Another school year is about to end, and celebrations abound. There are end-of-year lunches and brunches to celebrate the year’s achievements, big or small. Ushering in the welcome summer and contemplating what lies ahead.
Any festivity that involves brunch is a happy thing. I love brunch food. If it isn’t something sweet, then it’s got to be something deliciously savory… and cheesy. One of my favorites is this Cheesy Ham ‘n Hash Brown Casserole. But I made that for our last brunch event, so I did a different cheesy bake for this round.
This Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole is uber cheesy. Three kinds of cheese, eggs, potatoes, and browned sausage for excess yum factor. It is wonderfully easy to whip up the night before. Let it sit in the fridge overnight, and it bakes up into a crowd-pleasing dish the next day. We love make-ahead dishes around here. It helps hectic mornings run a little smoother.
This Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole is smooth, robust with flavor, and an instant hit with both little people and grown-ups. I made an extra dish of this for the boys, who requested it again for dinner. I indulged them. It is, after all, the end of their school year.
Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and onion, stirring often and breaking up the bulk sausage into small pieces. Cook until sausage is browned throughout. Drain and set aside.
In a very large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add cooked sausage mixture. Stir to combine well. Pour entire mixture into prepared baking dish. Can tightly cover and refrigerate overnight, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven 50-60 minutes or until eggs are set and cheese is melted. If casserole sat in fridge all night, it may need to bake a bit longer. Watch and cover with foil if the top starts browning too much in the oven. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
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There’s quite possibly nothing more classic than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s the sandwich each of my boys packed into their very first school lunch boxes. Peanut butter is one of the few things I would eat as a picky kid. It’s the thing I eat still eat by the spoonful today.
Peanut butter is my superfood. Everyone knows it’s a lunch favorite. Most of us know it makes to-die-for desserts. As in ooey gooey peanut butter brownie cups. And now, peanut butter has become one of my breakfast addictions.
These peanut butter and jelly muffins are a major breakfast treat. Loaded with protein and real fruit preserves, they pack a nutritional punch to start your day with.
These peanut butter and jelly muffins are remarkably hearty and delish. It’s a super satisfying breakfast on the go, as Hubby will attest to. These are not dainty; rather, they are dense and moist. Just the way you’d expect peanut butter muffins to be. The fruit preserves are wonderfully sweet and flavorful in the muffins. I use real preserves rather than jelly, but jelly sounds better for a title.
If you love big peanutty flavor, you’ll enjoy this one. Happy baking!
Set oven to 350F and line muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the peanut butter and cold butter, using a pastry cutter, until entire mixture becomes well incorporated. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Stir egg/milk mixture into the flour mixture just until evenly moistened. Fill lined muffin cups halfway. Drop in about a tablespoon of fruit preserves/jelly over each muffin cup. Fill rest of muffin cups to the top with the rest of the batter, smoothing the tops evenly.
Bake for about 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few tender crumbs attached. Cool muffins completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar upon serving, if desired.
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One peek into our pantry reveals our family’s obsession with granola bars. Fruit-filled granola bars, nutty granola bars, and the kids’ favorite… chewy chocolate chip granola bars. But because I’m uber picky about the ingredients that go into the granola bars I buy, it gets pricey keeping a replete supply on hand.
Whenever I can, I love making our own granola bars. We’ve done all kinds of granola bars, but my kids’ ultimate fave are these chewy chocolate chip granola bars. Like the store variety, they are chewy and sweet, but infinitely better because you made them yourself. You know exactly what went into them. No ingredients you can’t pronounce. Only the good stuff goes into these yummy granola bars.
Sweetened with brown sugar and honey, chock full of oats, and tossed with mini chocolate chips. Exactly eight ingredients went into these addictive granola bars. They store well for days, if kept in an airtight container.
Get ready for a quick and satisfying breakfast or snack. You just might need to double the recipe.
Enjoy!
