Show of hands...who else feels like there are not enough hours in the day? I know I'm not the only person. In fact, I'm sure there are people out there who think I have it easy. All I know is that I was never this busy when I had the 9-5 (er...7:30-3:30) desk job. But I also wasn't this happy, and that's what really counts. However, being busy equals boring photos because I don't have the time to pull in various props and pretty colors. So hopefully the food can speak for itself.

So today I took the afternoon off. It was 65 degrees and sunny today, and I sat out on my front porch and read a book. It was sublime. I didn't sit inside on the computer (although I had plenty of work to justify that). I sat outside and took a moment to smell the roses. Or the melting snow and the crocus. It was exactly what I needed. Refreshing.

Sidebar...did you guys know that there's a TV show on now that has both Charles in Charge and Hanging with Mr. Cooper? My head exploded when I saw this. I have no idea if it's any good because I spent time reliving Charles, Buddy, Mark Cooper, Vanessa, and my golden years. Back when I thought life was complicated and busy. Ha!

Oh...the muffins. They're incredible. They're juicy and full of blueberries. There's a crunchy topping of cinnamon sugar that somehow pulls everything together and makes it the perfect breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert. I feel like I say a lot that things are perfect, but at least you guys know that I enjoy eating the recipes that are posted on here.

Blueberry Muffins with a Crunchy Cinnamon Sugar Topping
Makes 15-16
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Note: If you’re making these at high altitude, simply adjust the baking powder to use the * amount.

For the muffins:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons (*1 3/4 teaspoons*) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

For the topping:
Heaping 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla, baking powder, and salt and mix on low until combined. Mix in half of the flour with the mixer on low, pour in the milk and let it mix, and then add in the rest of the flour. Once combined, stop the mixer and fold in the blueberries by hand. If you're using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them first.

Separate the batter into muffin liners, placing about 1/4 cup batter in each cup. Make the topping by mixing together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the muffins.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove from the pan to finish cooling.

Barely adapted from Taste of Home

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I never really thought I was a big fan of cinnamon rolls until I started making different varieties. And then I was hooked. I've done pumpkin cinnamon rolls, apple pie cinnamon rolls, and now these strawberry cinnamon rolls. These are perfect when you want something that's a little more light and refreshing. 

These are also pretty simple to make after you take care of the dough (which isn't hard to do). Just use a good quality jam for the filling and doctor it up a bit with some cinnamon. Sprinkle on some fresh strawberries, roll it up, slice and bake it, and viola! Perfect breakfast! I'll be adding these to my list of weekend breakfasts, that's for sure! 

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Makes 18 rolls
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For the dough: 
6 1/4 cups all purpose flour (794 g/28 ounces)
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups + 2 tablespoons lukewarm milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the filling: 
1 1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups sliced strawberries

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons milk

To make the dough, mix the yeast with the sugar and warm milk and let sit for about 5 minutes. Measure the flour into the bowl of your mixer, add in the yeast mixture and oil, and mix with the paddle until everything is incorporated. Add in the salt, switch to the dough hook, and mix on low speed until a smooth, tacky ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.   

When the dough is almost done rising, stir together the jam and cinnamon. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

To assemble the rolls, divide the dough in half. Roll it out on a floured surface into a long rectangle, about 15x25 inches or so. The dough will be thin. Spread half of the jam mixture onto each rectangle.  Sprinkle the strawberries on top. The berries won't cover the entire rectangle, but you want to make sure they're evenly spaced. Roll the dough up from the long side and then cut it into 2-inch pieces. Place the slices into greased cake pans, cut side down. Let sit for about 15 minutes to rise. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned on top and cooked through. 

After the rolls have finished baking, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is a pourable consistency. Pour over the cinnamon rolls and serve.  

Dough recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day

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I must confess that I am obsessed with this brown butter cinnamon rum sauce. Even though it's not actual rum...just rum extract. It's warm and homey and amazing, and I want to bathe in it. Or drink it. Or put it in everything...it started with a cake and then it led to these apple pie cinnamon rolls, and now I've put it in and on my pancakes. And I don't regret it one iota.

