oil and pulse until combined. Season to taste with S+P.
  2. Brush some of the pesto on both sides of the ham steaks. Coat in panko.
  3. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ham steaks 3 minutes on each side, until crust is golden and steak is warmed through. Remove from skillet. Repeat as needed.
  4. Beat eggs. Mix in 1 tbsp pesto per two eggs, season with S+P.
  5. Wipe out skillet and add a little more butter. Pour eggs into skillet. With a spatula or wooden spoon gently move eggs around and cook until desired consistency is reached. Serve with green ham.

*The egg recipe is adapted from Martha at http://www.marthastewart.com/893674/green-eggs-and-ham*

Green Eggs and Ham | Sew You Think You Can Cook

 Check out these other great green recipes that were posted this week

Sunday Supper MovementMonday – Greek Shrimp and Spinach Pasta by Recipes Food and Cooking
Tuesday – Scallops with Wilted Spinach and Arugula by MealDiva
Wednesday – Rice and Beans with Guacamole by Feed Me, Seymour
Thursday – Barley Risotto with Garlicky Spinach by eating in instead

#SundaySupper: Spring Fling

~ lk529 ~ 55 Comments

Happy Spring everyone! Does it feel like spring where you are? I’m not fully convinced Ohio knows that the season’s have changed yet. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anymore snow on the ground, and it is warmer. But it’d be nice to see the sun. Friday, the first official day of spring, was very dreary – chilly, grey, and rainy. I’m pretty sure the grey and rainy is pretty standard up here though.

I am looking forward to the day when the sun is shining and it’s 70 degrees. I hope I don’t have to wait for summer for that! Now that my little man is a very successful sitter (and army crawler) I’m anxious to get him to the park and into a swing. There’s a park at the end of our neighborhood and I always head there on my walks, but I want my husband to be there for his son’s first time in a swing. So this beautiful spring day needs to happen on a weekend!

Today’s happy spring fling #SundaySupper is hosted by  DB (aka Foodie Stuntman) of Crazy Foodie Stunts and Valerie of Lifestyle Food Artistry.

When I think spring, I think Easter, tulips, pastel colors, eggs, and bunnies. I found this clever smoothie in my foodgawker favorites and decided to give it a shot. My layers weren’t as separate as hers were. But I used my own recipe for my smoothie flavors. My smoothies weren’t thick enough to give the effect I was looking for, but I went with it and it still yielded a pretty result. Phew!

My flavors were: blackberry & blueberry, pineapple & orange, and strawberry. I used whole milk vanilla yogurt and milk in each flavor, and added some vanilla protein powder to the pineapple & orange. I put too much milk in the smoothies – but I do prefer to drink my smoothies through a straw and the texture is perfect for that, just not perfect for staying separate layers. Here’s the ratio I used: 3/4 C frozen fruit, 1/4 C + 1 tbsp yogurt, 1/2 C milk. My amounts make 2 smoothies.

Here’s the how-to for an Easter Egg Smoothie:

Pick three (or more) different flavored smoothies. Use colors that will contrast.

Make each smoothie and keep in the freezer until ready to assemble.

Layer smoothies into a glass.

Enjoy!

Easter Egg Smoothie | Sew You Think You Can Cook

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Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Buttermilk Whole Wheat Waffles

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

I still remember the first time I baked with whole wheat flour. I don’t remember what I baked, maybe banana bread, but I remember that we absolutely hated it. The baked good in question was so dry and the grainy texture of the flour was not something we were expecting. But here I was with a 5lb bag of whole wheat flour and looking for ways to use it. I’d discovered a banana bread recipe that uses a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. It took a couple of years, but that whole wheat flour finally disappeared. And by the time the bag was depleated we didn’t hate it anymore!

I found myself going back for whole wheat flour when I made those whole wheat pitas for Secret Recipe Club in the beginning of the year. This time I grabbed a bag of white whole wheat. It wasn’t an intentional purchase, but from now on it’s my flour of choice. The texture of white whole wheat flour is finer and the taste more mild.

White wheat is an “albino” type of wheat, if you will. The traditional whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. The bran in white wheat is lighter in both color and flavor. (Source: Whole Grains Council)

When it comes to breakfast foods, my husband now requests pancakes or waffles made with whole wheat flour. Using whole wheat flour makes the baked good more substantial. And hey, it’s supposed to be healthier, too!

Buttermilk Whole Wheat Waffles

Ingredients:

  • 2 C white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 2 C buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slighly

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl whisk togther flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In another bowl whisk the egg yolks with buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter.
  3. Combine wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  4. In a dry bowl beat egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks. Genly fold egg whites into the waffle batter.
  5. Into a hot greased waffle iron drop 1/3 C of batter and cook until golden.

*This recipe is adapted from https://slipnotdesigns.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/buttermilk-whole-wheat-buttermilk-belgian-waffles/*

 Buttermilk Whole Wheat Waffles Sew You Think You Can Cook

Poppy Seed Muffins with Dried Cherries

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Last month I used dried cherries in my #FoodieExtravaganza post. I had some dried cherries leftover and conveniently found a recipe to use them in  Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen.

If you recall, my parents were in town the weekend I made the ice cream. (My dad was my inspiration for using dark chocolate!) I whipped up these muffins the night before my dad had to leave. He was catching a very early morning flight and had to leave at 4:30! I made these muffins so he could have something to eat in the car if he so desired.

I didn’t have a full cup of cherries leftover so I simply polished off the bag using what I had. The result was delicious poppy seed muffins with a few dried cherries here and there. You could substitute with your favorite tart dried fruit in this recipe if you wish – cranberries, blueberries, chopped apricots could work well too!

Oh, and I forgot to sprinkle the tops of the muffins with extra sugar so they didn’t quite have that expensive coffee shop look, but we didn’t seem to mind.

Poppy Seed Muffins with Dried Cherries

Ingredients:

  • 2 C flour
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 C milk
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • zest 1 orange
  • 1 C dried cherries

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a standard muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In another bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Stir in the poppy seeds and orange zest.
  4. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  5. Toss the dried cherries in a little bit of flour to coat. Gently fold into the muffin batter.
  6. Fill prepared muffin try 2/3 of the way full.
  7. Sprinkle with extra sugar (optional).
  8. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly.

*This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen*

Poppy Seed Muffins | Sew You Think You Can Cook

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