Butter an 8×8 baking pan and set aside. In large bowl, combine oats and cereal only. In a saucepan, melt brown sugar, honey, and butter over medium heat, stirring, until it reaches a low boil. Immediately reduce to simmer, and stir another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cinnamon and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Allow granola to fully cool before cutting. Store in airtight container.
Note: If your granola bars break apart, it may help to chill the bars prior to cutting.
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If you like lemons and lemony creations, you will love this one. We are overt lemon enthusiasts around here. My all-time favorite lemony dessert are these best-ever, most lemony lemon bars. I could eat the entire pan. One of my favorite savory lemon dishes is a fabulous lemony pesto.
Now, let’s talk breakfast. Introducing my new favorite citrus breakfast piece. Hello, Lemon Monkey Bread.
If you take a peek around our blog, you’ll find that we adore great breakfast/brunch concoctions. Savory or sweet, gotta be simple, and must be deemed unquestionably delish! This lemon monkey bread fits the bill.
I really, really like that this lemon monkey bread doesn’t rely on pudding mixes or food coloring. The lemony glaze is the star of this monkey bread, plus plenty of fresh lemon juice and zest.
The result is an unbelievably light and airy texture with a refreshingly lemony taste. The slightly crunchy topping offsets the tender bite underneath, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Because I’m the polar opposite of a morning-person, I made this lemon monkey bread the night before, minus the drizzle. I let it cool, wrapped it up, and waited until morning to drizzle ‘n devour. An absolute keeper.
Enjoy!
Thaw frozen dinner rolls just until no longer frozen but still cold (not yet risen). Butter a 9×13 baking pan or two round cake pans. Cut rolls in half and arrange in pan cut-side down, 1/2 inch apart. Drizzle with melted butter, evenly over rolls.
Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle.
Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm rolls. Serve while still warm.
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Yogurt-Banana-Chocolate-Bread. That’s quite a mouthful. There’s no other way to describe this wholesome, rich, moist, thick bread! This is a densely satisfying bread for breakfast, brunch, and snack. It’s got everything I love in it, and more.
We just returned from our regular trip back to So. Cal., where we’re from. It can be challenging to travel with kiddos, but the memory-making is important to us since our entire extended family is in CA. Nobody wanted to relocate to the Arctic with us.
It wouldn’t have been a real trip without the usual visits to our favorite Cali eateries, being the silly foodies that we are. Actually, any trip we take tends to revolve around food somehow. Yet no amount of In ‘n Out can rival my mom and dad’s home cooking. And they cooked up a storm.
I’m not sure what all that has to do with this Yogurt Banana Chocolate Bread, except that it’s obvious my parents’ love of cooking was passed down to me. Hopefully, I’m passing it on with all the cooking/baking I do with my own family now.
Back to the banana bread. This sweetie’s loaded with super ripe bananas, protein-rich yogurt, flax, and a healthy dose of chocolate. So rich, dense, moist, and just the right amount of sweetness! I’d say this bread lasted about one day in our house. We never have leftovers with this bread, but I’m guessing it would freeze beautifully.
Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.
In large bowl of stand mixer, mix the softened butter and sugar until fluffy and light, several minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to incorporate.
In separate bowl, combine flour, flax, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add butter/egg mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring by hand until fully incorporated. Gently fold in the yogurt and mashed bananas with rubber spatula just until combined. Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips, just until combined.
Spread batter evenly into greased loaf pan. Bake about 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with tender crumbs attached (not totally clean.) Cool loaf in pan 15 minutes and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before slicing.
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Though my beloved family would agree that we enjoy our share of indulgent-worthy foods, we absolutely include lots of good-for-you stuff. You know… just to even things out a bit. Because we all adore oatmeal, we have a stash of various types of oatmeal. My favorite is Steel Cut. They are whole grain and minimally processed, so they’re more nutritious than other types of oatmeal. They are also super delish!
Ever make just a bit too much oatmeal? I do that almost every time. Oatmeal leftovers are…well, they aren’t exactly the same the next day. No worries, because Steel Cut Oatmeal Muffins are here!
