breakfast – Page 2 – mythankfultable.com

Overnight Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

February 1, 2018 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Overnight Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Ever since my children were little, this overnight casserole has been our Christmas morning breakfast.

For years, we were able to celebrate Christmas as a family even though we were divorced. I know I am not the only person in the world to do this, and quite frankly, it isn’t always the best possible solution to a divorced family situation, but we made it work for years. Every family is unique in navigating the holidays and I was fortunate to be able to make Christmas special for our kids despite the fact that our lives looked differently.

This casserole was as much a part of our Christmases as was a special luncheon, finding the pickle (German tradition),my mother-in-law putting on her Christmas socks to signal the present opening could begin, and the general celebratory traditions that happen in a family during a holiday.

It wasn’t until my father was diagnosed with cancer that I determined I would be spending Christmas with my parents instead of Pennsylvania, meaning the day would be spent without my children that year. It was a difficult choice, but one I was glad I made. It ended up being my dad’s last Christmas.

After that, I guess we celebrated Christmas like other divorced people, or as Ricky Bobby’s kids say in Talladega Nights, “Two Christmases!”

When the children and I finally moved into our own place, I wondered if they would still want this for breakfast, since it would be our first Christmas in our own home.

Again, this year being the first Christmas that had no Pennsylvania in the agenda for the week, I wondered if we wanted to try something new.

But, I guess if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is Christmas for us.

I make this casserole one day a year. Once. Probably because we all eat our own thing for breakfast and for the most part, it doesn’t ever include maple syrup or cinnamon and sugar and cream cheese. But hey, this once a year treat is over the top indulgent and worth every bite.

You basically dry out the bread of your choice. I use Italian bread from the bakery. Not the denser star bread, just a regular loaf. I use two. Trim off the crust, cube, and set out to dry. I do the cutting first because if you have ever tried to saw into a stale loaf of Italian bread be ready to wipe down every surface to clean up the crumbs. No thanks.

The pan is prepared with a layer of butter and cinnamon sugar coat, then it is time to assemble.

Bread, blueberries and cream cheese, more cinnamon sugar, then the last layer of bread.

The custard mix can be made with milk instead of cream, and it doesn’t need bourbon, but hey, this is a breakfast fit for a birthday party. Slowly pour your custard over the bread to make sure everything gets good and soaked, Final dusting of cinnamon and sugar and you are done. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

So I am not going to lie, this Christmas was a little heavy. We have suffered a major loss, and having navigated this kind of thing with losing my own dad a few years ago, the weight of the worry “Are the kids going to be ok?” and “Is everybody having a good Christmas?” along with my making sure my momma enjoyed the day and everyone was ok, I didn’t want to spend my day in the kitchen. I had enough to deal with.

I made this AND pre-cooked my bacon the day before. SO, less mess, less cooking for me.

Overnight Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

The next morning, take the casserole out of the refrigerator and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Bake covered, then uncovered, then let sit for a few before serving.

So here is the tricky part for you parental units doing the cooking. Do the math. You need to have this baby out of the fridge a good 90 minutes before you want to eat it.

Now, for me, the non-sleeper, this is easy. For you with small children who have internal timers of their own, you have to figure it out. However, you can make this any morning you want, so just plan ahead.

This recipe makes a full 9×13 pan. It can serve as many or as few people you want, depending on portion size. It also stays pretty warm for a while, so if you say have a serving, walk away, and decide you want more…it’s there if you want it. While this is baking your house will smell of cinnamon and all that is French toasty-ness. It puffs up golden brown and holy moly is it delicious. Crunchy top, soft puffy middle, melty cream cheese and blueberry. We don’t even need to add syrup…but you will, because it is, after all, French toast.

In a world where so much seems to change and seem unstable, I guess it’s a good thing some things, like this overnight French toast, can be counted on. I am thankful for the table, the loved ones around it, and the food upon it.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

Overnight Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Print Recipe

Delicious overnight blueberry cream cheese French toast with a cinnamon sugar mix. Easy to combine and bake the next morning!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

2 Loaves of Italian Bread, Cubed and Dried
12–16 Large Eggs
2 Cups of Heavy Cream
2 8 Ounce Packages of Cream Cheese, Cubed into 3/4 Inch Cubes
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Bourbon
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Additional Sugar and Cinnamon to sprinkle in baking dish, etc.

Instructions

Prepare a 13 x 9″ baking pan with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mix.
Place half of the cubed bread into the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle blueberries and cream cheese evenly over the bread cubes.
Sprinkle Cinnamon and Sugar mix over the cream cheese and blueberries.
Cover with remaining bread cubes.
In a large bowl, combine eggs and heavy cream, mixing with a fork or whisk until well combined.
Mix in maple syrup, bourbon, and vanilla extract.
Gently pour egg mixture over bread mixture, making sure to cover and coat all of the bread mixture.
Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon mixture over top of the French toast and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, remove overnight French toast and let sit out for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375*
Remove plastic wrap, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes uncovered, until a knife inserted into French toast comes out clean.
French toast will puff up and turn golden brown. It will also smell amazing.
Allow French toast to set for ten additional minutes before serving.