I took my regular pancake recipe and then while they were cooking, I drizzled this sauce on top of the uncooked side. The sauce is a little thick, which is perfect when you drizzle it onto the pancake batter. If you want to drizzle it over your pancakes before you shovel them into your mouth, you could add a little water to it if you want it to be runnier. It's amazingly perfect either way and the best way to start a weekend morning. 

Brown Butter Cinnamon Rum Pancakes Recipe
Makes about 12 pancakes
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For the pancakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled

For the brown butter sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Make the pancake batter first. In a large bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk in the egg, milk, and cooled melted butter until just combined. Set it aside and make the sauce.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Stir and watch as it gets foamy and then starts to turn brown. When it turns into a dark honey color and smells nutty, quickly stir in the sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually add the water. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the extracts and cinnamon.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Drop 1/4 cups of the batter on the griddle. Drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce on top of the pancakes. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles appear on the top of the pancakes and the underside is golden brown. Flip the pancakes and let them cook for 1-2 minutes longer until golden brown.

Serve immediately with the rest of the sauce or let them rest on a wire rack so they remain crisp.

If the sauce is too thick to use as a syrup, whisk in up to 1/4 cup more water to thin it.

Sauce adapted from Taste of Home Fall Baking Cookbook

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My husband absolutely loves breakfast sandwiches. So every now and then when I'm feeling like a nice wife, I'll buy the frozen ones for him (which he absolutely loves). You know the ones that come four to a large box and cost approximately 84 dollars? That *might* be a slight exaggeration, but those suckers are expensive!

I knew that I could make them taste just as good and be a lot more cost efficient. Not to mention saving all that packaging waste. And guess what, they're easy. You certainly don't have to make four of them, but I made them on a Monday, stuck them in sandwich bags, and placed them in the freezer. The night before my husband wanted one, I placed it in the fridge. He took it to work the next morning and heated it up for 55 seconds in the microwave. Guess what, they tasted better than the prepackaged ones. I used American cheese, but I'm thinking cheddar would be great or even pepper jack to give it a little kick! There's so many different ways to play around with this recipe.

Homemade Breakfast Sandwiches
Makes 4
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4 English muffins
4 eggs
8 ounces breakfast sausage
4 slices cheese (I used American but cheddar or pepper jack would be great, too)

Cut the sausage into 1/2 inch slices and press down into wider patties. Cook for about 10-15 minutes on medium heat, flipping halfway through, until cooked through. Remove to a paper towel to drain. If you want your muffins toasted, toast them.

Crack one egg into a small bowl and scramble together with some salt and pepper. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour the mixed egg into the skillet and cook for one minute without stirring. Flip it over and cook for another 30 seconds. Fold the egg into quarters and place on the English muffin. Place the sausage patty on top and add a slice of cheese. Top with the other half of the English muffin. Serve.

To eat later, reheat in the microwave for 45-60 seconds or in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes until warm and the cheese has melted. If you want to freeze them, place them in separate bags in the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight before warming.

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The first time I was fortunate enough to try palmiers was when I took a pastry class. Oh. my. goodness. Hello buttery flaky pastry with cinnamon sugar. I love all things cinnamon sugar. A lot. And then you mix that with oodles of butter? I am so in. Big time.

My apologies to those of you who are on diets. Save this for when you are off of it. Please.

When I made these in my pastry class, we used homemade puff pastry. While I love the homemade kind, it takes some time to make it. Eventually I'll get to that and share it on here because it's not hard, just a touch time consuming.

Funny thing is that when I watch cooking shows, they pull out the store-bough puff pastry sheets, so it can't be that bad (although the homemade definitely tastes better).

Anyway, this recipe is just three ingredients. That's it. These French beauties will have you swooning. They're fancy enough for the best dinner party or brunch but they're perfect for a football game or a lazy Sunday in your PJs. So go, buy some puff pastry. You will thank me.

Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers Recipe
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1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle about half of it on a clean counter. Unfold the puff pastry sheet on top of it. Sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top of the pastry sheet and rub it in. Flip it over and make sure that the cinnamon sugar is rubbed into the whole pastry. Sprinkle any additional cinnamon sugar on the top.

Roll the left and right sides (long sides) in toward the middle, jelly roll style, until they meet (should look like the picture above but unbaked). Slice the rolled pastry into 1/2 inch slices and lay flat on the pan, leaving about 2 inches between the pieces.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are browned and middles are cooked. Let cool slightly before serving.

