[pumpkin bread]

Yields two loaves

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin

2/3 cup of water

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Mix sugar and oil with mixer. Add eggs and blend. Add pumpkin and blend. Add water and blend. Combine remaining ingredients and add slowly. Fill pans equally and bake for one hour or until golden brown.

[crustless spinach quiche]

a full pie of awesome

Yields 6 servings (can easily be chilled and enjoyed in about a week)

Ingredients

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

5 eggs, beaten

3 cups shredded Muenster Cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.  

Heat oil  in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft.  Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper.  Add spinach mixture and stir to combine.  Scoop into prepared pie pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: For individual servings - distribute the spinach mixture into a greased muffin pan.  Each muffin tin should be a little less than half full.  

You can also use any other additional vegetables you want like mushrooms, sliced red pepper, scallions, green olives, tomatoes.  Feel free to mix up the cheese too - it's really just according to your preference.

[pancakes from scratch]

Promise you'll never use Bisquick again...

1 egg
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 

Beat egg, milk and vanilla together.  Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the batter, until smooth.  Don't over mix.

Pour a little batter onto a hot griddle.  Allow them to cook until the tops of pancakes are bubbled, then turn with spatula.  Cook just until the underside is lightly browned.

Makes about 10 (4") pancakes.  Recipe may be doubled. 

[breakfast bars]

These are so easy and they get better as the week goes by.  Snack on them during the day, or enjoy one for breakfast. 

Based on Nigella Lawson's recipe of the same name.

1 14-oz can condensed sweetened milk

2 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup low salt, or unsalted, peanuts

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Oil a 9x13-inch baking pan, (I use my Pyrex).  Warm the condensed milk in a saucepan.  Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients in a large bowl and add the warmed condensed milk, using a rubber spatula to fold and distribute.  Spread the mixture into the oiled pan and press down until the surface is flat.  Bake for 1 hour.  Let the pan cool on the counter for 15 minutes, then cut into four across and four down to make 16 chunky bars.  Let them continue to cool until they're room temperature.  Store in a ziplock bag or plastic container.  They get better as they sit.

[biscuit, ham and potato bake]

so simple... an easy Sunday morning feast

This recipe is based on a recipe by Pillsbury

Prep Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 55 Min
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 Pillsbury Grands frozen buttermilk biscuits (from 25-oz bag)

2 eggs

1/3 cup 1% or nonfat milk

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1 cup frozen potatoes, (diced hash browns, uncooked)

1/3 of a red bell pepper, diced

1/3 of a white onion, diced

1/2 cup diced ham

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Directions:
Place frozen biscuits on microwavable plate. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) 30 to 40 seconds or until soft.  Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and mustard with wire whisk until blended. Stir in potatoes, ham and cheese.  Drizzle 2-quart Pyrex pan with olive oil.  Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces; arrange evenly in dish. Pour egg mixture over biscuit pieces in dish. Press down with back of spoon, making sure all biscuits are covered with egg mixture.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

[biscuits and sawmill gravy]

This is my altered version of a Paula Deen recipe, and it's not what anyone would call healthy - but it is the most delicious biscuit with gravy recipe I've ever tasted... totally worth every calorie. The diet starts tomorrow, right?

Ingredients:

For Biscuits:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 to 1 ¼ cups milk
¼ cup melted unsalted butter 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the shortening with a fork until it looks like cornmeal. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until well mixed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly two or three times. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin to ½-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch cutter. Place the biscuits in a greased iron skillet. Brush the biscuits with half the melted butter. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush the hot biscuits with the remaining butter. Slit the biscuits in half and ladle Sawmill Gravy (recipe follows) over the hot biscuits. 

For Sawmill Gravy: 

1 pound ground sausage
4 slices thick-cut bacon
½ medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons butter

In a large skillet, combine the sausage, bacon, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned and crumbles. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened. Stir in the butter until well blended.

[french toast]

4-6 slices bread, (sourdough, white, artisan, wheat)
2 eggs
1/2 Cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
Butter or Smart Balance

Break the eggs into a pie tin, add the milk and cinnamon, then beat with a fork.

Set skillet over medium heat. Drop Tbsp of butter or smart balance on skillet.

Dip bread, one at a time, into the egg batter and turn them over. Don't try to soak them, just get them good and wet.

As the bread slices come out of the batter, put them onto the skillet immediately and cook both sides until golden brown. Re-butter the pan as needed in between slices.

Serve with maple syrup.