Sour Cream Coffeecake with Cinnamon Chocolate Swirl

Happy Birthday to my M-O-M! We celebrated my Mom this morning with a fabulous brunch at my sister's place in Minneapolis. I offered to bring the sweets, which included this coffee cake and some cupcakes (a later post?)

Hmmm, maybe I should have taken a picture of the entire coffee cake?

I took several pieces over to my sister's for sharing, but knew the entire 9x13 monster cake was too much. We shared it with my mother-in-law and selfishly kept a few pieces for ourselves!

Here's my piece later on tonight...

So it turned out very "m" (moist) and flavorful. I thought the chocolate swirl would be a bit more pronounced but I wasn't unhappy with it. It was enough. I'm not super fond of pecans but they were ground up in the crumb topping and were fine. My food processor blade is on recall so I used the blender. Worked great.

This was a good recipe and I'm glad it worked out. How can you go wrong with so much butter, sugar and sour cream?? AND IT MAKES A TON. Great for a crowd!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Sour Cream Coffee Cake Heaven.

PW's Sunday Frittata and Buttermilk Pancake Balls

Breakfast for dinner!

 

PW says that frittatas are good for using up any veggies you have in the fridge. True! I had some leftover spinach, mushrooms, and (jarred) roasted bell peppers that I threw in. I also baked a potato the night before so I could chop it up easily for a quick dinner. It's all in the planning.

Cooking up veggies...

Gosh, I love potatoes.

 

And making pancake balls at the same time. It's a Tuesday tradition. I always have buttermilk in the fridge just for these.

 

After cooking up the veggies a bit I threw the eggs and cheese on top and transferred it to the oven. It took quite a bit longer than PW said it would. I give the woman some slack since she is NOT a professional cook.

 

It slid out of the pan, not so easily. But it turned out!

 

And it was delicious! Just a nice eggy treat. I realized afterward that it would have been nicer with hot sauce. Leftovers.

 

Click here for the stolen recipe for Sunday Frittata.

Click here for my past post about the buttermilk pancake balls.

 

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Omelette

Tonight's dinner: Omelette with sharp cheddar, canadian bacon, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and Sriracha sauce.

 

No recipe. Just plain cooking!

 

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Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets

 

These were made because I had all the ingredients. I froze them for easy breakfasts.

I liked them just fine but I think I like the idea of them more than the actual taste from this particular recipe. I found that these needed a lot of seasoning afterwards to make them taste like something good. They were a bit plain, if you can imagine that with all the cheese and vegetables inside.

Pretty cute little breakfast treats! Mental note: just add more salt and pepper. And maybe some tabasco? Tabasco makes anything good.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Mini Omelets.

 

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Boiled Apple Cider and Baked Cider Donuts

DROOL.

I guess the donut doesn't really matter to me because its covered in cinnamon sugar... but this donut was GOOD. I had made boiled cider a few days before and finally I got around to doing something with it. Boiled cider is basically apple cider reduced down to a syrup. It took a few hours and my house smelled wonderful. It was no problem whatsoever to make!

I guess the boiled cider syrup is also good on pancakes. I really need to find more uses for this stuff. It is delicious.

This is a basic baked donut recipe but for the addition of the boiled cider. I probably could have added a bit more for flavor, but the donut was nice and delicious. Even James had one! Or two. Or three?

I finally discovered how to make the donuts look PERFECT. Turn them upside down! The bottom side is perfectly formed by the donut pan, so then the presentation is nice. I mean, if that sort of thing matters to you. These donuts were inhaled pretty quickly so it didn't matter much besides for this picture!

Baked donuts are the way to go! You don't even miss the fried/sugary ones!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Boiled Cider.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Baked Cider Donuts.

 

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Pumpkin Oatmeal

 

This is just a different version from the other crockpot steel cut oatmeal that I've been making. I think the only difference is that I used less apples, added two cups of canned pumpkin, and upped the amount of cinnamon. Delicious. I always top my bowl of oatmeal with 2 T of sliced almonds and 2 T of craisins.

Double recipe of this:

Click here for the stolen recipe for Overnight, Crockpot Steel Cut Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal.


 

Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Steel-cut Oatmeal

I'm not a big cooked oatmeal fan (I didn't think) but my doctor suggested adding oatmeal to my breakfast line-up because it's packed with protein and will keep me full. I've heard that steel-cut oatmeal is the healthiest but it takes a lot longer to cook. Voila. Crockpot!



I have issues with texture so when I saw this gloppy finished product I was a bit scared. I added a bit of brown sugar, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds. SO much better! It wasn't as gloppy as I thought but rather chewy and hearty.

It was very easy to throw together and I imagine that you can change up the basic recipe as you like. I think adding dried fruit would be great. If I added dried fruit I wouldn't add more liquid, because I think I like my oatmeal on the drier side. If I made it exactly like this again I would decrease the water by 1/2 cup.

I saw on other websites that people didn't like making the oatmeal directly in the crockpot because of the browned bits on the sides (they were preparing the oatmeal in a bowl within the crockpot, like a steam bath). I actually thought those bits added a lot to the flavor and texture. It firmed it up.