Momma’s Apple Nut Sour Cream Coffee Cake

January 22, 2018 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Momma’s Apple Nut Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Growing up, the holidays for me meant two types of cookies, and these breads. Every Christmas, my parents would bake chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, and this Apple Nut Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

If you were loved by my parents, you got one or two of these to eat Christmas Eve and Christmas morning and a tray of cookies. Our dining room table would be covered, as well as every other possible surface, with wrapped breads and cookies to be delivered. It was a confectionary wonder when I was little. My Mom and Dad worked together and it was a fun time. My parents were not everyday bakers, so for me, this was such a great tradition. Cookie dough batches were literally mixed in a lobster pot to accommodate the measurements of ingredients. Giant foil bows awaited to be placed on top of the breads and cookies. It was our pre-christmas tradition.

Momma’s Sour Cream Apple Nut Bread

I have only ever seen this coffee cake made in double, triple, or quadruple batches. The idea of only making only one of these breads has never happened- so this recipe actually makes two breads. Which is perfect, because it will be gone so fast you will be happy you have a back up. Or, you could be like my mom and dad and give one away.

This is a one bowl mix recipe, with a topping you combine either on the stovetop or after microwaving the butter to melt.

When I made this bread for the first time, I doubled the apples and the topping and essentially got hot, warm, apple cinnamon goo. It was awesome. But, it was not bread. So, if you add more of either, go a little at a time and see how it goes. For me, the topping is what makes this bread and it is amazeballs. It sinks into the bread and makes the apples sing.

Think apple dumpling or apple fritter into coffee cake but not cake cakey. As in, it doesn’t have the same crumb when you cut into it like a buckle.

These breads keep for a few days, if they last that long, but not much longer. Kept cold you may extend the shelf life, but I recommend eating it within the first day or two. We have never frozen these breads to my knowledge, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t freeze well, if warmed gently in an oven before serving.

I know every family has traditions, especially around the holidays. It’s funny that even as I am writing this, I am wondering why I never make this bread during apple picking season- but I don’t. It’s for the Christmas table. You, however, can make it whenever you want.

Momma

I have to admit, when I was helping my mom with these breads, and watching my daughter put the topping on, my heart was full. Three generations of family creating something wonderful and delicious for our loved ones. In my world, it doesn’t get any better than that. The only thing that would have made it better would be if my Dad was there with us, but in a way, he was.

My Dad Mixing Christmas Cookies

I intentionally choose to live a life where I search for the blessings and view every day a gift. On days like these, with loved ones far and near and crossed over, I am thankful for the simple things like cinnamon and walnuts sinking into a sour cream apple bread. They will head out to other kitchens and rest on other people’s tables. My bread will have the most topping because I choose the one with the most (baker’s privilege). It’s that simple. Though the list of people who receive them has shortened, because some have already passed on, the people who do get them know that this is part of Christmas for us. They too, remember, and it will be something I carry on when Mom decides she is tired of making these breads (this will never happen).

For the two mornings after it is baked I will eat a breakfast of Momma’s bread and coffee and be thankful. Thankful for who I am lucky enough to call Mom and Dad, thankful for my children, thankful for this life we live.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Momma’s Apple Nut Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Print Recipe

This sour cream apple nut coffee cake has been a part of my family’s Christmas for decades. Delicious apple coffee cake topped with a brown sugar cinnamon walnut mixture.

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Cups Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Chopped Apples
1 Cup Sour Cream

Topping:

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*
Chop apples into small pieces.
Cream together shortening and sugar.
Add eggs, vanilla, and combine well.
Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder alternately with sour cream.
Fold in chopped apples.
Spread batter in a prepared pan (grease and flour in advance).
Combine topping ingredients and spread over the top of the batter.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

November 14, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

If banana bread stuffed with coconut, walnuts, and chocolate chunks is wrong, I don’t want to be right. We are a don’t-waste-that-banana-family. As in, I will stick that ripe banana in the freezer rather than throw it away family. Frozen bananas can be transformed into “nice” cream, eaten as a snack, or tossed into something wonderful, such as this banana bread.

I love banana bread, but it has to be the right consistency. The right amount of moisture, the right amount of chunk-age. I don’t usually put nuts in my banana bread, but for this recipe, it was go big or go home.

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

This recipe calls for greek style plain yogurt, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts…and of course the chunks of chocolate. Because, in my world, all breads have chunks of chocolate.

It is a super easy one bowl recipe, that bakes up evenly, with a nice density and crumb. The coconut holds the moisture and gives the bread a more than bread texture. The melty chocolate and walnuts say “HELLO!” to your tastebuds.