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Is anyone else semi obsessed with Friends? I LOVED watching it when I was younger...I even thought of creating a trivia game for it.

Q: Where did Chandler say he was moving to in order to get away from Janice?
A: Yemen

Q: When Ross got a new couch and it got stuck in the stairwell, what did he repeatedly yell?
A: Pivot! (Please tell me you yelled that in a Ross voice when you read it!)

Q: How was Chandler's name printed on magazines that were mailed to his apartment?
A: Chanandler Bong

I think that last one was on one of their own trivia games, but it's a classic. I'm pretty sure I've seen every episode at least twice, and I've started watching the reruns again. On Nick at Nite. Which depresses me. How am I old enough to have my favorite shows (which I watched in high school/college) to be playing on Nick at Nite?? Last week they showed the episode where they all turn 30, and let me tell you from someone who is turning 30 this year, they are older than 30...or I think I look younger than that. Or will I always think they look older than me? Even when I'm 50? I guess we'll see. But I'm right there with Joey...why God why?! This girl is not looking forward to turning 30 this year. At all.

Anyway....maybe egg white omelets will keep me looking younger? I dunno. I do think that these are great if you're on a diet right now...and they're great if you're not, too. You really can put anything into it that you want. Mine has cheddar cheese, mushrooms, and spinach--one of my favorite combos. I realize cheddar cheese isn't exactly on most diets, but you can use low fat, just a tiny bit, or none.

I really have no way to relate an omelet to Friends, but that's where my brain is at tonight. My apologies.

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Since I'm going to be making thousands of cookies and dozens of pounds of fudge in the next couple of weeks, I figured I should find a somewhat healthier breakfast. Something that is very tasty and fills me up so that I don't want to eat those cookies and fudge.

One of our favorite breakfast places serves whole wheat pancakes. I didn't think that I would like them, but they are incredible. They're light and fluffy and they have great flavor. In fact, they're slightly sweeter than regular pancakes. It's been awhile since we've eaten there, so I can't say if these are like the ones they serve, but I was wowed by this recipe. In fact, I ate one pancake plain while I was cooking the rest of them. Obviously I have a small self control problem. I adapted these from my other favorite pancake recipe and replaced most of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour (my favorite whole wheat flour is from King Arthur because it's finely ground).

I think that from now on, I'll make these whole wheat pancakes instead of the regular ones, simply because they're just as good and a bit healthier. With all the baking I do, I need all the help I can get.

Whole Wheat Pancakes Recipe
Makes about 12 pancakes
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1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk in the egg, milk, and cooled melted butter until just combined. 

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Drop 1/4 cups of the batter on the griddle and let cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles appear on the top of the pancakes and the underside is golden brown. Flip the pancakes and let them cook for 1-2 minutes longer until golden brown.

Serve immediately or let them rest on a wire rack so they remain crisp. You can freeze the leftovers if you have any.

Adapted from my perfect pancake recipe

I have a confession to make...I've never had granola. The thing is, I don't like yogurt. At all. And since most people (I think) put their granola on top of yogurt, it's not something I've ever really been interested in. Until, that is, I saw it on this website. I love pumpkin, and I love pumpkin/fall spices. So you pair that with some oatmeal and other mix-ins and then bake it, I can get behind that.

When I read the recipe, it looked like a lot of sugar to me. While I like sugar, if I'm really going to be eating my calories at breakfast, I want a croissant or a cinnamon roll. Granola is supposed to be healthy, right? So I cut down the sugar. This (obviously) makes it less sweet, but I think it's great. I went light on the mix-ins and only added in larger amounts of raisins, pumpkin seeds, and pecans. Most people are more adventurous than me, so I'm going to include the recipe for all the mix-ins below. Feel free to add/subtract whatever you want. You can definitely make this recipe what you want. And certainly serve it over a container of yogurt, or if you're like me, in a bowl of milk.

Pumpkin Granola Recipe
Makes 4-5 cups
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3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the oats and other mix-ins and stir until everything is coated and combined.

Spread onto the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 20 minutes. Stir and then bake for another 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely; it will harden/crisp as it cools. Store in an airtight container or bag.
 