These are fantastic. Steel Cut Oatmeal Muffins are tender, moist, and overflowing with good things! You’ll feel great about these muffins first thing in the morning. These are lightly sweet, chock full of blueberries, infused with warm cinnamon, and the best way to use up leftover oatmeal!
You might never go back to the old stand by, once you’ve had Steel Cut oats. Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350F, positioning rack to middle or lower middle. Oil or line 12 muffin cups.
Sift together the wheat flour, all purpose flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In separate bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until well incorporated. Add buttermilk, olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix well. Mix in cooked oatmeal until incorporated. Quickly fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Just gently fold from bottom up, until flour is no longer visible. Do not overmix. Some small lumps are okay. Lastly, very gently fold in the blueberries.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling all the way to the top, as full as possible. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out almost clean, with a few tender crumbs still attached. Remove from oven and cool at least 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Finish cooling on a rack.
Note: These can keep a couple of days in airtight container at room temp. They can also be frozen in airtight container for up to a month or two.
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Last weekend, Hubby and I took the boys out for a morning surprise. This year, we have been all about surprising the kids with out-of-the-blue outings. They love the unexpected discovery of a Minivan Express ticket (idea via Pinterest, my current addiction), signaling that they have 10 minutes to don their coats, shoes, and dash into our minivan for an unheralded adventure.
Hey, if I have to drive a minivan, I’m gonna make it fun.
Our most recent adventure included a stopover with Santa and his elves. Then, we headed out to brunch. One of my sweet boys, knowing me so well, scanned the menu for Eggs Benedict – my all-time favorite breakfast dish.
Eggs Benedict is awesome for breakfast/brunch at a restaurant, but not exactly the quickest thing to whip up at home. Not for me, at least, because I am not a morning person. SO not. Which is why I jumped with excitement when I found this Eggs Benedict Casserole that can be assembled the night before and baked when you need it!
This Eggs Benedict casserole is full of savory goodness. Tasty and delish! It won’t be exactly like classic Eggs Benedict, of course, because the eggs here are fully cooked. This is more like an egg bake that includes the players of Eggs Benedict: Canadian bacon, English muffins, eggs, and homemade Hollandaise sauce. I haven’t tried packet sauces, but I’m sure that would work in a pinch also.
Enjoy your mornings!
Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Place half of the Canadian bacon in bottom of dish. Top with English muffins. Follow with remaining Canadian bacon. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion powder, kosher salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Pour evenly over top of casserole. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Remove casserole from fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking and preheat oven to 375F. Sprinkle casserole evenly with paprika. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes on lower middle rack. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until the center is done. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.
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Know anyone who is looking for ways to use up that holiday ham? Our family is pretty good about eating leftovers, but after a couple of days, we’re ready to transform it into something that feels new.
This Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole is easy to throw together the night before and bake up the next morning. If you need something easy and super tasty for brunch on New Year or an upcoming weekend, here it is. It’s the perfect fuss-free, wake-up-late breakfast cure. Totally my style. Did I mention this is a fabulous way to use up leftover ham?
This yummy dish is chock full of cheese, ham, frozen hash brown, and whatever add-ins your palate desires. We like a bit of red bell pepper for texture and color, and of course sprinkled with crumbled bacon on top – because a bit of bacon makes everything better. Even the kiddos inhale this cheesy casserole.
Here’s to a carefree, delicious weekend morning. Enjoy the rest of the holidays!
In very large bowl, combine: frozen hash browns, ham, bell pepper, cream of potato soup, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Gently mix until thoroughly incorporated. Spread evenly into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon. If not baking yet, wrap tightly and place in fridge until ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 375F. Bake 45 min to 1 hour on middle rack, until bubbly and golden on top. Serve immediately, while hot. Enjoy!
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Technically, I suppose “French” toast isn’t Texan. But this scrumptious French Toast Bake is big and hearty, and the saying goes that everything is bigger in Texas.
What makes this French Toast Bake superb is the use of Texas Toast, in place of regular sliced bread. If you aren’t familiar with Texas Toast, it is typically found in the sliced bread aisle of grocery stores, and the thing about it is… well, it’s Texas-sized. It looks like white bread, sliced extra thick and made extra dense.