In a world where I wish all things were as easy as this bread, most of life isn’t. Some people aren’t fans of banana. Don’t let your view of banana dim your opinion of this bread. The original recipe is from www.spoonfulofflavor.com and it is Banana Coconut Crunch Bread with Coconut Cream Icing. I changed a few things and it does call for an additional frosting/glaze made with coconut cream and cream cheese. Truthfully, when I made this bread, I didn’t want to go the extra step for the icing…and it didn’t lack a thing. It was sweet enough and yummy enough. Not every thing I bake needs to have frosting. I know. Even I have limits.

Chunky Monkey Bread

Now that the days have officially declared WINTER IS COMING (why is New England so darn cold all of a sudden?), some times it is just nice to sit with a cup of tea or coffee or almond milk and think about how blessed you are. This recipe made up four small loaf pans, which is perfect for bake sales or sharing with your friend, which is what I did.

Here is a shout out to the momma’s who are tired. Who run kids to practices, help with homework, keep the laundry going, set healthy (mostly) meals before their children, try to fit in exercise, do the rest of their work after they have put kiddos to bed, spend weekends running to catch up, and love love love until they are exhausted.

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

That’s the kind of friend I shared my bread with. My teacher friend who I believe was my hallway neighbor for a reason. The kind of friend who, on a Monday morning, I am happy to say, “Hey, I baked for you!” (Or actually, I baked for your family because I know you don’t like banana bread but your husband and kids will like it…I hope)!

She’s the friend who is the first to text, “What can I do to help?” She reminds me I too am a good momma. That my kids will turn out just right. Even when I question and worry. Don’t we all need someone like that in our lives? If we don’t have one, let’s be one.

I wish for you a moment where you can whip up this bread, smell it baking, eat a slice while it is still warm, and a real friend to share it with. That, to me is a beautiful thing.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!
Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

Print Recipe

Delicious banana bread with the addition of coconut, walnuts, and chocolate chunks! Recipe from www.spooonfulofflavor.com

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

3 Ripe Bananas, Mashed
1/4 Cup Plain Greek-Style Yogurt
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup White Granulated Sugar
6 Tablespoons of Melted Butter, (Cooled)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1 1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut (I used sweetened)
2 Cups Flour

Instructions

Prepare four small loaf pans with non-stick spray.
Preheat oven to 325*
In a mixer, combine mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, vanilla until combined.
Add sugar, salt, baking soda.
Add flour and shredded coconut
Fold in walnuts and chocolate chunks
Bake for 50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Glazed Apple Fritter Muffins

November 9, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Almost a cupcake, but not quite. So tender, filled with sugary apples and cinnamon, light and delicious and a tricked out muffin if I ever saw one.

Glazed Apple Fritter Muffin

This recipe started with apple picking, and a month of integrated apple recipes, and the amazing Apple Fritter Cake which I made more than once. Then there is the bake sale next weekend, and I got to thinking…muffins. Sure enough, I found this recipe by Kim Lange on Pinterest and tweaked it a bit. I am using my same old Cream Cheese Frosting because it works and I always seem to have extra on hand.

I love this recipe, because it mixed up quickly, produced beautiful, light muffins with the middle apple cinnamon goodness, and then an additional topper of apples and cinnamon and glaze. I also love that I didn’t need to haul out my apple corer, I just hand peeled the apples old school.

I used two Macoun Apples and one Granny Smith apple for this recipe. Granny Smith will always be my go to apple for everything.

Apple Fritter Muffin Batter

I love tart, crisp, crunchy. Macoun is a Cliff (my dad) apple, so of course we pick those. I am also a fan of the Macoun just in general, but Granny Smith holds my heart.

Three apples almost made too much apple per muffin. But, who ever said there was too much anything when it came to borderline dessert breakfast foods?

When it comes to muffins, it’s kind of a fluff breakfast food. It has to be worth the caloric intake.

These don’t disappoint. If I were to mix it up a bit, I might split the milk into milk/apple cider blend, but that would tinker with the lightness of the batter.

Ready for the oven!

The batter is cake like, the muffin is just enough to get a taste of fall without committing to a fork and a slice and extra frosting on the plate that you lick off… I mean, drag your finger through.

The glaze. Do we need it?

No.

The muffins are spectacular with out it. Life is just as good with out it.

Glazed Apple Fritter Muffins

However, If you have a container of Cream Cheese Frosting in your refrigerator…You put the frosting on the muffins. You Glaze the heck out of those muffins.

And so I did.

A little drizzle on the muffins right out of the oven and you are done.

I did freeze a batch of these un-frosted for the bake sale, and they freeze beautifully. If I were to get whimsical, you could even break these up after a few days and make apple fritter bread pudding with these. Oh my. Yes you could.