Source: Barely adapted from A Bitchin' Kitchen who adapted it from Pastry Affair

I love pumpkin, but I never really started using it for more than pumpkin pie until a few years ago. In fact, I never really knew the amazing-ness that is pumpkin bread until I went to a work meeting in Chicago about five years ago in the month of October. There was a Starbucks in the hotel, and I needed some breakfast. I had never really gone to Starbucks before because I am not a lover of coffee, so I checked out their pastry case and chose a piece of pumpkin bread. And then I fell in love. In a big way. When I got home from my meeting, I researched recipes for pumpkin spice bread and haven't turned back since. Let's face it, I cannot pay $4 for a piece of the bread. So now I can get my fix whenever I want it.

Another beauty of this recipe is that it's a one bowl, mix by hand recipe. It's so easy...maybe a little too easy.

This is a recipe that I do not adjust for high altitude. It works great as is. This recipe makes two loaves so you can make two and eat both or freeze one (they do freeze well), or you could make a loaf and muffins or cupcakes. I'll show you the cupcake variation next week. Because really, what could go wrong when you add some frosting?

Pumpkin Spice Bread and Muffins Recipe
Makes two loaves or 36 muffins or a combination
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2 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
15 ounce can of pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the first nine ingredients. Form a well in the dry ingredients, and add the eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk, applesauce, and oil into the middle. Mix those ingredients together, and then stir everything together until just incorporated. If you're making loaves of bread, divide the batter between two greased 9-inch loaf pans. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

If you're making muffins, line 36 muffin tins with liners. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into the liners or until they're about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before eating.
 
Source: Taste of Home 

Hello best breakfast ever. I was trying to think of creative ways to use apples, and I came up with apple pie plus cinnamon roll. And then I wanted to use the sauce that I fell in love with because, well, because I want to put that sauce on everything. Even my mashed potatoes...well, maybe I wouldn't go that far. Maybe. So, you have apple pie cinnamon rolls with a brown butter cinnamon rum glaze. And I should stop talking there because if that hasn't convinced you, I don't know what will. Seriously people. You need these in your life.

I'm not going to lie, they do take a little bit of time to make. But, you can split things up. You could make the bread dough, the apples, and the glaze on one day and then you could assemble and bake the second day. If I wanted to devour these on a Sunday morning, I would make the bread dough on Saturday and stick it in the fridge to rise. On Saturday, I also would make the apples and then place them in the fridge to cool and stay put until I needed them. You could make the glaze on Saturday or while the rolls are baking on Sunday. So, there is some work, but it's manageable and soo worth the effort!

Because really, aren't you worth the work of apple pie + cinnamon rolls + brown butter + cinnamon rum? I think everyone is. By the way, if you don't drink or you have kids, it's not really rum. It's rum extract. It lends a warmth to the glaze without the buzz. So please, go make these. Like now.

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Makes about 24 cinnamon rolls
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For the dough:
6 1/4 cups all purpose flour (794 g/28 ounces)
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups + 2 tablespoons lukewarm milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the apple filling:
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the brown butter glaze:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

To make the dough, mix the yeast with the sugar and warm milk and let sit for about 5 minutes. Measure the flour into the bowl of your mixer, add in the yeast mixture and oil, and mix with the paddle until everything is incorporated. Add in the salt, switch to the dough hook, and mix on low speed until a smooth, tacky ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.   

When the dough is almost done rising, make the filling. In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Add in the sliced apples and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble the rolls, divide the dough in half. Roll it out on a floured surface into a long rectangle, about 15x25 inches or so. The dough will be thin. Spread half of the apple filling onto each rectangle. The apples won't cover the entire rectangle, but you want to make sure they're evenly spaced and that the juice covers the rectangle. Roll the dough up from the long side and then cut it into 2-inch pieces. Place the slices into greased cake pans, cut side down. Let sit for about 15 minutes to rise. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned on top and cooked through.

To make the glaze, in a medium saucepan melt the butter. Stir and watch as it gets foamy and then starts to turn brown. When it turns into a dark honey color and smells nutty, quickly stir in the sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually add the water. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the extracts and cinnamon. Pour on top of the warm cinnamon rolls.

Dough recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day
Glaze recipe adapted from Taste of Home Fall Baking Cookbook