The verdict: Did it keep me fuller and not make me break out into the shakes by 10am? I think I need to eat it a few times more and then decide.

It makes 5 1-cup servings and the recipe says it freezes well. I did freeze a few portions but they didn't last long in the freezer. We ate them up pretty quickly! We'll definitely be making this again.

I did need to buy two ingredients that I wouldn't normally have in the house. Each bag cost around $5. The steel cut oatmeal will make 3 crockpot recipes. And then for the ground flaxseed you only need 2 Tablespoons so this bag will last a long time. I should find some other recipes for the flaxseed. I think it's one of those ingredients that I've seen around but I hadn't made the leap to buy it until now. In muffins?

Click here for the stolen recipe for Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Steel-cut Oatmeal.

Blueberry Muffins

I'm not convinced I liked these muffins. I do admit that I should give them a try because I did make a substitution that may have made a difference.

I read that you can substitute greek yogurt for sour cream in some recipes. I figured it would make it healthier too. Well, the muffins were very soft. You would think that's a good thing! I do like my muffins tops to be a bit crispy. Maybe I needed to let them bake a bit longer?

They look pretty though :)

Yes, I do need to make these again. I just saw on the original blog that they are a Baking Illustrated recipe. It should be THE best recipe. I will re-blog if and when I make these again.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Blueberry Muffins.

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

This recipe has been all the rage on the various food blogs that I read every day. It has looked so pretty and I knew I had to try it. It has staple ingredients so I could make it whenever I had time. That's the hardest thing about this recipe- the time waiting for the dough to rise, two different times.

I thought it would be a good treat to make for future overnight guests. But maybe not. It would take a good long time to shape, let rise, bake, and then cool. I guess it depends on how much time you're working with.

The pieces really do pull apart easily. The bread isn't too sweet, but the sugar that I sprinkled on top of the bread became crusty and sweet. It is delicious.

I hope it freezes well!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread.

Cinnamon Roll Bread

Seriously. One of the easiest recipes ever. This "bread" was a few ingredients mixed together, pour it in a pan, let it rest for 15 minutes, and then press in a brown sugar mixture on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Drizzle with icing.

I think this is the lazy (wo)man's cinnamon roll recipe. This would a great recipe for breakfast guests- something you can whip together and serve with coffee.



I took this picture to show you the brown sugar crusty goodness when it came out of the oven. It was bubbling and the house smelled AMAZING.

I'm going to keep this recipe handy. I can also see myself whipping this up for work peeps and their coffee.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Cinnamon Roll Bread.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are definitely NOT light muffins. These are a very good banana and chocolate chip muffin. The espresso flavor is there, it's not very significant though. I think it just gives it a deeper, dark flavor. Nice.

I find that my espresso powder (pictured in the background) has come in handy for a few recipes. I've used it in brownie recipes, an ice cream, and now these muffins. It also came in handy during a blizzard when we ran out of coffee. I made espresso- mine diluted with a bit of cream and sugar :)

Click here for the stolen recipe for Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Chocolate Waffles

I love breakfast for dinner. My son and I tend to do this on the nights that Jim is out (he has a weekly pool league night). I don't think I would have experimented with chocolate waffles on a regular dinner night. Also, chocolate waffles sound more like dessert. Well, when it's just the two of us I go a little nuts :) It's like a special Mom/Son thing or something.

It's not often that James actually LIKES something new. I was glad he was willing to try the waffles and then he LIKED them!! Success. He dipped them in syrup and was happy.




I ended up only eating half of mine and I put strawberry jam on top. It is a pretty big waffle. I also made one for Jim and froze it. I know he'll enjoy it tomorrow!

The waffle recipe is from the waffle maker manual. I'm going to copy it here since I don't know if it's available anywhere online.

Chocolate Waffles

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered baking cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients (milk through vanilla) in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk mixture into the dry ingredients just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Let batter rest 5 minutes. Spray both waffle grids with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup batter onto the center of the bottom grid. Close top and flip waffle maker. Bake until set, about 4 minutes. Serve topped with your choice of topping- whipped cream, syrup, fruit.

Makes 3 waffles

I made regular Belgian waffles too and talked about my waffle iron in this post.

Belgian Waffles

I received a great gift of a waffle maker for Christmas. Yay! Great waffles are just minutes away now :) I just used the simple recipe in the waffle maker manual.


James won't touch them but the adults love them. With just a bit of butter and syrup. I need to experiment with different flavors... I saw a great looking recipe for gingerbread waffles. Yum.


So I do recommend this waffle maker- It's the Presto Flipside. I did forget to spray it once and the waffles stuck. But with the next waffle I sprayed with nonstick spray and it was perfect.


Classic Waffles

2 cups flour
1 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups milk
2 eggs
2 T vegetable oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk mixture into the dry ingredients just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Preheat waffle maker. Spray the waffle grids with cooking spray and then pour 1 cup batter onto the center of the bottom grid. Close top and flip waffle maker. Bake until brown, about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.

Makes 4 waffles.