OK, enough about these muffins. Make them. You will not be disappointed.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

Glazed Apple Fritter Muffins

Print Recipe

Apples and cinnamon tucked into a light cakey muffin. Almost a cupcake, but not quite! Recipe adapted from Kim Lange’s Country Apple Fritter Muffins

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 Cup Softened Unsalted Butter
2/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
3 Apples, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces

Cream Cheese Frosting/Glaze

4 Ounces of Softened Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons/ 1/4 A Stick of Butter
1 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1/8 Cup Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half

Instructions

Prepare Cupcake/Muffin Tray with liners or spray with baking spray.
Peel and cut apples into bite sized pieces.
Mix Brown Sugar and Cinnamon into a separate bowl and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in the mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add vanilla extract.
Add flour, baking powder until blended. Batter will be thick.
Add milk until batter is incorporated.
Layer in each muffin tin a spoonful of batter each, about 1/3 full.
Add approximately 1 Tablespoon of chopped apples. Pat into batter.
Sprinkle a layer brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Repeat with remaining batter, apples, ending with brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Bake at 350* for 25 minutes (maybe more- these are very full muffin cups).

Cinnamon Apple Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

October 27, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Apple Picking

Apple picking. I’m a big fan of apple picking day in this #newenglandgirl’s life.

My family? They aren’t in love with it as much as I am.

That’s ok. I call it mandatory fun. I got that term from my PA friend, and it seems the perfect descriptor. You are required to go on this adventure. You are required to be present and subject yourself to your mother’s awkward selfies.

What awkward selfie?

My children do two things for me every year without complaint (OK, there may be complaining but they do it). They pose for photographs for our Christmas card (they love our photographer), and they go pick apples with their momma. They may have really loved it at one point, and now, they are just really good sports.

Cinnamon Apple Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

The bottom line is, this is one of the things I remember my mom and dad doing with my brother and I as children, and continued this tradition with their grandchildren. So we go.

My dad always said to pick the apples near the top. He said they were sweeter. So every year, I reach for the higher fruit and say “This one’s the sweetest, Dad!”

He should be there with us. It would be better if he was, but we go…and carry him in our hearts. He helps me spot the highest apples.

All that to say I am knee deep in apples and ever so happy. I am so glad I waited until October to post apple recipes. I kind of chafed at the bit waiting to do this recipe, but it is so worth the delayed gratification.

Cinnamon Filling

Cinnamon Apple Rolls. Oh. Yes. This is a bit of delayed gratification right here.

How?

Because technically, you start them the night before.

I know, I know, sounds like a lot of work.

It is more work than popping open that delicious dairy aisle can of cinnamon rolls, which have their place in this world.

However, it is done in simple steps, broken down between two days, and you can do this. The force is strong with you.

This starts with a yeast dough. A couple of packets of dry active yeast, some water, and some sugar will start the bloom. It is an amazing process, and I love the smell.

Apples and Cinnamon ready to be rolled!

I know, call me weird.

You mix your dough and let it rise in a warm place. Here is where you assess your home and think…Do I need weather stripping around the kitchen door? Is that a draft? Where is a warm place in my home in almost November?

In a separate bowl, make your buttery cinnamon and brown sugar mixture. Walk away.

Come back and roll the dough out. Spread your mixture on top and then wait….the apples. Oh this finely chopped special addition to this recipe…It is like a little bit chewy and a little bit tart and a little bit sweet. You can chop your apples at any point – I wait until right before I spread them the finely chop them up. Think – smaller than an apple pie chunk. Bigger than a dice of onion. Find your perfect apple size and move forward.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls Ready to Rest

Roll your dough, cut into slices or “rolls,” place in your baking pan and cover in the refrigerator to rest overnight.

Story time:

Once upon a lifetime ago when I was very pregnant with my son, I was traveling with a friend on a road trip. In the rest stop there was a cinnamon bun place. I hauled my large bellied body over to the counter. In addition to picking out the specific roll I wanted from the pan, I also had the audacity to ask the lovely woman behind the counter to scoop the extra glaze into the box. I had no shame. Fortunately for me, the server was gracious to the pregnant lady with a serious craving. I still can see that sugary box as perfect as it was today.

That friends, is the power of a cinnamon roll.

Ok, back to baking. That was essentially the hard part. The next morning you let them rise again, then finally, finish them off in a 350* oven.

I love the idea of waking up early, letting them rise, coming back in an hour, and then baking these up. You have to be present enough to turn your oven on. It is essentially the same thing as turning your coffee pot on. While you start your day, cinnamon roll magic is afoot.

Cinnamon Apple Rolls Waiting for Icing

The smell of Apple Cinnamon Rolls baking is nothing short of spectacular. It should be more than a candle scent. It should be what they pump into vents at schools to calm small children. Choirs should sing about it.

If it were perfume, I’d have a following of cinnamon roll lovers trailing behind me carrying their mugs of coffee like the cinnamon rolled pied piper.

But, I’ve gone off on a tangent, haven’t I?

While these darlings are baking, mix up your glaze, then get your schmear-er ready.

Then, fresh out of the oven, get-a-glazing. Watch that sexy frosting melt, and get out your plate, knife, and fork.