I usually buy whole-grain bread, so it’s something special for me to reach for the enriched stuff. Though whole-grain sandwich bread has come a long way in texture and flavor, the white slices brought me back to my childhood. Back when wheat bread tasted like cardboard and my mom kindly bought us white loaves. It’s a special occasion to bite into these Texas soft slices. It’s hard not to cheat and eat the bread straight out of the bag. Just remember that you’ll need to use almost the entire loaf for the French Toast Bake, so try. Just try.
This is one of the most ideal, no-fuss offerings for brunch on Christmas, New Years, or any weekend morning. It’s simple to assemble the night before. Wake up late the next morning, pop it in the oven, and give your family a carefree smile. My family loves anything French Toast-ish, and they flipped for this one. Devoured the whole pan the same day. I’m talking no leftovers, not even a few crumbs.
This Texas French Toast Bake is something that will easily go on your family’s list of favorites. The thick, dense slices of Texas Toast soak up the custard perfectly. The brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon meld together like magic. It’s just the right amount of sweetness. You can serve with pure maple syrup, but you might not need it.
Oh, this is important – be sure to scrape out all the gooey yummy goodness you’ll find on the bottom of pan. Enjoy!
Put butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Add 1 cup brown sugar and stir until well incorporated Pour into bottom of a greased 9×13 pan, spreading mixture evenly.
Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla until incorporated. Set aside.
Lay a single layer of Texas Toast in pan, cutting pieces to fit if needed. Spoon 1 cup of egg mixture over bread. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Repeat with second layer, ending with a sprinkling of brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Cover tightly and chill overnight in fridge.
Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, covered for the first 30 minutes, and uncovered after that. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired, serve with pure maple syrup.
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The holiday season seems to bring out the breakfast in people. The holidays grant us special mornings when the family can sit down for breakfast together in a more leisurely manner, rather than the usual rush-off after scarfing down a bowl of cereal.
A hot breakfast or brunch is actually my kids’ favorite meal year-round, but we don’t always have time for it. We try really hard to have hot breakfast as a family at least on the weekends. This is why I am often scouting for easy but delicious ideas for that first meal of the day. These Pull Apart Sticky Buns are just that… so easy and delish.
I love these phenomenal cinnamon rolls, which are the best ones we’ve had and totally unparalleled, at least in our book. If you taste those, you’ll be entering the hooked category.
But sometimes we just need something in a pinch. These Easy Pull Apart Sticky Buns are one of the quickest solutions towards enjoying a tasty breakfast treat. It’s perfect for holidays like Christmas morning, when the kids and family are calling for your attention away from the kitchen. It’s equally great for any day of the year, when you just want a quick morning treat that is assembled in minutes.
All you need is a couple tubes of buttermilk biscuits, and you’re good to go. I like to use the natural (no artificial stuff) biscuits for mine. Your favorite brand will do. I use pecans in mine, but if you have nut allergies, just go without nuts. This literally takes minutes to assemble. We all love recipes that are super easy to pull off, yet wonderfully impressive. Nobody has to know you didn’t slave for hours over these fabulous sticky buns.
Yummy, yum, yum. Said my beloved peeps. This one’s a keeper for sure.
Now you have an excuse to sit down and enjoy a morning treat. With minimal effort and lots of “mmm’s” coming your way!
Preheat oven to 375. Generously grease a nonstick bundt pan. Whisk together the melted butter and maple syrup in a bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts until incorporated.
Pour half of the syrup mixture into bottom of greased bundt pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top. Gently lay one biscuit at a time into the pan, overlapping them (like tilted dominoes.) Use enough biscuits to form a ring of overlapping biscuits (I used 1 1/2 tubes.) Top with rest of the syrup and brown sugar mixtures.
Bake on medium-lower rack for 20-22 minutes, or just until golden brown. Cool a few minutes in pan. Invert carefully onto serving plate, and serve immediately while still warm.
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