Apple Cranberry Bran Muffins

We have an abundance of apples thanks to our Saturday visit to the apple orchard. This muffin recipe only used ONE apple but I wanted to try it. I used wheat bran, which is a new-to-me ingredient. I found wheat bran in the bulk section of the grocery store, where you can fill a little baggie with however much you need. I only needed 1 1/2 cups so I thought this was a good way to buy it.

These muffins are healthy! And pretty good for being so healthy :) I just love any cranberry apple combination so I was sold at the recipe title. AND these came from a reliable, wonderful blog.

Each muffin is 2 weight watcher points.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Apple Cranberry Bran Muffins.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

My friend Ann told me that she made this recipe with great success. I had Cinnamon Rolls on my summer list and with Father's Day I wanted to make these for my sweet. He has a love for Cinnabon and he has been denying himself after reading how many calories each roll has! I don't think these are calorie free but maybe a bit better for you since they're homemade. They did get a "Very Good" rating from him, so I think we'll make these again :)

I have a slight fear of yeast so I was pretty nervous about making the dough. The dough part was still pretty tricky, especially rolling up it up "tightly" but I did the best that I could. I figured even if they were a loose roll, the taste would be unaffected.

Cream cheese is layered into the dough, adding a little something something to the flaky roll. Mmmmmm. My guy loves his cream cheese so I'm glad this recipe included that too!

Before the rolls were refrigerated and they were allowed to "rise"-


I refrigerated the rolls overnight and pulled them out about 45 minutes before I expected my husband to get up from his slumber. He had great timing- they were cooling slightly as he came downstairs and I had the SW pancakes almost ready too!

The rolls before baking-


Done!



I took it easy on the icing and I'm glad. I love when rolls are bread-like but also a little gooey.

I hope my husband doesn't object if I make these again! These would be great for overnight guests.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls.

Chocolate Biscotti

My sister made a special request for Chocolate Biscotti for Christmas last year. I happily accepted the challenge even though I'm not really familiar with biscotti and had never made it. This recipe was easy to make, and I remember laughing as I made them because when I patted it out, it looked like a giant log of... well, you know.

The chocolate is a deep, dark flavor due to the espresso powder. This recipe made quite a bit so I gave most of it to my sister and froze the rest for myself. They defrosted quickly and were yummy with coffee!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Chocolate Biscotti.

Fall Harvest Bread

I'm looking through my older pictures and finding foods that I just NEED to blog about. I made this Fall Harvest Bread so many times this last fall. It is wonderful. It freezes well and my husband just loved it. I loved it too, with all of its pumpkin, cranberry, and apple goodness. Some of my favorite things in the world!


It was because of this bread that I over-bought fresh cranberries for my freezer. I think I still have a few bags left, but I never got around to making more of this bread. I think I need to make some!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Fall Harvest Bread.

Pancakes

It's one of my favorite meals. Breakfast. Any breakfast is good. It's also an easy meal for the nights when it's just me and the little boy :)


I have a product rave- my first one! I guess I should have raved about my pancake pan a long time ago but just recently I bought a Pancake Pen and I love it! It's especially good to fill up the small pancake holes in this pan. I can't believe I lived without this pen for so long :)




I also tried out the pancake pan that my sister sent to my son from Japan. It makes a pancake in the shape of a pig! He loved it! It was also easy to make with my new pen. Woohoo!

Porky got a little toasty but I cut myself some slack since it was my first time using the pan.

These pancake balls will last us maybe the week. My son eats 4-5 at a time!

I've blogged about this pancake recipe before. I think I need to experiment with other recipe though.

Oatmeal Raspberry Scones & Clementine Curd

I combined two recipes that didn't excite me. Together they were good! The scones needed some sweetness. My curd hadn't thickened up but it made a great little sauce. I'm trying to find some other use for it...



Click here for the stolen recipe for the Oatmeal Raspberry Scones.
Click here for the stolen recipe for Clementine Curd.

Egg Bake

This is a great make ahead breakfast, especially for those busy work weeks. I've always made this with the Canadian bacon that I find at Sam's Club. It is the best. And cheap!

We've especially made this breakfast food during our South Beach diets.

There is no stolen recipe online. I found this online so long ago that I can't find the link. I am copying this from my recipe card collection.

Egg Bake
1 1/2 cups diced veggies (any combo of mushrooms, green bell peppers, red onions, etc.)
1 1/2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar (or any cheese you like)
4 oz. breakfast meat (bacon, Canadian bacon, cooked sausage, etc.)
8 eggs
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
salt, pepper, whatever you like

I've sauteed the veggies for a few minutes before adding to the egg bake- it releases some of its moisture and keeps the egg bake texture from getting too runny.

Spread veggies on the bottom of a baking dish (cake pan), top with the chopped meat and cheese. Beat eggs with cottage cheese and spices. Pour over the ingredients in the baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until set. Let it cool for half an hour. You can either slice the egg bake into portions or refrigerate and cut as needed.

We usually will have six portions. For the two of us, we eat it for three days and it's good heated up in the microwave.

It's really good with a bit of salsa on top!