Cinnamon Lovers . . . Fall in Love with Cinnamon Bundt Coffee Cake

Is it as good as it looks?  Yes, it sure is!  This is yet another recipe that you can use Vietnamese Cinnamon in.  When I purchased my Vietnamese Cinnamon at Amazon and it came in a 1 lb bag I thought I’ll never use up all this cinnamon.  Amazingly enough I am using it up and it is so, so good.  This cake is fantastic in the morning with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, or for that matter, any time of the day.  Bake and ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

Coffee Cake: 3/4 cup butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups white sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sour cream 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
2.	Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Mix in vanilla.
3.	Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Pour flour mixture into batter alternately with the sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in walnuts, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
4.	Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar with the cinnamon.
5.	Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the batter in the pan. Drop remaining cake batter in heaping spoonfuls over filling, covering it as best you can.
6.	Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.Source: Allrecipes.com

 

 

 

Breakfast Muffin Cups with Sausage, Egg and Cheese

My friend was coming over for breakfast this past weekend and I was thinking I wanted something a little different from the regular “breakfast casseroles” or just scrambled eggs.  I found these little cuties on the Johnsonville Sausage website.  I altered the recipe slightly and used fresh potatoes in place of frozen hash browns.  I shredded 3 potatoes in my food processor and soaked them in water to remove some of the starch and then spun the potatoes dry in my salad spinner.  I also used “Bob Evans Breakfast Links” in place of the Johnsonville sausage links because my store didn’t carry them (sorry Johnsonville).  I made these in jumbo cupcake tins.  I found that I had to brown the potatoes (hash browns) in the oven longer than the recipe said – keep an eye on them and take them out when they are light golden.  They were a hit!  

Next time I’ll try it with bacon – this recipe is so flexible with ingredients … get creative and create your favorite Muffin Cup!  Easy and delicious.  Enjoy!

Amazing Muffin Cups

WHAT YOU NEED

• 3 cups Ore-Ida® Country Style Hash Browns, thawed or use fresh potatoes, shredded
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/8 teaspoonsalt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 12 links JOHNSONVILLE® Original Breakfast Sausage
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups Shredded 4-Cheese Mexican blend cheese
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• fresh chives or green onions, chopped

PREPARATION

• In a bowl, combine the hash browns, butter, salt and pepper.
• Press mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of greased muffin cups.
• Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, cook sausage according to package directions; cut into ½-inch pieces.
• Divide sausage among muffin cups.
• Combine the eggs, cheese and bell pepper. Spoon over sausage. Sprinkle with     chives.
• Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until set and an internal temperature of 165˚F is reached or until nicely browned on top.

For the Love of Cinnamon … Cinnamon Rolls and a Culinary Secret You Don’t Want to Miss!

Are you ready for a secret that is life altering?  Quite possible it is not as big a secret as I think; but if you haven’t tried Vietnamese Cinnamon I urge you to try it immediately.  Your life with cinnamon will never be the same.  Once you taste Vietnamese Cinnamon you will never ever ever buy regular cinnamon again!  Some have compared it to the difference between drinking week old coffee and a fresh cup of Starbucks coffee.  All I can say is the taste of Vietnamese Cinnamon is truly outstanding and out of this world!  It sure rocked my world!  It is touted as the best in the world and I certainly agree.  I couldn’t find any at my local stores here in Ohio so I ordered it from Amazon.

These cinnamon rolls are over the top ridiculously good!  They are everything a cinnamon roll should be and topped with cream cheese frosting … WOW!  This is one recipe you don’t want to miss!  ENJOY!

There are a lot of recipes out there for cinnamon rolls and I found this one at http://picky-palate.com.  Take a look she has excellent step by step pictures.