I would like to say these lasted. I would like to tell you they went untouched and that I wasn’t forced to bring them to school by my own conscience that made me because I can’t be trusted.

But, I can’t. I brought them to school. My school peeps need all the baked love I can bring them.

Closer to my heart was the fact that my son had eaten one while I was driving my daughter to school. I missed seeing him drive off, but I did catch the plate and fork he left in the sink. To me, that says, “Well done, momma.” It also says, “We need to have a talk about putting our first rinsed dishes into the dishwasher.”

Cinnamon Apple Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

I don’t make cinnamon rolls daily, or weekly, or even monthly. It is a special treat for a special day, and it is indulgent.

But on the morning after you pick a more than a bushel of apples…

And you have been thinking about how you’ve done this every year for as long as you can remember…

And how next year you aren’t promised another opportunity, because life is like that?

You make the apple cinnamon rolls.

Apple picking in and of itself is a gift of a day, isn’t it? It needs to be celebrated.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

Cinnamon Apple Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Print Recipe

Delicious overnight cinnamon rolls with a delicious addition of apples.

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

For the Yeast Dough:

2 Packets Dry Active Yeast (4.5 Teaspoons)
3–4 Tablespoons of warm water
2 Tablespoons of Sugar
1 Cup warmed milk
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Beaten Egg
3 to 3 and 1/2 Cups of Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Melted and Cooled Butter

For the Cinnamon Apple Filling:

1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Softened Unsalted Butter
3 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
Three Apples Chopped finely (You may want to increase this based on your personal taste)

Cream Cheese Glaze:

8 Ounces of Softened Cream Cheese
4 Tablespoons/ 1/2 A Stick of Butter
2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half

Instructions

Make sure your water and milk are warm but not hot. Too hot will destroy the yeast.
In your dough making bowl, place yeast, warm water, and sugar and combine. Allow the yeast to “bloom” making a layer of bubbles and dissolving.
Add warmed milk, sugar, and beaten egg. Mix. Add melted Butter and combine.
Add initially 2 to 2 1/2 flour and salt, mixing by hand, then gradually add remaining flour until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a ball – but still feels slightly sticky to the touch.
Find a warm place in for dough to rise, covered with a clean damp cloth.
Allow the dough to rest and rise for approximately 2 hours.
While you are waiting for dough to rise, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside.
Chop apples into bite sized chunks.
When dough has sufficiently risen, turn out onto a floured surface and roll out into a large rectangle. If the edges aren’t perfectly straight it is ok, you can either trip before or after you roll the dough up into cinnamon rolls.
Smear your butter and brown sugar mixture over the surface of your rolled out dough.
Add a fine layer of chopped apples covering the surface of the dough.
Gently, starting at one of the longer sides of the rectangle, roll your dough into one long log. This will give you more “rolls.” If you want to go with bigger but less “rolls” you can roll from the shorter end of the rectangle.
Slice your log in half, and then slice the halves in half, making equal sized roll slices. If you want to be extremely controlled, you can pre-measure with a ruler of sorts as well. (I don’t).
Place each roll into a prepared (greased) baking dish so you see the side of the roll – (The cinnamon and apple goodness should be spiraling out and showing its glory).
Cover and refrigerate baking dish over night.
The next morning, remove baking dish and allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour. (I usually start my oven and allow the bread to sit on top of your stove or set the oven at the lowest setting it can go and let the rolls rest inside).
Preheat oven to 350*
Bake for 25-30 minutes until dough has baked into a lovely golden color but not over cooked.
In a mixer place cream cheese, butter and combine.
Slowly incorporate confectioner’s sugar.
Add heavy cream or half and half to thin mixture into a glaze.
When Apple Cinnamon Rolls are fresh from the oven, spread glaze on top.

Elvis Overnight Oats

September 13, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

I know. I know. Some things go from being good to over the top, and they need a name worthy of their awesomeness. May I introduce my latest breakfast creation, The Elvis Overnight Oats.

Elvis Overnight Oats

It started out as an endeavor to create a high-protein, healthy, filling, nutritious breakfast. Which it is, don’t get me wrong. Starting out with steel-cut oats, right before the liquid is absorbed, I added peanut butter powder. Step one of yum. Then, taking plain Greek yogurt, I added Quest Banana Protein Powder, which is one of my favorites. So you have the peanut butter and banana part.

My official peanut-butter-taste-tester-man commented it needed more peanut butter, so we added a tablespoon of chunky style peanut butter on top.

I felt it needed more banana, so in went the fresh banana.

It was perfect.

Or so I thought.

As an aside, I was lucky enough to host the JV Field Hockey team for breakfast on Sunday, and was impressed not only that this team of girls were kind, and polite, and gracious athletes…but that they put away almost as much food as the wrestling team can (after a match, before they don’t like to eat much). Go girls! Did I mention they ate almost six pounds of bacon? I know, impressive.

Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats

So, my perfect breakfast was put just over the top with the leftover bacon from the breakfast (I was able to salvage a few strips). This serving literally has half a strip, so in the big scheme of things it didn’t create caloric devastation, but it did tip the scales in the realm of breakfast flavor.

When I visit my brother in West Des Moines, a mandatory stop is Zombie Burger, for an Undead Elvis (check it out, it is amazing). If you are a carnivore, and believe in the burger to end all burgers, the apocalyptic (pun intended) experience is worth the flight. So, that said, a breakfast that includes, peanut butter, banana, and (sigh) bacon, deserves the king of names.

Elvis Overnight Oats

Elvis was before my time, but his voice graces my play list, and his favorite blend of banana, peanut butter and bacon is in my opinion, brilliant.

You can disagree. If you must know, this morning I had the peanut butter and banana oats as I originally intended, without the bacon. It was equally delicious. Sometimes, over the top is best saved for special occasions. That, and the JV team ate the rest of the bacon.

They have won their first two games, so who’s to complain?

I hope your breakfasts love you tender, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

click below for printable recipe

Elvis Overnight Oats

Print Recipe

This recipe makes four servings of “King” worthy breakfast!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
4 Cups Boiling Water
2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter Powder
1 Cup Plain Greek Style Yogurt
1 Scoop/packet Banana Quest Protein Powder
2 Bananas
4 Tablespoons Chunky (or Plain) Peanut Butter
2 Strips of Crispy Bacon

Instructions

Cook Oats according to directions, boiling water, adding the oats and stirring until liquid is absorbed.
At the end of cooking time, stir in Peanut Butter Powder (this is found in peanut butter aisle at grocery store, and typically contains less fat and calories)
Divide into four serving bowls
In a separate bowl, mix plain Greek yogurt with Banana Protein Powder
Scoop four separate portions of Banana powder onto oats
1/2 Banana into each serving portion
Scoop 1 TBSP Peanut Butter into each portion
Crumble 1/2 strip of bacon into each portion.
Put on some classic Elvis and enjoy.

Sweet Dark Cherry Overnight Oats

September 9, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Sweet Dark Cherry Overnight Oats

Sweet Dark Cherry Oats sound more like dessert than breakfast, but the intention was breakfast indeed!

True confession: I’m not an athlete. In my heart I would love to be a runner, but I am more of a brisk walker. I like the gym. Ok, I like it once I get there. Oh alright, I have been known to text my man phrases like, “I hate this.” or “I would rather go without sugar than be here.” once I get there.

But I go…because I need to go. How I am raising two athletes has not escaped my notice. I still wonder how that happened.

Back to Overnight Oats.

So, this luxurious breakfast is a combination of Steel Cut Oats, High Protein Cherry Yogurt, and Frozen Sweet Dark Cherries. You could throw some chocolate chunks in there, but then, that may defeat the purpose of this healthy snack.

Maybe dark chocolate? Like 90% oooh. I missed the boat on that one.

The point of my gym shame confession is this: This snack also makes a great pre work out food. The combination of good carbs, protein, and fiber make this a good go -to pre or post gym treat. Sweet Dark Cherries can be purchased in the frozen food aisle, and they are beautiful, pitted, easy. While I love fresh cherries, there is no question the ease of making this recipe with the frozen variety makes sense.

Sweet Dark Cherry Overnight Oats

Following the recipe for steel cut oats, bring four cups of water to a boil, stir in one cup of oats, and continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed. These are made by layering the cooked oats, cherry high protein yogurt (I used Oikos Triple Zero), and cherries. Then place in the refrigerator overnight. Simple! It is delicious. You will not regret it. It may even motivate you to exercise…or at least be a reward for going!

As always, thank you for coming to the table,

Chrissy

Sweet Dark Cherry Overnight Oats

Print Recipe

1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
4 Cups Water
1 Container Frozen Cherries – diced
2 Containers Cherry Yogurt

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

Following instructions on the Steel Cut Oats container – Cook 1 cup Oats (My recipe called for boiling in 4 Cups Water) until water is absorbed.
Cool Oats for a while.
Using 3–4 containers, layer oats, yogurt, cherries. Repeat.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Springform Pan Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

September 7, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Once upon a time, I went to bed with a cookbook and a stack of post its. OK, it wasn’t that long ago…no worries, I have fully accepted and embraced my nerd status. I’m ok with it.

Actually, I tend to purchase cookbooks and read them like novels. There is something about a back story to a recipe or the person creating it. Enter websites and food blogs, and I am one happy reader. Listen, some people binge watch reality tv, recipes are my thing…it’s all good.

As a teacher note- if you or your loved one doesn’t consider yourself, “a reader,” but you find yourself drawn to reading online articles, sports magazines, book about bugs, how-to books, or say, cookbooks…guess what? You are a reader. You just prefer non-fiction. I am a balanced reader, in that I read whatever, but for some people (and students in particular young students who don’t love reading) non-fiction is my in. I am teaching about bugs, and trucks, and tigers, oh my. If they are interested in what they are reading, leave it alone and let them read.

We also have this staff breakfast on Fridays at my work where we take turns supplying the eats. It’s a collaborative friendly celebration of survival and academic excellence. So my inner breakfast bossy-pants wants to bring my best to the table, I want my staff to know I love them enough to make the good stuff.

Practice makes perfect. So, I tried out another recipe.

This recipe started out with one from the justapinch food blog. The original recipe can be found here: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/blueberry-crumb-coffee-cake.html I did make some changes because I don’t want to just use another person’s recipe, and I am also always struggling with the density of coffee cakes and muffins, and am on a cake flour bender.

I made this recipe using a springform pan, which is another new thing for me, but I think the effect of the finished cake was beautiful, and enabled me to slice it into perfect wedges for sharing.

The crumb topping for this cake is beautiful. I added more spices than the original and in truth, felt it needed more. I asked my tasters (fresh out of the gym, yes I am the bad friend who hands baked goods over after people work out) and the response was, “What? It doesn’t need anything.” Granted, it could be the boot camp talking. They work hard in those classes. Anything may have tasted good at the moment.

I once read about how one of the makers of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream had a condition which made him not be able to taste efficiently, which is why the flavors in that ice cream are so intense. I wonder sometimes if I suffer from the same thing? The need for more cinnamon is a thing, right? Right?

So, in addition to messing with the flour, I also added a little more sugar, more blueberries, and like aforementioned, more spice.

This deliciousness will be coming to Friday breakfast for sure, and even though it is close to perfection, I can be absolutely sure it won’t be my last recipe when it comes to blueberries, crumb topping, and the oven. Like my nerd awareness, I am ok with it. I really am.

I hope you like this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Springform Pan Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Print Recipe

This blueberry perfection is based on the original Recipe Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake by Lori Newton of www.justapinch.com My alterations to the recipe include combination of flours, and minor regarding amounts of spice, sugar, and berries. Her recipe is perfection!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com
Category: Breakfast
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Scale

Blueberry Cake:

1 C AP Flour
1 C Cake Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ¼ C granulated sugar
¼ C softened butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ C buttermilk
4–5 C blueberries

Perfection Crumb Topping:

½ C light brown sugar
¼ C AP Flour
¼ C Cake Flour
½ C Butter
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (I used a nutmeg and a microplane)

Instructions

Prepare a springform pan, buttering and flouring, then set aside. Preheat oven to 350*

Combine ingredients for crumb topping, mixing flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar until combined. Grate butter or cut into small cubes and cut into dry mixture until form a crumble texture.

For Cake:

Cream together butter, sugar, until light yellow, add in egg, vanilla, and small amount of buttermilk. Combine dry ingredients, then add to mixture slowly, alternating with remainder of buttermilk. Gently fold in blueberries.

Put batter into prepared springform pan, and top with crumble topping.

Depending on your oven, bake anywhere between 45-60 minutes, testing the center until the tester comes out clean with just a little crumb.

Cool and slice in to wedges.

Cinnamon Crumble Blueberry Muffins

September 1, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

The perfect blueberry muffin. Why are you so darn elusive? I have so many blueberries, and yes they can go in a protein smoothie. But little cups of cinnamon and blueberries fresh out of the oven call to me like sirens. “Chrissy…chrissy…come to me!” (Your food calls to you, right? No?)

My breakfasts are so healthy and almost never consist of a baked good. Hey, it’s only recently that I have made a point of eating: a.) breakfast and b.)healthy breakfast. I have learned that coffee, even if it is great coffee, isn’t breakfast (I know, I am sorry, but it isn’t). Now-a-days it’s yogurt, or fruit, or a smoothie, you know the drill. Avocado toast or protein cereal is usually the most carb-y I get for my morning meal.

But then, it’s blueberry season and I JUST CAN’T STOP. I continue to quest for a muffin with just the right crumb. No tunnels, no big pocket of air, no paperweights. Bursting with berries, smelling like a cinnamon candle, worth it’s weight in calories. If I am going to indulge in basically a mini cake for breakfast, it has to be really good. Cheat meal good.

This muffin has more spice in the batter, more spice in the crumb. The batter contains a combination of plain, greek yogurt as well as sour cream. It also has my new found super ingredients in muffins, raw apple cider and baking soda. This is a throw in the mixer batter, and easy to do.

As always, I put way more berries than the average girl. If it is a blueberry muffin it should be a blueberry muffin. Otherwise it’s just, oh I don’t know. yellow cake. With a blueberry dragged through it. And that cake is not worth the bake.

As always, I left some muffins naked (in our house that means no crumb topping) to soothe the savage beasties. The ones that still need to complete their summer work for school.

Maybe the fresh smell of baked goods will motivate them to finish Lord of the Flies and the AP work sitting on their desks under their swim masks, and the clean laundry that needs to be put away. Sigh.