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls…according to Picky Palate (and me!)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water 115 degrees F.
• 8 tablespoons (1 Stick) unsalted melted butter
• 3/4 cup warmed whole milk or heavy cream 115 degrees F.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups Gold Medal all purpose flour plus more for dusting counters
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cinnamon/Sugar Layer
• 8 tablespoons (1 Stick) unsalted softened butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground Vietnamese Cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (for buttering pan)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (for sprinkling over buttered pan)
• Frosting
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar

1. Place yeast and sugar into stand mixer then add warm water and gently stir. Let sit until yeast has doubled, about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter and warm milk. Add butter and milk mixture to yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment on low speed then add sugar and egg mixing until combined. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add 2 cups of flour mixture to the mixer at a time scraping sides of bowl, continuing to add remaining flour until the dough starts to clean sides of mixing bowl. Knead dough on low speed for 7 minutes. Place dough onto a floured counter and knead dough until it does not stick to your hands. Place dough into a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a barely warm oven for 45-60 minutes, until dough doubles in size.

2. Remove dough from bowl and place onto a floured counter top. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough into an approximate 14×19 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Spread softened butter over entire surface of dough. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over buttered dough. Starting at long end of dough, carefully roll into a log shape. Using dental floss or knife, cut rolls into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

3. Take 4 tablespoons softened butter and spread over 13×17 inch jelly roll pan lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper then sprinkle with brown sugar. Place 4 rolls per row close to each other, about 1/2 inch apart. Place into a barely warm oven (turn oven to warm for 5 minutes, then turn off right before placing rolls in oven to let rise) for 45-60 minutes or until rolls have doubled in size. Remove rolls from oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15-17 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and baked through. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Place cream cheese and butter into your clean stand mixer bowl and beat until smooth and combined. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved. I prefer 2-3 cups. Spread cream cheese frosting over warm rolls. Serve warm or let cool and enjoy room temperature. If serving the next day refrigerate then warm in the microwave individual rolls for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Chocolate Raspberry Danish – Dark and Decadent

Chocolate Raspberry Danish

Are you craving dark chocolate and do you want to make something that is quick and easy and filled with dark chocolate and topped with fresh raspberries?  Then … you need to make this now.  These danish are ridiculously easy and really good.  I rarely use “packaged” items such as crescent rolls and prefer to make everything from “scratch” … this is one exception.  Indulge and … ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 can crescent rolls
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Begin by combining the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and chocolate in a small bowl.
2. Roll the crescent roll dough out and press the perforations together.
3. Slice the dough into 8 equal squares.
4. Top each square with a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture.
5. Pile the raspberries on top of the cream cheese.
6. Fold the corners of the dough into the middle and place each pastry on a baking stone.
7. Place in the oven at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Scones – Tease Your Taste Buds

Scones … what could be better than Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Scones and Coffee or tea?  One bite into this scone will tease your taste buds with the deliciousness of chocolate and a slight hint of cinnamon and before you know it your plate will be empty. Enjoy!

Ingredients

•                     2 cups all-purpose flour
•                     1/3 cup sugar
•                     1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•                     1 teaspoon baking powder
•                     1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•                     1/2 teaspoon salt
•                     8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
•                     1 Cup Chocolate Chips
•                     1/2 cup sour cream
•                     1 large egg

Directions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.

Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)

Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Source:  Adapted from Allrecipes

Belgian Waffles with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Sweet strawberries enveloped by whipped cream atop a crisp Belgian Waffle covered in maple syrup …. need I say more?  Enjoy!

Classic Belgian Waffles

• 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup very warm water, 110-115 degrees F – I recommend using a thermometer
•  ¼ cup sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
•  ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
•  1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, separated
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• powdered sugar, for dusting, if desired
•  butter and maple syrup, if desired
• fresh fruit, for topping, if desired

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the water. Add the yeast and stir to combine; let mixture sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, stir the flour with the salt. Whisk in the yeast mixture, milk, butter, egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold them into the batter and let stand for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 225°. Heat and grease a Belgian waffle iron. Pour 1 1/4 cups of the batter into the iron and cook until the waffles are golden, 3-5 minutes, depending on your waffle maker. Transfer the waffles to the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. Dust the waffles with powdered sugar or serve with butter and warm syrup. We also love these waffles topped with fresh fruit.

 

Recipe Source:  The Cafe Sucrefarine