Well, even if these muffins don’t inspire the completion of summer work, they do inspire me to get up and do the next thing on the checklist that composes my day. After all, its not every morning the siren call of berries and cinnamon call out to you, is it?

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Cinnamon Crumble Blueberry Muffins

Print Recipe

Cinnamon-y blueberry muffin perfection. What everyone should wake up to for breakfast!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 Minutes
Total Time: 7 minute
Yield: 18 -24 Muffins 1x
Category: Muffins
Method: Baking

Ingredients

Scale

Muffins:

2 large eggs
1 C Granulated Sugar
½ C Vegetable Oil
1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
½ C Sour Cream
½ C Plain, Greek-style yogurt
1 C AP Flour
1 C Cake Flour
1 Tsp Cinnamon
2 ½ C Blueberries

Crumb Topping:

¾ C Light Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Cinnamon
5 TBSP Butter
¾ C AP Flour

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 350* and line muffin tins with liners.

In a mixer or in a mixing bowl with hand held beaters, combine oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Combine until creamy and smooth. Add vinegar, sour cream, yogurt, and cinnamon. Incorporate flours and cinnamon at a slower speed, until combined (don’t over mix)

Fold in blueberries, scoop into prepared muffin tins.

If using crumble topping, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together, and cut in butter until crumbly.

Sprinkle on top of muffins, and bake for 18 minutes.

Citrus Blackberry Scones

August 13, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Citrus Blackberry Scones

It all began with a Facebook post. A friend from church posted a question, “Would anyone want blackberry plants? We are thinning out ours.”

To which I replied, “YES!” and three small shoots went into the ground behind our shed.

Three years later, I am picking blackberries by the quart daily and looking for recipes.

Blackberries are an interesting blend of sweet and tart, and when baked, turn into a beautiful jewel like color bursting with flavor.

Scones, on the other hand, how do I say it? Haven’t been my first choice in baked goods, because…they don’t burst with jewel like color and flavor. They present to me a challenge. I’m aware that a REAL scone is not the kind of scone you see at certain bakeries or specialty coffee shops (give me a cranberry orange or pumpkin scone from one of these places, but I know it isn’t a true representation…). It’s a great baked good, but the shame of scones. Call it a flat muffin maybe? I don’t know. Anyway, before proceeding, I called in my British life-liners.

I asked both of my friends about the art of scones, the flour and technique – they each sent me to the same BBC website for a recipe (www.bbcgoodfood.com). Which is awesome. Until I consider I am a Reading Teacher, and not a Math Teacher. Conversions from metric had me searching website calculators like nobody’s business.

The following recipe is a combination of my desire to be true to the scone, and yet fill it with citrus and fruit. Oh, and glaze. Because, that’s authentic… I tried. I really did. But a girl’s gotta have glaze.

The texture is dense but not too dense. the combination of cake flour and additional leavening makes them light but not cake-y. They are not too sweet, and the bang of the berries with the citrus is spot on.

When it comes to anything citrus, I am always disappointed if it is lacking. Don’t give me a lemon cake and the most lemony part is the yellow color. Blah.

So color me thrilled when my best friend and mandatory taste tester said this recipe was “lime forward.” Boom.

Here is one trick I saw on another blog, absolutely brilliant, (www.halfbakedharvest.com)and that is to grate the stick of butter like you would a block of cheese. This made cutting the butter into the flour mixture so much easier.

My other off trail change was the addition of an egg to the milk that goes into the batter. It did lighten the scone’s density and made it match the weight of the berries. As an aside, I used frozen blackberries for my recipe- simply because I am not using my berries fast enough and its easy to pick and pop into the freezer.

These scones are bright and flavorful, without being too sweet, and they are the perfect compliment to a cup of tea.

I hope you enjoy the recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Printable Recipe:

Citrus Blackberry Scones Final

Citrus Blackberry Scones

Ingredients:

3 Cups Cake Flour

½ Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons Lemon/Lime Zest

1 Stick of Butter, grated and chilled

1 egg beaten plus enough milk to fill ¾ cup measure

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

2 Cups Blackberries (fresh or frozen)

sugar for dusting

Citrus Glaze:

¾ C confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp lime extract

2 tbsp. citrus juice

mix in hot water until desired thickness

Directions:

Combine cake flour, citrus zest, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar until combined.

Grate one stick of butter (8 Tablespoons) on large side of grater (refrigerate if necessary after grating – you want your butter cold)

Cut in butter into flour mix until butter is small enough to resemble sand

Beat one egg in a ¾ cup measuring cup, add additional milk to cup to fill.

Mix in egg mixture to dry ingredients. This will be a dry and tender texture. Fold in blackberries.

Turn mixture onto a flat surface and shape into a circle. Slice into eight wedges.

Place wedges onto parchment lined or Sllpat lined baking sheet.

Dust each scone with sugar.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle on top of scones when baked.